Only 30% Of People Can Name All These Old TV Shows. Can You?
- by Margaret Wells
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Some people might think modern television is the only good television, but you know better. When it comes to entertainment, you know to look for it in the golden age of television history insetad. You might be way too young to have seen these shows when they first aired, but maybe you sought them out on your own time and enjoyed the classic goodness they had to offer.
Then again, you might just be old--and that's okay, too. Your expertise in classic TV shows will help make you a whiz at this trivia quiz. If you can't pass, then you don't know classic TV.
Whether it's I Love Lucy or Friends, looking to past TV shows helps you weed out the mediocre from the great. You might have seen most of these shows, or you might only have heard of them. Either way, they're some of the most famous shows from the last twenty years, or even the last sixty. No one knows TV like you do--so you won't have any trouble guessing these TV show titles. That is, as long as you're the TV fan you think you are. Good luck, and see if you can pass this Classic TV quiz!
Which TV show is this?
If you're a Will Smith fan, then you likely remember the name of this show. This show ran from 1990 to 1996, and it starred Will Smith as a street smart teenager. Production approached Smith, who was a popular rapper in the late 1980s, and asked him to come on board for this show about a teen who's forced to go live with his rich aunt and uncle in their Bel Air mansion, after getting into a basketball court fight.
Which TV show is this?
This American sitcom ran from 1993 to 2000. It follows the every day lessons and coming of age events in Cory Matthew's (Ben Savage) world. Since the show ran for seven seasons, viewers got to watch Cory grow from a pre-pubescent teen to a married man in college. The show even got a spin off in 2014 on the Disney Channel, about Cory's daughter. If you watched TV during the 90s, we bet you remember the name of this show.
Which TV show is this?
This sitcom originally aired on ABC from 1989 to 1997, and it was the second longest running non animated sitcom about an African American family, second only the The Jeffersons. The character of the neighbor, Urkel, was so popular that he eventually became the star of the show. This sitcom follows the lives of the Winslows, a middle class family in Chicago, Illinois. We bet you remember this outstanding, hilarious TV comedy, so you won't have any trouble remembering its name.
Which TV show is this?
This show ran from 1996 to 2000 and was based on a popular series of Archie Comics by the same name. It stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman. Sabrina finds out on her sixteenth birthday that she has magical powers, and the rest of the show follows her many adventures, and her exploits with friends, including her 500 year old aunts and cat named Salem. We bet you can remember the name of this TV teen sensation, if you know 90s TV at all!
Which TV show is this?
This classic American sitcom premiered in 1987 and ran until 1995. While never a top TV show, it was consistently in the top 30, and was recently rebooted on Netflix. The show follows the story of Danny, a widowed father who asks his brother in law and best friend to help him raise three daughters-- DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle. If you watched any TV in the 90s, then you probably remember this beloved American comedy. What's the title of this show?
Which TV show is this?
This American sitcom originally aired on Fox and ran from 1987 to 1997. It was Fox's longest lasting sitcom, and it follows the lives of Al and Peggy Bundy. Al is a former high school football star who now sells women's shoes, and Peggy is his obnoxious wife. For the most part, the show is about Al's stupid schemes being foiled by his own bad luck. We bet you can't remember the name of this ten years running American classic.
Which TV show is this?
This show ran from 1996 to 2005. It follows the life of Raymond, an Italian American everyman who writes for the sports column of the Newsday Magazine. He lives with his family in long island, and tries to get out of home responsibility as much as he can. Raymond takes few things seriously, and is often sarcastic and dry. The show had its own tone and sense of humor, which many viewers adored. We bet you can't guess this classic TV comedy.
Which TV show is this?
This show starred identical twins, Tia and Tamera Mowry (but we bet you can't guess what it's called.) It ran from 1994 to 1999 and followed the stories of twin sisters who were adopted at birth and separated. They find each other fourteen years later, and their subsequent adventures lasted for six seasons. While the original show was eventually cancelled due to poor ratings, a reboot of this show was confirmed in January 2018. Can you remember the name of this 90s classic?
Which TV show is this?
