First-page quiz on TV series
Mark Brader
posted some years ago by Jim Ward. This time the questions are
derived from "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable
TV Shows, 1946-Present", 1999 edition, by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh.
This book covers TV shows broadcast (or carried on cable) in the US,
but of course, many of them will also be familiar to people in other
countries.
For each question, I will describe the first show mentioned in the
book whose title starts with the indicated letter and which was in
first-run for at least 3 years. (The book also has some entries for
networks, but I'm skipping over those.) Descriptions may be taken
mostly from the book or may be mostly in my own words.
Note: this particular book alphabetizes by words and treats each
letter in an acronym as a separate word, so for example the "A"
pages begin with titles that start with things like ABC and A.K.A.
So some answers will start with things like that, and most others
(but not all!) will start with words whose second letter is early
in the alphabet. As usual, any articles at the start of a title
are ignored.
When I identify the show as "cable" or "syndicated", this indicates
its status for the greater part of its run. Shows not so marked were
on the broadcast networks, unless I goofed.
Please post your answers in the thread as responses to this message:
naturally, you will do this without reading other responses or
consulting any informational resources. If you think of additional
answers later, without reading other people's postings, you may post
again. The score for each answer depends on when answers are posted;
see details below the questions.
After about 36 hours from the time of posting, I will read the
thread and post additional details for any questions that have
not been answered, such as the TV network, time slot, and names
of cast members.
After another 24 hours, I will read the thread again and post the
scores and a full list of answers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had been
a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
C. Various, 1972-89. This was an umbrella title used at first for
movies and TV-movies, later for reruns (in the same time slot) of
former prime-time shows such as "Kojak", "The Jeffersons", and
"Hawaii Five-O". Eventually the title was changed to reflect the
fact that movies were not being shown.
D. Comedy, 1996- [i.e. as of 1999 it was still on the air], cable.
This nightly comedy newscast reported stories large and small with
deadpan seriousness: an actor cat dies in Florida; a clueless
reporter covers the Olympics, mocking the foreign athletes in
the process.
E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
maintain their own emotional balance.
F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
based on real ones.
G. Situation comedy, 1956-60. The lead character was the social
director of a luxury ocean liner, and a close friend of the ship's
beauty salon operator. Other characters included the rather stuffy
captain and an impish steward, who left the series by going overboard.
H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
with 20th-century American living.
J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess. Another
regular character was his valet.
K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
humor was necessary for survival.
N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
all manner of other lawbreakers.
Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
T. Police drama, 1982-87. The lead character is a police sergeant
who was a detective but transferred to uniformed street patrol
because he was needed there. He stood for traditional values
despite the disappointments in his own life, and was able to
lend advice to trainees and his rookie partner. There was a
good deal of anguish about the rights and wrongs of police work.
U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
other season they were sitcomes.
W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
Y. Art instruction, 1946-50. Sporting a goatee, a plaid shirt, and
sometimes a beret, the host of this 15-minute series would execute
drawings before the camera while describing his technique in
simple, understandable terms. With this show Gulf Oil became one
of the first companies to sponsor a network TV series.
Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
but he had a successor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For each question that *you* get right, the score depends on how
long it takes for *someone* to post the *first correct answer*.
Any question where a correct answer is posted within the first
8 hours after the instent when this message is posted is worth
1 point. If it takes 8 to 16 hours before a correct answer is
posted, that's a 2-point question. If it takes 16 to 24 hours,
that's 3 points. From 24 hours to the time when I post additional
hints, that's 4 points. The hints posting restarts the clock --
it's 1 point for the following 8 hours, to a maximum of 3.
I will assume that the Date: header line on each posting is correct
unless it is obviously badly wrong, in which case I will improvise.
For example, say there are only two responses; Joe posts 4 hours from
now and gets the first 5 questions right; he scores 5 points. Bob
posts 12 hours from now and gets only questions E and F right. Then
Bob scores 1 point for E because Joe answered it within 8 hours, and
2 points for F, for a total of 3.
Got it? Now have fun, and check back in about 3 days for the scores.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "Ever wonder why they call the screen
m...@vex.net a vacuum tube?" -- Kent Paul Dolan
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Haran Pilpel
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
Babylon V
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
ER
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
I Dream of Jennie
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
LA Law
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
M*A*S*H
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
NYPD
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
[The] Odd Couple
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
Quantum Leap (the only show in this list which I've actually seen)
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
>
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
The X-Files
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
Zorro?
swp
A. American Bandstand
B. Babylon 5
C. CBS Classics
D. The Daily Show
E. E.R.
F. FBI
G. Gilligan's Island (I liked this one better, so shoot me)
H. Happy Days
I. I Dream of Jeanie
J. Just the Two of Us
K. Kazaam!
L. L.A. Law
M. M*A*S*H
N. Neverland
O. The Odd Couple
P. Pacific Palasades
Q. Quantum Leap (!!)
R. Route 66
S. Sabrina (the teenage witch)
T. T.J. Hooker
U. Under the Cherry Moon
V. V
W. WKRP in Cincinnati
X. The X-Files
Y. You Can Draw
Z. Zorro
swp
(yeah, some I didn't even look at the question, but I bet I got some
of those right too!)
