80s TV Trivia Quiz (Questions & Answers)

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How well do you know the programs aired during the era of big hair and shoulder pads? Test your knowledge with our 80s TV Trivia Quiz!

From entertaining sitcoms like “Cheers” and “The Golden Girls”, to the pulse-pounding action of “Knight Rider” and “The A-Team”- the 80s were an epic time for television, with some seriously awesome shows to choose from.

We’ve got a whole section of the 80s TV questions and answers at the bottom of this guide so you can check how well you did.

Note: As with all of our TV quizzes, there are spoilers throughout, and there are five rounds, each with five questions, making this quiz out of 25 points.

We’ve gone ahead and thrown in some totally rad 80s trivia so you can wow your friends with fun facts about the era that gave us hilarious shows that had us in stitches to gritty dramas that kept us on the edge of our seats.

If you’re not sure how to use this eighties TV shows quiz, scroll to the bottom for instructions first.

You may also like our 80s Trivia Quiz, 80s Movie Trivia Quiz and 80s Music Quiz.

Free 80s TV Trivia Quiz Questions

80s TV Sitcom Quiz Questions Round

Let’s start the first round of our 80s TV quiz by testing your knowledge about the memorable sitcoms of the era.

That’s right, we’re talking about those beloved TV shows that brought iconic characters, funny catchphrases, and plenty of heartwarming moments.

1. Which 80’s sitcom featured a theme song with the iconic line “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.”

• Cheers

• Frasier

• The Waitresses

• Laverne and Shirley

2. Which sitcom, featuring a quartet of comedy greats, was nominated 68 times at the Emmys winning 11 awards?

• Cheers 

• The Golden Girls

• Saved by the Bell 

• Mork and Mindy

3. Which legendary comedian got his start on Mork and Mindy?

• Drew Cary

• Jerry Seinfeld

• Robin Williams

• Eddie Murphy

4. Which of the following sitcoms is a spin-off of Diff’rent Strokes?

• The Jeffersons

• Family Ties

• The Facts of Life

• Night Court

5. Which 80’s sitcom features a furry alien who disturbingly eats cats?

• Mork and Mindy

• Mash

• ALF

• A Different World

80s TV Action Quiz Questions Round

In this round, get ready to put your 80s action TV shows knowledge to the test.

From high-speed car chases to thrilling espionage missions, these programs had us once on the edge of our seats with heart-pumping action and suspenseful storylines. 

1. Which actor, best known for their mustache, was the star of the 80’s detective show, Magnum P.I.?

• Burt Reynolds

• Tom Selleck

• David Hasselhoff

• Richard Dean Anderson

2. Which 80’s action series has been the subject of two successful remakes starring Jonah Hill?

• Miami Vice

• Cagney and Lacey

• Scarecrow and Mrs. King 

• 21 Jump Street 

3. Mr. T pitied fools as a member of this 80’s action team.

• The Knight Riders

• The A-Team

• Mash

• Miami Vice

4. What was the name of the talking car in the 1980’s series Knight Rider?

• R.O.B.

• K.N.I.G.H.T.

• K.I.T.T.

• M.I.L.E.S.

5. Lou Ferrigno played which Marvel superhero on TV in the 1980s, the character’s first on-screen appearance?

• Captain America

• Thor

• Spiderman

• The Incredible Hulk

80s TV Dramas Quiz Questions Round

Get ready to relive the TV dramas of the 80s with shows chock-full of intrigue, passion, and of course, plenty of shoulder pads.

See if you still remember the programs with heart-wrenching plot twists, intense character relationships, and edge-of-your-seat tension that kept you coming back for more.

1. Which hospital drama was set at St. Eligius hospital in Boston, Massachusetts?

• Doogie Howser

• ER

• MASH

• St. Elsewhere

2. David Hasselhoff played the lead in which TV drama featuring the lifeguards of Malibu Beach?

• Baywatch

• Malibu Vice

• 90210

• Paradise Blue

3. Which show’s Finale episode in 1983 still holds the title as the most-viewed television episode of all time?

• Baywatch

• MASH

• The Golden Girls

• Cheers

4. Which long-running primetime drama followed the trials and tribulations of the Ewing Family?

• Family Matters

• Dallas

• Matlock

• MASH

5. Which musical drama followed a group of students at NYC High School for the Performing Arts?

• Saved by the Bell

• Fame

• Footloose

• Dream Street

Fan of the music scene? Try our fun 60s music quiz, 70s song quiz, 90s music quiz or 2000s music quiz.

