Name As Many TV Shows As Possible In 2 Minutes Or Less
- by Dylan Dembrow
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Some people think watching TV is a complete waste of time. But we’d like to think that it all depends upon what you’re actually watching.
There are more shows and networks available now than ever before, which means it’s becoming increasingly harder to stay up to date on the hottest new TV shows. But with more content available, you have a much better chance of finding a series that’s right up your alley.
No longer do you have to travel to the movies for cinema-quality thrills, in fact, the only thing you really need is an Internet connection. And a password to someone’s Netflix or HBO GO account certainly wouldn’t hurt.
So for this quiz, we're going to see how many of these popular TV shows you can name with nothing more than a screenshot and a simple description of the premise. Instead of just sticking to one genre, we'll be looking at some of the most-watched and best-reviewed shows of all time -- meaning that most of them should be no problem to pick out if you like to stay up to date on what's popular.
And while everyone's into something slightly different, we're sure that there are at least a few shows featured here that have kept you glued to the screen year after year.
Can you name this fantasy series?
Easily one of the most popular TV series that’s currently on the air, this fantasy show made its debut on HBO back on April 17, 2011. It’s based on the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin and follows a slew of royal families who fight for power across the Seven Kingdoms. The show has one final season to wrap things up, but unfortunately, that won’t hit airwaves until at least 2019. Don’t let the genre of fantasy fool you, this show it packed with bloody action and excessive nudity.
Can you name this horror series?
Based on the ongoing comic series by Robert Kirkman, this show follows a group of survivors who struggle to make a new life for themselves in a world that's overrun by zombies. But for anyone who’s watched this show for more than a few episodes, they know that the real threat in this post-apocalyptic world is the humans. While the series still maintains a strong following, viewers have been dropping off in the last few series after a string of overly upsetting character deaths.
Can you name this drama series?
Though this show may not have pulled in a huge audience when it debuted at the beginning of last year, it certainly earned its fair share of critical acclaim — meaning audiences are no doubt catching up in this drama series before its second season comes out. The HBO series is based on the novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty and follows three mothers who get wrapped up in a murder case in an upper-class neighborhood in central California. The show stars a number of A-listers, including Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.
Can you name this crime drama?
When this show first debuted on Fox back in 2005, it was an immediate smash hit. In fact, the show was so popular that extra episodes were added to its first season — which ultimately proved problematic considering the premise was based on a very singular event (which also happen to be the title of the series). Though the next few seasons never received the recognition of the first, it actually ended up being brought back for a revival series earlier last year, which was again met with some mixed reviews.
Can you name this sitcom?
This long-running sitcom first debuted on CBS back in 2007 and follows the life of four nerds and a waitress living in Pasadena, California. Though this show is easily one of the most-watched sitcoms on TV, some have argued that the series has simply gone on too long as it continues to rely upon the same jokes year after year — which all center around how nerdy these characters are. Even still, the series was popular enough to launch a spin-off series titled Young Sheldon.
Can you name this action series?
While the DC Universe has had a rocky start on the big screen with their critically bashed films such as Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, they seem to be on top of their game when it comes to their TV shows. This series debuted back on October 7 of 2014 and follows Barry Allen, a superhero who has the ability to move at unbelievable speeds. The show was originally a spin-off of another DC series, which has also spawned a number of other popular superhero shows within the same universe.
Can you name this sci-fi series?
After this Netflix series first wowed audiences by dropping all at once in the summer of 2016, it’s been hard to find someone who actually hasn’t seen this Internet TV series in its entirety. The series is set in the 1980s in the fictional down of Hawkins, Indiana, and follows a group of children and adults as they deal with various supernatural occurrences after a portal to another dimension is opened in their town. The show borrows many elements from such classic films as The Goonies and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
Can you name this medical drama?
Much like The Office and Friends, this is another show that people seem to watch over and over again on Netflix. Though the series has already run for a whopping 14 seasons and over 300 episodes, it still has plans for a 15th season — which will like premier in the fall season of this year. Ellen Pompeo stars as the shows title character who works at a Seattle-based hospital alongside a group of residents and interns. As of right now, the show is the second-longest running medical drama in TV history.
Can you name this drama series?
