History DealWithTheDevil / LiveActionTV

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': Multiple mortals believe that Louis, Lestat and Claudia must have made one due to their immortality. Some even ask for details how it works.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire'': Multiple mortals believe that Louis, Lestat and Claudia must have made one due to their immortality. Some even ask for details how it works.

* ''Series/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.

* ''Series/SheHulkAttourneyAtLaw'': Madisynn, a HardPartyDrinkingGirl, gets thrown into a hellish fireland and survives due to her making a deal with a goat demon she calls Jake in exchange for six drops of her blood and having to withold the pact to keep her and her family's souls safe.

** In ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'', a deal was struck between [[TheRival Ryusei]] and Aries, who has the ability to put people in a deep sleep and can bring people out of one if he wishes. Throughout the series, Ryusei has been seeking Aries out to save his friend, who has been heavily injured and put in a coma. Aries agrees to help him bring his friend out of the coma... If he kills [[TheHero Gentaro]]. [[spoiler:Ryusei goes through with it and Aries kept his end of the bargain. Though it was only for a brief amount of time due to the fact that it didn't heal the injuries and when he found out what Ryusei did, [[AngstComa he fell right back into a coma]]. [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Cue Ryusei's revelation]].]]

** Used as an explicit theme in ''Series/KamenRiderRevice'', where the villains release peoples' literal inner devils; and the [[MonsterOfTheWeek Monsters of the Week]] are formed from actual contracts that are sealed with the rubber-stamp {{Transformation Trinket}}s. Main character Ikki has his own demon to deal with, but he manages to set up a contract that's one-sided in ''his'' favor: "Behave or [[HeroicSuicide I'll kill us both]]."

* 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.]]

** ''Series/KamenRiderRyuki'': Most Riders have entered the Rider War by accepting a [[TransformationTrinket Card Deck]] from Kanzaki Shiro, thus agreeing to exchange the lives of the other participants for a wish. The plot is written too ambiguously to say anything certain about whether the wish was granted.
** 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 do 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."

** In ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'':
*** Kuroto Dan loves to tie people up in knots through scheming and manipulation, so any interactions with him can be like entering an implied contract over the slippery slope just by giving him attention. Don't be fooled by how [[LaughablyEvil silly]] or cartoonishly [[EvilIsNotAToy evil]] he appears to be.
*** Ironically enough, Kuroto himself made a deal with Parado, the de facto leader of the [[MonsterOfTheWeek Bugsters]] to create the DeadlyGame to end all games, ''Kamen Rider Chronicle''. Unfortunately, he deluded himself into thinking he is in control and ignored several reminders to know his place, [[spoiler:resulting in Parado taking his sweet time while killing him after their deal was complete]].
*** Hiiro agreed to work as the right hand man of [[spoiler:Masamune Dan]] to save his love, Saki. It didn't occur to him it would mean [[spoiler:he has to betray his friends]] and turn away from everything he valued before. The pressure and guilt caused to waste away through the time and eventually he reached his breaking point. Anyways, even though [[spoiler: Masamune]] was perfectly capable of holding up his end of the deal, it's a question if he would, considering how much he enjoyed torturing Hiiro.

** ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'': The Time Jackers' M.O. is to seek out people desperate enough to take up their offer to become [[MonsterOfTheWeek Another Riders]], either to save themselves, their loved one or just for the power itself. Either way, things go downhill from there, because the power will, without a fault, drive anyone crazy and obsessed with their single motive to the detriment of everything else.
** Much like Kuroto Dan mentioned above, [[spoiler:Master Logos]] from ''Series/KamenRiderSaber'' was on a quest for godhood and [[EvilIsNotAToy failed to realize that he should be mindful of his limited usefulness to the one actually in control of the deal]]. Granted, [[BigBad Storious]] had not given him any reminders of that and simply stayed vaguely helpful for as long as (seemingly) needed. [[spoiler:He also enjoyed killing the dude when his time was up, much like Parado.]]

* 'Series/{{Diablero}}: Well, technically with an Aztec death god. [[spoiler: In order to get the crew out of the land of the dead, Elvis sells the ferryman his life]].

* ''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.

