History DealWithTheDevil / LiveActionTV

* In ''Series/ElChapulinColorado'''s retelling of ''Literature/{{Faust}}'', the titular character's DealWithTheDevil involves obtaining a magic riding crop that makes objects appear and vanish. When Mephistopheles tells Faust about the deal and its price (Faust's soul), [[FaustianRebellion he makes the contract vanish]].

** Since the main character is the Devil, this comes up a lot. However, he doesn't bargain for souls. Instead he does them a simple favor (such as getting them a job) in exchange for an unspecified favor in return later; "a little devilish IOU." He has a good reputation around Los Angeles for being a power broker.

** Just to be clear: the whole series is ''made'' of this trope.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': DealWithTheDevil:

* ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'': [[BigBad Evolt]] loves having this sort of affair with humans. Many characters tried to use him for their plans or even outsmart him and it only led to them eventually losing their [[LossOfIdentity identity]], [[AintTooProudToBeg dignity]], [[SanitySlippage sanity]] or [[EvilIsNotAToy life]]. The Faustian deal is outrightly refferenced in the prequel special ROGUE, where Evolt is aliked to Mephistopheles and a terroristic organization is founded under the name ''Faust''.

** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS4E111PrintersDevil Printer's Devil]]", Douglas Winter, the editor of the failing newspaper ''The Courier'', hires a reporter and linotype operator named Mr. Smith, who lends him $5,000 to keep the paper going. Winter eventually discovers that Smith is the Devil who wants his soul in exchange for saving the newspaper.
** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS4E116OfLateIThinkOfCliffordville Of Late I Think of Cliffordville]]", William J. Feathersmith is approached by the Devil in the form of a beautiful young woman named Miss Devlin. She agrees to send him back to his home town of Cliffordville, Indiana in 1910 with all of his memories of the intervening 53 years intact in exchange for his soul.

* Too many episodes of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' to count, sometimes involving a literal pact with Satan and sometimes not. Because the show was an anthology, this was one of the few shows where the Faust doesn't escape at the last minute due to ContractualImmortality. (To be fair, some 16th-century Faust stories have Faust avoid Hell.)
** In one episode, "Of Late I Think of Cliffordville", the standard trope is averted: The Devil (female, in this instance) offers to send an aging, bored, predatory business tycoon back in time with his memories intact so he can use his knowledge to experience the thrill of the pursuit again. But not in exchange for his soul -- Hell ''already'' has that; instead, she wants the bulk of his fortune.
** There is an interesting subversion in the episode "Still Valley", in which [[spoiler: a Confederate soldier in the American Civil War gets an offer of assistance from the devil (or at least a [[EvilWizard Satanic wizard]]) which would allow the Confederacy to win the war easily at the price of renouncing God. He makes the right decision and rejects the offer rather than sell the South's collective soul: "If the South is going to be buried, I'd rather it be in a Christian grave..."]]
** The Devil in "Printer's Devil" makes a deal with a young publisher to revive the fortunes of his moribund newspaper. He does this by means of a linotype machine that can [[RewritingReality cause stories typed on it to come true]]. Fortunately for the publisher this also holds the means for the Devil's defeat.

** Truly worthy as both a CrowningMomentOfAwesome and CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming for the series.

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'':

* The perennial antagonist of ''Series/{{Angel}}'' was a luxurious law firm, Wolfram & Hart (an anagram for its founding members, Wolf, Ram & Hart), which was actually a front for human-demon cooperation and bribery. Aside from the obvious jokes, such as the patent holder of cancer being a client, the firm was dedicated to spreading injustice and societal rot.
** And yes, Angel did shake hands with an Armani-wearing devil at one point.
-->"Everything's in place, they'll draw up the paperwork. Racquetball Thursday?"

* One episode of ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' has Al Bundy selling his soul to the Devil for the opportunity to take the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl. Al is drafted by the Bears and has a spectacular season, but when the Bears finally get to the Super Bowl, the Devil tells Al that it's time to hand over his soul. When Al protests, the Devil points out that [[ExactWords he only agreed to let Al take the Bears to the Super Bowl, not actually play '''in''' the Super Bowl.]]

** In ''Sleeper'', [[spoiler:Jimmy makes one with Lex to protect Chloe from government agents.]] He is GenreSavvy enough to know there would be a price. [[spoiler:Lex comes to collect in ''Arctic'', MagnificentBastard-style.]]

