Classic Game Show: "$ale of the Century" (Temptation)

"Sale of the Century" is one of the best game shows of all time to me. I absolutely love it! It's amazing! It combined an intense quiz with shopping and became a success. The 1980s version is the most popular version of the show and is rightly so. Jim Perry's job as host was nothing else but perfection. He thoroughly balanced normal humor of a game show and the fast-paced intensity of a quiz show game show host and a superb salesman, probing many to buy deals when they probably wouldn't under normal circumstances. The show was perfect and truly should be remembered more now, but the show is not featured on GSN or any other place today. Thank goodness for the old USA's game show block of what has become yesteryear. :) "Temptation: The All-New Sale of the Century" of the 2007-2008 was an attempt at reviving the program, but failed miserable. It's definitely a show great enough to bring back. Australia's version of "Temptation" (Australia being the country where "$ale" has been the most successful of any country) is perfect, blending all the elements of the previous "$ale" and adding enough new elements to make it a distinctly different version of the show. I thoroughly enjoy "$ale" and, if FreMantle wants to revive the show, being a primetime show every night during the summer is the way to go for sure I think! Until then, enjoy the memories of Jim Perry's "$ale of the Century!!!"

Kevin $

Classic Game Show: "Let's Make a Deal"

"Let's Make a Deal" is in the process of being bought by FreMantleMedia (a move that could bring a bad revival? Very, very possible!). I hope that doesn't happen though. "Let's Make a Deal" is a truly great show. There aren't many shows where people dress up like pure fools for cash and prizes. The game was very easy; It only dealt with trading. Would you rather have this item or this item? Would you be willing to give up blank for blank? The only times where the show was not like that were during the grocery games for great prizes, usually cars. Overall though, the show was basically trading and very simple for most to play and catch onto for the audience. Monty's expertise as "TV's big dealer" was perfect. He knew exactly what to say at the right time. He was able to deal with women and men that were highly emotional during a time when just winning a range or refrigerator was a HUGE deal. He was also able to bring out the humorous moments of contestants. Overall, he was able to deal with the contestants and allow them to be the star of the show, a key to every game show host. All of this, mixed with the play with announcer Jay Stewart and model Carol Merrill, created a great show! None of the other versions or variations of the original held to the same awesomeness as the original, like the inclusion of the Super Deal in the later years and the '80s and 2003 versions. The original version was perfect. The other versions, however, still hold to the original to some extent. What's even better about "Deal" is the fact that it's truly so simple that it could be played during any era of television really. The original "Password," with it's extremely simple gameplay, for example, would probably not work well for today's audiences, but "Deal" truly could. Let's just hope that, if FreMantleMedia does buy and revive the show, Monty Hall will give some great advice while we still have him here. :)

Kevin $