CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC and Sony Pictures Television are set to revive the classic game shows "The Newlywed Game" and "The Dating Game." The news comes on the heels of tonight's premiere of the Peacock's revival of "Let's Make a Deal."

NBC has committed to eight half-hour episodes of each series, which are designed to air together as a one-hour block. The duo is being targeted for a start date some time during the 2003-04 season.

"In terms of relationship shows, these are the godfathers of them all," Sony Pictures TV programming president Russ Krasnoff told Daily Variety. "They're just simple, clean, classic formats about relationships and how well people know each other." NBC alternative/longform president Jeff Gaspin couldn't agree more: "The [dating] genre is so hot and doing so well right now, but there aren't a lot of ideas people know right off the bat," he said. " 'Dating' and 'Newlywed' are two that have that real pre-sold quality."

Game show legend Chuck Barris (subject of the recent movie "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind") created both series in the mid-1960s and made hosts Bob Eubanks and Jim Lange household names. Over the past 35 years each has experienced several revivals, including ones as recent as their short-lived syndicated runs in 1997.

No hosts, producers or format changes were announced.