Can You Identify All These 80's TV Shows From One Image?

By: Shayna
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify All These 80's TV Shows From One Image?
Image: NBC

About This Quiz

The 1980s was one of the greatest times for movies, and boy, was TV awesome! This was the year we were introduced to "Roseanne," a show many say is one of the greatest of all time. We also got "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Diff'rent Strokes," "The Facts of Life" and "Knight Rider."

The television of that decade was so good that some say that is when the Golden Age of Television really started. There was lots of drama, laughs and all-around entertainment. TV was now seen as having great potential to make lots of money and budgets were expanded, whereas they were almost nonexistent before. We began to see fancier cars, bigger houses and better quality programming to boot.

Family shows re-emerged, even unconventional ones like "The Golden Girls." Dramas continued to soar with the likes of "Miami Vice," "MacGyver" and, of course, "The A-Team." Actors like Olivia Brown and Michael Talbot had it good. The average actor back then made $487 a week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a salary that could sustain people almost 30 years later.

If this history lesson was not complete news to you, then take our test and check your '80s TV show knowledge!

Happy Days
Youtube
Can you match these characters to the correct TV series?
Happy Days
Silver Spoons
The Facts of Life
Family Ties
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When "Happy Days" creator Garry Marshall first developed the series, it was initially called "Cool." The original title did not go over very well when presented to focus groups, so he had to change the name.

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Al Bundy Married with kids
YouTube
Which TV show title matches this screenshot?
Married with Children
Designing Women
Family Ties
Kate & Allie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Married with Children" was a prime-time sitcom that debuted on Sunday, April 5, 1987 on Fox. There were 259 episodes, the final one airing in 1997.

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Lisa Simpson
n/a
Remember which classic show featured this character?
MacGyver
Growing Pains
ALF
The Simpsons
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

All of the characters on "The Simpsons" have just four fingers on each hand. The only exception is God, who has five. The long-running cartoon aired its first episode in 1989.

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Arnold Jackson (Diff'rent Strokes)
ABC
Choose the title that goes with this photo.
The Cosby Show
Diff'rent Strokes
Roseanne
The Love Boat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gary Wayne Coleman, who played Arnold Jackson in "Diff'rent Strokes," was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars." In addition to acting, he was a voice artist and comedian.

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Roseanne
Youtube
Do you remember what show featured this family?
The Cosby Show
The Golden Girls
Full House
Roseanne
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Conners' home on "Roseanne" actually exists! The house was built in 1925 and has four bedrooms. Although the show was filmed on a studio lot, the exterior is shot in a real neighborhood.

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Night Court
Youtube
Which television show correlates to this screenshot?
Magnum, P.I
Night Court
Hill Street Blues
Three's Company
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The catchphrase "ooooooo-kay" was always fit somewhere in each episode. Ratings lagged in the first couple of seasons of the show, then it became a top 10 show on NBC.

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Baracus A-Team
YouTube
Can you name the correct TV series based only on this screenshot?
Perfect Strangers
The Greatest American Hero
The A-Team
Dynasty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Only 26 of the 98 episodes of "The A-Team" were run in Germany due to the excessive violence. German broadcasters made the decision not to air all 98 episodes because many were simply too violent and controversial.

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The Cosby Show
Youtube
Can you pick the title that matches this image?
ALF
Growing Pains
Family Ties
The Cosby Show
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The oldest child in the Cosby Show, Sondra, was not written into the original cast. Bill Cosby decided to add in Sondra's character to portray successful parenting as she was away at college. The role of Sondra was played by Sabrina Le Beauf.

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Murder, She Wrote
Youtube
Pick the show that this image comes from.
Hill Street Blues
Who's the Boss?
Growing Pains
Murder, She Wrote
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The episode “Murder Among Friends” was a parody of the popular sitcom "Friends." In this episode, Jessica Fletcher solved a murder on the set of a fictitious sitcom called "Buds." Fletcher felt she could experiment with premises like this since she knew the show was phasing out.

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Lynn Belvedere (Mr. Belvedere)
ABC
Can you name the correct TV series based on this screenshot?
The Fall Guy
Mr. Belvedere
Cheers
Miami Vice
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gum-chewing was not permitted on the set of "Mr. Belvedere" because star Christopher Hewett hated gum and declared this rule, which everyone followed.