80s TV Law & Order Quiz Questions Round

Let’s explore some of the eighties’ most thrilling law and order dramas.

These classic TV shows captured the hearts and minds of audiences with their intense police procedurals and nail-biting courtroom scenes.

1. Which police procedural embraced the New Wave culture of the 80s with modern music and visuals?

• MacGyver

• Matlock

• 21 Jump Street

• Miami Vice

2. This iconic criminal defense attorney charges 100 thousand dollars per case but is well known to be “worth every penny”.

• Ben Matlock

• Columbo

• Jack Mccoy

• Perry Mason

3. Who played a mystery writer and amateur writer in the popular mystery series, M, She Wrote?

• Stepfanie Kramer

• Kate Jackson

• Angela Lansbury

• Hallie Todd

4. Which show, hosted by Robert Stack, featured real-life crime cases that were never solved?

• 60 Minutes

• Unsolved Mysteries

• The X-Files

• Crime Tales

5. Which police procedural drama featured William Shatner as a 15-year veteran on the police force?

• MacGyver

• Columbo

• T.J. Hooker

• Chips

80s TV Sci-Fi Quiz Questions Round

Buckle up and prepare to journey through the vast reaches of science and space in this final round of our 80s TV shows quiz.

From futuristic technology to imaginative storylines, these shows were a gateway to new worlds, ideas, and possibilities. 

1. Which of the following characters served as the captain of the U.S.S Enterprise on Star Trek: The Next generation?

• James T. Kirk

• Leonard McCoy

• Jean-Luc Picard

• Christopher Pike

2. Which 1980s sci-fi series about time travel had a sequel series released in 2022?

• Battlestar Galactica

• Quantum Leap

• Red Dwarf

• Mystery Science Theater 3000

3. Which British sci-fi comedy told the story of the last human alive?

• Red Dwarf

• Quantum Leap

• Knight Rider

• Mystery Science Theater 3000

4. Which short-lived 80’s sci-fi show featured a race of aliens that can disguise themselves as a human with the help of special glasses?

• Quantum Leap

• V

• Terrahawks

• Alien Hour

5. What is the title of the 1980s spin-off of the Original Battlestar Galactica?

• Battlestar 1980

• Galactica 1980

• Cylons

• Galactica on Earth

Test your knowledge next: 90s TV Trivia Quiz.

How did you do?

Check the 80s TV quiz answers below and share with your friends! 

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80s TV Trivia Quiz Answers

Check your 80s TV trivia multiple choice answers below and tell us how well you did in the comments!

80s TV Sitcom Quiz Answers

1. Which 80’s sitcom featured a theme song with the iconic line “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.”

• Cheers

• Frasier

• The Waitresses

• Laverne and Shirley

2. Which sitcom, featuring a quartet of comedy greats, was nominated 68 times at the Emmys winning 11 awards?

• Cheers 

• The Golden Girls

• Saved by the Bell 

• Mork and Mindy

3. Which legendary comedian got his start on Mork and Mindy?

• Drew Cary

• Jerry Seinfeld

• Robin Williams

• Eddie Murphy

4. Which of the following sitcoms is a spin-off of Diff’rent Strokes?

• The Jeffersons

• Family Ties

• The Facts of Life

• Night Court

5. Which 80’s sitcom features a furry alien who disturbingly eats cats?

• Mork and Mindy

• Mash

• ALF

• A Different World

80s TV Action Quiz Answers

1. Which actor, best known for their mustache, was the star of the 80’s detective show, Magnum P.I.?

• Burt Reynolds

• Tom Selleck

• David Hasselhoff

• Richard Dean Anderson

2. Which 80’s action series has been the subject of two successful remakes starring Jonah Hill?

• Miami Vice

• Cagney and Lacey

• Scarecrow and Mrs. King 

• 21 Jump Street 

3. Mr. T Pitied fools as a member of this 80’s action team.

• The Knight Riders

• The A-Team

• Mash

• Miami Vice

4. What was the name of the talking car in the 1980’s series Knight Rider?

• R.O.B.