Peter Smyth
"Mark Brader" <m...@vex.net> wrote in message
news:KtWdneYWTK1cX2_X...@vex.net...
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
Babylon 5
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
E.R.
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
LA Law
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
M*A*S*H
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
Quantum Leap
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
Rawhide
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
X-Files
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
Zorro?
> For each question that *you* get right, the score depends on how
> long it takes for *someone* to post the *first correct answer*.
>
> Any question where a correct answer is posted within the first
> 8 hours after the instent when this message is posted is worth
> 1 point. If it takes 8 to 16 hours before a correct answer is
> posted, that's a 2-point question. If it takes 16 to 24 hours,
> that's 3 points. From 24 hours to the time when I post additional
> hints, that's 4 points. The hints posting restarts the clock --
> it's 1 point for the following 8 hours, to a maximum of 3.
It seems the best strategy is to wait 24 hours before replying as you
cannot lose anything and might gain some points.
Peter Smyth
bootboy
> A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had been
> a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
> all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
> George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
> Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
Babylon 5
>
> C. Various, 1972-89. This was an umbrella title used at first for
> movies and TV-movies, later for reruns (in the same time slot) of
> former prime-time shows such as "Kojak", "The Jeffersons", and
> "Hawaii Five-O". Eventually the title was changed to reflect the
> fact that movies were not being shown.
>
> D. Comedy, 1996- [i.e. as of 1999 it was still on the air], cable.
> This nightly comedy newscast reported stories large and small with
> deadpan seriousness: an actor cat dies in Florida; a clueless
> reporter covers the Olympics, mocking the foreign athletes in
> the process.
>
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
ER
>
> F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
> operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
> The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
> agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
> with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
> based on real ones.
The FBI
> G. Situation comedy, 1956-60. The lead character was the social
> director of a luxury ocean liner, and a close friend of the ship's
> beauty salon operator. Other characters included the rather stuffy
> captain and an impish steward, who left the series by going overboard.
>
> H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
>
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
I Dream of Jeannie
> J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
> basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
> standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess. Another
> regular character was his valet.
>
> K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
> collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
> 'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
> the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
> intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
>
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
LA Law
>
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
M*A*S*H
>
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
>
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
The Odd Couple
>
> P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> all manner of other lawbreakers.
>
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
Quantum Leap
>
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
Rawhide
>
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
Sabrina the teenage witch
>
> T. Police drama, 1982-87. The lead character is a police sergeant
> who was a detective but transferred to uniformed street patrol
> because he was needed there. He stood for traditional values
> despite the disappointments in his own life, and was able to
> lend advice to trainees and his rookie partner. There was a
> good deal of anguish about the rights and wrongs of police work.
T.J. Hooker
>
> U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
> and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
> There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
> played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
>
> V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
> consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
> season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
> other season they were sitcomes.
>
> W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
> at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
> inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
> pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
> receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
> a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
> The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
WKRP Cincinatti
>
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
The X-Files
>
> Y. Art instruction, 1946-50. Sporting a goatee, a plaid shirt, and
> sometimes a beret, the host of this 15-minute series would execute
> drawings before the camera while describing his technique in
> simple, understandable terms. With this show Gulf Oil became one
> of the first companies to sponsor a network TV series.
>
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
Zorro
Joshua Kreitzer
>
> A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had been
> a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
> all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
> George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
> Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
"ABC Rocks" (? -- something like that)
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
"Babylon 5"
> C. Various, 1972-89. This was an umbrella title used at first for
> movies and TV-movies, later for reruns (in the same time slot) of
> former prime-time shows such as "Kojak", "The Jeffersons", and
> "Hawaii Five-O". Eventually the title was changed to reflect the
> fact that movies were not being shown.
"CBS Late Night Movie" or something like that.
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
"ER"
> F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
> operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
> The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
> agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
> with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
> based on real ones.
"The F.B.I."
> H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
"HBO Comedy Hour" (? -- basically just a guess)
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
"I Dream of Jeannie"
> J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
> basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
> standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess. Another
> regular character was his valet.