** 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.]]

* ''Series/KamenRiderRyuki'': Most Riders have entered the Rider War by accepting a [[TransformationTrinket Card Deck]] from Kanzaki Shiro, thus agreeing to exchange the lives of the other participants for a wish. The plot is written too ambigously to say anything certain about whether the wish was granted.
* 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."
* The main plot line in ''Series/KamenRiderDenO''. Imagin would form a contract with a human and grant them one wish, whether they want to or not. After fulfilling it [[LiteralGenie in a]] [[JackassGenie way]], they will travel to that persons past and destroy it.
* Uva from ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'' eventually makes this his main method of using his Yummy. They begin carrying out the desire of their host, even following orders on occasion, but it always ends up coming back to bite the host in the end.
** Kazari ended up making such a deal with Dr. Maki. [[spoiler:But finds out too late that [[EvilerThanThou he wasn't the devil in the deal...]]]]
* In ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'', a deal was struck between [[TheRival Ryusei]] and Aries, who has the ability to put people in a deep sleep and can bring people out of one if he wishes. Throughout the series, Ryusei has been seeking Aries out to save his friend, who has been heavily injured and put in a coma. Aries agrees to help him bring his friend out of the coma... If he kills [[TheHero Gentaro]]. [[spoiler:Ryusei goes through with it and Aries kept his end of the bargain. Though it was only for a brief amount of time due to the fact that it didn't heal the injuries and when he found out what Ryusei did, [[AngstComa he fell right back into a coma]]. [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Cue Ryusei's revelation]].]]
* In ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'': Kuroto Dan loves to tie people up in knots through scheming and manipulation, so any interactions with him can be like entering an implied contract over the slippery slope just by giving him attention. Don't be fooled by how [[LaughablyEvil silly]] or cartoonishly [[EvilIsNotAToy evil]] he appears to be.
** Ironically enough, Kuroto himself made a deal with Parado, the de facto leader of the [[MonsterOfTheWeek Bugsters]] to create the DeadlyGame to end all games, Kamen Rider Chronicle. Unfortunately, he deluded himself into thinking he is in control and ignored several reminders to know his place, [[spoiler: resulting in Parado taking his sweet time while killing him after their deal was complete]].
** Hiiro agreed to work as the right hand man of [[spoiler: Masamune Dan]] to save his love, Saki. It didn't occur to him it would mean [[spoiler: he has to betray his friends]] and turn away from everything he valued before. The pressure and guilt caused to waste away through the time and eventually he reached his breaking point. Anyways, even though [[spoiler: Masamune]] was perfectly capable of holding up his end of the deal, it's a question if he would, considering how much he enjoyed torturing Hiiro.
* ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'': [[SatanicArchetype 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 referenced in the prequel special ''ROGUE'', where Evolt is aliked to Mephistopheles and a terroristic organization is founded under the name ''[[MeaningfulName Faust]]''.
** Notably, he doesn't bother to hide the true nature of his offers, unlike his [[FullBodyDisguise real]] [[EldritchAbomination identity]], which makes it so that the full consequences are not obvious until it's too late anyway.
* ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'': The Time Jackers' M.O. is to seek out people desperate enough to take up their offer to become [[MonsterOfTheWeek Another Riders]], either to save themselves, their loved one or just for the power itself. Either way, things go downhill from there, because the power will, without a fault, drive anyone crazy and obssesed with their single motive to the detriment of everything else.
* [[EvilIsNotAToy Much]] like Kuroto Dan mentioned above, [[spoiler: Master Logos]] from ''Series/KamenRiderSaber'' was on a quest for godhood and failed to realize that he should be mindful of his limited usefulness to the one actually in control of the deal. Granted, [[BigBad Storious]] had not given him any reminders of that and simply stayed vaguely helpful for as long as (seemingly) needed. [[spoiler: He also enjoyed killing the dude when his time was up, much like Parado.]]

* ''Series/KamenRiderRyuki'': Most Riders have entered the Rider War by accepting a [[TransformationTrinket Card Deck]] from Kanzaki Shiro, thus agreeing to exchange the lives of the other participants for a wish. The plot is written too ambigiously to say anything certain about whether the wish was granted.

* ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'': [[SatanicArchetype 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 referenced in the prequel special ROGUE, where Evolt is aliked to Mephistopheles and a terroristic organization is founded under the name ''[[MeaningfulName Faust]]''.

* ''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 referenced in the prequel special ROGUE, where Evolt is aliked to Mephistopheles and a terroristic organization is founded under the name ''[[MeaningfulName Faust]]''.
* ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'': This is Uhr's and, to an extent Hora's, M.O. They seek out people in bad situations, who may take up their offer to become [[MonsterOfTheWeek Another Riders]] either to save someone or just for the power itself.

** 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 knows there would be a price. [[spoiler:Lex comes to collect in ''Arctic'', MagnificentBastard-style.]]

** [[Recape/DoctorWhoS24E4Dragonfire "Dragonfire"]]: Kane with Belasz, and unsuccessfully Ace.

** In Season Four, Angel accepts a deal wherein they will erase the memories of his son, Connor, and set the boy up in a good life. In exchange, Angel and his team will fold their heroic organization and transfer their activities over to the firm's L.A. branch, effectively neutralizing them.

** Years ago, Gunn also traded his soul to a demon for a truck (which he used to great effect in his war against vampires), knowing that that if he perished in his SuicideMission against vampires before the demon came to collect, the deal was void. When Gunn survives long enough for the demon to show up again, Angel manages to convince all the other people who owed something to the demon to gang up and kill him. The demon notes that Gunn is perhaps the first person to willingly walk back to demon when time was up, which Gunn did to make sure the demon wouldn't go after anyone else.
** And there was also the kiddie show host who made a deal to make the show a hit, and then the demons turned him into their own literal puppet.

** ''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.)