** In "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich", a man gets help escaping a demon to whom he owes his soul. [[spoiler:Said help turns out to be a bigger demon.]]

* On ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', a hairdresser who sold her soul takes Satan (Jon Lovitz) to ''Series/ThePeoplesCourt'' for [[http://snltranscripts.jt.org/86/86ccourt.phtml breach of contract]], and the Prince of Darkness tries to defend himself by pointing out the obvious.

* Earl of ''{{Series/Dinosaurs}}'' made a deal with the devil to get a very exclusive mug.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** The Mayor made several, one of which included selling his soul.
** Kumiko gained much of her power from Aluwyn.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Craster is left alone by the White Walkers in exchange for the sacrifice of his newborn sons.
* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'':
** Jonathan makes one with [[AdaptationalVillainy Jor-El]] to bring Clark home in ''Exile''.
** In ''Reckoning'', Clark makes another one to save [[spoiler:Lana's life. [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption Jonathan dies instead.]]]]
** In ''Vessel'', Lionel says Lex has done it, and the devil [[spoiler:(Zod)]] will always come to collect.
** In ''Sleeper'', [[spoiler:Jimmy makes one with Lex to protect Chloe from government agents.]] He is GenreSavvy enough to know there would be a price. [[spoiler:Lex comes to collect in ''Arctic'', MagnificentBastard-style.]]
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', "Hide and Q."
** Another episode, "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E13DevilsDue Devil's Due]]", involved an alien race who believed that their ancestors made a deal with the devil for a thousand years of peace and progress for their world. On the date when the contract was supposedly due, a woman named Ardra appeared, claiming to be the demon of their mythology, come to claim the planet. Picard ultimately proved that [[TheCon Ardra was merely a con artist]], using [[MagicFromTechnology technology to recreate magical effects]] to convince the populace of her demonic origins.