When this series was released in March of last year on Netflix, it was met with a mix of both acclaim and controversy for tackling such issues of rape and suicide — all within a high school setting. The story follows the fallout after Hannah Baker, a high school teenager, takes her own life and leaves behind a box of cassette tapes about her reasons for doing so. The second season will be released on March 18, 2018. So will you be tuning in?
Can you name this sci-fi/ western series?
The one downside of shows getting better in better is that we have to wait longer and longer in between each season. This show first debuted back in 2016, but the second season just recently came back on the air. The show is based on the 1973 film that was written and directed by novelist Michael Crichton — the same man that is responsible for creating Jurassic Park. That being said, this story has undergone considerable changes from its jump from the movie to TV series.
Can you name this horror/ fantasy series?
In the same vein as shows like Grimm and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this CW series follows two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who investigate and hunt down a slew of supernatural beings. The show stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as the two leads. This horror/ fantasy series has been running for an impressive 13 seasons and nearly 300 episodes, and even in recent years the show still maintains an impressive fan base. So are you one of them?
Can you name this anthology series?
Anthology series have only been growing in popularity in recent years, which is largely thanks to this show — which was given second life on Netflix where it continues to garner critical acclaim. Much like The Twilight Zone decades before, this show often features a downbeat twist ending, and as a whole, the series focuses on the negative repercussions of advancing technology. Even though every show features a cast of characters, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to name it from this one episode alone.
Can you name this crime drama?
This show often earns the number one spot on many “Best of All Time” TV lists — so it would be quite the shame if you’re not able to pick out the right title. The series first debut on HBO in 2002, and each of the five seasons zero in on a different aspect of the legal world in the real city of Baltimore, Maryland, focusing on everything from the drug trade to the school system, to the city’s government. The show is notable for its extreme realism, making it a favorite amongst series TV junkies.
Can you name this crime drama?
Easily one of the greatest character studies in all of TV, this show follows a high school chemistry teacher and genius who stars selling crystal meth to provide for his family after getting diagnosed with terminal cancer. The show stars Bryan Cranston in the lead role of Walter White — a performance that earned him the Best Actor Emmy Award year after year. The show ran for five seasons on AMC and never had a dull moment. So please don’t tell us that you can’t name this show.
Can you name this animated sitcom?
While gritty sci-fi and fantasy series seem to be the most watched TV shows in current years, sitcoms still have a strong following in the animated world. That especially includes this show, which has only turned out three seasons since 2013 but has only continued to grow in popularity. Now everyone is waiting with bated breath to hear if this off-color animated series will be coming back for a fourth outing. So have you also subscribed to this shows darkly comedic sensibilities?
Can you name this sitcom?
If you can’t name this show, then you’ve probably been living under a rock or on another planet for the last 20 years. While this series may have ended back in 2004, its one of the shows that people seem to watch on a continuous loop, and it's fair to say that this show has been given a revitalization thanks to Netflix (and binge-watching) alone. So are you one of the people that can’t get enough of these six… amigos? Even if you’re not, you should have no problem picking out the title.
Can you name this sci-fi series?
If you’re a fan of The Office, you’ve certainly heard the title of this show even if you’ve never seen an episode of it in your life. While the title alone may sound like it’s only a show for hardcore sci-fi nerds, this series is often ranked amongst one of the greatest TV shows of all time. While it may have taken its basic premise from the cheesy 1970s TV series, the updated version is a gritty military drama which explores how a group of humans try to survive after their home planets are completely destroyed.
Can you name this drama series?
This HBO series was way ahead of the curve when it came to casting an anti-hero as the series lead, and many cite this drama as the reason that shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad every came to pass in the first place. The show stars James Gandolfini as a New Jersey-based mobster who is being crushed under the stress of raising his family while living a life of crime. The show ran for 6 seasons between 1999 and 2007, where it made quite the splash with its highly unorthodox ending.
Can you name this western series?
Some of the greatest shows have been notoriously canceled too soon. Such was the case with this HBO show, which won a slew of Emmy Awards but was canceled after just three seasons thanks to low viewership numbers. The show is set in the late 1800s in the small frontier town in South Dakota and is based on real-life records of historical figures. The series is easily one of the best modern-made westerns of all time, and there have been talks of a follow-up film that is currently under development.