"The Jack Benny Show"
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
"L.A. Law"
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
"M*A*S*H"
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
"The NBC Mystery Movie"
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
"The Odd Couple"
> P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> all manner of other lawbreakers.
"Pacific Heat" (?)
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
"Quantum Leap"
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
"Rawhide"
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
"Sabrina the Teenage Witch"
> W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
> at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
> inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
> pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
> receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
> a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
> The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
"WKRP in Cincinnati"
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
"The X-Files"
> Y. Art instruction, 1946-50. Sporting a goatee, a plaid shirt, and
> sometimes a beret, the host of this 15-minute series would execute
> drawings before the camera while describing his technique in
> simple, understandable terms. With this show Gulf Oil became one
> of the first companies to sponsor a network TV series.
"You Are an Artist"
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
"Zorro"
--
Joshua Kreitzer
grom...@hotmail.com
Ruth and Pete
Babylon 5
>
> C. Various, 1972-89. This was an umbrella title used at first for
> movies and TV-movies, later for reruns (in the same time slot) of
> former prime-time shows such as "Kojak", "The Jeffersons", and
> "Hawaii Five-O". Eventually the title was changed to reflect the
> fact that movies were not being shown.
>
> D. Comedy, 1996- [i.e. as of 1999 it was still on the air], cable.
> This nightly comedy newscast reported stories large and small with
> deadpan seriousness: an actor cat dies in Florida; a clueless
> reporter covers the Olympics, mocking the foreign athletes in
> the process.
The Daily Show
>
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
ER
>
> F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
> operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
> The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
> agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
> with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
> based on real ones.
The F.B.I.
>
> G. Situation comedy, 1956-60. The lead character was the social
> director of a luxury ocean liner, and a close friend of the ship's
> beauty salon operator. Other characters included the rather stuffy
> captain and an impish steward, who left the series by going overboard.
The Gale Storm Show
>
> H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
Ha
>
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
I Dream of Jeannie
>
> J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
> basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
> standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess. Another
> regular character was his valet.
The Jack Benny Show
>
> K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
> collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
> 'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
> the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
> intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
>
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
L. A. Law
>
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
M*A*S*H*
>
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
The NBC Mystery Movie
>
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
The Odd Couple
>
> P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> all manner of other lawbreakers.
>
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
Quantum Leap
>
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
Rawhide
>
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
>
> T. Police drama, 1982-87. The lead character is a police sergeant
> who was a detective but transferred to uniformed street patrol
> because he was needed there. He stood for traditional values
> despite the disappointments in his own life, and was able to
> lend advice to trainees and his rookie partner. There was a
> good deal of anguish about the rights and wrongs of police work.
T.J. Hooker
>
> U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
> and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
> There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
> played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
>
> V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
> consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
> season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
> other season they were sitcomes.
>
> W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
> at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
> inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
> pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
> receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
> a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
> The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
WKRP in Cincinnati
>
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
X Files
>
> Y. Art instruction, 1946-50. Sporting a goatee, a plaid shirt, and
> sometimes a beret, the host of this 15-minute series would execute
> drawings before the camera while describing his technique in
> simple, understandable terms. With this show Gulf Oil became one
> of the first companies to sponsor a network TV series.
>
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
Zorro
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> For each question that *you* get right, the score depends on how
> long it takes for *someone* to post the *first correct answer*.
>
> Any question where a correct answer is posted within the first
> 8 hours after the instent when this message is posted is worth
> 1 point. If it takes 8 to 16 hours before a correct answer is
> posted, that's a 2-point question. If it takes 16 to 24 hours,
> that's 3 points. From 24 hours to the time when I post additional
> hints, that's 4 points. The hints posting restarts the clock --
> it's 1 point for the following 8 hours, to a maximum of 3.
>
> I will assume that the Date: header line on each posting is correct
> unless it is obviously badly wrong, in which case I will improvise.
>
> For example, say there are only two responses; Joe posts 4 hours from
> now and gets the first 5 questions right; he scores 5 points. Bob
> posts 12 hours from now and gets only questions E and F right. Then
> Bob scores 1 point for E because Joe answered it within 8 hours, and
> 2 points for F, for a total of 3.
>
> Got it? Now have fun, and check back in about 3 days for the scores.
> --
> Mark Brader, Toronto "Ever wonder why they call the screen
> m...@vex.net a vacuum tube?" -- Kent Paul Dolan
>
> My text in this article is in the public domain.
Pete
Mark Brader
Here are the 6 questions that have not been correctly answered (so if
you tried any of them before, feel free to try again).