* Too many episodes of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' to count, sometimes involving a literal pact with Satan and sometimes not. Because the show was an anthology, this was one of the few shows where the Faust doesn't escape at the last minute due to ContractualImmortality. (To be fair, some 16th-century Faust stories have Faust avoid Hell.)
** In one episode, "Of Late I Think of Cliffordville", the standard trope is averted: The Devil (female, in this instance) offers to send an aging, bored, predatory business tycoon back in time with his memories intact so he can use his knowledge to experience the thrill of the pursuit again. But not in exchange for his soul -- Hell ''already'' has that; instead, she wants the bulk of his fortune.
** There is an interesting subversion in the episode "Still Valley", in which [[spoiler: a Confederate soldier in the American Civil War gets an offer of assistance from the devil (or at least a [[EvilWizard Satanic wizard]]) which would allow the Confederacy to win the war easily at the price of renouncing God. He makes the right decision and rejects the offer rather than sell the South's collective soul: "If the South is going to be buried, I'd rather it be in a Christian grave..."]]
** The Devil in "Printer's Devil" makes a deal with a young publisher to revive the fortunes of his moribund newspaper. He does this by means of a linotype machine that can [[RewritingReality cause stories typed on it to come true]]. Fortunately for the publisher this also holds the means for the Devil's defeat.
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'':
** There's a comedic variation, "I of Newton". A mathematician (Sherman Hemsley) accidentally summons a demon through an equation he was working on, and the demon (Ron Glass) announces that the man's soul is already forfeit, unless he can give a question the demon can't answer or a task he can't perform. [[spoiler:Hemsley is allowed to ask two (well, three, but one gets wasted..) questions about the demon's powers, from which he ascertains that the demon can travel anywhere in the multiverse, and can find his way back from anywhere he has traveled.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Demon:''' Now, a question I cannot answer.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Professor:''' Not a question. A command.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Demon:''' Lay it on me.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Professor:''' Get lost!]]
** A variant that may or may not involve infernal forces happens in the story ''Button, Button,'' (later made into the movie, ''The Box'') where a poverty stricken couple are given a box with a button on it and are told that if they press it, they'll get a lot of money but someone whom they don't know will die. [[spoiler: They press it and the person who gave it to them comes to collect the box. They are given the money and are told that someone they didn't know has died. They are also told that the box will now be given to someone ''they'' don't know.]]
** In "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich", a man gets help escaping a demon to whom he owes his soul. [[spoiler:Said help turns out to be a bigger demon.]]
** "Time and Teresa Golowitz" has an interesting variant: the deal is offered to someone who has just died, and the deal is not for the person's soul. A music composer is offered to be allowed to revisit a moment in his past to have another chance with a popular girl in school in exchange for simply coming "down below" once in awhile to share his music. He agrees, but learns afterward that his tampering with history (preventing a shy girl's suicide and causing her to be a successful singer in the present) is apparently frowned upon "top side", necessitating that he spend a little while "lying low" in Hell for a bit. To be fair, it's implied to be a [[AHellOfATime nice place in Hell]] (possibly Limbo) and he's told that the arrangement is only temporary.
* NBC's 1980s short-lived sketch comedy program "The New Show" had a series of quick "Twilight Zone" blackout skits doing the show's standard bits. In one, the Devil grants a man's wish to become the most powerful man in the world - to his horror he finds he's become Jimmy Carter at the lowest point in his term. Also he's in an extraterrestrial zoo.
* On ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'', Jay's sole function is to corrupt the other characters.
** ''Degrassi'' subverted this plot beautifully in "Moonlight Desires". It's the climax of a StoryArc where Jay lures his latest Faust into committing worse and worse crimes -- until the Faust spontaneously decides to do something that scares Jay. But EvenEvilHasStandards.
** ''Degrassi'' also subverted it badly in "Queen of Hearts," where the Mephisto keeps her promise. This was supposed to be a moral about trust, undermined by the fact that only a total idiot would have believed the promise in the first place. (See FamilyUnfriendlyAesop for description.)
* ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'' combines the Trope with VirginSacrifice. (This is naturally a HalloweenEpisode, by the way.) A guy named Jack who claims to be the Devil had made this deal with Kate because she claimed to be a virgin. As it turned out, she had been drunk at the time, and was lying. When this revelation is made, Jack doesn't want her soul anymore, and simply leaves. (Whether Jack was telling [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane the truth about who he was or whether he was just a nutcase]] is left ambiguous. Stranger things happened on the show...)