Can you name this period drama?
Before this series debuted in 2007, AMC was a network largely known for running marathons of schlocky action and horror movies. But now, they’re responsible for turning out some of the best TV shows in the last decade, which all began with this period drama which follows ad man Don Draper throughout the 1960s. The show received critical acclaim for its period accuracy and for creating complex characters who rarely make the best decisions. The show also turned Jon Hamm into a household name.
Can you name this sci-fi series?
You know a show is popular when it’s survived for a quarter of a century. That’s exactly the case with this show, which has recently been brought back for a couple extra seasons starting in 2016. The original series aired from 1995 to 2002 and starred Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as FBI Special Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, who are tasked with looking into unusual and sometimes supernatural occurrences. The show also spawned a couple of movies which came out in 1998 and 2008.
Can you name this horror/ fantasy series?
Easily one of the most popular shows amongst teens throughout the late ‘90s and early 2000s, this series followed a high schooler who has the unusual duty of tracking down and killing vampires — are any other evil supernatural force for that matter. This premise had original been turned into a film a few years before, but after creator Joss Whedon was unsatisfied with the outcome he decided to spin the concept into an ongoing series. And we’re sure glad he did!
Can you name this sitcom?
Famously dubbed “a show about nothing” this sitcom was created by real-life comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who happened to play a somewhat real version of himself throughout the nine seasons of this series. Believe it or not, this massively popular sitcom was often on the verge of being canceled throughout its first few seasons thanks to a small viewership. But the fan base began to grow steadily from season four onward, going on to make this sitcom one of the most watched series of all time.
Can you name this action series?
Originally released on November 6, 2001, this action series had the clever premise of setting each episode within a one-day time frame — which will probably give away its title if you don’t already know it off the top of your head. The series revolved around protagonist Jack Bauer, a counter-terrorist agent who was played by Kiefer Sutherland. The show ran between 2001 and 2010, and it was even brought back for a revival season in 2014. Though the series was largely met with acclaim, it did experience its fair share of controversy for its depiction of torture.
Can you name this sitcom?
After The Office was adapted for American television, a number of other sitcoms went on to adapt the mockumentary style of filmmaking. While that premise didn’t make quite as much sense for this story, the fact that the series has been consistently hilarious year after year is the only part that really seems to matter. The show follows an extended family who lives in a Los Angeles suburb and stars Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell, and Julie Bowen amongst the large cast of series regulars.
Can you name this sci-fi drama?
While plenty of shows that are released today are best enjoyed though bing-watching, here’s one show where it was actually ideal to consume on a week to week basis. This show premiered back in 2004, in a time before Internet streaming was even a thing — meaning that everyone was on the same page when it came to staying up to date with the story. That means every week you got a chance to discuss the many mysteries that this show explored. So were apart of the phenomenon?
Can you name this sitcom?
Even though this sitcom stopped airing back in 2013, many people continue to enjoy it through reruns, on Netflix, or through the uncountable number of memes and gifs that this series has inspired. Based on the UK series of the same name, this show follows a group of employees who work at a lacklustre paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The show would go on to turn a number of its stars into household names, including Steve Carrell and John Krasinski.
Can you name this mystery series?
Easily one of the weirdest shows to ever make it on mainstream television, this series was set in a fictional town in Washington state and centered around the murder investigation of a popular high school girl. The show was created by David Lynch and Mark Frost and starred Lynch favorite Kyle MacLachlan in the main role of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper. The series was the perfect mix of campy and serious and after being canceled after just two seasons, the show was revived on Showtime just last year.
Can you name this mystery series?
Much like James Bond, this character has been the subject of multiple TV shows and films for every decade since he was first created. In this popular incarnation, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the famous detective while Martin Freeman stars as his notable sidekick, John Watson. The series was originally released on BBC One, but thanks to its strong writing and solid performances, this UK show has earned a great deal of success around the world. So can you name this popular mystery series?
Can you name this sitcom?
After being behind the camera as the creator and producer of Seinfeld for so many years, American actor and comedian Larry David decided to step into the spotlight for this dark comedy series. The show originally aired on HBO back in 2000 and follows the life of a mostly retired television writer — not unlike David himself. The series has produced nine seasons to date, with a six-year gap between the last two seasons of the show. So are you a fan of this type of downbeat, self-deprecating humor?