Despite premiering in 1993, this television series is still going on. A short, successful season in 2016 launched another ten episode eleventh season for 2018. The show ended originally in 2002, after airing on Fox for nine seasons. The show follows the investigations of FBI agents, and their research into potentially paranormal events. The show was acted by an top notch cast and was immensely popular, hence its ability to promote new seasons today. Do you remember the name of this show?
Which TV show is this?
This show was originally brainstormed by the creator of The Muppets, Jim Henson. While Jim Henson passed away too soon to be involved in most of the production, his idea nevertheless kicked off to run from 1991 to 1994. At first, people thought the idea was crazy-- a show about a family of dinosaurs, behaving like a regular sitcom family? No one thought it would work until the success of The Simpsons, so puppets for adult entertainment returned to television.
Which TV show is this?
This American sitcom is widely considered one of the most influential situation comedies ever made. If you haven't heard of it, you've been living in a cave! The show is set in an apartment in Manhattan, and it stars Jerry Seinfeld, who plays a fictionalized version of himself. The show has been called a show "about nothing" since most of the episodes are just about daily life. Whether you've seen it or not, we bet you know this sitcom classic.
Which TV show is this?
This American television sitcom ran from 1989 to 1993 on NBC. It was a reboot of Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was originally a Disney Channel series. It follows the stories of high school friends and their principle, and it occasionally deals with the tougher side of high school life. It starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Dustin Diamond, Lark Voorhies, Dennis Haskins, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, and Mario Lopez. We bet you have fond memories of this show if you caught any episodes on air.
Which TV show is this?
Even if you didn't watch this show when it originally aired, we're guessing that you've seen it. Between reruns and its recent availability on Netflix, this show had peaked in popularity yet again. It follows the adventures of Joey, Phoebe, Monica, Chandler, Rachel, and Ross as they navigate life as friends in New York City. Full of romance, Emmy-award winning comedy, and great characters, this TV classic is famous for a reason. Any TV fan remembers the title of this show.
Which TV show is this?
This teen TV show was popular at the time, and it remains a cult classic among fans today. It ran from 1997 to 2003 and starred Sarah Michelle Gellar as a girl who's chosen... to kill monsters, demons, and vampires. Armed with special abilities, she protects Sunnydale California from multiple apocalypses and crazy threats. With her friends Willow and Zander, and her Watcher Giles, and well as many other shifting cast mates, this powerful girl saved the world. A lot.
Which TV show is this?
This hilarious TV comedy ran from 1997 to 2003 on NBC. An American classic, it follows the adventures of Maya Callo as she works for a top beauty magazine. Her headstrong nature and feminist views get her into trouble quite a bit, since she believes women should be valued for more than just their looks. (It's hard to tell that idea to a beauty company, though.) Over just 15 years ago, we bet you remember the name of this TV comedy.
Which TV show is this?
Classic TV doesn't get much more classic than this. This show first started running in 1989... and it's still on the air. Some have called it the Sponge Bob Squarepants of the adult cartoon comedy world. Is it because the show is popular? Because it contains a lot of rude humor? Or because the main character is animated and yellow? Either way, you have to be a hermit not to know the name of this beloved, longest ever running television comedy.
Which TV show is this?
This American sitcom is famous for its realistic portrayal of a working-class family. It originally aired from 1988 to 1997, and it starred Roseanne Barr. The show follows the adventures of the Connors, a working class family from Illinois, and it was met with fantastic critical reception. Between 1989 to 1990, it was the most watched television show in the US. If you know classic TV, then you know this famous American sitcom. Do you remember the name of this show?
Which TV show is this?
This American sitcom was created by Susan Harris, and it ran on NBC from 1985 to 1992. The show stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty as four elderly women (three widows and one divorcee) who all live together in Miami Florida. If you recognized their faces at once, then your probably remember this TV show, either because you loved it, or you were too young to realize old ladies are anything but boring. What's the title?
Which TV show is this?
If you've ever wondered how the great Tim Allen began his career, here's your answer. This show was one of the most watched American sitcoms during its run, and its starred Tim Allen, as well as a host of other talent, also launching the television career of Pamela Anderson. It ran from 1991 to 1999 and won several awards. If you know classic TV, then we know you know the name of this American comedy about family life in the 1990s.
