History Series / TheTemptations

** When "Get Ready" is first performed, Davis arrives late. They perform it again at their reunion tour without a hitch.

* ProgressiveEraMontage: During "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)": We start with the Temptations in the studio, Eddie singing lead. Partway through the song, the scene changes to the group singing live on stage with Richard Street having replaced Paul Williams next to Eddie. By the end of the song, the rest of the Temptations are looking at Eddie's spot which is now empty, Eddie having quit the group.

* EarlyBirdCameo: Future Temptation Richard Street appears while still part of a different group.

[[caption-width-right:293:Temptations forever.]]

->''“As a matter of fact, I’ve been thinkin’, we should call the group David Ruffin and the Temptations!”''
-->--'''Leon, as Temptations lead vocalist David Ruffin'''

'''''The Temptations''''' is a {{Miniseries}} broadcast on NBC in 1998, divided into two-hour halves and based on the story of the Motown soul/R&B legends of the same name. The series was based on the book ''Temptations'', by sole original member Otis Williams (with Patricia Romanowski).

* ProgressiveEraMontage: During "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)": We start with the Temptations in the studio. Partway through the song, the scene changes to the group singing live on stage with Richard Street having replaced Paul Williams next to Eddie. By the end of the song, the rest of group is looking at Eddie's spot which is now empty, Eddie having quit the group.

** Melvin Franklin, in real life, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In the miniseries, he dies while getting food in the kitchen of his mother's home.
** The miniseries references the legend that Dennis Edwards (see above) was uncomfortable singing "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" because his father also died on the third of September. In reality, his dad died on the third of ''October''.
** David Ruffin's death. In the miniseries, he was dumped near a hospital and not identified for about a week, seemingly destitute at that point. In real life, he was brought to the hospital by his chauffeur after what would turn out to be a fatal drug overdose.

* OnlyOneName: David's driver/bodyguard/drug procurer Flynn. Flynn who? Just Flynn.

* MustHaveNicotine: Eddie is frequently seen smoking a cigarette. In real life, Eddie Kendricks was a heavy smoker, and died of lung cancer in 1992.

'''''The Temptations''''' is a {{Miniseries}} broadcast on NBC in 1998, divided into two-hour halves and based on the story of the Motown soul/R&B legends of the same name. The series was based on the book ''Temptations'', by sole original member Otis Williams (with Patricia Romanowski), and is narrated through the eyes of Williams, as he documents the group's history from 1958-59, when Otis formed Temptations predecessor Otis Williams and the Siberians and first met future Tempts bass singer Melvin Franklin, all the way through 1995, when Franklin tragically passed away. The first half focuses on the Tempts' origins and their "Classic Five" lineup (also including Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin), while the second half is devoted to their later history, where Dennis Edwards replaces the troublesome Ruffin as lead vocalist, Paul Williams struggles with alcoholism, and the hits start drying up following 1972's number one single "Papa Was a Rolling Stone". The deaths of all the Classic Five members except Otis are also explored here, same with the Tempts' short-lived reunions featuring the classic lineup's members instead of their less-heralded replacements.

* ArtisticLicense:

The miniseries stars Charles Malik Whitfield as Otis Williams, Creator/DBWoodside as Melvin Franklin, Christian Payton as Paul Williams, Terron Brooks as Eddie Kendricks, and Leon as David Ruffin.

* OnlyOneName: David's driver/bodyguard/drug procurer Flynn. Flynn who? Just Flynn.
* YourCheatingHeart: Not shown in full detail, but it is implied that Otis has an affair with The Supremes' Florence Ballard while on tour with the other Motown artists.

The miniseries stars Charles Malik Whitfield as Otis Williams, D.B. Woodside as Melvin Franklin, Christian Payton as Paul Williams, Terron Brooks as Eddie Kendricks, and Leon as David Ruffin.

* AdaptedOut: With the exception of Al Bryant, Richard Street, and Dennis Edwards, the non-Classic Five Tempts (and there are many of them) are hardly present in the miniseries. For example, Eddie Kendricks' replacement Damon Harris is shown singing with the band, but he is never referenced by name.

* TheAlcoholic: Al Bryant, whose drinking and bad attitude gets him fired from the group, and later, when the Tempts are already famous, Paul Williams.

** In the miniseries, Melvin goes to Otis' place and tells him that ex-Primes Paul and Eddie want to join their group, which is still known as The Distants. Otis is reluctant to have them join, while Paul and Eddie awkwardly deny wanting to join the Distants. In real life, it was Otis who offered Eddie a chance to sing for the then-Distants, and when Eddie said he'll only accept if Paul could also join the group, Otis was happy to have the two ex-rivals team up with him and Melvin.

** The other scene has Paul so wasted that he's slurring the lyrics to "Psychedelic Shack". For the next number, "I Can't Get Next To You", he's limited to lip-syncing and dancing, while band friend/future member Richard Street does the actual singing backstage.