As Seen (Briefly) on the USA Television Network Quiz

Answer: Ving Rhames

With his trademark clean shaven head, classic tough guy looks, and deep booming voice, Irving Rameses "Ving" Rhames was cast in the title role of the USA Network remake of "Kojak".

In the original version of the crime drama series, Telly Savalas starred as the lollipop sucking, wise cracking NYPD Detective Lieutenant, Theo Kojak.

The original series aired on the CBS Network for five seasons with 118 hour long episodes. The series aired from October 24, 1973 to March 18, 1979.

The USA Network version originally aired nine episodes over its single season from March 25th, through May 22nd of 2005.

In 1999, the character Theo Kojak was voted #18 on the "TV Guide"-"50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time" list.

A highly regarded actor, Ving Rhames has appeared in over 120 television and movie roles. Some of his best performances can be found in "Pulp Fiction" (1994), "Con Air" (1997), the "Mission: Impossible" movie series (1996,2000,2004,and 2006), and in "Don King: Only in America" (1997) to name a few.

Answer: a super sophisticated black helicopter

In the 1984 CBS Network pilot episode of "Airwolf", the super sophisticated black helicopter was described by one of the characters as "an aerodynamic lifting body driven by a twin turbine rotor system capable of propelling it to three hundred knots ... with a weapons systems selection that offers 14 firepower options ranging from 30mm cannons to nuclear tipped strife missiles, or in other words, (Airwolf is) a mach one plus chopper that can kick butt".

"Airwolf" was a hour long action drama series originally broadcast on the CBS television network. The series aired 55 episodes over three seasons. The series starred Jan-Michael Vincent, Alex Cord, Ernest Borgnine, and Jean Bruce Scott.
When the series ended in 1986, the USA Network saw the potential of a fourth season and commissioned a Canadian television film company to create one. Production and filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,
through the combined work of the "Atlantis" and "The Arthur" film production companies.
Their season budget was about one third of the cost it took "Belisarius Productions & Universal Television", which were based in Los Angeles, California.

The British Columbia production teams did not have access to the actual helicopter used in the Los Angeles production of the series. All of the flying or in-flight scenes were recycled or stock film footage used in the original series. The Canadian production companies did have access to the full scale mock-up of the interior of the helicopter, so it was refurbished and used to film new interior scenes.

Answer: Vincent D'Onofrio

For the final season of the series, which was shown on the USA Network, the original team of detectives, Robert Goren and Alexandra Eames, played by Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe, were brought back to the Major Case Squad.

Both character had been previously written out of the series.
In season nine, Eames is pressured by her police bosses into firing Goren. In the next scene, Ames is seen making a phone call to her boss to confirm that she had terminated Goren, and then announced her resignation from the NYPD.

The 10th and final season consisted of eight episodes, broadcast between May 1st and June 27th of 2011.

Overall a total of 62 original episodes were aired over the four seasons the series appeared on the USA Network.
133 original episodes were aired during the six seasons the series aired on the NBC Network.

Answer: Los Angeles Police Department

Travis Marks (Michael Ealy) and Wes Mitchell (Warren Kole) were detectives assigned to the Robbery Homicide Division of the Los Angeles Police Department.

While on the job, an incident where Travis pulled his gun on Wes resulted in the two becoming involved in constant bickering and displaying a strong dislike for each other.
There commanding officer, Captain Mike Sutton (Jack McGee) ordered the two men to work together and to seek relationship therapy to resolve their conflict.

The series premiered on the USA Network on May 11, 2011. The series unfortunately failed to capture an audience following.
The show aired the last of its 12 episodes on August 10, 2012.

On October 31, 2012, the USA Network announced that due to low ratings, the series would not be renewed for a second season.

While the series was set in Los Angeles, California, principle filming was completed in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Answer: Brooke Langton

Brooke Langton starred in the USA Network original series "The Net", playing computer hacker and systems debugger Angela Bennett. The series was based on the 1995 movie thriller of the same name.

The television version for the USA Network was produced and filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The television series aired for one season (1998-1999) with 22 episodes.

Answer: Fairly Legal

"Fairly Legal" aired on the USA Network from January 20, 2011 to June 15, 2012.
23 original episodes were broadcast during the two season run of the show.