Please post your answers in the thread as responses to this message:
naturally, you will do this without reading other responses or
consulting any informational resources. If you think of additional
answers later, without reading other people's postings, you may post
again. The score for each answer depends on when answers are posted;
posting, I will read the thread and post the answers and scores.
> A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had been
> a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
> all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
> George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
> Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
The show aired on ABC, Friday nights, originally 1 hour at midnight
(I assume that means Eastern and Pacific Time), then half an hour at
12:05 or 12:35 am. There was no regular host until 1996 when Madison
Michele took that position, although Vanessa Marcil had frequently
hosted the show.
> H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
This was a half-hour show on MTV. It also did not have a regular host
at first, but Mario Joyner took that position in 1989. The premiere
episode was hosted by Richard Belzer. The comedy club featured was the
Catch a Rising Star club.
> K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
> collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
> 'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
> the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
> intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
This was a half-hour show on Nickelodeon. The "host" characters,
Henry and June, were voiced by Noah Segan and Julia McIlvaine.
The crabby cat characters were named Sniz and Fondue, and another
regular was an overimaginative girl named Loopy.
> P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> all manner of other lawbreakers.
This one-hour show was on the USA Network. The cast included Rick
Rossovich as Lt. Palermo, Jim Davidson as Lt. Callaway, Darlene
Vogel as Officer Chris Kelly, Paula Trickey as Sgt. Cory McNamara,
and Marcos Ferraez as Officer Victor Del Toronto.
> U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
> and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
> There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
> played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
This half-hour show was on CBS at 10 pm Fridays. The actors referred
to above included Brian Keith, Craig Stevens, Lloyd Bridges, Dale
Robertson, Raymond Burr, and Vince Edwards. The show also broadcast
reruns of episodes from other anthology series, including in 1958
"The Web", which had been on NBC the previous year.
> V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
> consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
> season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
> other season they were sitcomes.
I meant "sitcoms", of course.
This was also on CBS, at 8:30 pm Monday when it was doing mystery or
adventure shows and 9:30 pm Friday when it was doing sitcoms.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "I like to watch."
m...@vex.net --"Being There"
swp
> Please see the original posting for the explanation and scoring rules.
> Here are the 6 questions that have not been correctly answered (so if
> you tried any of them before, feel free to try again).
>
> Please post your answers in the thread as responses to this message:
> naturally, you will do this without reading other responses or
> consulting any informational resources. If you think of additional
> answers later, without reading other people's postings, you may post
> again. The score for each answer depends on when answers are posted;
> see details below the questions. In about 24 hours from the time of
> posting, I will read the thread and post the answers and scores.
>
> > A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had been
> > a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
> > all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
> > George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
> > Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
>
> The show aired on ABC, Friday nights, originally 1 hour at midnight
> (I assume that means Eastern and Pacific Time), then half an hour at
> 12:05 or 12:35 am. There was no regular host until 1996 when Madison
> Michele took that position, although Vanessa Marcil had frequently
> hosted the show.
abc in concert
> > H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> > New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
>
> This was a half-hour show on MTV. It also did not have a regular host
> at first, but Mario Joyner took that position in 1989. The premiere
> episode was hosted by Richard Belzer. The comedy club featured was the
> Catch a Rising Star club.
half hour comedy hour?
> > K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
> > collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
> > 'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
> > the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
> > intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
>
> This was a half-hour show on Nickelodeon. The "host" characters,
> Henry and June, were voiced by Noah Segan and Julia McIlvaine.
> The crabby cat characters were named Sniz and Fondue, and another
> regular was an overimaginative girl named Loopy.
kablam! (I gotta be getting close with this one)
> > P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> > sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> > infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> > all manner of other lawbreakers.
>
> This one-hour show was on the USA Network. The cast included Rick
> Rossovich as Lt. Palermo, Jim Davidson as Lt. Callaway, Darlene
> Vogel as Officer Chris Kelly, Paula Trickey as Sgt. Cory McNamara,
> and Marcos Ferraez as Officer Victor Del Toronto.
pacific blue (???)
> > U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
> > and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
> > There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
> > played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
>
> This half-hour show was on CBS at 10 pm Fridays. The actors referred
> to above included Brian Keith, Craig Stevens, Lloyd Bridges, Dale
> Robertson, Raymond Burr, and Vince Edwards. The show also broadcast
> reruns of episodes from other anthology series, including in 1958
> "The Web", which had been on NBC the previous year.
the u.s. steel hour?
> > V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
> > consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
> > season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
> > other season they were sitcomes.