* The entire premise of the series ''Series/GoodVersusEvil'': our heroes try to persuade victims into exercising the escape clauses of aptly-named "Standard Faustian Contracts" to save their souls.
* The short-lived 1977 series ''Series/AYearAtTheTop'' was an allegedly comic look at a two-man garage band (played by Greg Evigan and ''David Letterman'' band leader Paul Shaffer) who sold their souls to the son of the Devil for a year of super-success as rock stars.
* The premise of ''Series/FridayThe13thTheSeries'' is based on a Deal With the Devil made by the uncle of the protagonists, and their efforts to recover the cursed antiques that he sold as part of the deal.
* In ''Series/TeenWolf'', accepting "the bite" from an Alpha werewolf. Selling your humanity for power, health, and popularity doesn't seem like much at first until: The full moon turns you into a homicidal jerk, the Alpha forces you to kill with him or die, and the Hunters turn up to (at best) bully you or (at worst) turn you into a pin cushion before cutting you in half.
* The entire series ''Series/{{Brimstone}}'' was about a dead cop who was offered a chance by the Devil to go to Heaven if he would locate and dispatch 113 [[MonsterOfTheWeek Monsters Of the Week]] that had escaped from Hell.
** Somewhat subverted, however, as the cop was already IN Hell and therefore had absolutely nothing to lose.
* The TV series ''Series/TheCollector'' involves nothing but deals with the Devil; every episode, the title character goes to another person who's made a deal with Satan, and tries to get the person to earn redemption. Sometimes, he succeeds.
* The ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode "Crossroad Blues" concerns the main characters trying to save several people who have made deals with the Devil, or rather Crossroad Demons. Upon making the deal, the person has ten years before the demons come to collect. They do in the form of hell hounds, who tear the victim to shreds. Notably, the only one they succeed in saving is the one who made a deal to benefit someone else (to save the life of his terminally-ill wife), whereas all the characters who made wishes for success or talent end up being taken down to Hell as planned. Robert Johnson (mentioned above) even puts in an appearance.
** It must [[ItRunsInTheFamily run in the family]]: [[spoiler:Mary gave permission for Azazel to enter her house, which he used to poison Sam with demon blood (in 1983, the year that she died) in exchange for John to be alive again]], John makes a deal with Azazel in the first episode of season two: his soul and a mystical gun made by Samuel Colt for Dean's life. When Sam dies in ''All Hell Breaks Loose'', Dean summons a crossroads demon and trades his soul in order for Sam to live again and while he failed, Sam still tried to make any deal he could in order to save Dean from hell. ''God'', that family is screwed up.
** Another surprisingly depressing example occurs for Bela in season 3's "Time Is on My Side." [[spoiler:She was fourteen, it's implied her father was abusing her sexually, the Crossroads Demon (in form of a child) killed her parents for her, and the ending is her hearing the hellhounds coming to get her.]]
** Back when he was human, Crowley sold his soul for "[[BiggerIsBetterInBed a few extra inches below the belt]]". He swears that he was "just trying to hit double digits". These days, he's the one making the deals as "King of the Crossroads". He seems rather embarrassed about his reasons for making the deal when explaining things to his time-displaced son.
** Bobby makes a deal with Crowley in order to help the brothers save the world from the Apocalypse. It takes him half of season six to find a way out of it.
** The biggest reveal of season six is that all that happened was due to a deal [[spoiler:Castiel made with Crowley]]. Unlike standard deals it is actually more of a partnership where either partner could walk away at any time. However, by the time the brothers find out about it both participants have too much invested in the scheme to back out.
** Another non-standard deal was Sam's entire relationship with demon [[EvilMentor Ruby]] during season four. He sacrificed his humanity (and by extension, soul) by following her lead and drinking [[PsychoSerum demon blood]] so he could develop abilities that would let him destroy that season's BigBad, Lilith, to prevent the [[ApocalypseWow Apocalypse]]. Ruby did get him strong enough with the DarkSide to kill Lilith. [[spoiler:[[NiceJobBreakingItHero Too bad]] killing her was the [[ApocalypseMaiden key to start]] [[TheEndofTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Apocalypse]].]]
** Just to be clear: the whole series is ''made'' of this trope.
** "Season Seven, Time For A Wedding" features an interesting example: a demon makes the standard "You get what you want and die ten years later" deal with people -- then has his partner kill them within days, thus exploiting a loophole in the deal-making process (the demon making the deal can't collect early; nothing says another demon can't). When [[LawfulEvil Crowley]] finds out about this, he is ''pissed'', because their whole business model depends on people knowing Hell will hold up its end of the bargain.
-->'''Crowley''': This isn't [[AcceptableTargets Wall Street]], this is Hell! We have a little something called "[[EvenEvilHasStandards integrity!]]"