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Star Trek Next Generation
Youtube.com
Which series featured this ensemble cast?
Magnum, P.I.
Star Trek: The Next Gerneration
Airwolf
The Greatest American Hero
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stephen Hawking is the only person in "Star Trek" history to play themselves.

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Small Wonder
YouTube
Which show featured this star?
Happy Days
Small Wonder
Moonlighting
Cagney & Lacey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Small Wonder" was a syndicated hit two years before "Star Trek: The Next Generation" premiered. Children and seniors alike were very fond of the show for the four seasons it aired.

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Miami Vice
NBC
Can you pick the title that goes with this image?
Miami Vice
Night Court
Punky Brewster
Perfect Strangers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Miami Vice" did great things for Miami's economy. In 1984 when the show premiered, there was a huge influx of tourists in Miami, which bettered the city's infrastructure. Many improvements of visitor attractions — including hotels and restaurants — were made. People referred to this as the "Vice Effect."

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MacGyver
YouTube
Know which show featured this star?
Moonlighting
MacGyver
Silver Spoons
The Love Boat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

MacGyver lived in a Vancouver boatyard on a unique floating home. His floating home ended up on Craigslist in 2014 when Paramount was done using it. It sold for $40,000 (far below the original $200,000 it was priced at in 2012).

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Hill Street Blues
NBC
Which series is this image from?
Who's the Boss?
MacGyver
Hill Street Blues
Three's Company
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The iconic theme song to "Hill Street Blues" was written by Mike Post in two hours. The composer also wrote theme songs for "The Greatest American Hero," "Magnum, P.I.," "The A-Team," "NYPD Blue" and "Law & Order."

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Alf looking at cellphone
n/a
Do you remember which classic show featured this furry character?
ALF
Knight Rider
Airwolf
Three's Company
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Paul Fusco was the voice of the puppet ALF. He also operated the puppet most of the time from underneath the sound stage built on a 4-foot-high platform. When Fusco wasn't controlling the character, the 2'9" actor Mihaly Meszaros stepped up for the role.

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Dynasty
ABC
Which TV show title correlates to this screenshot?
The Greatest American Hero
21 Jump Street
The Dukes of Hazzard
Dynasty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Little Blake Colby, Jeff and Fallon's eldest son, suffers from meningitis in the first season of "Dynasty." He was later cured, which brought Jeff and Fallon back together again.

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Penelope Brewster (Punky Brewster)
NBC
Which show featured this cute character?
Moonlighting
Punky Brewster
M*A*S*H
Charles in Charge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The infamous fridge episode of "Punky Brewster" was thought up by Jeremy Reams, a kid who submitted a contest-winning premise that involved Punky having to perform CPR on her friend who had gotten trapped inside an abandoned refrigerator.

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fraggle rock
HBO
What show did these colorful creatures star in?
Fraggle Rock
Newhart
WKRP in Cincinnati
Head of the Class
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You can find the original series "Fraggle Rock" on DVD and streaming. A new cast of Doozers were introduced to the "Fraggle Rock" universe in the Hulu Kids series that launched in 2014.

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Quantum Leap
Universal Television
Can you pick the name of the show that goes with this image?
Dynasty
Murder, She Wrote
21 Jump Street
Quantum Leap
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jennifer Aniston appeared in an episode of "Quantum Leap" two years prior to the debut of "Friends." She played a volunteer at a hospital that helps Vietnam veterans.

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The Wonder Years
Youtube
Which series featured this cast?
Hill Street Blues
Diff'rent Strokes
Charles in Charge
The Wonder Years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After only six episodes, "The Wonder Years" received its first Emmy in 1988 for "Outstanding Comedy Series." The next year, Fred Savage became the youngest actor to be nominated for the "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" Emmy category. He was only 13!

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Cagney & Lacey
CBS
Which series featured this cast?
Cagney & Lacey
Bosom Buddies
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Facts of Life
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you look closely, you can see the actor playing the corpse clearly blink his eyes in the last episode of "Cagney & Lacey." Um ... awkward.

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Cheers
NBC
Which TV show set in a bar correlates to this screenshot?
Seinfeld
Cheers
That '70s Show
I Love Lucy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In order to make the bar scenes in "Cheers" more believable, Ted Danson completed two weeks of bartending school in order to nail his role as Sam. The creators of the show would also frequent bars in Los Angeles to observe "real bar conversations" that they would then incorporate into the script.