Can you name this sitcom?
This series follows a narrator in the future who recounts to his two children how he ended up meeting his future wife back in the early 2000s. The show stars Josh Radnor as the series protagonist Ted Mosby, who has a large cast of friends played by actors Jason Segal, Cobie Smulders, Alyson Hannigan, and Neil Patrick Harris. The series originally aired on CBS for 9 seasons between 2005 and 2014. Though the series was never one of the most-watched shows on TV, it maintained a strong following throughout each season — especially its final one.
Can you name this sports drama?
Before it ever became a TV shows, this real-life story was adapted into a book and then a 2004 film starring Billy Bob Thorton. But two years later the series made its debut on NBC with Kyle Chandler taking up the role of high-school football coach Eric Taylor. The series revolves around the football-obsessed culture of small-town Texas, where the players experience an undue amount of pressure to win the championship for their town. Over its five-season run, the show received mostly positive reviews from critics.
Can you name this crime drama?
Usually, fiction shows that revolve around serial killers often take place from the detective's point of view. But this Showtime series boldly made their killer the story’s protagonist, as the audience is forced to take a trip into the mind of a sociopath. The show, which ran from 2006 to 2013, starred Michael C. Hall as the serial killer and blood splatter analysis, who has actually learned to channel his sadistic urges by only killing people who he believes deserve not to live.
Can you name this sci-fi series?
If you’re a fan of the sci-fi/ fantasy genre and you have yet to check out an episode of this long-running TV series, than you’re possibly in for a treat. Not only has this show been on and off the air since 1963, it’s also turned out an astounding 840 episodes in that amount of time. That may sound like quite the undertaking for most. But if you’re someone who likes to get lost in another reality for a couple hours every night, this might very well be the show for you!
Can you name this sitcom?
Though this show very much copied the formula of The Office, it offered up an entirely new roster of lovable characters that provided their fair share of laughs throughout its seven seasons on the air. Here, Amy Poehler played the series protagonist Leslie Knope, a plucky employee at the town’s recreation department in a fictional Indiana town. A number of other stars who would go on to bigger things filled out the cast of this sitcom, including Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt.
Can you name this sitcom?
The upside of many shows that were canceled too soon is that the Internet has given them the chance to finally make a comeback. After airing for three seasons on Fox from 2003 to 2006, this show was canceled despite overwhelming critical acclaim. However, it was given a second life and a fourth season by Netflix back in 2013, with plans for a fifth season to be released later this year. The series follows a dysfunctional family who loses their fortune and is forced to face the reality of living a more modest lifestyle.
Can you name this medical drama?
These days, there’s so much content available that it can be a bit overwhelming to start taking on a show that has more than a few seasons. Therefore, if you didn’t catch this show when it was on, you might be hesitant to start watching it now considering it ran for over 15 years and 300 episodes. The show is the longest-running medical drama of all time, which is set at a fiction hospital in Chicago, Illinois. This show was credited with launching George Clooney to stardom, though he was far from the only main character in this massive series.
Can you name this sitcom?
After serving as the head writer and the host of Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live for a number of years, Tina Fey decided she also wanted to create, write, and star in her own sitcom — which was largely centered around the behind-the-scenes happenings of an SNL-type show. This sitcom received critical acclaim during its seven-season run, and featured a talented ensemble cast consisting of Alec Baldwin, Tracey Morgan, and Jane Krakowski, among others. So can you name the sitcom?
Can you name this political drama?
This show holds the honor of being Netflix’s first original content series, which is no small accomplishment considering the streaming service has gone on to produce more movies and TV shows than any the network in the last few years. This show followed the extreme corruption behind the scenes in a fictional White House, and it starred Kevin Spacey in the main role of Frank Underwood. Of course, since the accusations against the actor have come out, he has since been fired from the series for its final season.
Can you name this crime drama?
After director David Fincher helped bring Netflix’s first original series to life with House of Cards, he returned to the streaming service last year with another series, which follows the semi-true story of the first FBI agents who tried to research the minds of serial killers. Though the show contains few on-screen killings, that doesn’t stop the series from being any more chilling, as the audience is given a front row seat into the conversations and motives behind some truly horrific crimes.
