A few observations:

Noel just says "22 sealed boxes" at the start...when did he start saying "identical"?

As well as the usual "Are you a lucky person?" rubbish, he asks every contestant what they would do with £20,000.

Jennifer is the new player!

The opening offers really are pathetic - £2,100 when she didn't take out anything higher than £5k!. I guess they kept them low in the early shows to make sure nobody would take one.

Did anyone get the music that played when she was offered £2,100? I want it!!!!

And i think Maurice is our new terminator - £250,000, £10, £10, £100,000

As I posted on the other thread, I think this is the first time he's missed out the "identical". Unless I just didn't notice on the first three!

First contestant to speak to the banker!!!! How exciting.

And he didn't say it on the first two shows, either...I just forgot to mention it. It makes sense, really, as they're not identical - they all have different numbers on the outside and inside!

Which other thread?

And that music played again on the £6000 offer!

does anyone else think that lisa who is stood at the end of the west wing, loks like emma b from the later west wing?

Yeah, I thought that too! Shell reminds me of someone as well, but I can't think who.

Yeah, Noel's yet to say 'identical'. Think it started quite early on, though. And yep, first contestant to speak to the Banker, surprising millions - I remember thinking originally that this meant there either actually was a Banker, or Rachel was just a really really good actress and was keeping the illusion alive.

I love that extra bit of music, sounds like someone out of a ye olde days film with that (synthesized) male choir.

Some comments so far...

First part:

Camera wobbles and angles have significantly improved.
Noel calls the "crazy chair" the "hot seat".
Rachel reveals her target of £20,000 to everyone before the game starts!
Noel talks about luck, e.g. Rachel is a lucky player, asking players what's in their box.
Eight boxes are opened instead of seven, Noel decides to leave the phone ringing until after the break...

Second part:

Raj has a bad feeling about his box, it's £250. Why don't players have good feelings about their boxes?
The banker offers £6,900 with 11 boxes, with six blues, and five reds: £10k, £20k, £35k, £75k and £250k.
Unlike players nowadays, Rachel is very confident and has no worries about what the banker says.

And Noel doesn't seem to be offering them the chance to change their mind when the box opener has a bad feeling about it. Which I much prefer as plenty of games have been potentially ruined by a player avoiding a box someone has a "bad feeling" about and leaving it until the end only for it to contain a blue!

wheres shell stood?

Did anyone notice the bit of the seal that points upwards was hanging down, then when they got round to opening her box, it was back to normal

The guy who opened 1 had a huge cut on his head, and whoever had 3 thought she didnt have to open the box!

There seemed to be some very dodgy editing after she dealt. The seal had obviously been removed then stuck back on as she went through the prove-out but was then miraculously back in its original position when it came to Noel opening her box at the end. maybe the prove-out was edited in later.....

Shell was stood by Lisa!

Don't think Rachel said £20k was her target...Noel just seems to be using it with every player, to get an idea of what they want to do with the money.

The banker's already showing how inconsistent he is - Rachel had a much better board than Anita with five boxes left, but was offered £8k less! First contestant not to take the highest offer.

lol ok daniel. i'll look for her tomorrow and see who i think she looks like

Shes very tanned so all i can think of is Maxine - in Jainies position.

And for Player 14 fans, we had a hint of things to come...

i missed some of the show. what did i miss

Ooh, and it annoys me when Noel keeps saying "low value sums of money" etc....when does he start just saying "reds" and "blues"?

Well, I think we know already he's quite a committed no-dealer!

And I finally know how his name is pronounced now (the same way as the name of the woman currently in Pat and Geordie's old position on the East Wing, returning to the present in my DOND time machine!)