With two of the major players – Kim Mattina and Claudia Jordan out, will NBC’s “Deal or No Deal Island” be as much fun and eventful to watch? It’s going to take some less noticed contestants (not Boston Rob) to step-up to the back-stabbing and strategy plate. Miranda could have been one of those contestants as we saw in episode 5.

Last week Amy had immunity and put Rob up to play against “The Banker” which he won and still remains on the island. Rob’s focus continues to be getting everyone who is not his alley out of the game.

At the end of last week’s episode The Banker asked the group who is the “most trustworthy” player. They all agreed that it was Aron. This choice played a major role in not only his game play this week, but affected the outcome of everyone’s Excursion.

This week’s episode opened-up with Aron missing from the communal camp of contestants. Everyone, except for Miranda, was concerned about Aron. Miranda stated, “honestly I don’t care where Aron is. Just let it go.” She also said she was excited about the day’s Excursion “as long as there’s no strategy.” But, she should know by now, there’s always a strategy.

Rob was freaking out because without Aron, his tightest alliance, he was left feeling hung out to dry and vulnerable to the other players who might attempt to take him out. So, Rob made an effort to talk to the other contestants, (not including Amy) in the hopes of creating new alliances and bonds. Amy was not buying any of it and neither was Stephanie.

Stephanie was still feeling the target on her back for not going along with their master plan in episode 3 to get Kim out of the game.

THE “Persuasion” EXCURSION:

Pictured: (l-r) Alyssa Klinzing, Dawson Addis, Rob Mariano, Amy McCoy, Stephanie Mitchell, Jordan Fowler, Nicholas Grasso, Miranda Harrison, Joe Manganiello — Photo by: Monty Brinton/NBC

The Excursion was explained by host Joe Manganiello as the contestants having to retrieve a locked case from the jungle with no knowledge of the monetary amount. They then would have to take that case to The Banker’s ledger which revealed the case’s value.

They could decide to keep the case, or bring it back and get another one. There were more seven-figure cases up for grabs in this Excursion than ever before, Joe assured them. It turned out that the case that took the most effort to get because it was buried, held the highest amount of $3 million. The contestants soon found out how persuasion played into this Excursion. And that was via Aron!

Aron was the keeper of The Banker’s ledger, held under tight lock-and-key and Aron as well! Aron had to convince two players to obtain the two cases holding the keys that would unlock him and bring him back into the game. By doing this, Aron had to put himself above the team. Especially when one of the contestants brought him a case holding $1 million and he advised them to drop that case in exchange for one holding a key.

The two players who brought back the cases with the keys were also placed in the bottom two. Aron would decide which of them would go against The Banker. After Stephanie warned Aron of Alyssa being “an absolute snake,” Aron knew he couldn’t put her in the bottom for risking her sending Alyssa home.  He decided it would be Miranda instead.  The other player he put in the bottom was Alyssa in hopes of keeping her safe. Aron just needed to convince Miranda NOT to eliminate Alyssa, but Stephanie instead.

MAJOR BOMB DROP:

Rob was reunited with Aron finally when he brought him his case to either approve or disapprove. Rob also took this as an opportunity to try and control the game play (as he always does). He suggested Aron put him in the bottom again in order to stay “safe.” However, Aron had already worked out the plan of putting Alyssa and Miranda in the bottom two.

It was a clutching of the pearls moment for Rob when Aron told him if it was between Rob and Alyssa, it would be Rob that he would pick to go against The Banker. That was NOT what Rob was expecting to hear. This was a rude awakening for Rob who learned he is not Aron’s number one. Alyssa is.

This was also a shocking moment for Rob to learn that unlike most Excursions where the highest monetary case amount holder gets immunity, that was irrelevant in this particular Excursion. It would be solely Aron to win possible immunity.

Pictured: (l-r) Miranda Harrison, Nicholas Grasso, Joe Manganiello, Rob Mariano — Photo by: Monty Brinton/NBC

“I Need You…”

Aron was successful in getting Alyssa to switch out her $600,000 case for one holding a key. He adamantly said “I need you one or two. That’s the only way I can keep you safe.” He drove the point home, “YOU need one or two.”

After Alyssa revealed her case as a key-holding one that automatically put her in the bottom, she still hadn’t lost trust in Aron. Whereas Miranda 100% did. But, pretended that she still trusted him. Aron explained his plan to Alyssa who was fully on board and even thought she should go against The Banker. In retrospect, probably not the best idea. A lot of high number dollar amount cases does not guarantee a successful run against The Banker.

Miranda heard Aron’s plan, which was for her to go against The Banker, and should she win, she was to eliminate Stephanie. She agreed to Aron’s plan.  But, then Miranda stated during her interview, “I have my own little blind side coming up for him [Aron] shortly.”

Pictured: (l-r) Aron Barbell, Miranda Harrison — Photo by: Monty Brinton/NBC

DEAL OR NO DEAL GAME:

First of all, Miranda stated that the game against The Banker was NOT in her favor. Due to a lot of high value cases, she was correct. All the cases, except for the one Amy brought back, were over $1 million. There’s only so high that The Banker is likely willing to go, which makes for a likely Bad Deal.

Miranda said she felt betrayed by Aron, and her own plan was to send Alyssa home. “Payback is a bitch,” said Miranda. She planned to use her money to start-up her own pest control business “Lady Bugs,” and help her hometown community in Florida that was hit by a hurricane.

A Personal Offer…

By Miranda’s second round of playing “Deal or No Deal,” The Banker’s offer was for $937,000. Everyone was suggesting “no deal” because Miranda had three numbers on the board over $1million – $1,500,000; $1,750,000 and $3 million. Along with $100.

For the first time during a game, The Banker also added a personal offer to the pot of $40,000 if she took the offer.

Miranda had $1,500,000 in her case. It was a Bad Deal, but Miranda left with $40,000 for herself and added the $937,000 to the final grand prize.

Then Joe stirred things up by asking Miranda who she would have sent home had she won her game? Miranda answered truthfully and said it was going to be Alyssa. She also exposed Aron’s plan that requested her to send Stephanie home. This threw a major monkey wrench into Aron’s game play and he was prepared to do “damage control.”  From here on out, Aron potentially will be seen as untrustworthy while Alyssa has gained a target on her back!

This will only get better next week!

“Deal or No Deal” airs Mondays at 10 pm PT after “The Voice” on NBC.