Can You Name These British TV Shows From the ’80s and ’90s?

By: Zoe Samuel
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Name These British TV Shows From the ’80s and ’90s?
Image: ITV

About This Quiz

British television, like the national output of any nation, is certainly not without its embarrassments, from shows that should simply have never been commissioned in the first place to shows that are inexplicably popular to shows that seemed very good at the time but became tasteless in just a couple of years. However, it has also never been without its highlights, whether created by the publicly-funded BBC or by rival channels ITV and Channel Four. Indeed, such was the quality of some of the better output from these networks that the arrival of cable was widely regarded as not initially having an enormous impact on the quantity of TV that the average person might like to watch.

Of course, the '80s and '90s TV had the advantage of a perfect storm: every household had a colour TV (and often more than one), but there was not yet any competition from the internet. That gave the four main channels captive audiences, meaning that they could easily expect their viewers to constitute a significant percentage of the population while enjoying a monocultural stranglehold on Monday morning water cooler conversation. This social pressure to be up to date with popular shows meant that if you lived through this time, you simply HAD to know them ... and that means you still remember them. Or does it? It's time to find out!

Question 1 - Only Fools and Horses
BBC One
Do you recognize David Jason as one of the two Trotter brothers in this hit sitcom?
"Fawlty Towers"
"Dad's Army"
"Only Fools and Horses"
"Peep Show"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This hit sitcom introduced Britain to the Trotter brothers, a pair of ne'er do wells who were determined to get rich quick. The Trotters lived in one of the most depressing residences ever depicted on screen. The genius of the show was that despite their laziness and criminality, their kind hearts and the incredible talents of the actors and writers meant you really did root for them to come out on top.

Advertisement

Question 2 - Grange Hill
BBC One/ CBBC
What is this soapy show set in a comprehensive school?
"Grange Hill"
"Coronation Street"
"Teachers"
"Byjer Grove"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This soapy teen show featured the pupils of the Grange Hill Comprehensive School, and due to its incredible multi-decade run, it had to accommodate rotating casts over the course of many years. The show tackled serious issues such as bullying, assault and death, which made it a regular target of adults who felt that it was too advanced for its target audience.

Advertisement

Question 3 - Yes, Minister
BBC Studios
Do you recognise this searing and brilliant political satire?
"Yes, Minister"
"Veep"
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Fawlty Towers"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Yes, Minister" is about 40 years old now, but is still regarded by a great many comedy creators as the big daddy of political comedy. A direct creative line can be traced from this tale of an obstructive civil servant, Sir Humphrey Appleby, and well-intentioned but ratings-obsessed Minister Jim Hacker, to modern comedies like "Veep."

Advertisement

Question 4 - Beadle's About
ITV
What is this weirdly cruel prank show that ran for 10 years?
"Beadle's About"
"Opportunity Knocks"
"Button Moon"
"Pigeon Street"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Beadle's About" was a prank show in which people would nominate a family member to be on the receiving end of a substantial prank by Jeremy Beadle, who would make sure the target came home to believe that their kitchen had exploded, their car (containing all their business stock) had slid into a river, or their house was earmarked for demolition so a new road could be built. This was considered awfully funny, and they were expected to take it in good humour, even though often it was really quite cruel!

Advertisement

Question 5 - Blackadder
BBC One
Can you name Rowan Atkinson in his first big hit with co-stars Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie?
"Mr. Bean"
"Blackadder"
"Not The Nine O'Clock News"
"Fawlty Towers"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rowan Atkinson remains at the height of his comedic powers these days, and it's hard to imagine anyone in the world not recognising him. However, "Blackadder" was the show that really put him on the map. Beforehand, he was just one incredibly funny comedian in a successful troupe. This show launched him to the level of a household name.

Advertisement

Question 6 - The Young Ones
BBC Two
What is this comedy about the weird events in four students' lives?
"The Inbetweeners"
"The Young Ones"
"Black Books"
"The Royle Family"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This sitcom features several staples of the British comedy scene, including Ben Elton and Rik Mayall. It was about the lives of four students, and had a strong surreal streak.