Which TV show is this?
Starring Billy Cosby, this American sitcom ran for eight seasons on NBC, from 1984 to 1992. It follows the adventures of the Huxtable family, an upper middle class African American family in Brooklyn, NY. This show spent five consecutive seasons in the number one spot, an outstanding achievement only one other show has ever achieved. Just about everyone has seen at least one episode of this show, and if they haven't, they're missing out. What's the name of this TV show?
Which TV show is this?
This 1998 to 2003 show was about a close knit group of friends, and it follows their adventures from high school to college. The series stars James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery, Katie Holmes as Joey Potter, Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter, and Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley. The show takes place in the fictional city of Capeside Massachusetts, and was nominated for (and won) several television awards for its quality. We bet you can't remember the name of this show!
Which TV show is this?
This American comedy ran from 1985 to 1992. You might remember the Seaver family, who lived at 15 Robin Hood Lane in Huntington, Long Island, New York. The show follows the adventures of the father, Dr. Jason Seaver, who works as a psychiatrist from home so his wife Maggie can go back to work. Jason has to take care of his crazy and unique kids, and this all about family comedy show was a huge success. Do you remember its title?
Which TV show is this?
This TV sitcom won an Emmy, and was nominated for twelve. It ran from 1993 to 1999 and follows the adventures of Fran Fine (played by Fran Drescher) a Jewish fashion queen from Flushing New York, who becomes nanny to three children from British high society. The show was created and produced by Drescher, and it's said that she took much of her inspiration from her personal life growing up in Queens. We bet you remember the name of this stellar TV comedy.
Which TV show is this?
This American sitcom ran from 1996 to 2001 on NBC. It's about four aliens who arrive on Earth to do some research. As part of their expedition, they want to find out all about Earth and its people, even though they don't consider Earth to be important. They decide to pose as a human family to better observe humans and their every day habits. If you appreciated shows that diverged from the classic family sitcom, then you probably enjoyed what TV comedy?
Which TV show is this?
This TV sitcom starred Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon and Wilmer Valderrama. It aired from 1998 to 2006, but it took place between 1976 and 1979. The show follows the lives of teenage friends, and their adventures in Point Place, Wisconsin. If you're a TV fan, we bet you remember the name of this show. The creators of this show wanted to make sure it felt very 70s, from the costumes to the slang to the politics.
Which TV show is this?
This teen TV show ran for ten seasons, from 1990 to 2000. While unpopular in its first season, a short summer season dramatically increased the popularity of the show, eventually making teen idols out of a few cast members. The show follows the adventures of some Beverly Hill teenagers as they explore life and love in a very upscale world. The show follows their stories from high school to college to adult life. Can you remember the name of this TV show?
Which TV show is this?
This famous American sitcom ran for eleven years, from 1982 to 1993. Despite nearly being canceled in its first season, the show went on to be in the top ten, and even the number one slot for one of its seasons. It's set in a Boston bar "where everybody knows your name," as the theme song says. If you're a fan of classic TV, then you'd recognize this show right away, even having never seen an episode. What's the title of this famous show?
Which TV show is this?
Even if you've never seen this show, you might recognize it from Friends, where Joey and Chandler watched it religiously. This show was an American action drama series about the LA County Lifeguards. While the first season of the show was a massive failure, it was revived through syndicated and eventually aired for a decade, from 1989 to 1999. It was revived and given a title spin from 1999 to 2001. Can you recall its name?
Which TV show is this?
This American show was a serial political drama that ran from 1999 to 2006 on NBC. It takes place in the West Wing of the White House, where the offices of the presidential senior staff and Oval Office are located. The show follows the fictional Democratic administration of Josiah Bartlett and his chief advisers. The show received multiple works and excellent critical reception. If you're the TV fan you think you are, you won't have any trouble identifying this classic.
Which TV show is this?
This American classic is the longest running prime time medical drama in TV history. It ran from 1994 to 2009, and it was created by the novelist and medical doctor Michael Crichton, the same man who wrote the book, Jurassic Park. The show follows the inside life of the Emergency Room at County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and the various complications that the doctors, nurses, and other staff members of the hospital face. Can you name this TV drama?
