Cop a Plea - The Guys Trivia Quiz

Answer: Family Guy

The animated show "Family Guy", which began airing in 1998, is about the dysfunctional Griffin family in Quahog, Rhode Island. The protagonist, Peter Griffin, hangs out with three other pals. One of Peter's friends is policeman Joe Swanson who was crippled and rides around in a wheelchair (like "Ironside"). Patrick Warburton (formerly of "Seinfeld") plays the injured officer.

Answer: CSI

Lieutenant Jim Brass was the policeman who teamed up with Las Vegas forensic experts to solve crimes on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". The show ran from 2000 to 2015, with various cast changes, e.g., Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows, Raymond Langston, D.B. Russell. Paul Guilfoyle played the determined lieutenant through 2014.

Answer: 21 Jump Street

I thought using Johnny Depp as Tom Hanson would be too easy, so I substituted Officer Doug Penhall as one of the officers assigned to investigate crimes against young people on "21 Jump Street" (not to be confused with the 2012 film). Peter DeLuise (son of Dom) played Penhall. The show ran from 1987 to 1991, and was responsible for the rise to stardom of Johnny Depp.

Answer: The Simpsons

Clancy Wiggam (father of Ralph) is Springfield's Chief of Police on the long-running animated show, "The Simpsons". Chief Wiggam is the stereotypical middle-aged, lazy, donut eating cop, voiced by Hank Azaria who is also responsible for Moe, Comic Book Guy, Cletus, Professor Frink, Dr. Nick and Snake. After premiering on Tracey Ullman, "The Simpsons" premiered in 1989.

Answer: Monk

"Monk" was a show about the "defective detective" Adrian Monk, played by Tony Shalhoub. Monk was a brilliant San Francisco detective who had to leave the force because of his OCD, but is now used as a consultant. Ted Levine plays the patient Captain Leland Stottlemeyer, the recipient of Monk's genius and his quirks. "Monk" aired from 2002 through 2009.

Answer: The Andy Griffith Show

Anyone with a TV back in 1960 might have watched the 'down-home' family-values sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show". Set in rural Mayberry, Sheriff Taylor and his deputy, Barney Fife, upheld the law and had home cooked meals from Aunt Bee. Don Knotts played the role of the bumbling but lovable Barney, while Ronny Howard was Andy's son Opie.

The show ran from 1960 to 1968 (long before "Matlock").

Answer: Rizzoli and Isles

In a show starring two women, a detective and a medical examiner, as the leads, Sergeant Vince Korsak often took a back seat, yet remained an indispensable part of the plot. Bruce McGill played Korsak on "Rizzoli and Isles". The show aired from 2010 to 2016 and featured Angie Harmon ("Law and Order") and Sasha Alexander ("NCIS") respectively, as the titular heroines.

Answer: Car 54, Where Are You?

Getting into our "WABAC" machine, we go back to 1961 where we travel to the Bronx and the 53rd precinct. There, on "Car 54, Where Are You", we find the inept officers Toody and Muldoon. Fred Gwynne played the part of the smarter of the pair, i.e., Francis Muldoon, with his bumbling partner, Gunther Toody.

This early sitcom only ran from 1961 to 1963, but I can still sing the theme song.

Answer: Dragnet

DUM DA DUM DUM...Predecessor for so many cop shows to follow, Sergeant Joe Friday was a hard-nosed, old school Los Angeles cop, long before DNA, AFIS and other police procedurals. Jack Webb created and starred on "Dragnet" which premiered on TV in 1951 and ran through the entire decade; also with Harry Morgan (before "MASH"). "The story you are about to hear is true..."

Answer: Police Squad!

From Abrahams, Zucker and Zucker we get the precursor of the "Naked Gun" films and the zany "Airplane" movie. Leslie Nielsen starred as Lieutenant Frank Drebin in this hilarious parody of police shows. With puns and sight gags, it was as silly as "Dragnet" was serious, e.g., the yellow crime scene tape said "POLICE LINE DONUT CROSS".

The show was only on in 1982, but it was a very good year.