Just when no-one thought it could get any weirder, it did.
Donald Trump delivered a conventional performance.
In the days running up to it, the third and final US presidential TV clash was shaping up to be the nastiest of them all.
After a dismal fortnight dominated by accusations of sexual harassment and with polls showing him losing in nearly every state he must win, everyone expected a beleaguered but far from down Donald Trump to come out swinging.
The signs were there in his guest list, which included a former TV reporter who claims she was sexually assaulted by Bill Clinton, Barack Obama’s half brother and the mother of a man killed during the US compound attack in Benghazi.
But it turned out this time he wanted to try a different approach. He was calm, he reined it in. It was as though he had taken a chill pill beforehand, although the effect did wear off as the debate continued, with the personal insults – from both parties – emerging once again.
It was an obvious attempt at damage control on Trump’s part, although one that may well have come too late.
Moreover, in doing so he seemed to lose his fire, Hillary Clinton appearing passionate and engaged next to him.
By the end of the debate, he had unravelled and it was the Washington veteran who had landed more punches.
How did the candidates fare?
Donald Trump 5/10
Trump played to his base from the off by bringing up the second amendment – the right to bear arms – almost immediately.
He also showed a different – more measured – side of himself, surprisingly avoiding using Bill Clinton as ammunition against Hillary.
This calmer Donald looked very much like an appeal to traditional Republicans now veering towards voting Democrat.
He may well have have scored some points with them for his strong stance on Isis.
But his call for Russia and the US to get along so they can go after the terrorists together may not play well with those he still needs to win over.
He later slipped into some of his old habits, blaming the “dishonest” media and calling Clinton a liar as well as – at one point – “such a nasty woman”.
He rallied in his final minute pitch – name checking all the right things that will encourage voters to back him, including support for the depleted military, veterans over immigrants and the police.
But the standout moment was when he refused to say whether he would accept the election result, saying only that he would “look at it at the time”.
An unprecedented statement, this will have set alarm bells ringing in the ears of many Americans.
So while he looked and sounded a little less crazy (there was no prowling this time thank goodness), some of the oomph seemed to have been knocked out of him. He was a bit like a popped ballon.
Hillary Clinton 7/10
Clinton made a number of good hits throughout the debate, notably claiming that Donald used undocumented labour to build the Trump Tower and Chinese steel for his hotel in Las Vegas from where the debate was broadcast.
She also called him out for borrowing money from his father to set up his business, thereby questioning the credentials he says would be of so much use if he wins the White House.
There was additionally a powerful comparison of her 30 years’ experience in public service where she listed her achievements.
One of her best hits came when she again criticised Trump for not publishing his tax returns and not paying tax.
Undocumented immigrants are paying more federal income tax than he is, she declared.
This prompted him to argue that it was not his fault because she should have changed the law. Not a good look.
Clinton also probably did enough to win over some voters in the traditionally Republican areas she is now targeting, insisting her plans do include border security and that she does support the second amendment.
So has Trump done enough?
Before the debate, Trump’s campaign manager acknowledged he had pulled off come-backs before, a suggestion he might not succeed.
But – regardless of how bad it is looking for him in the polls (we know better than anyone in this country that the experts can get it wrong), Clinton’s confident expansion into traditionally Republican states and his less than impressive performance in the final debate – it is not over yet.
Yes, all the signs are that the race is slipping away from the billionaire.
But as one Republican strategist put it, this is a “true circus” and there are still a few acts still to come.
Lots has and can happen in 20 days.