• K.N.I.G.H.T.

• K.I.T.T.

• M.I.L.E.S.

5. Lou Ferrigno played which Marvel superhero on TV in the 1980s, the character’s first on-screen appearance?

• Captain America

• Thor

• Spiderman

• The Incredible Hulk

80s TV Trivia: The Incredible Hulk was the first Marvel superhero to appear on the screen.

Spiderman, Captain America, and Doctor Strange would find their way onto television soon after.

The Incredible Hulk was the most successful of Marvel’s early venture into television with five seasons and 3 made-for-television movies.

80s TV Dramas Quiz Answers

1. Which hospital drama was set at St. Eligius hospital in Boston, Massachusetts?

• Doogie Howser

• ER

• MASH

• St. Elsewhere

2. David Hasselhoff played the lead in which TV drama featuring the lifeguards of Malibu Beach?

• Baywatch

• Malibu Vice

• 90210

• Paradise Blue

3. Which show’s Finale episode in 1983 still holds the title as the most-viewed television episode of all time?

• Baywatch

• MASH

• The Golden Girls

• Cheers

4. Which long-running primetime drama followed the trials and tribulations of the Ewing Family?

• Family Matters

• Dallas

• Matlock

• MASH

5. Which musical drama followed a group of students at NYC High School for the Performing Arts?

• Saved by the Bell

• Fame

• Footloose

• Dream Street

80s TV Trivia: Fame was based on the 1980 film of the same name and was sponsored by Yamaha Instruments.

This partnership ensured that Yamaha instruments were visually used in each musical number the show put on television.

Try our fun 60s music quiz, 70s song quiz, 90s music quiz or 2000s music quiz.

80s TV Law & Order Quiz Answers

1. Which police procedural embraced the New Wave culture of the 80s with modern music and visuals?

• MacGyver

• Matlock

• 21 Jump Street

• Miami Vice

2. This iconic criminal defense attorney charges 100 thousand dollars per case but is well known to be “worth every penny”.

• Ben Matlock

• Columbo

• Jack Mccoy

• Perry Mason

3. Who played a mystery writer and amateur writer in the popular mystery series, M, She Wrote?

• Stepfanie Kramer

• Kate Jackson

• Angela Lansbury

• Hallie Todd

4. Which show, hosted by Robert Stack, featured real-life crime cases that were never solved?

• 60 Minutes

• Unsolved Mysteries

• The X-Files

• Crime Tales

5. Which police procedural drama featured William Shatner as a 15-year veteran on the police force?

• MacGyver

• Columbo

• T.J. Hooker

• Chips

80s TV Sci-Fi Quiz Answers

1. Which of the following characters served as the captain of the U.S.S Enterprise on Star Trek: The Next generation?

• James T. Kirk

• Leonard McCoy

• Jean-Luc Picard

• Christopher Pike

2. Which 1980s sci-fi series about time travel had a sequel series released in 2022?

• Battlestar Galactica

• Quantum Leap

• Red Dwarf

• Mystery Science Theater 3000

3. Which British sci-fi comedy told the story of the last human alive?

• Red Dwarf

• Quantum Leap

• Knight Rider

• Mystery Science Theater 3000

4. Which short-lived 80’s sci-fi show featured a race of aliens that can disguise themselves as a human with the help of special glasses?

• Quantum Leap

• V

• Terrahawks

• Alien Hour

80s TV Trivia: V stands for Victory and is used by humans in the alien resistance in the show.

5. What is the title of the 1980s spin-off of the Original Battlestar Galactica?

• Battlestar 1980

• Galactica 1980

• Cylons

• Galactica on Earth

80s TV Trivia: Despite receiving some of the best ratings, the show was mysteriously canceled after just one season in 1980.

Test your knowledge next: 90s TV Trivia Quiz.

Thanks for taking our 80s TV quiz. You may like our other quizzes. 

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