>
> I meant "sitcoms", of course.
>
> This was also on CBS, at 8:30 pm Monday when it was doing mystery or
> adventure shows and 9:30 pm Friday when it was doing sitcoms.
the variety hour?
I am taking wild guesses mostly based on the first letter.
swp
Pink Pig
but I'll take a shot at a few of them.
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
Babylon-5.
> D. Comedy, 1996- [i.e. as of 1999 it was still on the air], cable.
> This nightly comedy newscast reported stories large and small with
> deadpan seriousness: an actor cat dies in Florida; a clueless
> reporter covers the Olympics, mocking the foreign athletes in
> the process.
The Dave Chapelle Show (???)
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
Emergency! (I don't see this, but stranger things have happened.)
> F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
> operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
> The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
> agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
> with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
> based on real ones.
The FBI.
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
I Dream of Jeannie.
> J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
> basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
> standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess. Another
> regular character was his valet.
The Jack Benny Show.
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
L.A. Law
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
M*A*S*H
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
NBC Mystery Theater.
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
The Odd Couple.
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
Quantum Leap
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
Rawhide.
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
Samantha (???)
> W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
> at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
> inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
> pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
> receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
> a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
> The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
WKRP in Cincinnati
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
The X-Files
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
Zorro.
Pink Pig
> > sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> > infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> > all manner of other lawbreakers.
>
> This one-hour show was on the USA Network. The cast included Rick
> Rossovich as Lt. Palermo, Jim Davidson as Lt. Callaway, Darlene
> Vogel as Officer Chris Kelly, Paula Trickey as Sgt. Cory McNamara,
> and Marcos Ferraez as Officer Victor Del Toronto.
Marc Dashevsky
> A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had been
> a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
> all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
> George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
> Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
>
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
> C. Various, 1972-89. This was an umbrella title used at first for
> movies and TV-movies, later for reruns (in the same time slot) of
> former prime-time shows such as "Kojak", "The Jeffersons", and
> "Hawaii Five-O". Eventually the title was changed to reflect the
> fact that movies were not being shown.
CBS Late Movie
> D. Comedy, 1996- [i.e. as of 1999 it was still on the air], cable.
> This nightly comedy newscast reported stories large and small with
> deadpan seriousness: an actor cat dies in Florida; a clueless
> reporter covers the Olympics, mocking the foreign athletes in
> the process.
>
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
ER
> F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
> operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
> The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
> agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
> with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
> based on real ones.
FBI
> G. Situation comedy, 1956-60. The lead character was the social
> director of a luxury ocean liner, and a close friend of the ship's
> beauty salon operator. Other characters included the rather stuffy
> captain and an impish steward, who left the series by going overboard.
>
> H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
>
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
I Dream of Jeannie
> J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
> basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
> standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess. Another
> regular character was his valet.
Jack Benny Show
> K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
> collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
> 'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
> the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
> intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
>
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
LA Law
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
MASH
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
>
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
Odd Couple
> P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> all manner of other lawbreakers.
>
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
>
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
Rawhide
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch
> T. Police drama, 1982-87. The lead character is a police sergeant
> who was a detective but transferred to uniformed street patrol
> because he was needed there. He stood for traditional values
> despite the disappointments in his own life, and was able to
> lend advice to trainees and his rookie partner. There was a
> good deal of anguish about the rights and wrongs of police work.
>
> U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
> and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
> There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
> played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
>
> V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
> consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
> season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
> other season they were sitcomes.
>
> W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
> at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
> inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
> pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
> receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
> a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
> The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
WKRP Cinncinati
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
X-Files
> Y. Art instruction, 1946-50. Sporting a goatee, a plaid shirt, and
> sometimes a beret, the host of this 15-minute series would execute
> drawings before the camera while describing his technique in
> simple, understandable terms. With this show Gulf Oil became one
> of the first companies to sponsor a network TV series.
John Nagy! I haven't thought of him for years. I must have seen him
in reruns, since my folks didn't have a TV until 1960.
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
Zorro
--
Go to http://MarcDashevsky.com to send me e-mail.
Mark Brader
> This is another first-pages alphabetical quiz, inspired by a quiz
> posted some years ago by Jim Ward. This time the questions are
> derived from "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable
> TV Shows, 1946-Present", 1999 edition, by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh.
And here are the results:
29 Joshua Kreitzer
27 Pete Gayde
18 Stephen Perry
14 an anonymous entrant
10 Haran Pilpel
9 Peter Smyth
I didn't explicitly state that entries were not allowed after the
hints posting, but that was my intent, so I'm not scoring the entries
from Marc Dashevsky and Bill Daly. Where the results show their name
with a score of 0, that means they did get the right answers.