* In ''Series/{{Reaper}}'', the protagonist's parents' Deal with the Devil before he was born forces him to work for {{Satan}} as the title character. Mr. S. regularly tries to make the title character's job easier by offering various forms of assistance. The series also included a [[spoiler:failed]] attempt at solution number 5 involving [[spoiler:the protagonist's girlfriend that left them both bound for Hell by season's end.]] Unfortunately [[ScrewedByTheNetwork they'll never get out of it now]].
* Tends to come up from time to time on ''Series/UglyBetty'' with Wilhelmina in the Mephistopheles role and either Betty or Christina in the Faust role.

** Interestingly, also the case for anyone who makes a deal with [[spoiler:the Vorlons]], the enemies of the Shadows. (For instance, they make [[spoiler:Lyta Alexander]] the most powerful telepath that has ever existed...at the price of being their slave, even after they leave the galaxy forever.) The reason for this applying to both is that both species long ago entirely lost their objective of helping the younger races develop, and instead fell into a bitter rivalry about how to do it. Now all they care about is which species is ''right''.

** Lampshaded further when Kitty offers Dharma dessert... a piece of flambee cake with a six inch tall flame on top.
* In a ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati'' episode, the frustrated employees try to form a labor union. Carlson's mother, who owns the station (and only bought it for the tax writeoff), threatens to shut it down or sell it rather than negotiate. Station manager Andy Travis laments at one point, "I would make a deal with the Devil to keep this station open!" Finally everything is resolved, and we learn Travis has made a secret deal -- with Mrs. Carlson.
* There are far too many of these to list in ''Series/AmericanGothic1995'', but one of the earliest and most representative is Carter's deal with Buck in the episode "Damned If You Don't" (which could almost be an alternate title for this trope).
* ''Series/{{Lost}}'''s Michael makes a deal with the devil (in this case, the Others) to secure freedom for his son. He agrees to free "Henry" (which entails [[spoiler:killing Ana-Lucia]]) and betray four of his friends. Eventually his guilt leads him to attempt suicide.
** A much more literal example happens in season 6, when Sayid makes a deal with [[spoiler:the smoke monster]] to get "anything he wants" (implied to be Nadia) in exchange for [[spoiler:killing Dogen so Smokey can massacre everyone at the Temple]]. Turns out this was a ploy, however: the "Devil" here wasn't dealing fairly and was looking to kill Sayid along with all the other candidates. Then again, "fair" and ''Lost'' never did quite go hand in hand.
* On ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' a hair-dresser who sold her soul takes Satan (Jon Lovitz) to ''ThePeoplesCourt'' for [[http://snltranscripts.jt.org/86/86ccourt.phtml breach of contract]], and the Prince of Darkness tries to defend himself by pointing out the obvious.
-->'''Satan:''' It's more or less customary for me to cheat mortals in this way. By observing only the letter of the agreement. For example, I'll give someone eternal youth, then have them sentenced to life imprisonment. That sort of thing. It's pretty standard. I'm the Devil!
** In a [[http://snltranscripts.jt.org/99/99edevil.phtml later episode]], an aspiring musician considers selling his soul for a guaranteed hit, but decides against it when it becomes apparent that all the Devil's songs suck.
** In [[http://snltranscripts.jt.org/86/86qheaven.phtml yet another sketch,]] a recently deceased man in Heaven is delighted to find out that his instincts about Bruce Willis and Sugar Ray Leonard having made deals with the devil are true.
** In still another sketch, a young Simon and Garfunkel make a deal with the Devil for musical success (his first piece of advice: lose the tubas, get guitars). "We're going to be friends and partners forever, right?" Simon asks the Devil at one point. His reply: [[BlatantLies "Yeah... Yeah, that's the ticket!"]]
* One episode of ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' has Al Bundy selling his soul to the Devil for the opportunity to take the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl. Al is drafted by the Bears and has a spectacular season, but when the Bears finally get to the Super Bowl, the Devil tells Al that it's time to hand over his soul. When Al protests, the Devil points out that [[ExactWords he only agreed to let Al take the Bears to the Super Bowl, not actually play '''in''' the Super Bowl.]]
-->'''Al:''' But that's not fair!
-->'''Lucifer:''' Duh! I'm '''THE DEVIL!'''
** The same episode states a real-life person made a similiar deal:
--->'''Lucifer:''' "I want my soul back! I want my soul back!" That's all I ever hear from you and Tiger Woods.
--->'''Al:''' You mean Tiger Woods--?
--->'''Lucifer:''' Please. You didn't think anybody was really that good, did you?
* Played for laughs in the Music/AliceCooper episode of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', Cooper acts as an agent for the devil, offering a contract that will give the muppet who signs it anything they want. Gonzo is ecstatic, but can't find a pen. ("I'll sell my soul for a pen! No, I have other plans for that.") Ms. Piggy goes through with the deal for great beauty, but is turned off by what Cooper considers beautiful. After giving Piggy a refund, Cooper radios the devil to report...
-->'''Cooper''': Hello, boss... No, no, I didn't make a sale... Listen, Do I get any commission on hourly rentals?
-->(Radio spews flames)
-->'''Cooper''': Touchy.
** Then the trope gets one last joking when Gonzo appears in an explosive flash just before the ending. Kermit thinks Gonzo made the deal, but Gonzo reveals he has something even worse: ''[[ShockinglyExpensiveBill the bill for all the special effects]]''! Everyone (Cooper, Kermit, and the Monsters on stage) basically unites in an, "Oh no!"
* A variation of this occurs in ''Series/KamenRiderDragonKnight''. When speaking to prospective Kamen Riders, BigBad General Xaviax claims that accepting his deal and following his instructions will allow them to satisfy their desires--a former rich kid will get a million bucks for each Rider beaten; a street fighter will become the strongest man in two worlds; a framed man will get the evidence he needs to be cleared; a disabled soldier will get to protect his country. Given that all of the people we've seen accepting these deals have either been eliminated or end up defecting before being able to collect, it has not been confirmed whether Xaviax would have kept his side of the bargain.
** We later meet his first victim, who was tricked into dooming his whole world to slavery. He got what he wanted, able to live in peace with his girlfriend... until Xaviax got desperate and told him "Become a HeelFaceMole or I'll tear down this little fantasy and tell your people who betrayed them."
* Played straight in an Emmy-nominated episode of ''Series/TheMonkees'' called "The Devil and Peter Tork." Peter (the innocent, lovable [[TheFool "dummy"]] of the group) unwittingly sells his soul to a man named [[{{Satan}} "Mr. Zero"]] in exchange for a beautiful gold harp, and the ability to play it. The Monkees soon realize who "Mr. Zero" is, and desperately fight to have the Devil spare Peter's soul. [[spoiler:In the end, Mike wins the battle for him in court, in which he proves that Mr. Zero didn't give Peter the ability to play the harp at all, stating, "if you love music, you can play music."]]
** Truly worthy as both a CrowningMomentOfAwesome and CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming for the series.
* There was an episode in ''Series/TalesFromTheDarkside'' that had the Devil made a deal with a frustrated movie script writer.

