Thrill of a Lifetime is a television reality series (before that term was coined) created by Sidney M. Cohen (who also directed many of the episodes) and Willie Stein. It was telecast from 1981 to 1988 in Canada on the CTV network. Thrill of a Lifetime gave viewers the chance to live their dreams, with thrills ranging from daredevil adventures to the romantic. The program was hosted by Doug Paulson, with Teri Austin joining as co-host later in its run. One of the program's more notable episodes was in its first season, when it arranged for an aspiring model named Shannon Tweed to pose for Playboy, which led to her becoming 1982's Playmate of the Year and launching an acting career.

Thrill of a Lifetime was revived in 2002 with new episodes produced and telecast in Canada and other countries.

Episodes The original run of Thrill of a Lifetime ran for six seasons.

Season 1 Episode Original air date Summary 1-01 An actress rides a killer whale as it performs before a crowd of 2,000; a Victoria man recreates a flight on a B-25 bomber; a Montreal man meets Miss Canada 1981, Dominique Dufour. 1-02 A nine-year-old Little Leaguer pitches to Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter; a model (Shannon Tweed) auditions for Playboy; an insurance agent confronts wrestling's "Masked Destroyer". 1-03 A man washes windows on the CN Tower, then climbs to the top; a railroad worker becomes rich for a day; a woman takes over as host of The Alan Thicke Show; a man puts his pet, Queenie, through her paces. 1-04 An eleven-year-old boy appears in a guest role on The Littlest Hobo; newlyweds ride a biplane; a car owner "takes revenge" on her automobile; a songwriter has one of her songs performed on national television. 1-05 A man plays the first black James Bond (including driving one of the original Bond cars); a 65-year-old couple travel to the Arctic; a fourteen-year-old girl takes a beachcombing trip in B.C.; after ten years as pen pals, a Canadian and British correspondent meet for the first time. 1-06 A limo chauffeur drives a racing car; a woman gets a "make-over" and is featured in Homemakers magazine; a man sings with one of his favourite stars; a girl in a wheelchair rides in a hot air balloon with country music star Carroll Baker. 1-07 A construction worker crowns "Mr. Thrill of a Lifetime" in an all-male beauty pageant; a professor and best-selling author takes on 13-year-old tennis star Carling Bassett at a tennis academy in Sarasota, Florida; a teenager is reunited with her father. 1-08 An ordinary person makes an emergency landing in a jet liner; two brothers are reunited; a participant makes a country singing debut. 1-09 A 15-year-old amateur boxer spars with Commonwealth and Canadian heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick; a computer operator rescues a damsel in distress; a boy learns magic from two magicians. 1-10 A woman skates with Toller Cranston on the set of Stars on Ice; a man goes over the rapids of Hell's Gate; a couple are married in a traditional Oriental setting. 1-11 An 80-year-old pianist-composer, Cliff Carter records his first album, Mr. Nostalgia; a grocery clerk tries bull-riding; an eighth-grader teaches a classroom of teachers. 1-12 A twelve-year-old skates pairs with Canadian Figure Skating champion Tracy Wainman; a 17-year-old Scarborough high school student performs in concert with rock group Triumph; a Montreal librarian becomes a comic strip star. 1-13 A seven-year-old skates with Montreal Canadiens star Guy Lafleur; a woman becomes a plus-size model; a pastor tries motorcycle ice racing. 1-14 A woman makes her comedy debut with comedian Marty Allen; a man goes helicopter skiing; a man joins forces with Chuck Norris. 1-15 A seven-year-old Manitoba youngster battling a serious illness becomes "The Baby Trucker"; a Toronto firefighter shoots pool with Minnesota Fats; a Nova Scotian woman is reunited with her mother, whom she has not seen for twenty years. 1-16 A marketing executive swims with dolphins in a marine aquarium; an Edmonton baker plays oil baron; an aspiring ballerina gets her chance to dance. 1-17 A taxi dispatcher plays disc jockey on an FM radio station; a prison inmate plays saxophone before a studio audience; a waitress is permitted to wear $1 million in diamonds. 1-18 Unknown An Ottawa woman receives a pass from Wayne Gretzky and scores her first goal; an advertising executive participates in a western cattle round-up; 12-year-old girl sings the national anthem at an Ottawa hockey game.

