'Deal or No Deal Island' Season 2 Needs In-Challenge Clues About the Mysterious New Banker's Identity

Deal or No Deal Island has officially returned to NBC for its second season. Season 2 of this game-show-meets-reality-competition series follows the same concept as Season 1 – contestants compete in physical challenges and play games of Deal or No Deal to earn money toward a final jackpot; the last player standing faces the Banker for a high-stakes round of Deal or No Deal in hopes of winning it all – but with a brand-new cast, some new twists, and a new Banker.

In Season 1, the identity of the Deal or No Deal Island Banker was kept a secret until the finale episode, when Jordan Fowler won over $1 million in the final challenge. This approach made sense for the show’s premiere season, as the Banker turned out to be Howie Mandel – the host of the original Deal or No Deal that the Survivor-esque spinoff is based on – and any clues about his identity likely would’ve been too obvious. However, the Season 2 premiere revealed that Howie Mandel will not return as this season’s Banker, and a female Banker is taking charge instead. Fans are left wondering who the mysterious new Banker could be, many of whom don’t want to wait until the final episode of the season to find out. Instead, Deal or No Deal Island Season 2 should contain clues, for both the contestants and the viewers, about the identity of the Banker to be found – or earned – in challenges.

Clues About the Banker’s Identity Could Be Used Strategically in ‘Deal or No Deal Island’

In-challenge clues would ensure that information about the Banker’s identity isn’t given to the entire cast of players at once but only to those who earn it. On Deal or No Deal Island, contestants compete in challenges to retrieve briefcases containing varying cash values, but they also compete for advantages and encounter twists along the way. The Deal or No Deal Island Season 2 premiere featured briefcases containing the power to “Steal” or “Swap” cases with another player, and the preview for Episode 2 shows Survivor alum Parvati Shallow and Phillip Solomon encounter a twist that gives them an opportunity to change the game. Clues about the Banker’s identity would fit right alongside these in-challenge advantages without having to make significant changes to the game itself.

This new twist could also add a layer of complexity to gameplay on the island, as players could strategically use the clues they receive about the Banker’s identity, sharing the information with others or keeping it to themselves. Some of the Season 2 players are already proving to be better at keeping their cards close to their chest than others – like Parvati managing to use her Survivor legend status as a “secret” to bond with her fellow castmates as compared to Sydnee Peck, who, thus far, has worn her heart on her sleeve, both in terms of strategy and her major crush on Australian Survivor’s “Golden God,” David Genat. It would be interesting to see how players utilize this new twist to their advantage – or not.

In-Challenge Clues Would Give ‘Deal or No Deal Island’ Fans a Chance To Play Along

Similar to shows like Survivor and The Traitors, fans cannot vote for their favorite players or have a say in who goes home on Deal or No Deal Island. Allowing players to earn these in-challenge clues would also let viewers play along in guessing the Banker’s identity throughout the season. This would help keep viewers enticed without completely giving away the big secret as they wait for the final episode when the Banker’s identity is officially revealed.

In-challenge clues about the identity of the mysterious new Banker would keep things fresh for Season 2 of Deal or No Deal Island, giving fans more to speculate about throughout the season and giving players an additional incentive to perform well in challenges. After all, it’s easier to make a good deal when you have an idea as to who you might be negotiating with.

Deal or No Deal Island airs Tuesdays on NBC and is available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.WATCH ON PEACOCK