Which TV show is this?
This American TV show ran from 1998 to 2004 on HBO. Based on a book of the same name by Candace Bushnell, the show was a romantic comedy, set and filmed in New York City. It follows the lives of four women as they navigate their love lives. Despite being very different people, they remain close and confide in one another. The show was immensely popular, and many critics appreciated how real and relatable the women and their journeys were.
Which TV show is this?
We bet you know this TV comedy. In fact, if you don't, we doubt you've seen an episode of television in your life. Even people who haven't seen it know this famous comedy show staring Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnez. With their friends Fred and Ethel, Lucy and "Ricky" have all sorts of crazy adventures,,, usually the fault of Lucy. Lucille Ball is widely considered one of the most talented comediennes to ever live. Can you name her show?
Which TV show is this?
If you recognize those big fake eyelashes, then you probably already guessed that this American TV show ran from 1965 from 1970. A beloved American classic, the show follows the adventures of Barbara Eden and her character as a 2,000 year old genie. Eden's character eventually falls in love with and marries the astronaut who discovered her, and for the five years that it ran, this show provided all kinds of crazy adventures for the two. Can you name this TV comedy?
Which TV show is this?
This show was credited with educating the American public on more LBGT issues than anything else done before it. (Never underestimate the power of comedy.) The show follows two best friends, Will, a gay lawyer played by Eric McCormack, and Grace, a straight interior designer played by Debra Messing. It ran from 1998 to 2006 and was recently rebooted. If you watched any TV at the turn of the millennium, then you're sure to recognize the name of this TV comedy.
Which TV show is this?
This classic American sitcom was created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, and it ran from 1984 to 1992 on ABC. The series starred lead actor Tony Danza as a retired major league baseball player who moves to Fairfield, Connecticut to work as a live in house keeper for Judith Light's character, who is an advertising executive. The show also starred Alyssa Milano, Danny Pintauro and Katherine Helmond. We bet you can't name the title of this classic TV sitcom.
Which TV show is this?
This beloved family classic is listed in the top 50 TV shows of all time. It originally ran from 1964 to 1972, and it follows the adventures of a witch who marries a mortal man. She decides to lead the life of a suburban housewife... with a few exceptions. It was the longest running supernatural themed sitcom of the 1960s and 1970s. Still beloved world wide, you probably know this show as well. Can you guess the title of this classic?
Which TV show is this?
"My nose!" If you were a kid in the 70s, or if you watched any reruns growing up, then you probably remember this TV classic. A bit like previous family comedies like Leave It to Beaver and The Dick Van Dyke Show, this comedy was a little more 70s, with themes and jokes that might not have passed in the early 1960s. The show follows the story of a large family and their many adventures. Can you name this show?
Which TV show is this?
This coming of age American drama-comedy starred Fred Savage, and it earned him the honor of youngest ever actor nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor for a Comedy Series. The show ran from 1988 to 1993. It's considered one of the 20 best shows of the 80s. It's about Kevin Arnold, an adolescent boy growing up in a suburban middle class family in the early 1970s. This show won Outstanding Comedy in 1988. We know you know it--if you remember classic TV.
Which TV show is this?
This American sitcom ran for nine seasons on ABC, from 1989 to 1997. It follows the life of Hayden Fox, the head coach of a State University football team: The Screaming Eagles. The show starred Craig T. Nelson, with a supporting cast including Jerry van Dyke, Bill Fagerbakke, and Shelley Fabares. If you remember the adventures of Coach Fox and the made up university he worked for, then you won't have any trouble picking the name of this classic show.
Which TV show is this?
This 70s TV show is ranked next after I Love Lucy--second place, in other words, of every comedy show ever made. Starring Mary Tyler Moore, this show follows the life of Mary Richards and her life in the TV News industry. It ran from 1970 to 1977, and it's considered the 6th best television show ever written. American fell in love with Mary Tyler Moore when she was Laura Petrie on the Dick Van Dyke Show, but as Mary Richards, she was outshone only by the great Lucille Ball.