I accepted some answers that seemed "almost correct" to be for full
points; for example, "WKRP Cincinnati" and "Babylon V".
> A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had been
> a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
> all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
> George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
> Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
"ABC's in Concert" (also "ABC in Concert"). 1 for Stephen (after
the hint).
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
"Babylon 5". 1 (or 0) for everyone. That is, 1 for Haran, Stephen,
Peter, anonymous, Joshua, Pete; 0 for Bill, Marc.
> C. Various, 1972-89. This was an umbrella title used at first for
> movies and TV-movies, later for reruns (in the same time slot) of
> former prime-time shows such as "Kojak", "The Jeffersons", and
> "Hawaii Five-O". Eventually the title was changed to reflect the
> fact that movies were not being shown.
"The CBS Late Movie". (Also "CBS Late Night".) 4 for Joshua;
0 for Marc.
> D. Comedy, 1996- [i.e. as of 1999 it was still on the air], cable.
> This nightly comedy newscast reported stories large and small with
> deadpan seriousness: an actor cat dies in Florida; a clueless
> reporter covers the Olympics, mocking the foreign athletes in
> the process.
"The Daily Show". Yes, it's still on. 1 for Stephen, Pete.
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
"ER". 1 for Haran, Stephen, Peter, anonymous, Joshua, Pete;
0 for Marc.
> F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
> operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
> The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
> agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
> with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
> based on real ones.
"The F.B.I." 1 for Stephen, anonymous, Joshua, Pete; 0 for Bill, Marc.
> G. Situation comedy, 1956-60. The lead character was the social
> director of a luxury ocean liner, and a close friend of the ship's
> beauty salon operator. Other characters included the rather stuffy
> captain and an impish steward, who left the series by going overboard.
"The Gale Storm Show".
4 for Pete.
> H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
"Half Hour Comedy Hour". 1 for Stephen (after the hint).
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
"I Dream of Jeannie". 1 for Haran, Stephen, anonymous, Joshua, Pete;
0 for Bill, Marc. Some of them even spelled "Jeannie" correctly.
> J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
> basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
> standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess. Another
> regular character was his valet.
"The Jack Benny Show". 4 for Joshua, Pete; 0 for Bill, Marc.
> K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
> collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
> 'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
> the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
> intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
"Kablam!" 1 for Stephen (after the hint).
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
"L.A. Law". 1 (or 0) for everyone.
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
"M*A*S*H". 1 (or 0) for everyone.
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
"NBC [Wednesday/Sunday] Mystery Movie". 4 for Joshua, Pete.
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies, etc.
"The Odd Couple". 1 for Haran, Stephen, anonymous, Joshua, Pete;
0 for Bill, Marc.
> P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> all manner of other lawbreakers.
"Pacific Blue". 1 for Stephen (after the hint).
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
"Quantum Leap". 1 for Haran, Stephen, Peter, anonymous, Joshua,
Pete; 0 for Bill.
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
"Rawhide". 1 for Peter, anonymous, Joshua, Pete; 0 for Bill, Marc.
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
"Sabrina the Teenage Witch". 1 for Haran, Stephen, Peter, anonymous,
Joshua, Pete; 0 for Marc.
> T. Police drama, 1982-87. The lead character is a police sergeant
> who was a detective but transferred to uniformed street patrol
> because he was needed there. He stood for traditional values
> despite the disappointments in his own life, and was able to
> lend advice to trainees and his rookie partner. There was a
> good deal of anguish about the rights and wrongs of police work.
"T.J. Hooker". 1 for Stephen, anonymous, Pete.
> U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
> and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
> There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
> played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
"Undercurrent".
> V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
> consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
> season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
> other season they were sitcomes.
"Vacation Playhouse".
> W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
> at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
> inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
> pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
> receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
> a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
> The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
"WKRP in Cincinnati" (and "The New WKRP in Cincinnati").
1 for Stephen, anonymous, Joshua, Pete; 0 for Bill, Marc.
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
"The X-Files". 1 (or 0) for everyone.
> Y. Art instruction, 1946-50. Sporting a goatee, a plaid shirt, and
> sometimes a beret, the host of this 15-minute series would execute
> drawings before the camera while describing his technique in
> simple, understandable terms. With this show Gulf Oil became one
> of the first companies to sponsor a network TV series.
"You Are an Artist". 4 for Joshua. Bill didn't know the title, but
remembered the artist's name almost correctly -- it was Jon Gnagy
according to the IMDB, or John Gnagy according to the book.