Season 2 Episode Original air date Summary 2-01 A 10-year-old girl dances "The Nutcracker" with ballerina Veronica Tennant; a teenager plays tuba with the Canadian Brass; a baker runs an oil company for a day; an executive swims with dolphins. 2-02 A Thunder Bay firefighter fires the cannons on for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's performance of the 1812 Overture; a follow-up with Playmate of the Year, Shannon Tweed; a school teacher gives host Doug Paulson an anniversary surprise. 2-03 A Calgary sales representative plays with the Montreal Expos; two teenage girls are serenaded by their favorite singing group, The Nylons; a married couple goes on a wild rollercoaster ride through a mountain of shaving cream; pen pals who have been writing to each other for more than 60 years meet. 2-04 A pizza baker joins the RCMP Musical Ride; a high school student plays Shakespeare opposite Len Cariou at Stratford, Ontario; an Ottawa civil servant demolishes a 14-storey apartment building; a 9-year-old boy imitates his idol, Elvis Presley. 2-05 A student plays stuntman and falls from a three-storey building; a waitress pilots a blimp; a girl rides a circus elephant. 2-06 A Quebec postal worker attempts to qualify for his professional drag-racing license; a couple honeymoon in Niagara Falls; an 11-year-old hockey goalie receives a complete set of official equipment; an aspiring singer from the Prairies makes her debut performing Slow Hand. 2-07 A 12-year-old Alberta boy takes command of HMCS Athabaskan; an explosive technician learns falconry and gives an outdoor performance; a woman overcomes her fear of heights by jumping 2,000 feet with skydiving champion Kathy Cox; a Nova Scotian woman plays bagpipes with the Toronto Police Pipe Band. 2-08 A father of two goes one-on-one against New York Islanders' Mike Bossy; a 12-year-old girl from Calgary plays a duet with Liona Boyd; a B.C. woman proclaims her love for her husband on national television. 2-09 An 11-year-old boy captains his classmates in a football game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders; a husband and wife stay at an exclusive hotel and cruise on a private yacht on their "millionaire's holiday"; an accountant goes fishing with angler Red Fisher. 2-10 An 87-year-old woman helicopters to a remote ice field in B.C. that she and her husband first discovered 50 years earlier; a woman substitutes for John Byner on Bizarre; a 12-year-old boy plays soccer with the Montreal Manic; four sisters are reunited after twenty-four years apart. 2-11 An airline employee is home-plate umpire at a Pearson Cup game between the Expos and the Blue Jays; a teen-ager rides The Black Stallion; two sisters mud wrestle; an English man travels to Canada to surprise his twin sister, whom he has not seen in over 25 years. 2-12 A Manitoba couple goes deep-sea fishing off the Mexican coast; a Vancouver university student dances a pas de deux with national ballet dancer Frank Augustyn; a deaf girl receives a hearing dog; a Saskatchewan grandmother rides a 1942 Harley Davidson motorcycle. 2-13 A baton twirler (Tanya Swinimer) from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, marches in the Grey Cup Parade; an 18-year-old body builder from Golden, B.C. works out with Mr. Universe, Roy Callender; a Moose Jaw homemaker sings at Gilley's country and western night in Pasadena, Texas; best friends are reunited after a lengthy separation. 2-14 A homemaker rides a Great Lakes freighter as it is launched; an Alberta illusionist performs at Hollywood's Magic Castle; two high school students ride to school in a helicopter. 2-15 A young businesswoman selects the second annual "Mr. Thrill of a Lifetime"; a university student flies with the Ray-Ban Reds; after a 22-year separation, a woman is reunited with the aunt who raised her. 2-16 A 12-year-old boy flies in a Lockheed CP-140 Aurora, a Canadian Forces maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft; a Nova Scotia school girl performs with her favourite singers; a woman joins the Toronto Argonauts' cheerleading squad. 2-17 A girl spends her birthday on The Dukes of Hazzard set; a forest ranger pilots the Canada 1, Canada's entry in the America's Cup yacht race; a B.C. couple get married. 2-18 A high school student plays basketball with Julius Erving; an Ontario family attends a gala film festival opening for a film starring their late grandfather; an executive secretary travels in Canadian Forces submarine ; Saskatchewan grandparents jitterbug. 2-19 A Thunder Bay student visits the Playboy Mansion; a 16-year-old girl pilots the Bluenose II in a parade of tall ships; a Victoria man sings on stage to his mother. 2-20 A Calgary homemaker sings in concert with Toronto; a 12-year-old boy "pilots" a NASA Space Shuttle simulator; a teenage girl rides with Olympic equestrian, Mark Laskin; a Montreal housewife is reunited with Quincy star Robert Ito, who was once her dance partner. 2-21 A delivery driver participates in a demolition derby, a 19-year-old Dave Foley performs comedy at The Improv in Los Angeles; a secretary learns to scuba dive in Mexico; a B.C. grandmother meets her African foster-child after 20 years. 2-22 An Ontario secretary coaches her hometown hockey team, the Peterborough Petes; a logger plays rodeo clown; a Winnipeg woman works with penguins; a pair of nine-year-olds are reunited.

Season 3