The Harder Three Clue Television Quiz

Answer: Dream On

Martin Tupper tries to negotiate a confusing array of relationships with his ex-wife Judith, his buddy Eddie, his son Jeremy and his boss Gibby. Martin's thoughts and myriad fantasies are often expressed through his memories of the old TV shows he watched. Clips of those shows appear while he explains his thoughts.

The show ran from 1990 to 1996.

Answer: Barretta

Robert Blake, of "In Cold Blood" fame, played Tony Barretta, the loving owner of Fred the Cockatoo. He wore many disguises in order to capture the baddies and always got his man. His language was streetwise and he had a few stock phrases (like "You can take dat to da bank") that made us think of New Jersey patter.
One unusual thing was that the cast was all male. The Barretta theme song, "Keep Your Eye On the Sparrow" became a pop hit in Europe.

Answer: The Dick Van Dyke Show

Starting in 1961, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" brought us the amazing physical comedy of Rob Petrie (Van Dyke) and his gorgeous and funny wife Laura (Moore). As a writer for the fictitious "Alan Brady Show", Rob Petrie headed up a triumvirate of hilarious writers played by Morrie Amsterdam and Rose Marie.

The humor was sharp, the Petries were cute and, every so often, Rob would take a beautifully executed pratfall over a chair, ottoman or his own long legs.

Answer: NYPD Blue

There is a case to be made that "NYPD Blue" was a cop soap opera, complete with broken hearts, long drawn out deaths and surprise romances. Built along the usual lines of crime exposition and solution within a one hour framework, what made this show unique was its attention to the character of each character. David Caruso's career was tremendously helped during the two years he played John Kelly.

When Caruso left the show, he lost his fan base and nearly lost his career. Fans didn't easily forgive his defection. Fans also fell apart, in grief, when Jimmy Smits' character Bobby Simone died a protracted death in year six.

But it was Andy Sipowicz who was the "Everyman" of the show, baring his heart and his butt to the audience!

Answer: The Ed Sullivan Show

Those too young to have seen "The Ed Sullivan Show" might be surprised at the power this stiff, usually unsmiling man had over American families every Sunday night. Life stopped in its tracks for an hour while Ed introduced the acts in his "reely big shew" (as he pronounced it). And what acts they were! Some examples are the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Itzac Perlman, Elvis Presley, tumblers, bears, chimps, the little Italian Mouse Topo Gigio, Senor Wences, Julie Andrews, Fats Domino and Robert Merrill among others.

There was something for everyone and, until American tastes in entertainment changed in the 1970s, Ed was truly the Emperor of Variety TV.

Answer: Sherlock

"Sherlock" came to America via public television and made a name for itself using the A.C. Doyle characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Played by Cumberbatch and Freeman respectively, Holmes and Watson solve crimes in modern London with such panache that we never tire of watching them. The episodes often correspond to original Arthur Conan Doyle titles but do not always follow his plots.

Answer: Sesame Street

"Sesame Street" is a multi-generational show with guests as diverse as Amy Adams, Nat King Cole, James Gandolfini, and the Dixie Chicks. Regular Muppets are Big Bird, Elmo, Bert and Ernie, The Count, Oscar the Grouch, Kermit the Frog and Grover. Teaching basic word and number skilled is balanced with whimsical humor that makes everyone in the family laugh.

Answer: Lucifer

"Lucifer" is indeed the original fallen angel who is now so tired of God's condemnation and his enforced kingship in hell that he takes a little vacation in Los Angeles. He meets Detective Chloe Decker when someone he knew is killed outside his nightclub, Lux.

The series is mostly concerned with Lucifer and his ability to bring out the worst in humans, Chloe and her dogged hunt for the perps in the cases she catches, plus Lucifer and Chloe's relationship.

Answer: Laverne and Shirley

"Laverne and Shirley" recounts the highs and lows of two female buddies, mostly after their day at the bottling plant is over. The comedy is physical and mental, with Laverne's awkwardness and Shirley creating schemes to get them higher class boyfriends than the guys that pant after them: Lenny and Squiggy. Penny Marshall, who played Laverne, got out of acting and became a director. Michael McKean has been part of the recurring group of actors in Christopher Guest's mockumentaries.

Answer: In Living Color

"In Living Color", unlike most TV sketch shows of its time, had a mostly African American cast. The humor on "In Living Color" was mostly ghetto humor, an interesting change from the humor of middle-to-upper class African American comedies like "The Cosby Show", which was family based. "In Living Color" regular sketches that showed ghetto influences were "Homie D. Clown", "The Homeboy Shopping Network" and "Fire Marshall Bill" among others. Brothers Keenan Ivory and Damon Wayans headed up the cast but others Wayans siblings got involved. Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and Jennifer Lopez started their careers on this show.