'Bromances' on TV Trivia Quiz

Answer: Taylor and Fife

Mayberry's own Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife were comically played by Andy Griffith and Don Knotts from 1960-1968. They were such good friends that, over 20 years later, when Andy starred as Ben Matlock, he drafted Knotts to play his neighbor, Les Calhoun.

Answer: Larry Dallas

While Jack Tripper was living with Chrissy (et al) and Janet, he was friendly (just friends) with Larry Dallas, a big-time womanizer, played by Richard Kline from 1977 through 1984. Oh, and speaking of Don Knotts (see question #1), he played Mr. Furley, the second landlord after the Ropers. "Come and knock on our door..."

Answer: Buffy and Hildegard

Henry Desmond and Kip Wilson were just starting out working for an ad agency when they found their apartment building was being demolished. They could not afford the high rents in NYC (some things never change), so they were forced to move into the cheapest place they can find, which just happened to be the Susan B. Anthony Hotel...for women only! Henry, played by Peter Scolari, must become Hildegard (not literally!), while Kip (Tom Hanks) is Buffy.

The show ran from 1980 to 1982 (but it seemed longer).

Answer: accountant

We all know Cliff Clavin was a postal worker but, aside from never seeing Norm Peterson's wife (Vera), he really did not discuss his job very often; in fact, he was at the bar so much, when did he have time to work? It turns out Norm was an accountant, whose name happened to be Hilary (after his grandfather) R. Peterson, but everybody just called him Norm. George Wendt played the role from 1982 to 1993 (it didn't seem that long!)

Answer: Perfect Strangers

Balki Bartokomous (Bronson Pinchot) was a shepherd on Mypos when he decides to come to the United States with very little knowledge of pop culture. In the meantime 'cousin Larry' (Mark Linn-Baker) has just moved from his home in Wisconsin to his first apartment in Chicago, Illinois and is enjoying his privacy when Balki shows up.

At first he rejects Balki's request but then decides to take Balki 'under his wing'. "Perfect Strangers" aired from 1986 to 1993.

Answer: Lenny and Carl

While Snake and Nelson may have hung out on occasion, it is doubtful that Ned and Apu or Skinner and Hibbert would be best friends. On "The Simpsons" (1989-??) it is Lenny and Carl who not only work together at the Springfield Power Plant, but spend a lot of their time at Moe's. Did you know that both Lenny (voiced by Harry Shearer) and Carl (voiced by Hank Azaria) both have master's degrees in nuclear physics?

Answer: Jeffrey Townes

You may know the story of how Will Smith wound up coming from the streets of Philadelphia, PA to Bel-Air, CA (especially if you've heard the song). His mother wanted to protect him so she sent Will to live with his rich uncle Phil (James Avery). Now Philip and his wife (yet another show where they changed a character and didn't think we'd notice) had 3 kids, one of whom was Carlton, while Jeffrey Townes played Will's best friend, Jazz. (1990-1996).

Answer: Scrubs

Did you ever notice that there a a great many medical shows on TV, but very few of them are comedies? A group of medical students comes to Sacred Heart Hospital to 'learn the ropes'. Among these neophytes are Dr. John 'J.D.' Dorian, Dr. Christopher Turk and Dr. Elliot Reid (who is female?!, but that's ok, because before that she was the 'second' Becky Conner). Along with this group are the established doctors (Kelso and Cox), the nurse, the janitor and others who add to the humor, but it is the deep friendship that developed between Turk and J.D. that is most memorable. "Scrubs" ran from 2001 to 2010.

Answer: Zachary Levi

Unassuming Chuck Bartkowski is a geeky computer guy working at 'Buy More'. One day he opens an e-mail and winds up downloading critical government information to his brain; so now everyone is after him and he is forced to become a secret agent with only a tough U.S. Major and a beautiful female agent to protect him.

In the meantime, he must still work at his old store and help his friend, Morgan Grimes, get out of jams. Zachary Levi also voiced the part of Flynn Rider in 2010's animated film, "Tangled". "Chuck" was on TV from 2007-2012.

Answer: Lenny and Squiggy

You might recognize the incorrect choices as famous 'bromances' from other shows, i.e., "The Office". "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Odd Couple". But "Laverne and Shirley" (1976-1983), a spin-off of "Happy Days", gave us one of the earlier male friendships with Lenny and Squiggy who were the protagonists' upstairs neighbors. Lenny (Michael McKean) wore a red jacket with 'LONE WOLF' written across the back (after Laverne gave him an "L" from one of her monograms); Squiggy (David L. Lander) had a way of barging in with his famous "hello".

They were 'a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic', but loveable.

Answer: N.C.I.S.

Did all those 'letter' shows confuse you? In 2003, "N.C.I.S" (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) debuted and has maintained its position as one of TV's top shows (nevermind the overkill, NCIS Los Angeles or NCIS New Orleans). It stars Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs who runs a team of agents who fight terrorism, murder and general evil. Among the team is the womanizer, Tony DiNozzo, and the original 'probie' and computer expert, Timothy McGee; despite their different personalities they have managed to become close friends.

Answer: Sam and Dean

"Supernatural", a thriller which first aired in 2005, stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, respectively. It seems some supernatural force 'took' their mother, and they were raised by their father to hunt monsters and demons and gods (Oh, my!).

The brothers must fight the evils, deceptions and betrayals together in order to survive, and they never know what tomorrow will bring.

Answer: James Roday/Dule Hill

"Psych" (2006-2014) had one of the best buddy combos on television. Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and Burton 'Gus' Guster (Dule Hill) have been best friends from childhood. Shawn's father was a policemen who taught his son to remember even the smallest details of his surroundings, and Shawn uses this talent to convince the police to hire him to help solve crimes with his 'psychic' abilities.

He persuades a very reluctant Gus to assist him, as they get into dangerous (and comical) situations.

Answer: Sam Axe

Bruce Campbell plays Sam Axe, a retired Commander in the U.S. Navy. He has had a long term 'bromance' with Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan), a 'burned' spy; Sam joins him in the quest to find out who 'burned' Michael. Each episode usually consists of two parts; the political part to locate his adversary and the human part where he helps someone in need.

The bad guys on this show are very sinister and it takes all of the abilities of Michael, Sam and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) to stop them. Original episodes of the show aired from 2007 to 2014.

Answer: Stewie and Brian

The animated Seth MacFarlane cartoon "Family Guy" originally ran from 1999 to 2002 when it was cancelled; however, the show was successfully resurrected in 2005. We are told about the Griffin family and their friends and neighbors in Quahog, Rhode Island.

It seems that Stewie (the talking baby) and Brian (the talking dog) are best friends and, ironically, while Brian can communicate with the other humans, Stewie is only understood by Brian. Confusing? Well, so is Peter's constant fight with a rooster or Quagmire's libido, but Seth just "laughs all the way to the bank".