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The Greatest American Hero
ABC
Match this screenshot to its series.
The Greatest American Hero
Night Court
M*A*S*H
Moonlighting
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The classic symbol on the hero costume is either a needle or scissors. It also looks like the Chinese symbol which stands for "center," "middle," "in," "among" or "within." In Hong Kong, the show is called "Flying Red Center Hero."

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Moonlighting
ABC
Identify the series by this picture of its cast.
Small Wonder
Quantum Leap
Moonlighting
Night Court
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Moonlighting" was the most expensive series on prime-time television during its time. It is estimated at $1.6 million per installment.

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Three's Company
ABC
Can you pick the title that matches this image?
Head of the Class
My Two Dads
Three's Company
Small Wonder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The theme song to “Three’s Company” was composed by Joe Raposo. Raposo also wrote the theme song for “Sesame Street” and “Electric Company”!

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The Max
YouTube
Can you match this screenshot to the series it comes from?
Roseanne
Saved by the Bell
Family Matters
Happy Days
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mark-Paul Gosselaar, a natural brunette, had to dye his hair biweekly during filming of "Saved by the Bell" to keep up his character Zack Morris's blond locks. Kelly Kapowski must have liked blonds.

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The Jeffersons
CBS
Do you remember which show featured this duo?
Silver Spoons
Charles in Charge
The Jeffersons
Three's Company
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Jeffersons" reigns as the second longest-running American television series with a predominantly African-American cast. It first aired in 1975 and lasted 11 seasons.

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Seinfeld
Youtube
What show gave us this classic moment?
Friends
Seinfeld
SNL
Family Ties
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The original concept for "Seinfeld" actually intended for a single 90-minute special titled "Stand Up" that was set to run for one night only on "Saturday Night Live." It wasn’t intended to be an ongoing series, but the writing was simply too good not to stick around.

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Doogie Howser
NBC
Which series is this image from?
Dynasty
Newhart
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Kate & Allie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Doogie Howser, M.D." premiered in 1989, and in the 1991-1992 season it had higher ratings than "Seinfeld," which aired at the same time each week. This only lasted a brief period before "Seinfeld" exploded into one of TV's greatest successes.

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WKRP
Youtube
Do you remember which series this character was in?
WKRP in Cincinnati
Head of the Class
Small Wonder
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During its four seasons on CBS, the time slot of "WKRP in Cincinnati" was changed 11 times. The show was canceled in June 1982 but reruns continued and it did very well in syndication.

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airwolf
Universal Television
Do you remember which show featured this character?
The Love Boat
21 Jump Street
The Greatest American Hero
Airwolf
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Airwolf" was not the first television series about a helicopter. The first was "The Whirlybirds," which featured Bell 47 helicopters. "Airwolf" took a more futuristic approach to the original idea.

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Knight Rider
NBC
Can you pick the show that this image comes from?
Murder, She Wrote
Knight Rider
The A-Team
Newhart
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Four to nine cars were typically ruined each season due to the extreme stunts performed in "Knight Rider." Most of the cars required custom parts in order to be lightweight and powerful enough for the stunts.

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MASH
20th Century Fox
Can you choose the title that goes with this photo?
M*A*S*H
Family Ties
The Golden Girls
MacGyver
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"M*A*S*H" was originally a novel written under the pen name Richard Hooker, which was then used as the premise for a movie. Two years later, it was turned into an 11-season television series, culminating in the most watched series finale of all television shows to date.

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Bosom Buddies
ABC
Which series matches this image?
Bosom Buddies
Married With Children
Happy Days
The Love Boat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you remember the show "Bosom Buddies," you remember two things: Tom Hanks in a dress and the opening sequence set to Billy Joel’s “My Life.” The likability and popularity of Tom Hanks is likely what kept this show going for 37 total episodes.

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Who's the Boss
Youtube
Can you select the best series to match this image?
The Wonder Years
Who's the Boss?
Hill Street Blues
Three's Company
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Angela and Tony were originally supposed to get married at the end of "Who's the Boss?" but ABC executives, along with star Tony Danza, were against this proposed ending, so they ended up breaking up instead.

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21 Jump Street
20th Century Fox Television
Which television show is this?
The A-Team
Miami Vice
21 Jump Street
Night Rider
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Johnny Depp, the undeniably hot young star of "21 Jump Street," earned $45,000 per episode! He took the role thinking it would not last very long. Little did he know the show would click with audiences immediately.

