The State of TV Trivia Quiz

Answer: Family Guy

"Family Guy" is an animated sitcom about the Griffin family, set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island. Quahog is also the name of a hard-shell round clam which is among the longest lived marine species in the world. In case you're curious about the other choices: "The Office" is set in the very real city of Scranton, PA; the "Friends" live in New York City and "Friday Night Lights" is about a football team in Dillon, Texas.

Answer: Massachusetts

The staff of "St. Elsewhere" (1982-1988) worked at St. Eligius Hospital in Boston, MA and featured young doctors played by such future stars as Mark Harmon and Denzel Washington. It dealt with the daily problems of a big city hospital. As for the other states mentioned: "American Dad" takes place in Langley, VA; "Magnum" did his P.I work in Hawaii, as does "Hawaii 5-0"; Montana is home to the series "Angel Falls".

Answer: New Jersey

Genius doctor and diagnostician Gregory House worked at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey, which is also the setting for the cable show "Boardwalk Empire" which takes place in Atlantic City. A TV series featuring North Dakota is based on the movie "Fargo"; South Carolina is represented by "American Gothic"; as for New York, pick your own.

Answer: Soap

Who would have thought Connecticut would be so well represented on the small screen? "Soap" (1977-1981), a satire on daytime 'soap operas', had the rich Tates and the blue-collar Campbells getting into some of the weirdest plots you probably could not even imagine...Billy Crystal played Jodie Dallas, one of the first 'gay' characters, while Jay Johnson played Bob Campbell who never appeared without his dummy, Chuck. "Empty Nest" was a spin-off of the "Golden Girls" which took place in Miami, FL; "Full House" was based in San Francisco, CA, while NCIS solves murders at their home base in Washington, D.C.

Answer: Washington

David Lynch's quirky drama was set in the town of Twin Peaks, Washington where, aside from having to deal with a murder, the town had some pretty good pie, and a sheriff named Harry S. Truman. Again, if inquiring minds want to know: "The Andy Griffith Show" took place in North Carolina; Tennessee, of course, has "Nashville" and Nebraska, well, they had "Pony Express".

Answer: Longmire

Did you know that "Longmire" (2012) is a contemporary Western-ish crime drama which takes place in Absaroka County, Wyoming and tells the story of the long-suffering but dedicated sheriff, Walt Longmire. "Justified", another crime drama, is based on the books of Elmore Leonard and set in Kentucky. "Sons of Anarchy" and their motorcycle club ride around in Charming, CA, while the old crime solving drama "Homicide: Life on the Street" as well as "The Wire" were set in Maryland.

Answer: Colorado

Colorado is home to those perpetual fourth-graders, Kyle, Stan, Kenny (when he is alive) and Cartman. They are products from the minds of Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and some of the oddest happenings take place in South Park, where you could run into such disparate 'people' as the Devil or Barbara Streisand. For some reason, Iowa does not seem to be a popular setting for TV shows but was represented by "Apple's Way" (1974-1975). "Parks and Recreation" takes place in Indiana, and the state of Louisiana is popular with shows like "NCIS: New Orleans".

Answer: Vermont

If you picked Illinois, the error is understandable since Bob Newhart's first sitcom in the 1970s and imaginatively called "The Bob Newhart Show", takes place in Chicago, IL. He played a psychologist with some wacky patients and neighbors. But Bob's second show, which featured him as innkeeper Dick Loudon, was in Vermont (with Larry, Darryl and his other brother, Darryl). New Mexico was the setting for the wonderful series "Breaking Bad"; California (like NY), take your pick.

Answer: Dexter

Miami seems to be a popular setting for TV shows; we've mentioned the sitcoms like "Golden Girls" and "Empty Nest" but, on a much darker note, we meet "Dexter" (2006-2013). Brilliantly played by Michael C. Hall, Dexter Morgan (not to be confused with Shemar Moore's "Criminal Minds" character Derek Morgan), works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a 'blood splatter pattern analyst'; we learn he has had a traumatic childhood and also that he 'moonlights' as a serial killer. Drew Carey's show represents Ohio; "True Blood" takes place in Louisiana, and the original "CSI" does its investigating in Las Vegas, NV.

Answer: Home Improvement

Tim Taylor does his "Home Improvement" show (1991-1999) 'Tool Time' in Detroit, Michigan, where he lives with his wife and three sons. Tim, 'The Tool Man' may portray a handyman on his cable access show but, at home, he is a disaster. "One Day at a Time" was happening in Indianapolis, IN; "Dukes of Hazzard" were 'good ol' boys' from Georgia, and the long-running western "Gunsmoke" (1955-1975) took place in Dodge City, Kansas.