What's On TV (To)Night? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Texas

The TV series "Friday Night Lights" was based on the movie of the same name, which in turn was based on the nonfiction book "Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream" by H.G. Bissinger. The book followed the true story of the 1988 season of the Permian Panthers in Odessa, Texas. The TV series was set in the fictional town of Dillon, Texas and only used the book and movie as a launching pad to explore the same themes in a fictional setting. The series ran for five seasons and was critically acclaimed but suffered from low ratings.

This question was blitzed into the quiz by Phoenix Rising member tazman6619.

Answer: John le Carré

"The Night Manager" was based on a 1993 novel by John le Carré and told the story of Jonathan Pine, the night manager of an Egyptian hotel who is recruited by the British government to become a spy in the network of an arms dealer described in the novel as "the worst man in the world". Pine was portrayed on screen by Tom Hiddleston, while Hugh Laurie was cast as the villainous arms dealer. Other high profile cast members included Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander and Tobias Menzies.

John le Carré's "blink and you missed it" cameo role as a disgruntled restaurant customer appeared in the fourth episode.

This question was quietly snuck into the quiz by Phoenix Rising's Fifiona81.

Answer: A distant planet

"Night Sky" was first released on Amazon Prime Video in May 2022. J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek star as the married couple who regularly visit their secret paradise of a deserted planet through a portal in their backyard. The drama centres on themes of ageing, loss and secrecy. The plot takes a twist with the appearance of a character who has links of his own to the secret portal.

This question was brought out of secrecy by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

Answer: Australia

Airing for the first time in 1967 on the Australian Broadcasting Commission, "This Day Tonight" lasted for 11˝ years and was replaced in 1979 with "Nationwide". With journalists from all Australian states bringing updates, the program covered political and parliamentary events (local and international), incidents of popular interest, scandal, and interviewed world leaders, newspaper tycoons, celebrities and evildoers.

"This Day Tonight" was instrumental in 'blooding' many of Australia's enduring television journalists and reporters, many of whom moved to other stations or ventured overseas to report.

This question was reported on and edited by Phoenix Rising Vegemite's Kid.

Answer: John Larroquette

Harry Anderson appeared in six episodes of "Cheers" as Harry 'The Hat', the local con artist who was always fleecing the patrons of Cheers. Markie Post appeared in one episode, "Just Three Friends", as Diane's friend Heather who Diane worried had designs on Sam. Marsha Warfield played Roxanne in the episode "The Bells of St. Clete's" as one of the girls who had gone to the parochial school with Carla. John Larroquette never appeared on "Cheers".

This question was poured into the quiz by Phoenix Rising member tazman6619.

Answer: Plane

"Into the Night" was the first Belgian original series to be produced for Netflix and the six episodes that made up its first season premiered on the streaming platform in May 2020. The show followed the passengers and crew of a hijacked red-eye flight from Brussels to Moscow who discovered that flying west and remaining under the cover of the darkness was the only thing saving them from certain death - as sunlight had suddenly become deadly to all living things.

The show's second season was largely set in a secret underground bunker belonging to NATO forces, while a Turkish spinoff show ("Yakamoz S-245") was set on a submarine. Both the original show and the spinoff are loosely based on the novel "The Old Axolotl" by Polish author Jacek Dukaj.

This question was penned by Phoenix Rising's night owl Fifiona81.

Answer: Nightwatch

"Nightwatch" was created by Dick Wolf, creator and executive producer of the successful "Law & Order", "Chicago", and "FBI" franchises. The show follows emergency medical technicians, paramedics, police, and firefighters as they respond to calls during the night shift. Starting in 2015, the first three seasons were set in New Orleans. Season four was filmed in Tampa (although episodes 1, 3, and 5 were also based in the original location), much to the chagrin of the show's audience. "Nightwatch" returned to New Orleans in season 5.

"The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch" is the title of a 1642 painting by Rembrandt van Rijn commonly known as "The Night Watch".

This dramatic production was written into the quiz by Phoenix Rising's JCSon.

Answer: Black Dahlia

"I Am the Night" is based on Fauna Hodel's memoir and true crime book "One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel". In the series, Fauna Hodel, who was given up for adoption at birth, explores her early history and her connection to her grandfather, George Hodel, who was a key suspect in the murder of Black Dahlia. The series, just six episodes long, was first aired in January 2019 on the TNT cable channel.

This question was linked to the quiz by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

Answer: The father

"Up All Night" is about how a TV producer (Reagan) and her husband (Chris) climb the learning curve of parenthood with newborn baby Amy in tow. Chris stays at home to look after baby Amy while Reagan is a working mother. The new parents work through self-doubt and sleep deprivation amid modern parenting norms, all the while missing the carefree lifestyle they had before Amy. In Season 2, Reagan's and Chris's roles are reversed as Chris goes into business while Reagan is out of work and stays at home.

"Up All Night" was first televised on NBC in September 2011 to positive reviews with Christina Applegate portraying Reagan and Will Arnett portraying Chris. Sadly, following months of cancellation rumours, the series was not renewed after only two seasons.

Thankfully, Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing was not up all night minding this question.

Answer: It was a mystery/crime drama

"The Edge of Night" debuted in 1956 and was one of the first soap operas to air. It ran until 1984. What made it unique was that from the outset it was designed to focus on crime and the law rather than domestic and romantic matters. It was designed to be Perry Mason with some soap opera drama thrown in. It still dealt with the normal soap opera fare but set against a much different backdrop. It also used comedy to lighten the mood of what could sometimes be heavy subjects.

Over the years of its run it featured many notable performers in cameos or guest roles. These included Dick Cavett, Larry King, Amanda Blake, Eva Gabor, and Frank Gorshin to name a few.

This question was gavelled into the quiz by Phoenix Rising member tazman6619.