Match the Actress with the Show - 1990s Edition Quiz

Answer: Kate Mulgrew

The fifth of the "Star Trek" iterations (if you count the animated series that ran in the 1970s), "Star Trek: Voyager" ran from 1995 to 2001 and took place far in the future, starting in the 2370s. Kate Mulgrew portrayed Kathryn Janeway, the commanding officer of the USS Voyager whose mission was to find a missing ship of Maquis rebels.

The series had an extensive list of guest stars, including King Abdullah II of Jordan (back in his Prince days), and several characters from other "Star Trek" series appeared, including yeoman Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) from the original "Star Trek".

The show picked up Emmy nominations and several wins in technical categories but no acting awards. Mulgrew did receive several nominations and a win in 1998 for Best Actress for the Saturn Awards, which are presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.

Answer: Jennifer Aniston

"Friends" ran from 1994 to 2004 and revolved around the lives of brother and sister Ross and Monica (David Schwimmer and Courtney Cox) and their friends Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler (Matthew Perry).

The "Ross and Rachel" romance, which was on-again-off-again throughout the series, was one of the main themes of the show and the reason that I used Jennifer Aniston for this quiz instead of Lisa Kudrow or Courtney Cox. Aniston didn't receive any Emmy nominations for her work on the show in the 1990s, but she picked up nominations in 2000 and 2001 in the Supporting Actress category and in 2002-2004 in the Lead Actress category, winning the award in 2002.

Answer: Calista Flockhart

The quirky legal comedy-drama "Ally McBeal" ran from 1997 to 2002 and mainly focused on the romantic adventures of lawyer Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart) and her coworkers at the law firm of Cage and Fish. The show was known for its running gags and fantasy sequences and for the "dancing baby" phenomenon.

The series won the Emmy award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1999, and although she didn't win the awards, Flockhart received Emmy nominations for her work on the show in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

Answer: Helen Hunt

A true 90s show, "Mad About You" ran from 1992 to 1999 and followed the lives of New York City couple Paul (Paul Reiser) and Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt) from their initial meeting through to the birth of their daughter. The show featured crossover episodes with other 1990s sitcoms "Friends" and "Seinfeld" and even had a "Dick Van Dyke Show" episode with Carl Reiner reprising the Alan Brady role. Hunt received Emmy nominations for her work on the show in 1993-1999, and she won the award for four consecutive years in 1996-1999.

Answer: Helen Mirren

The British police drama "Prime Suspect" starred Helen Mirren as Detective Chief Inspector (and later Detective Superintendent) Jane Tennison of the Metropolitan Police Service. The difficulties of working in a male-dominated profession were frequently the focus of the series as were Tennison's personal struggles with romance and eventually alcohol.

The show originally aired from 1991 to 2006, but there was a seven-year gap between the fifth and sixth series (seasons), with the fifth series airing in 1996 and the sixth series airing in 2003. "Prime Suspect" was considered to be a mini-series for Emmy awards purposes, and Mirren received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini-Series or a Movie in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2004 and 2007, winning the award in 1996 and 2007.

She also received BAFTA nominations for her work on the show in 1991-1996 and 2003, winning the award in 1991-1993.

Answer: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Frequently ranked as one of the best series of all time by magazines such as "TV Guide" and "Entertainment Weekly", "Seinfeld" ran from 1989 to 1998 and has become known as "the show about nothing". Based on the stand-up comedy of Jerry Seinfeld, the episodes of the series often featured multiple interwoven plots involving everyday situations in the lives of Seinfeld and his friends. Julia Louis-Dreyfus portrayed Elaine Benes, Seinfeld's ex-girlfriend who, along with George (Jason Alexander) and Kramer (Michael Richards), made up Seinfeld's circle of close friends. For her work on the show, Louis-Dreyfus received Emmy nominations in 1992-1998 (albeit it in the Supporting Actress category), winning the award in 1996.

Answer: Gillian Anderson

"The X-Files" originally ran from 1993 to 2002 and followed FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigated cases involving unexplained phenomena. Although the show was associated with aliens and did have a continuing story regarding alien abductions, most of the episodes were offbeat "monster-of-the-week" stories. Anderson portrayed Agent Scully for most of the series, although Annabeth Gish joined the cast as Agent Monica Reyes in season eight. Anderson was nominated for an Emmy award for her work on the show during its original run in 1996-1999 and won the award in 1997.

Answer: Angela Lansbury

"Murder, She Wrote" started way back in 1984, but although it ran six seasons in the 1980s, it ran for seven seasons in the 1990s until the series ended in 1996, so that's why it's included in this quiz. In the show, Angela Lansbury portrayed retired English teacher and mystery writer Jessica Fletcher who seemed to have a knack for being around when a crime was committed.

The show featured many celebrity guest stars including James Coburn, Mickey Rooney, Shirley Jones and even a young George Clooney, and the series had cross-over episodes with "Magnum P.I." Lansbury received twelve consecutive nominations for her acting work on the show from 1985-1996 with no wins.

Answer: Candice Bergen

Based on the adventures of a journalist/news anchor for the fictional Washington D.C. news program "FYI", "Murphy Brown" ran from 1988 to 1998. Candice Bergen portrayed the title character, who at the start of the series, was returning to work following time in rehab for alcohol issues.

The show gained notoriety in the early 1990s when the single Murphy Brown had a child with her ex-husband that she decided to raise on her own, and U.S. Vice-President Dan Quayle criticized the character's promotion of single parenting. Bergen received Emmy nominations for her work on the show in 1989-1995, and she won the award in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1995.

Answer: Fran Drescher

Created by Fran Drescher and her then-husband Peter Jacobson, "The Nanny" ran from 1993 to 1999. Many of the characters in the show were based on Drescher's friends and family, and she used her own background of growing up in Queens, NY as an inspiration for the character of Fran Fine.

In the show, working girl Fine (Drescher) became the unlikely nanny to the children of Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy). Besides being shown in more than eighty countries worldwide, the show also inspired local versions in countries such as Russia and Argentina. Drescher received Emmy nominations for her role on the show in 1996 and 1997 but lost both years to Helen Hunt.