The series starred Sarah Shahi as Kate Reed, a one time lawyer for her father's law firm, who choses to become a legal mediator for the San Francisco law firm instead.
Virginia Williams was featured as her step-mother, Lauren Reed. After the untimely death of her husband, she becomes the senior partner and CEO of the firm.
Kate and Lauren, who were close in age, struggle to find some common bond so they can work together as a team for the betterment of the firm. Kate harbors some ill feelings that her father married such a young lady, and viewed her stepmother as a gold-digging opportunist. The two are able to work through their differences.

"The Big Easy", a USA Network series was based on the successful 1987 movie of the same name. The television series premiered on August 11, 1996, and aired 35 episodes over two seasons.

Tony Crane starred as New Orleans police detective lieutenant Remy McSwain, and Susan Walters was featured as state district attorney Anne Osbourne.
In the series, the two worked together in investigating criminal activities for the New Orleans Police Department.
Like the movie, the TV series was filmed in and around the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

"Necessary Roughness" was shown exclusively on the USA Network from June 29, 2011 to August 21, 2013. The series ran for three seasons with 38 episodes.

Callie Thorne starred as Dr. Danielle "Dani" Santino, a psychotherapist whose practice catered to high-profile clients, including leaders in the business world, entertainment figures, professional athletes and politicians. Dr. Santino specialized in her own brand of "tough love therapy" to help her clients resolve their issues. As the single mother of two teenage children, she was often less successful in handling the challenges of her day to day home life.

"The 4400" was a science-fiction thriller shown on the USA Network from 2004 to 2007. The series aired 44 episodes during its four season run.
The series starred Joel Gretshi as Tom Baldwin and Jacqueline McKenzie as Diane Skouris.

In the story, following an unexplained mystery ball of light in the sky, 4400 people suddenly appeared in an open area near Mount Rainier, Washington. All of the 4400 people had disappeared at some point after 1946. The people appeared not to have aged since there disappearances and had no memory or recollection of anything that had happened to them. They all, to varying degrees, displayed confusion and disorientation. Baldwin and Skouris were agents of a government agency attached to the Department of Homeland Security, who were dispatched to investigate and deal with the strange, and unusual phenomena.

Answer: Rudy Boesch

"Combat Missions" was hosted by Randolph Ernst "Rudy" Boesch.

The USA Network reality series aired from January to March in 2002. during which time, 15 episodes were broadcast. Rudy Boesch served as the "commandant" of the location known as Camp Windstorm, in California's Mojave Desert.

The series involved a 15 week competition where four teams consisting of six members each, were pitted against the "Shadow Force" in military and urban mission situations. Each of the four teams were comprised of members from Police SWAT teams, U.S. Army Rangers, Navy SEALS, U.S. Army Special Forces, The Delta Force, U.S. Marine Recon, and CIA Special Operations personnel.

For each mission, two teams would engage the Shadow Force, on the same identical mission at different times. The team with the highest score and success rate would be awarded points and declared the winner. The losing team was required to "vote" out a member of their team. At the end of the five week competition, the team with the highest score overall was declared the winner of the competition.

Missions included Prisoner Rescues, Taking down an illegal Meth Lab, Hostage Rescues, Pilot Down Rescues, Stopping or destroying enemy tanks, Fuel Dump Demolition, Urban unrest and Riot Situation scenarios.

Both sides utilized MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Systems) equipment to simulate gunfire and actual combat mission situations.

As commandant, Rudy Boesch would explain the "rules of Engagement" to the teams before the mission and at the conclusion of each show, oversee the discharge of team members voted off the team.

Rudy Boesch, a real life SEAL, retired from the U.S. Navy in 1990, after 45 years of service, with the rank of Command Master Chief Petty Officer. At the time of his retirement, he was the oldest living active Navy SEAL.

Boesch received national recognition when he competed on the reality show "Survivor: Borneo" in 2000. As one of the most popular contestants to play the game, he was invited back to competed in "Survivor: All-Stars" in 2004.

"Survivor" was produced by Mark Burnett, who also produced "Combat Missions".

Answer: The Huntress

Annette O'Toole starred as bounty hunter Dottie Thorson in the 2000 USA Network series "The Huntress".
The 60 minute drama series aired 28 episodes during the summers of the 2000 and 2001 television seasons.

The other shows listed were all original series broadcast on the TNT (Turner Broadcast System) Network. The nationwide cable network started its operations on October 3, 1988.