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Facts of life
YouTube
Which show featured these beloved characters?
Designing Women
Mr. Belvedere
Happy Days
The Facts of Life
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Facts of Life" was a spinoff show for Mrs. Garrett from the hit TV show "Diff’rent Strokes." The show has been off the air for 25 years but remains a favorite for many '80s TV fans.

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Full House
Youtube
Can you identify the series by this picture of its cast?
Full House
Happy Days
The Dukes of Hazzard
Family Matters
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Despite the exterior of the Tanner house on a famous San Francisco street, "Full House" was actually filmed in Los Angeles. Only one episode, "Comet's Excellent Adventure," was taped in San Francisco. All the exterior and scenery shots of San Francisco were shot in a single day.

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Magnum P.I.
Youtube
Do you remember which series this character was in?
21 Jump Street
Roseanne
Newhart
Magnum, P.I.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Magnum, P.I." was based in Oahu, Hawaii. In the eight years the show aired on CBS, there were 50 special guest stars. Throughout the eight years the show spanned, there were only two crossovers with other CBS crime dramas.

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Nicole in charge. My Two Dads quiz 2
youtube
Pick the program that introduced us to this family.
Growing Pains
The Wonder Years
My Two Dads
Perfect Strangers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"My Two Dads" tied for a People's Choice Award in 1988 with the show "A Different World."

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Mike Seaver (Growing Pains)
Warner Bros. Television
Which program introduced us to this character?
Full House
Charles in Charge
The Fall Guy
Growing Pains
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Growing Pains" was the first American sitcom to air in China. The show brought up questions surrounding intercultural parenting philosophies like how to discipline your children.

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Family Ties
Youtube
Do you know which program this image comes from?
Happy Days
Silver Spoons
Full House
Family Ties
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Marc Price, who played the Keatons' lovably annoying neighbor Irwin “Skippy” Handelman in "Family Ties," has kept his comedic tendencies going since the show ended. Price tours the country with his stand-up routines.

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Charles in Charge
youtube
Which TV show title correlates to this image?
Charles in Charge
Punky Brewster
Diff'rent Strokes
Cagney & Lacey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The theme song of "Charles in Charge," which talks about a new boy in the neighborhood, was composed by David Kurtz, Michael Jacobs and Al Burton. The song was performed by Shandi Sinnamon.

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Carl Winslow
warnerarchive
Match this screenshot to its series.
The Facts of Life
Family Ties
Family Matters
Growing Pains
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Family Matters" was actually a spinoff of "Perfect Strangers." Jesse Frederick was responsible for the theme songs for both shows, as well as the themes from "Step by Step" and "Full House."

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Silver Spoons
youtube
Which series featured this cast?
Silver Spoons
Mr. Belvedere
Murder, She Wrote
Newhart
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In episode 22 of "Silver Spoons," in the scene between the three boys in Ricky's bedroom, you can see Rick Schroder mouthing the other actors' lines as they say them.

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Murphy Brown
CBS
Which of these titles matches the screenshot shown?
Murphy Brown
ALF
The Cosby Show
The Fall Guy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The breast cancer plot in the final season of "Murphy Brown" had a positive impact on viewers; it encouraged more women to get mammograms. In fact, stats showed that the number of American women who got mammograms increased by 30 percent after the show aired.

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Perfect Strangers
ABC
What show did this wacky duo star in?
My Two Dads
Small Wonder
Perfect Strangers
Mork and Mindy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Both of the lead actors in "Perfect Strangers" attended Yale University. They never crossed paths during their studies, however. Bronson Pinchot originally studied painting and literature while Mark Linn-Baker was in Yale's Drama School.

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Which Famous Saturday Night Live Character Are You? 1
NBC Studios
Do you know what program this image comes from?
Bosom Buddies
Saved by the Bell
Saturday Night Live
Whose Line is it Anyway?
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Adam Sandler and Chris Farley were both fired from "SNL." Perhaps this had to do with the low ratings the show had during the time they were on the cast.

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Can You Match the Quote to the Golden Girl? 1
Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions/Touchstone Television/Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Can you match the characters to the correct TV series?
The Cosby Show
Family Ties
The Golden Girls
Who's the Boss?
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The famous kitchen where much of the action takes place in "The Golden Girls" was actually a hand-me-down set from the show "It Takes Two." This set is missing one thing, however: a fourth kitchen chair. There were four women living in the house and this discrepancy has been recognized by observant viewers. This was simply due to the limitations of filming so no one would have their back to the camera.

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/50
NBC