* A version of this occurs in the midway through season 8 of ''Series/TwentyFour'', after [[spoiler: the peace treaty negotiation is postponed by the kidnap (and later death) of President Hassan, and the Russians decide they want to pull out of the treaty. President Taylor is tempted and does make a deal with disgraced Ex-President Logan (from series 5) who offered to make negotiations with the Russians in return for being credited as having a major role. It goes terribly wrong when it turns out the Russians were involved in the assassination of Hassan, and Logan begins to exert his influence over Taylor, 'advising' her to order more arrests, going against her beliefs and policies (and causing her most trusted advisor Ethan to resign in protest) and drawing her into a massive cover-up. However, the deal is compromised due to Logan's [[WhatAnIdiot involvement in Renee Walker's death]]. Needless to say, Jack was not [[UnstoppableRage happy about this.]] The deal is broken when President Taylor announces at the signing ceremony that she will not be signing the treaty, thus winning back her dignity and conscience.]]
* Happens in an episode of ''Series/TheKidsInTheHall'' where a stoner, during a massive pot drought runs into the actual Devil in a back alley. The Devil doesn't want the stoner's soul ''or'' his body, but actually his [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes jacket]] as he's starting a rock band, "The Noodles." In exchange, the devil gives the stoner the ability to grow ready-to-smoke marijuana from his hair. Subverted in that '''everybody''' ends up happily ever after with the result.
* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' ''Film/TouchOfSatan'' episode concludes with Crow telling Mike that he sold his soul to Satan and looks forward to getting power real soon - but then Mike takes a look at the contract and finds that Crow actually sold his soul to ''Stan'', a [=C.P.A.=] When they try to call him for a refund, he says that he has already re-sold Crow's soul with a big block of souls to City Corp.
-->'''Crow''': "Oh man, I'm gonna have to make so many phone calls to get my soul back!"
** The episode for ''Film/DevilDoll'' also features Crow making a number of deals with Pitch, to Mike's disapproval.
** The Thanksgiving Day episode had segments where characters from various films sit at a dinner table. Pitch the Devil from "Santa Claus" gives thanks for his new clients, including the cast of "Friends".
* Invoked in ''Series/BlueBloods''. Assistant DA tells a teacher who has been taking money from his gang leader brother "You made a deal with the Devil and now the bill has come due."

* ''Series/TheComicStripPresents'' episode "Demonella" features the devil offering a record producer success, wealth and power in exchange for [[spoiler:his mother's recipe for chicken soup]].
* In the Halloween episode of ''Series/{{Bottom}}'', Richie attempts to sell his sells in exchange for twenty years of unlimited sex. All he gets is a visit from Hedgehog's daughter and a flaming rear courtesy of the 'sprouts Mexicaine'.