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
"Zorro". 1 (or 0) for everyone.
Thank you all for playing.
--
Mark Brader "The worst things may happen, including a program
Toronto that works fine on your computer but crashes
m...@vex.net on your customer's machine." -- Dan Pop
Mark Brader
and answres to the quiz. I'll repeat the scores here; for the answers
see the immediately preceding message in the thread.
> 29 Joshua Kreitzer
> 27 Pete Gayde
> 18 Stephen Perry
> 14 an anonymous entrant
> 10 Haran Pilpel
> 9 Peter Smyth
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "...ordinarily, a 65-pound alligator in an apartment
m...@vex.net | would be news." --James Barron, New York Times
Mark Brader
> > For each question that *you* get right, the score depends on how
> > long it takes for *someone* to post the *first correct answer*.
> >
> > Any question where a correct answer is posted within the first
> > 8 hours after the instent when this message is posted is worth
> > 1 point. If it takes 8 to 16 hours before a correct answer is
> > posted, that's a 2-point question. If it takes 16 to 24 hours,
> > that's 3 points. From 24 hours to the time when I post additional
> > hints, that's 4 points. The hints posting restarts the clock --
> > it's 1 point for the following 8 hours, to a maximum of 3.
> It seems the best strategy is to wait 24 hours before replying as you
> cannot lose anything and might gain some points.
"It is not enough to succeed; others must fail." By posting early,
you may reduce the score of other people who come along later and give
the same answers. This doesn't affect their chances against you, but
it reduces their chances of beating *other* entrants who scored on
*different* questions.
Anyway, I declare that using this strategy is against the spirit of the
quiz.
--
Mark Brader | "And remember, my friends, future events such as
Toronto | these will affect you, in the future."
m...@vex.net | -- Ed Wood, Plan 9 from Outer Space
Dan Tilque
>
> A. Music, 1991-98. This show was a revival of what in 1973-75 had
> been
> a part of "Wide World of Entertainment". Performances were taped
> all over the world and included a mix of newer acts (Poison,
> George Michael, Sinead O'Connor) and established ones (Cher, the
> Grateful Dead, Judas Priest). Simulcast on radio.
>
> B. Science fiction, 1992-98, syndicated. Set on board a space station
> inhabited by 250,000 beings from different worlds. Council meetings
> tried to resolve disputes among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.
> The series focused on the senior military officer who had to keep
> peace between hostile entities, and his staff members.
Babylon 5
>
> C. Various, 1972-89. This was an umbrella title used at first for
> movies and TV-movies, later for reruns (in the same time slot) of
> former prime-time shows such as "Kojak", "The Jeffersons", and
> "Hawaii Five-O". Eventually the title was changed to reflect the
> fact that movies were not being shown.
>
> D. Comedy, 1996- [i.e. as of 1999 it was still on the air], cable.
> This nightly comedy newscast reported stories large and small with
> deadpan seriousness: an actor cat dies in Florida; a clueless
> reporter covers the Olympics, mocking the foreign athletes in
> the process.
Daily Show
>
> E. Medical drama, 1994-. An intense yet traditional medical series.
> Though it broke no new dramatic ground, it oozed adrenaline,
> projecting the breathless, high-pressure environment in which a
> group of young doctors struggled to save lives while trying to
> maintain their own emotional balance.
ER
>
> F. Police drama, 1965-74. No show portrayed the cool, professional
> operation of this agency so thoroughly as this long-running series.
> The lead character personified the calm, business-suited government
> agent who tracked down his quarry scientifically and methodically
> with virtually no emotion whatever. The cases were supposedly
> based on real ones.
F.B.I.
>
> G. Situation comedy, 1956-60. The lead character was the social
> director of a luxury ocean liner, and a close friend of the ship's
> beauty salon operator. Other characters included the rather stuffy
> captain and an impish steward, who left the series by going
> overboard.
>
> H. Comedy, 1988-93, cable. Standup comedy taped at a comedy club in
> New York. Did not get a single regular host until 1989.
>
> I. Situation comedy, 1965-70. An astronaut whose mission is aborted
> lands on a desert island where he finds a bottle containing a
> 2,000-year-old genie. He is accepted as the genie's new master
> but finds it easier to keep the genie's existence secret; only
> one friend knows. One source of comedy is the genie's unfamiliarity
> with 20th-century American living.
I Dream of Jeannie
>
> J. Comedy, 1950-65 and 1977. The star of this show began in radio and
> basically just transferred his long-running comedy act to TV. His
> standard jokes included references to his age and stinginess.
> Another
> regular character was his valet.