"Mob City" aired 6 episodes from December 4th through December 18th of 2013.
John Bernthal starred as LAPD Detective Joe Teague, with Milo Ventimiglia as Ned Stax, a lawyer and mob fixer.
The plot centered on the adverse relations between the police and mobsters in 1940s Los Angeles, California.

"HawthoRNe" was a medical drama series that starred Jada Pinkett Smith as Christina Hawthorne, the Chief Nursing Officer at Richmond Trinity Hospital, and later as the Chief Operating Officer and President of James River Hopsital.
"HawthoRNe" aired three seasons from June 16, 2009 to August 16, 2011.

The police procedures drama series "The Closer" starred Kyra Sedgwick as LAPD Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, the head of the Major Crimes Unit.
"The Closer" aired 109 episodes over its seven season run (2005-2012).
Sedgwick chose to leave the series after the seventh season.

The series continue with the same characters and same cast under the title "Major Crimes", with the character Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell)taking charge of the Major Crimes Unit in 2013.

Answer: Manhattan, AZ.

"Manhattan, AZ." was an off-beat comedy series that aired 13 episodes during the summer of 2000 (between July 23rd and September 24th) season.
The series starred Brian McNamara, Vincent Berry, and Chad Everett.

The series plot involves David Henderson (McNamara), an undercover Los Angeles Police vice officer, who looses his wife to a bizarre and tragic accident. Left completely devastated by the incident, he plans on putting his life back together, by resigning from the police department and relocating with his young son Atticus (Berry) to the small desert town of Manhattan, Arizona. Once there, Henderson accepts a job offer from the town's mayor, Jake Manhattan, (Everett) to become the sheriff.
Sheriff Henderson soon learns that the town is filled with friendly and colorful residents. He also learns that near the town is an Air Force base that officially "does not exist". Rumor is that the base houses a highly classified facility known only as "Area 61". Rumor also has it that Area 61 is in some way connected with many of the unexplained and unusual "incidents" that has plagued the town.

The series was noted for the hilarious dialogue being delivered in a "deadpan" style. Each episode ended with one of the actors breaking the "fourth wall" by speaking directly to the audience (camera) describing some aspect of the episode and ending with the line "We work in television and we know better than you".

The three incorrect answers were all movies made for and first premiered on the USA Network.

"D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear" premiered on October 17, 2003. The story was based on the real life "Beltway Sniper Attacks" of October, 2002.
The movie starred Charles S. Dutton, Jay O. Sanders, Bobby Hosea, Trent Cameron, and Helen Shaver.

"The Last Ride" premiered on June 2, 2004. The action/drama movie starred Dennis Hopper, Will Patton, Fred Willard, Nadine Velazquez, and Chris Carmack.

"Cool Money", a drama, premiered on March 19, 2005. The movie starred James Marsters, John Cassini, Larry Manetti, Margot Kidder, and Wayne Robson.

Answer: Crush

"Crush" was a 30 minute game show that aired on the USA Network from March to August in 2000. The show was hosted by Andrew Krasney, whose opening line for each show was "The show that begs for an answer to the question, should friends try love?".

In the game, one contestant questions three other contestants, all of whom are from the past life of the questioner. The three contestants answering the questions are standing behind a wall with only their lips visible to through openings in the wall. One of the three has harbored an unrevealed "crush" on the party asking the questions. The other two were merely casual friends. By asking the questions and listening to the answers, the first contestant is asked to identify the former friend who has the crush on them and is interested in advancing their friendship to a next level.

The three incorrect titles were all part of the Game Show Network (GSN) programming schedule.

"Baggage", hosted by Jerry Springer, premiered on the GSN in 2010. This dating game show featured a contestant questioning three possible dates, knowing that each has some unrevealed and unflattering "baggage" in their past. The show entered its fourth season in 2014.

"Idiotest", a 2014 GSN entry featured teams of contestants answering brain teaser questions to win points and prizes. The show, hosted by actor, comedian Ben Gleib, premiered on the GSN on August 12, 2014.

"Ballbreakers" was a pocket billiard game show that aired on the GSN in 2005 and 2006. The show was hosted by actor Sal Masekela, professional pocket billiard player Ewa Mataya Laurance, and "America's Next Top Model" winner Adrianne Curry.