About This Quiz
Do you remember how the Bluths made their fortune on "Arrested Development," or what the crew at Dundler-Mifflin sold under the fearless leadership of their boss, Michael Scott? Know what long-running series inspired Tina Fey and "30 Rock?" If you know the answers to these questions, you might have what it takes to get a perfect score on this '00s TV quiz!
The year 2000 ushered in a new era for TV thanks to the premiere of a so-called "reality" series called "Survivor." More than 51 million viewers tuned into watch the season finale of that first season, and the reality television craze was born. The next year, "American Idol" hit the air, with 22 million people tuning in to see Kelly Clarkson take the top prize.ÂÂ
Of course, the '00s had much more to offer than just reality shows; some of the highest-rated series of all time got their start during the decade, from the gritty drama "The Wire," to mafia/family series "The Sopranos," to the mod life on "Mad Men." The period was also known for great sci-fi series like "Firefly" and "Battlestar Galactica."ÂÂ
With so many epic shows on the air in the '00s, it can be hard to keep them all straight, but do you think you can identify each series from just a single image? Take our quiz to find out!
"The Sopranos" aired from 1999 to 2007. It starred James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, who struggled to balance managing his crime family with meeting the needs of his own family, including his wife Carmela.
Narrated by Ron Howard, "Arrested Development" proved that a smart man with enough frozen banana stands can strike it rich -- and also lose it all. The show aired from 2003 to 2006, then got a Netflix reboot in 2013.
The fast-talking Lorelai and Rory entertained fans of "Gilmore Girls" for seven seasons from 2000 to 2007. The series, set in Stars Hollow, was so beloved that it got a new life on Netflix thanks to a 2016 reboot.
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"Curb Your Enthusiasm" was pretty much "Seinfeld" creator Larry David's second successful series about nothing. The show ran for nine seasons from 2000 to 2011 and offered an exaggerated peek into David's world.
Michael C. Hall starred as Dexter Morgan in the '00s series "Dexter," which ran from 2006 to 2013. On the show, Hall played a man who was a forensic technician by day, and a vigilante serial killer by night.
The Rob Thomas series "Veronica Mars" aired for just three seasons from 2004 to 2007. Fans tuned in to watch the teen detective, played by Kristen Bell, who kept the town of Neptune, CA safe from crime with the help of PI dad Keith. The series was revisited thanks to a crowd-funded film in 2014.
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What's a mom to do when her husband dies unexpectedly and she still has bills to pay? If you're Mary Louise Parker on "Weeds," you start slinging drugs to keep the lights on. The series, set in a California suburb, aired on Showtime from 2005 to 2012.
"Supernatural" premiered on The CW in 2005, and the 13th season of the series hit the airwaves in 2017. The show stars Sam and Dean Winchester, brothers who protect the planet from ghosts, evil monsters and other ghastly creatures.
The West Wing of the White House is home to the Oval Office, so it was the perfect title for this Aaron Sorkin series about the inner workings of the presidency. The show ran from 1999 to 2006, and stars Martin Sheen as President Jed Bartlet.
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That's Bob Saget's voice you hear narrating each episode of "How I Met Your Mother." Saget plays Ted Mosby, who is recounting the story of how he met his wife to his teen children. The series ran for nine seasons between 2005 and 2014.
"The Wire" offered a bleak, yet realistic, view of Baltimore's culture of drugs and poverty. The series ran from 2002 to 2008 on HBO, and was known for incorporating Baltimore locals into episodes along with up-and-coming and established actors.
"Mad Men" perfectly captured the world of '60s Madison Avenue ad men. The series aired for seven seasons between 2007 and 2015, and starred Jon Hamm as Sterling Cooper employee Don Draper.
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"The Office" was shot in documentary-style and told the story of a very special group of employees at the Scranton branch of the Dundler-Mifflin paper company. The series starred Steve Carell and John Krasinski, and aired from 2005 to 2013.
What's a high school chemistry teacher to do when diagnosed with a deadly disease? If you're Walter White from "Breaking Bad," you set up a meth lab and start selling to set your family up for success after your death. The acclaimed series ran for five seasons from 2008 to 2013.
Monica and Rachel sure had a huge apartment for a chef and a waitress living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. If you were willing to suspend your disbelief, however, "Friends" brought plenty of laughs, and left fans feeling like Ross, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler were part of the family.
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On the '00s series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Sarah Michelle Gellar played a high school student who became the latest in a long line of vampire slayers. With the help of her Watcher and friends Willow and Xander, Buffy kicked vampire butt for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003.
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" focuses on a gang of friends who hang out at Paddy's Pub in Philly. The series premiered in 2005, and moved to FXX starting in its 9th season.
Tina Fey used her experience working on "SNL" as inspiration for '00s series "30 Rock." Fey played writer Liz Lemon, who worked on the fictional "TGS with Tracy Jordan" for seven seasons between 2006 and 2013.
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The wild west town of Deadwood transformed from mining camp to small city in the late 19th century. This '00s series captures that transformation, and features appearances from legendary figures like Wyatt Earp,. Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.
Parents Lois and Hal struggle to survive while raising four boys on "Malcolm in the Middle." The dysfunctional family grew over the seasons to add a fifth son, and starred Frankie Muniz as title character Malcolm.
Set in the year 3000, "Futurama" starred a character named Fry, who traveled 1,000 years into the future only to resume his career as a delivery boy. The Planet Express crew kept fans tuning in for seven seasons between 1999 and 2013.
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"The O.C." offered a peak into the life of the ultra-rich from the eyes of an adopted teen from the wrong side of the tracks. After Ryan Atwood is adopted by the Cohens, he struggles to fit in with the Newport Beach crowd in this series, which ran from 2003 to 2007.
