Classic Sci-Fi TV Quiz | TV Mixture

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "Danger, Will Robinson." That warning became a catchphrase for the resident robot on which sci-fi series of the mid 1960s?

Answer: Lost in Space

Each week viewers were treated to the space adventures of the Robinson family. Back then the sets looked like sets because CG technology was years away. Did we, the viewers, care? Absolutely not. The storylines centered around this adventurous family who left Earth to colonize a new planet. On the way to their destination their spaceship was thrown off course, leaving them lost in space.

The evil Dr. Zachary Smith added comic relief to the otherwise serious content of the show. Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Jonathan Harris, and Billy Mumy (Will Robinson) all starred in this popular series. Jonathan Harris, with his affected British accent, played the role of Dr. Smith

2. One of the most thought-provoking sci-fi series of the early 1960s was also one of the best. Rod Serling, who created the show and wrote many of the episodes, introduced each one. The eerie music accompanying the opening credits added to the show's creepy feeling. Name this top-notch sci-fi series.

Answer: Twilight Zone

Many talented writers contributed to the show's storylines. One that might surprise you is Earl Hamner, Jr. who created the endearing family drama "The Waltons". Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, and Stephen King are some of the well-known authors who lent their creative talents to the show.

3. Time travel has been a recurring theme in many science fiction shows. One show in particular took the time travel theme and went one step further: what if a time traveller became lost in time? Name this fascinating show that lasted only one season.

Answer: The Time Tunnel

James Darren and Robert Colbert starred as the directors of a secret government project (time tunnel) faced with a difficult choice: send a man back in time or lose funding for the project. Each week the time travelers were sent back in time via a time tunnel, finding themselves the unwitting participants of historical events. "The Time Tunnel" ran from 1966-67.

Despite decent ratings, the show was cancelled.

4. Space exploration was on the minds of the U.S. government and most Americans during the 1960s. While the U.S. was busy putting men into space, TV writers and producers were capitalizing on those scientific advances by introducing a bumper crop of science fiction shows. In which series did a group of Americans become stranded on a terrestrial planet inhabited by a race of giants who were not happy to share their space with humans?

Answer: Land of the Giants

While en route from one city to another, a sub-orbital transfer ship became engulfed in a weird cloud. The occupants were magically transported to a planet similar to Earth. The race of giants inhabiting the unnamed planet were anything but welcoming. Most of the episodes dealt with the transfer crew trying to repair their craft in the hopes of returning to Earth, all the while avoiding capture by their unfriendly hosts. Gary Conway and Don Matheson were the show's main stars.

5. On the lighter side, which animated series about a futuristic family featured Rosie the Robot, and Astro, the family's pet dog?

Answer: The Jetsons

Outside of the names of the family members, everything else was space-related. The family resided in Orbit City. Dad George worked at Spacely Space Sprockets. Daughter Judy attended Orbit High and son Elroy attended Little Dipper School. Jane, matriarch of the family, did what most women back in 1962 did; she was a stay-at-home mom.

The show ran for one season, 1962-63, after which it went into syndication. The show's producers, Hanna-Barbera, came out with another popular cartoon several years later called "The Flintstones."

6. Writer Gene Roddenberry was the creative genius behind the successful "Star Trek" franchise. The original series ran from 1966-69 and starred William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. The first spin-off followed much later in 1987. What was the title of that series?

Answer: Star Trek: The Next Generation

"Star Trek" and its spin-offs not only entertained us, but posed philosophical questions that made us think and question. In the "Next Generation" spinoff, English actor, Patrick Stewart, lent an authoritative voice to the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, commander of the Enterprise. Whether the space crew was exploring new worlds or battling Borgs, we, the viewers, knew we were in for an exciting ride. Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, and Brent Spiner all created memorable characters throughout the run of the show.

7. One of the most intelligent sci-fi shows of any decade featured two FBI agents, Scully and Mulder, who investigated paranormal events every week. It debuted in 1993, and by 2016 the show had run for ten seasons. Name this intriguing series.

Answer: X-Files

This series was created by Chris Carter, who infused mystery and suspense into the storylines. "X-Files" wasn't just another science fiction drama. The series tackled the more serious subjects of alien life, spirituality, and conspiracy theories. As the doubting agent Dana Scully, Gillian Anderson played well against David Duchovny's agent Fox Mulder, a believer.

8. Baby Boomers should remember this 1970s series about an astronaut who, following an accident, had various body parts replaced with bionic parts. It even produced a convenient spin-off. Name the series.

Answer: The Six Million Dollar Man

Lee Majors played the astronaut who was the bionic recipient. With a new bionic eye, legs, and arm, Steve Austin became super strong and super fast. This came in handy for his job as a secret agent for the fictional Office of Scientific Intelligence. The series was based on Martin Caidin's novel "Cyborg".

The show spawned a spin-off series called "The Bionic Woman." Even a bionic man wants to find love.

9. This quirky British series debuted in 1963. Featuring a Time Lord who traveled through time and space in his spaceship TARDIS. Can you identify this long-running series?

Answer: Doctor Who

The show originally aired from 1963-1989. It was revived in 2005. Over the years there were many different actors playing the role of Doctor Who, but there was only one Doctor Who. The alien from the planet Gallifrey found adventures as he traveled through time and space, occasionally bringing along some guests from Earth. TARDIS looked a lot like an old blue police box, which, in my opinion, added to the quirkiness of the show.

10. What if the U.S. government had the ability to shrink people? What if those tiny people could fit into a microscopic submarine ready to fight unseen enemies? That's the premise of which animated sci-fi series that ran for one season, 1968-69?

Answer: Fantastic Voyage

The show was based on a 1966 film of the same name. Actors Ted Knight, Jane Webb, and Marvin Miller provided the voices of the cartoon equivalents: Jonathan Kidd, commander of the submarine "Voyager," biologist Erica Kane, and scientist Busby Birdwell.

Source: Author nmerr

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Gamemaster1967 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Classic Sci-Fi TV Trivia Quiz

Here's a blast from the past. How many of these sci-fi TV shows do you remember?

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