-->'''Howard:''' Do you want me to sign this in blood?
-->'''Spirit of Jazz:''' Biro's fine.
-->'''Howard:''' Oh, okay. (Signs contract) Hang on, what's this bit about 'soul ownership?'
* An episode of ''Series/BigWolfOnCampus'' featured a girl who was so desperate to become Student Council president, she told her teacher (who was a devil in disguise) that she'd sell her soul to win. When she wins, he takes her soul and prepares to take it back to Hell with him. But, after a fight with Tommy, Merton shows the devil a postcard the girl had written him over the summer when they were children, back when she was more open about her crush on him. On that postcard she promised Merton her heart and soul. Realizing that the girl was double-dealing him, the devil reluctantly returns her soul on the grounds that it legally belonged to Merton and was not hers to offer.
* On ''Series/TheAmazingRace'', Season 11, Danny & Oswald sold their Yield to Dustin & Kandice when they found themselves out of money. Immediately upon using to Yield another team, they seemed to lose all heart and will to win the race, and equated the deal to this trope.
* An episode of ''Series/WayneAndShuster'' had a musician selling his soul to the Devil in order to become Canada's greatest hockey player.
* Subverted on an episode of ''Series/JonathanCreek'', in which Lenny Spearfish ''believes'' that he's sold his sold to the devil in exchange for wealth, power and immortality, only for Jonathan to discover that all the "miracles" that happen to him were in fact [[spoiler:orchestrated by MI5. Having recently discovered that Lenny's wife was the illegitimate and unacknowledged daughter of a royal, they were commissioned to ensure that she was provided for. This not only involved rigging up a buried treasure in her back garden, but also protecting her against the criminal that her husband managed to enrage whilst high on his newfound success]].
* ''Series/SixHundredSixtySixParkAvenue'': This trope comes with the show.
* On ''Series/GoodEats'', a LouisCypher character appears to a woman who had just lost a cake-baking contest and promises her a new recipe in exchange for her soul. (She agrees, and wins the next bake-off with Devil's Food Cake.) The LouisCypher character then appears to her longtime rival and makes the same pact with her, giving her the recipe for Red Velvet Cake.
* ''Series/CutthroatKitchen'' continues the trend. In the Halloween episode, "[=SaBOOOOOtage=]", Alton auctions off a deal with the Devil in the first round - a promise that they won't be eliminated in the first round (if they normally would be, Alton will tell the judge to eliminate someone else instead.) Alton does warn the chefs that the Devil will take payment in the second round (in addtion to the cash from the auction) - and that payment is [[spoiler: the ability to bid on sabotages for the rest of the competition.]] The chef that won the auction [[spoiler: benefited from it, as he would have been eliminated the first round - but was then cut in the second round.]]

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}'':
** Inverted. Drake [[PunnyName dè Mon]], played by Billy Zane, makes a deal with a sorcerer to become human (as in, to ''gain'' a soul rather than lose one) but keep his demonic powers with the condition that using them offensively will cause him to be sent to purgatory (as in, he's forced to be ''good'' rather than bad). The deal only lasts for one year, after which Drake will die anyway (as in, the only thing this means for his place in the world is that ''he's now on a clock to die''), but as it turns out the whole deal was made with help from Cole as part of a BatmanGambit to restore Phoebe's faith in love (as in, the underlying force behind the deal was doing something ''good'').
** Another inversion, Cole was willing to transfer the essence and powers of the Source to a Wizard. Only for the deal to be ruined by Phoebe under the influence of the Seer and the unborn Source kid.
** A more traditional Faustian DealWithTheDevil happens in the episode "Soul Survivor".
* In Series/DoctorWho the Doctor's Companion Turlough makes a deal with the Black Guardian, the AnthropomorphicPersonification of Chaos, to kill the Doctor in exchange for the Black Guardian helping him leave Earth.
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS4E9TheEvilOfTheDaleks ''The Evil of the Daleks'']] the deal Maxtible made with the Daleks seems similar to a deal with the Devil. He is helping them in the hope of getting the secret of turning base metal to gold. His eventual reward is [[spoiler:to be turned into a human Dalek]].
** There is certainly this vibe in [[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWho030SeasonsOfFear Seasons of Fear]], where Decurian Sebastius Graylus makes a deal with the [[spoiler:[[ALoadOfBull Nimon]]]] for immortality in exchange for helping them conquer Earth, which he tries to help them with the next 1500 years. [[spoiler:Further points for him effectively joining the demon of Mithraism.]]
* In ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryCoven'', [[spoiler: Marie Laveau achieved immortality through making a deal with Papa Legba, in exchange for her soul and the soul of one innocent every year. Fiona tries to do the same, but is told by Papa Legba that she, in fact, has no soul.]]
* In ''Series/SleepyHollow'', Andy Brooks sold his soul to Moloch for an as-of-yet unknown reason before the events of the series. Also, the Horseman are all [[spoiler: humans who made a deal with Moloch, with Ichabod explicitly using the trope name to describes Death's deal.]]
** Death [[spoiler: aka Abraham Van Brunt made a deal in return for possession of Katrina.]]
** War [[spoiler: aka Jeremy Crane/Henry Parrish made a deal in return for revenge on his parents Ichabod and Katrina.]]
* When Aeryn is captured by the Scarrans in season 4 of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', she [[PrayerIsALastResort prays]], first to the Sebacean's ancient, forgotten JerkassGod, then to "anything that will listen." Meanwhile, Crichton promises [[BigBad Scorpius]] the wormhole technology he's spent three years fighting and fleeing to keep from him if he'll help rescue Aeryn.
-->'''John:''' I don't care - about much. War. Death. Wormholes. I don't care about the things you care about.... I care - about ''one thing''. One. God have mercy on my soul. I think I'm gonna need your help, Mr Scarran half-breed, to get Aeryn back. Help me get her, and I will give you wormholes. Aeryn for wormholes. That's the deal.
** Pretty much ''everyone'' who tries to cut a deal with Scorpious finds themselves in one of these. The only reason he played fair with Moya's crew when Crichton infiltrated his Command Carrier intended to destroy it and the wormwhole project, is because Rygel really ''is'' that shrewd of a negotiator and politician.