"The Simpsons" has been on the air longer than Springfielders have been reeling in three-eyed fish. Believe it or not, the series was on season 12 in the year 2000, and closed the decade with season 21 in 2009-2010.
"That '70s Show" offered viewers a look at teens living in Point Place, Wisconsin in the late '70s. Much of the action took place in Eric Foreman's basement, leaving the gang trying hard to steer clear of Eric's angry dad Red.
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On "Lost," a group of passengers survived when Flight 815 crashed on an island somewhere in the South Pacific. The J.J. Abrams series, which ran from 2004 to 2010, told the story of their struggle to survive in a world which grew increasingly bizarre.
A play on medical textbook "Gray's Anatomy," this '00s series told the story of surgeon Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. The Shonda Rhimes series premiered in 2005.
"Scrubs" aired from 2001 to 2010, and focused on the staff of the Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital. The series starred Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison.
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XOXO, Gossip Girl. Based on a popular teen book series, "Gossip Girl" told the story of an anonymous blogger who reported on the lives of teens living on the UES of Mahattan. The series made stars of Blake Lively and Leighton Meester.
What happens when one of the guys gets famous and takes his friends along for the ride? "Entourage" focused on just that, as Vincent Chase made it big in Hollywood and made and lost friends in the series, which aired from 2004 to 2011.
"Psych" was a buddy comedy with a twist -- a faux psychic who used his "powers" to fuel an investigative service. Set in Santa Barbara, the series aired from 2006 to 2014, and starred Shawn and Gus, as well as Shawn's retired cop dad Henry.
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"Family Guy" was the '00s answer to "The Simpsons." The Seth Mac Farlane series focused on Peter and Lois Griffin and their three children -- plus Brian, their sophisticated talking dog.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone proved you don't need amazing animation to make a great show. Despite crude drawings and cruder story lines, "South Park" remains a fan favorite.
"Firefly" virtually always ranks among those shows that were cancelled too soon, leaving fans craving more. The series, which lasted just one season, told the story of the crew of a Firefly-class ship called Serenity as it traveled through the universe.
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A family business has always made a good premise for a TV series, and the business of death is no exception. The '00s TV series "Six Feet Under" focused on the Fisher family funeral home in Los Angeles, and ran from 2001 to 2005 on HBO.
"The Shield" aired for seven seasons between 2002 and 2008. It told the story of a group of LAPD cops willing to resort to any means necessary to resolve cases beyond the scope of routine, legal police work.
"Law and Order" was a huge success, so it's no surprise that the show's spin-off "Law and Order: SVU" has also been a major hit. the series premiered in 1999, and was renewed for a 19th season in 2017.
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"The Big Bang Theory" premiered in 2007 and focuses on a rag-tag bunch of geniuses living in California. That catchy theme song that opens each episode was written and performed by The Barenaked Ladies.
Kiefer Sutherland" played anti-terrorism agent Jack Bauer over nine seasons of the hit drama "24." The show, which aired from 2001 to 2010, featured 24 episodes per season, with each episode representing a single hour in the life of Bauer.
High school football is huge in the American south, and "Friday Night Lights" captures that enthusiasm better than perhaps any other series. The show features football coach Eric Taylor and his guidance counselor wife Tami as they attempt to navigate work, family and football.
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"King of Queens" starred Kevin James and Leah Remini as Queens couple Doug and Carrie Hefferman. Jerry Stiller also starred as Carrie's trouble-making father, who lived with the couple in their suburban home.
Dr. Gregory House was the medical Sherlock Holmes on the '00s series "House." As a doctor at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, Dr. House -- played by Hugh Laurie -- had an uncanny ability to diagnose patients. The series lasted for eight seasons between 2004 and 2012.
Comedy series "Modern Family" premiered in 2009, with the ninth season of the show hitting the air in 2017. The series stars Ed O'Neill of "Married...with Children" fame, and Sofia Vergara as his wife Gloria.
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"Parks and Recreation" told the story of the Parks Department in the town of Pawnee, Indiana. It ran for seven seasons from 2009 to 2015, and starred Chris Pratt, Amy Poehler, and Nick Offerman.
"Sons of Anarchy" aired from 2008 to 2014. It told the story of an outlaw biker gang based in Charming, California. Charlie Hunnam played the conflicted gang VP, Jax Teller.
"Everybody Loves Raymond" aired for nine seasons between 1996 and 2005. It featured comedian Ray Romano as Ray Barone, a Long Island sportswriter living with his wife Debra -- and across the street from his very nosy mother.
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Zach Levi stars in "Chuck" as Chuck Bartowski, a slacker who accidentally has a secret government spy program downloaded to his brain, making him an important tool for the CIA and NSA. The series aired for five seasons from 2007 to 2012.
Based on the best-selling novels by Charlaine Harris, "True Blood" told the story of Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse -- played by Ann Paquin -- and her relationship with vampire Bill Compton. The HBO series aired from 2008 to 2014.
Not everyone in prison is trying to break out -- some people are working hard to get in. On the '00s series "Prison Break," Michael Scofield commits a crime so he can get into the prison and rescue his brother. The series premiered in 2005, and was cancelled in 2009, only to get rebooted in 2017.
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Jason Lee stars as Earl Hickey in "My Name is Earl." The series ran for four seasons, and told the story of a man trying to right the many wrongs he had committed in his life after winning the lottery.
The Seth MacFarlane series "American Dad" tells the story of CIA agent Stan Smith and his family, who live in Langley Falls, VA. The series premiered on Fox in 2005, then moved to TBS in 2014.