What I'm Watching Now: Perfect Match (1984 - 1989)

The Australian game show Perfect Match is a combination of a lot of things I love. For one, it’s Australian, and so was my mother! Secondly, it’s a cross between The Dating Game and Love Connection. It also aired in the 1980s, and that alone makes it awesome. And finally, it has an adorable robot named Dexter!

Seriously, did I just die and go to a neon-soaked heaven, where all the men and women have perms and say G’day?

Like, totally.

I was first turned on to Perfect Match via Alistair and Siobhan on their Movies About Girls spinoff podcast, The Down Under Variety Hour. They played clips from the show and without even being able to see all of the aqua-netted awesome, I still knew it was a totally tubular paradise. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, that podcast episode did not pan out and I was left alone with my pastel memories. Tragic, right? Well, my favorite Aussie couple decided to bring back clips and I could have jumped right out of my penny loafers!

Strangely enough, this is the same face I make right after I jump out of my penny loafers!

Perfect Match debuted in 1984 and ran for five glorious years, ending in 1989 and and it enjoyed a brief revival in 2002. Much like The Dating Game (well, exactly like The Dating Game), a contestant chooses an unseen mate by asking a series of questions which will hopefully provoke hilarious responses. It becomes like Love Connection because the winning couple goes on a trip together and then returns to the show to let everyone know if they’ve made a perfect match. Then it becomes like Big Brother when Dexter the Robot calculates each winning couples compatibility. That’s a lot of fuchsia colored leggings and oversized blazers to take in! And I loved it.

The Down Under Variety Hour brought back their Perfect Match segment in honor of Valentine's Day. You can listen to the podcast here. Enjoy! (Note: I was unable to play the podcast on Firefox, but it came up fine in Google Chrome. If you have problems, please try another server) (Note #2: The Perfect Match segment begins somewhere around the second hour, but there's lots of silliness beforehand, so kick up your feet and stay awhile!)

If you want to brush up on the visuals of the show, check out my gnarly and radical Perfect Match image gallery. It will make you squeal, “Like, oh my gawd!”

Here come our hosts: 

Here is someone looking to make a Love Connection, er, I mean find his Perfect Match: 

Here are the choices: 

This girl talked about wanting to spank boys and I loved her for saying so!

This one seemed to want to be on TV more than she wanted the date!

I have a feeling that this girl doesn't take crap from anyone. I love her.

 That's the host standing in a strangely heart shaped middle. It's got to be a perfect match! 

This is Dexter. I love him. 

 Here is the Love Connection segment: 

I bet you had no idea that the lead singer of A-ha was on Perfect Match!

This was not a perfect match, but the set up is so perfectly 80s: 

She said her date was very "excited."

He said his date was too "tragic."

This is Babe. She is looking for a Perfect Match and I hope she found it. 

Here are the hosts trying out what looks like a vaudeville act.

"It was this big! Ha! Get it... umm... this big...Hello? Is this thing on?"

Round Two: This time there are three dudes, and they are cute!

Purple bow ties need to make a serious comeback. Seriously.

I imagine that this guy would be killer fun at a Def Leopard show. Win!

There is not one single thing wrong with this guy at all. 80s Purr-fection!

This is the lucky girl living in 80s game show heaven (and she looks like Eve Plumb!)

Looks like a Perfect Match (and I love her dress)! 

Dexter says "G'day!"