* In one Halloween episode of ''Series/NightCourt'', Dan comes to the horrified conclusion he's literally done this, but it turns out [[spoiler: to have been an elaborate prank on Mac's part.]]
* ''Series/{{Monsters}}'': Spoofed in "The Demons". An alien wizard tries to summon a demon to bring him riches, but accidentally conjures and binds a humble insurance sales rep from Earth. The insurance guy then tries to summon his own demon to get the money, but he accidentally summons ''another'' insurance rep, albeit one from another world. Said alien insurance rep then tries to conjure his own demon to get the money [[spoiler:and ends up summoning and binding the alien wizard instead. Free of the wizard, the human insurance guy and the alien insurance guy quickly bond once they discover they have a lot in common.]]
* ''TheHauntingHourTheSeries'' had the episode "Long Live Rock and Roll", where a garage band frontman named Holden visits a music shop owned by Sir Maestro, a former rock and roll star (who looks like Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones and is almost dressed like Slash from Guns 'n Roses) who quit the music business [[EvenEvilHasStandards because of how corrupt it is]] ([[HypocriticalHumor yet has no problem with what he's doing]])[[note]]and it's implied later in the episode that Sir Maestro doesn't limit himself to collecting the souls of aspiring musicians. He targets anyone who wants power, from athletes to people who want to be rich to anyone with political aspirations[[/note]] and sells Holden a golden electric guitar that once belonged to Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, and Kurt Cobain (implying that these three talented guitarists got their talent from Sir Maestro and [[FridgeHorror died or had their careers ruined when they refused to give Sir Maestro what he wanted]]), but Holden doesn't have the money, so Sir Maestro takes whatever Holden has and has him sign a contract promising he'll pay for the rest. When Holden learns of what he's done, Sir Maestro targets Holden's friends, Tibbs and Squiggy, with similar offers and forces them to play for him forever (because ''The Haunting Hour'' is a kids'/family show and censors these days are wary of referencing anything that could be religious, they don't directly say that Sir Maestro is going to take their souls, but given what type of story this is, viewers can easily draw that conclusion) and Holden gets out of the contract by trying to beat Sir Maestro in a guitar duel.
** "Headshot", another ''Haunting Hour'' episode, is also a DealWithTheDevil episode, only it's more based on ''The Picture of Dorian Grey''.
* In ''Series/ElChapulinColorado'''s retelling of ''Literature/{{Faust}}'', the titular character's DealWithTheDevil involves obtaining a magic riding crop that makes objects appear and vanish. When Mephistopheles tells Faust about the deal and its price (Faust's soul), [[FaustianRebellion he makes the contract vanish]].

* Tends to come up from time to time on ''UglyBetty'' with Wilhelmina in the Mephistopheles role and either Betty or Christina in the Faust role.

* There are far too many of these to list in ''AmericanGothic'', but one of the earliest and most representative is Carter's deal with Buck in the episode "Damned If You Don't" (which could almost be an alternate title for this trope).

* One episode of ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' has Al Bundy selling his soul to the Devil for the opportunity to take the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl. Al is drafted by the Bears and has a spectacular season, but when the Bears finally get to the Super Bowl, the Devil tells Al that it's time to hand over his soul. When Al protests, the Devil points out that he only agreed to let Al take the Bears to the Super Bowl, not actually play '''in''' the Super Bowl.