Can you name this mystery series?
The teen noir series originally aired on UPN in 2004 and ran for just two seasons before the network made the jump to The CW. Unfortunately, that meant this already excellent series underwent some unnecessary story changes in its third season which resulted in the show's cancelation. While many had hoped this show would have run for years and years, at the very least, the Kristen Bell character was brought back for a 2014 film that was funded by fans.
Can you name this black comedy series?
In the last few years, it seems like fans can just not get enough of the dysfunctional Gallagher family, who are at the center of this long-running Showtime series. The show is set on the South Side of Chicago and follows a family as they struggle with poverty, alcoholism, and an array of other problems that often unfold in equally hilarious and tragic fashion. While black comedies have always been a tough sell on the big screen, this show only continues to grow in popularity.
Can you name this sci-fi series?
Yet another great series that was canceled way too soon, this show cleverly blended elements of both the sci-fi and western genre to make for one of the most thoroughly original shows of the early 2000s. The was created by Joss Whedon, and it follows captain of the spaceship Serenity, Malcolm Reynolds, who partakes in various smuggling crimes alongside his loyal crew. Though the show only lasted for 14 episodes, it has gone onto become a cult classic, which also helped spawn a spin-off film.
Can you name this drama series?
One of Netflix’s most successful original series, this comedy/ drama first dropped on the streaming service back in 2013 and has turned out five seasons to date with a sixth and seventh already in the works. The show is loosely based on the real-life story of Piper Kerman, who wrote a book about the year she spent in prison for a crime she committed years before. The show stars Emmy Award nominated actress Taylor Schilling in the lead role of Piper Chapman.
Can you name this fantasy/ comedy series?
After starring in The Office and co-creating such sitcoms including Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, producer Michael Schur created this new NBC sitcom which debuted in 2016 and has already earned critical acclaim. The story follows Kristen Bell’s Eleanor Shellstrop as she makes her way into the afterlife, where she realized that she’s mistakenly made her way into a utopia despite not living a very moral life back on Earth. So have you already jumped on board with this new hit sitcom?
Can you name this crime drama?
Based on a short story by Elmore Leonard, this FX series features American actor Timothy Olyphant in the lead role of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. The show is set in small-town Kentucky and blends elements of neo-western, character drama, and police procedural into a cohesive series that received critical acclaim throughout its six-season run. The series begins with Raylan being relocated back to his hometown after his old-school ways get him in trouble while serving as a Marshal in Miami, Florida.
Can you name this anthology crime series?
The first season of this anthology crime series debuted on HBO back in January of 2014 and found Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson making a jump back to the small screen to play two police detectives who are on the trail of a string of cult-like serial killings. The first season of the show earned critical acclaim and was renewed for a second season that would cover a totally different story. Unfortunately, pretty much everyone agrees that the show took a massive dip in quality during its second outing.
Can you name this anthology crime series?
Drawing inspiration from the Academy Award winning 1996 film that was written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this FX series is set in the same part of the country and follows various crimes that occur there throughout different time periods. The first season was set in 2006, the second in 1979, and the third in 2010, with plans for a fourth season currently in the works. Each season has pulled in an impressive cast of actors, including Kirsten Dunst, Ewan McGregor, and Billy Bob Thorton.
Can you name this medical drama?
Easily one of the most popular medical dramas of all time, this Fox series ran for eight seasons between 2004 and 2012 and starred Hugh Laurie as the cantankerous Dr. Gregory House. Each episode of the series usually revolved around the genius doctor discovering the cause of a new patient's mysterious condition, and while the show may not have been all that accurate or realistic, the performance by Laurie alone was enough to keep people tuning in year after year.
Can you name this period drama?
On the surface, this show may have seemed a bit stiff or formal for mainstream audiences. But for those who tuned in for more than a few episodes quickly learned that this was one of the better written shows on TV when it originally aired. The show follows the happenings of the aristocratic Crowley family in Northern England back in the early 1900s. The series one a number of “Best of the Year” awards and is a favorite among history buffs, as a number of significant world events serve as a backdrop throughout the story.