My wife and I recently watched the first season of Deal or No Deal Island (2024) on Peacock. The premise surrounds 13 contestants who are sent to an island to compete in a social, physical, and strategic game. Each episode, one contestant faces the banker for a chance of elimination, with hopes of making it to the end for a final showdown with the banker to win a massive jackpot.
This series was created by Matt Kunitz (Wipeout) and features Howie Mandel (Deal or No Deal) and Joe Manganiello (True Blood). The show has a diverse cast of characters and challenges for them to overcome. There is a nice blend of strategy and luck to get to the final challenges. While the challenges require some physical ability, the final situations often prioritize endurance over strategy. It's always fun to watch the psychological stresses these games place on contestants. There are some unique and fun circumstances that are enjoyable to watch the contestants try to overcome.
In conclusion, Deal or No Deal Island is a unique reality series that separates itself from others by combining game show elements with reality TV. There's a lot to like here. I would score this a 9/10 and strongly recommend it.