What's on TV Tonight? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blackadder Goes Forth

First screened on BBC1 in late 1989, "Blackadder Goes Forth" was the fourth and final series in the "Blackadder" sitcom written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton. Set in 1917, in the trenches on the Western Front during WWI, the series won the British Academy Television Award for "Best Comedy Series" in 1989 and finished #16 in the 2000 poll of "Greatest British Television Programmes". Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson returned playing Edmund Blackadder and Baldrick a hundred years on from series three, whilst Stephen Fry and Tim McInnerny also reappeared, this time as General Melchett and Captain Kevin Darling respectively.

There were also guest appearances from Miranda Richardson, Rik Mayall and Gabrielle Glaister. The alternatives are three more series featuring Laurie: he played various characters in "A Bit of Fry & Laurie", Bertie Wooster in "Jeeves and Wooster", and was the voice of Squire Trelawney in "The Legends of Treasure Island".

Answer: Brian Wilde

Born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire in 1927, Brian George Wilde's early TV appearances included "The Avengers" and "The Dustbinmen" in the late 1960s. He spent four years in the mid-1970s as the timid and eager-to-please prison warder Henry Barraclough in "Porridge" with Ronnie Barker. In 1976, he took over from Michael Bates as the third member of the trio of elderly men around whom "Last of the Summer Wine" is based. In that series he played the ex-army man Walter Dewhirst, who was known as Foggy.
Wilde died at the age of 80 in 2008.

Answer: Doctor Who

Born in Glasgow in 1958, Peter Capaldi made his TV debut in "Crown Court" in 1984. He is probably best known for his "British Comedy Award" performances over seven years as Malcolm Tucker in "The Thick of It". In 2013 he took over as the twelfth incarnation of The Doctor in "Doctor Who".

The series debuted on the BBC in 1963, with William Hartnell in the title role. Capaldi takes over in time for the 800th episode in the show's 27th series. "Doctor Who" was voted #3 in the "100 Greatest British Television Programmes" poll. ("University Challenge" was voted #34 and "Coronation Street" #40.) Of the alternatives, there have been more than 8,200 episodes of "Coronation Street" since its debut in 1960. "Eastenders" is a relative newcomer, with over 4,700 episodes since 1985. "University Challenge" debuted on ITV in 1962 with Bamber Gascoigne as questionmaster. Jeremy Paxman took over the role in 1994 when the series switched to BBC2, and only those two have occupied the chair throughout more than 1,500 episodes.

Answer: I, Claudius

"I, Claudius", which told the history of Rome as narrated by the elderly Claudius, first aired between September and December 1976. Derek Jacobi led an all-star cast playing the title role with Sian Phillips as Livia Drusilla. John Hurt (star of "Elephant Man" and "Nineteen Eighty-Four") played Caligula, Brian Blessed was Augustus, and Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard in "Star Trek: TNG") appeared as Sejanus, confidant of Tiberius. Christopher Biggins was the Emperor Nero, with Stratford Johns (star of "Z-Cars") as Roman consul Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso. The series was voted #12 in the 2000 poll. ("Boys from the Blackstuff" was #7, "Brideshead Revisited" #10, and "The Jewel in the Crown" #22.)

Answer: The Old Grey Whistle Test

Bob Harris took over as host of "The Old Grey Whistle Test" from "Melody Maker" features editor Richard Williams in 1972. His departure in 1978 left the show in the capable hands of Annie Nightingale, Radio 1's first female DJ (and its most senior presenter, following the death of John Peel in 2004).

A show for 'serious' rock music fans, the series gave many artistes their first TV airing and their were many important performances within the genre. Lynyrd Skynryd's 15-minute version of "Free Bird" was regularly the most requested performance on 'highlights shows'. "OGWT" was voted #33 in the 2000 poll.

