The 4th Annual Nighttime Christmas Episode: Play by Play 12/3/18

Tis' the season for some Deal-ing! The 4th annual DEAL or NO DEAL Christmas episode--a tradition dating back to 2006--aired Monday night on NBC. I refuse to read the spoilers, but these are spoilers for those who haven't seen it.

For the first time since 2010, the syndicated version, DEAL returns to television. Eight years and it's back. On NBC. 

Howie introduces the models, with new music! New intros! Let's go! Here's a play by play!

Luis Green(e)? kicks off the festivities as the first contestant in eight years! He is from Jacksonville, adopted and had 11 foster homes.

Luis picked the number 10 because of his relevance of the years of foster care. Therefore, Mississippi's Vaeda Mann brings down the case. It is the ninth time (I think) #10 has been selected as the case in primetime history, and the first time someone not named Anya Monzikova brought it down. 

6 cases...

8: $750

18: $500,000! Oh shit.

1: $75,000

11: $50,000

22: $1,000,000 HOLY SHIT! 

Howie stops to explain the board.

We resume...

7: $500

A brand new banker: a slender woman, not the Rick Astley look alike from the past seasons. 

First offer: $12,000

You can counter-offer only once! Take home or continue! Luis Green, DEAL or NO DEAL? 

He says NO DEAL! 5 to open.

2: $25,000

12: $10,000 

23: $25

16 (Jessica is an adoptee) $1,000

13: $50

Jessica is the second model in the US version to claim she was an adoptee (see Tameka Jacobs). 

NEW offer: $28,000

Luis' family is here: his mom, his wife and his younger brother is in his corner. There's a video of the Green's first Christmas. Adorable and amazing! Summer is in tears. 

Luis says no deal. 4 to open after the break. $750,000 is on the board left among those values remaining. 

14: 'You got to go.' $300

21: $400,000 

15: $1

19: $5,000

NEW offer: $44,000 ($16K higher than previous offer); Luis says NO DEAL!

20: A. Smith is back! $100,000

4: PENNY! 

6: Megan! True blue original. $300,000

Remaining: 3, 5, 9, 17, 24, 25, 26 New offer is higher: $55,000. NO DEAL! 2 to open after the break. 

3: Meet the new Katie (Luddy). Same as the old Katie (Cleary). Sorta. $100

9: The elder stateswoman. The captain of the ship. Patricia Kara. $400

6 cases left in play, $750,000 left. New offer. $102,000; $5,000 short of the 'Stan Stava Line.' Stan was a contestant in season 2 and won $107,000. He is from my hometown. NO DEAL. One to open.

Luis' mom diagnosed with breast cancer, but stopped to announce her good news healthwise. 

We resume play. He picks 25. $200. 

Banker's new offer: $140,000!  NO DEAL! One to open. 5 cases in play. 

Luis picks 26. Michelle de Leon just got engaged. $200,000. $750,000 in play. 

Luis' new offer: $129,000, $11,000 off the previous offer. 4 in play. NO DEAL!

$750,000, $5, $10, $75 left on the board. After media timeout, they're chanting Luis' name! One to open, chooses 5. $10. Howie: "And now I'm Jewish and I believe in Christmas!" The Bankress must be a satanist. $217,000 is the offer. 

NO DEAL. One to open. On the stage, Kizzi couldn't believe it herself! 

Luis resumes with #17. $75. OH MY GOD. Expected a $400K plus offer, and after the media time-out, the banker gives the final offer (as per the unified rules of the franchise) of $330,000. DEAL? Or NO DEAL? Switch cases? No. Counter-deal. He says NO DEAL. Switch cases time. Does #10 (the 'cheapskate' case based on history), have $750,000? He keeps the case, and in there is...FIVE DOLLARS. Kizzi had the $750,000. I knew it, because #10 never had the million that much in the primetime version; was it because of the models' attractiveness? Who knows. 

Also I don't like the new cases. The slender ones from the past were better and those were surely briefcases. These new ones look like makeup kits, who came up with this shit? Bring back the old briefcase designs! This the the first of about 30 planned episodes on CNBC and NBC, starting Wednesday! The first two episodes air at 7pm and 8pm Central Wednesday on CNBC Prime and will rerun for the next four hours afterwards. Record it and enjoy! 

Another thing to take from this episode, where are the giveaways? I think the previous Christmas episodes had in between prize giveaways to the audience. In my opinion, this episode doesn't disappoint, but doesn't hold a candle to the past Christmas Deal US episodes in primetime. That pond in the 2008 episode though... 

Oh and the banker, could it be a former past Deal US model not in this version? We will see. Not a conspiracy theory at all.