Jack Benny Show
>
> K. Cartoon, 1996-, cable. Billed as an animated comic book, this
> collection of short cartoons was "hosted" by two animated bug-eyed
> 'tweens who "turned the pages" to introduce each new item. Among
> the regulars were a pair of crabby cats and a team of well-
> intentioned Barbie-doll action figures.
>
> L. Legal drama, 1986-94. Critically acclaimed ensemble drama set in
> a fancy law office. The high-powered firm took on both civil and
> criminal cases, often trendy ones, and the stories mixed in plenty
> of office politics, sexual adventures, and outrageous situations.
LA Law
>
> M. Situation comedy, 1972-83. Set in a military hospital during the
> Korean War, where an overwhelming sense of futility and the insanity
> of war permeated the characters' daily lives. A certain sense of
> humor was necessary for survival.
M*A*S*H
>
> N. Police/detective drama, 1971-77. Umbrella title for a number of
> rotating series that appeared in the same time slot in different
> weeks, generally with 90-minute or 2-hour episodes. The group of
> series was split into two parts on different days of the week and
> the umbrella title adjusted accordingly.
>
> O. Situation comedy, 1970-75. A comedy about two divorced men who are
> roommates in a New York apartment, but have conflicting
> personalities
> in every respect. Other characters are girlfriends, poker buddies,
> etc.
Odd Couple
>
> P. Police drama, 1996-, cable. Frothy but action-packed drama about
> sexy bicycle-riding cops in Santa Monica, where the boardwalk is
> infested with drug dealers, robbers, neo-Nazis, serial killers and
> all manner of other lawbreakers.
>
> Q. Science fiction, 1989-93. As the result of a flawed experiment,
> the lead character is sent bouncing around in time, but each time
> he arrives in a new period, he occupies the body of an existing
> person whose life he tries to find a way to improve. He is
> accompanied by a holographic character who provides information.
Quantum Leap
>
> R. Western, 1959-66. The regular characters travel back and forth
> across the country running communcal cattle drives. Stories were
> about people they meet on the way or who travel with them. The
> lead character is the supervisor of the cattle-drive operation.
Rawhide
>
> S. Situation comedy, 1996-. A bright, frothy sitcom about a pretty
> normal girl who learns on her 16th birthday that she is a witch.
> Her powers are hard to master and often backfire. A sarcastic
> warlock in the form of a black cat is a regular character.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
>
> T. Police drama, 1982-87. The lead character is a police sergeant
> who was a detective but transferred to uniformed street patrol
> because he was needed there. He stood for traditional values
> despite the disappointments in his own life, and was able to
> lend advice to trainees and his rookie partner. There was a
> good deal of anguish about the rights and wrongs of police work.
T.J. Hooker
>
> U. Dramatic anthology, 1955-58. This series ran only in the summer
> and showed half-hour dramas that tended to be on the heavy side.
> There were no major stars on the show, but several actors who
> played leading roles went on to become major TV stars.
>
> V. Anthology, 1963-67. This was also a summer replacement series,
> consisting of pilot episodes of unsold TV series. In the third
> season these were adventure and mystery shows, but in every
> other season they were sitcomes.
>
> W. Situation comedy, 1978-82 and 1991-93. Ensemble-cast comedy set
> at an uncompetitive radio radio station. The general manager is
> inept and bumbling; the news director is naive, gullible, and
> pompous; the one who really holds things together is the sexy
> receptionist. The program director, who converts the station to
> a rock and roll format, is also one of the saner characters.
> The 1990s version of the show retained some of the original cast.
WKRP in Cincinnati
>
> X. Fantasy drama, 1993-. Federal agents solve cases dealing with
> UFO sightings, telepaths, genetically altered beings, aliens,
> secret government conspiracies, and so on. One of the partners
> is a true believer while the other is more skeptical.
X-Files
>
> Y. Art instruction, 1946-50. Sporting a goatee, a plaid shirt, and
> sometimes a beret, the host of this 15-minute series would execute
> drawings before the camera while describing his technique in
> simple, understandable terms. With this show Gulf Oil became one
> of the first companies to sponsor a network TV series.
>
> Z. Western, 1989-93, cable. A rather straightforward version of a
> well-known character who had appeared in movies (as well as an
> earlier TV series in the 1950s). Filmed in Spain. The first
> continuing chief villain was killed because of his own greed,
> but he had a successor.
Zorro
--
Dan Tilque
Mark Brader
--
Mark Brader | "How is freedom gained? It is taken: never given.
Toronto | To be free, you must first assume your right
m...@vex.net | to freedom." -- Salman Rushdie