Answer: Thunderbirds

Born in London, David Graham teamed with Peter Hawkins to develop the harsh, staccato voices that we all associate with The Daleks. Graham also provided voices in many early Gerry Anderson series such as "Stingray" and "Fireball XL5".
First broadcast in two series (32 two-part episodes in all) between September 1965 and December 1966, "Thunderbirds" was voted #60 in the 2000 poll.
David Graham provided the voices for Gordon Tracy (co-pilot of Thunderbird 2 and Thunderbird 4's aquanaut), Aloysius 'Nosey' Parker (chauffeur to Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward) and Ray Hackenbacker (aka "Brains") as well as for the Tracy family's Malaysian manservant Kyrano.
Nearly forty years later, Anthony Edwards (Mark Greene from hit U.S. TV series "ER") played Brains in the 2004 "Thunderbirds" film.
Of the alternatives, Arthur Lowe (from "Dad's Army") provided the voices for the "Mr Men" series of the 1980s. Brian Cant provided the narration and voices for the 1960s series "Camberwick Green". Daws Butler and Don Messick provided most of the voices for the 1970s American animated series "Wacky Races".

Answer: Grange Hill

"Grange Hill" first aired on BBC1 in February 1978. Its run came to an end after 601 episodes in September 2008. "Grange Hill" was voted #43 in the 2000 poll.
Stuart Organ had appeared in "Brookside" and "Doctor Who" before joining the "Grange Hill" cast in 1988 as the new PE teacher, Mr Peter Hunter. Ten years later, after stints as first the geography teacher and then as deputy head, he took over as headmaster from the mysterious Alistair McNab, a position he held until he left the series in 2003. With a 15-year tenure, he is the longest-serving teacher in the series 30 year run.

Answer: Z-Cars

Debuting on BBC in 1962, "Z-Cars" followed the exploits of uniformed constables (played by Brian Blessed, Joseph Brady, Jeremy Kemp and Ellis) in the fictional English town of Newtown (based on Kirkby in Merseyside). Overseeing their exploits were Detective Sergeant John Watt (played by Frank Windsor) and Detective Chief Inspector Charlie Barlow (Stratford Johns). James Ellis appeared in a total of 565 of the 803 episodes of "Z-Cars" and was the only ever-present character throughout the show's 12-series run.

The final episode was shown on September 8, 1978. "Z-Cars" was voted #63 in the 2000 poll.

Answer: Fawlty Towers

Born in Margate, Kent in 1904, Ballard Berkeley was a Special Constable with the Metropolitan Police during World War II. His most memorable roles all seem to have been as retired military men -- Colonel Freddie Danby in BBC Radio 4's "The Archers", in the 1969 legal thriller "The Main Chance", and as the bumbling Major Gowen in "Fawlty Towers". For the show that finished #1 in the 2000 poll of "100 Greatest British Television Programmes", it is remarkable that there were only ever a meager twelve episodes of this classic sitcom.

The first series debuted on BBC2 in autumn 1975 and we then had to wait four years for the second 6-episode series. One reason for the delay, perhaps, was that co-stars and co-writers, John Cleese and Connie Booth, were divorced between the completion of the first series and the writing of the second.

Answer: Dad's Army

In view of the title of this quiz, it seems appropriate to finish with "Dad's Army", since their closing credits always began with "You've been watching..."
First broadcast on BBC1 in nine series (80 total episodes) between 1968 and 1977, "Dad's Army" finished #13 in the 2000 poll.
The Revered Timothy Farthing is the somewhat camp vicar of St. Aldhelm's Church. He shares his church hall and office with Captain Mainwaring's platoon. Maurice Yeatman, the verger of St. Aldhelm's, is also the captain of the local Sea Scouts unit.
Most people will be familiar with the platoon members. Other regular characters include Mrs. Mavis Pike (played by Janet Davies), Frank's mother and 'good friend' of Sergeant Wilson; Mrs. Mildred Fox (played by Pamela Cundell), Corporal Jones' favorite customer; and Captain Square (played by Geoffrey Lumsden), who is the commanding officer of the rival Eastgate Platoon.