Advertisement

Question 7 - Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
ITV/ BBC One
Do you recall this show about British workers going overseas?
"Coronation Street"
"Postman Pat"
"The Professionals"
"Auf Wiedersehen, Pet"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This show tackled a problem that has become much more widespread since its debut, being about workers who head overseas as there are no jobs in their hometown. Seven men head to Dusseldorf, and the show focuses on the trials and tribulations of making it as an expat.

Advertisement

Question 8 - To The Manor Born
BBC One
What is this hilarious social satire set on the estate of a beautiful stately home?
|Downton Abbey|
|Veep|
|Fawlty Towers|
|To the Manor Born|
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"To the Manor Born" is one of the most-watched British shows of all time. Its protagonist laments losing her stately home to a nouveau riche businessman and tortures herself by moving into a gate lodge where she can still watch the estate. Almost half the British population watched the series finale live.

Advertisement

Question 9 - Spitting Image
ITV
Can you remember this satirical puppet show of the period?
"Bremner, Bird, and Fortune"
"Withnail And I"
"The Kumars at No. 42"
"Spitting Image"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This rather cruel but very funny satirical sketch show made fun of British politicians and celebrities of the '80s and '90s. Its cartoonish puppets would lampoon the most extreme characteristics of public figures. For example, famously boring Prime Minister John Major was represented by a puppet that got greyer and greyer until eventually, it turned blue.

Advertisement

Question 10 - Rory Bremner
Channel Four
This isn't the real Tony Blair ... so which TV show is it?
"Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch"
"Rory Bremner ... Who Else?"
"Veep"
"Newsnight"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Impressionist Rory Bremner was so talented that he managed to fool Gordon Brown into shaking his hand while he was made up as Tony Blair. His heyday in the '90s was a triumph of impressions, sketches and biting satire.

Advertisement

Question 11 - Top of the Pops
BBC One/ BBC Two
Hit songs were featured weekly in which mega-hit Friday night show?
"Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway"
"TFI Friday"
"Top of the Pops"
"The Jonathan Ross Show"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Before there was MTV, there was "Top of the Pops." This weekly show would do a countdown of the top songs in the charts, and very often had the number one single played live. It was a must-watch for teenagers of the period.

Advertisement

Question 12 - Da Ali G Show
Channel 4/ HBO
What is this show, which spun off from another Channel Four success?
"Da Ali G Show"
"Black Books"
"Top Gear"
"The 11 O'Clock Show"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sacha Baron Cohen's various comic creations are household names in America now, including Borat and Bruno. However, it all began with Ali G, a figure which debuted on "The 11 O'Clock Show," then had his own spin-off.

Advertisement

Question 13 - The Two Ronnies
BBC One
Can you name this show whose stars both had the same name?
"The Two Jennifers"
"Fawlty Towers"
"The Two Ronnies"
"Jonathan Dimbleby"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Two Ronnies" offered class satire, songs and sketches, and were very rarely mean-spirited. Stars Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett played on their physical differences, as Barker was a large and chunky type, while Corbett was famously tiny.

Advertisement

Question 14 - Not The Nine O'Clock News
BBC Two
What is this show, that first made Rowan Atkinson famous?
"Mock the Week"
"Not The Nine O'Clock News"
"The Day Today"
"Newsnight"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rowan Atkinson first came to fame in this sketch comedy show that offered a mix of very silly political satire and very silly straight-up silliness. They introduced Atkinson as Graham the Gorilla, whose claim that the collective noun for gorillas is a "whoop" was so popular that actual scientists now use it, and it is in the dictionary!

Advertisement

Question 15 - Rumpole of the Bailey
ITV
Do you know the name of this popular courtroom drama?
"Criminal Justice"
"Silk"
"Judge John Deed"
"Rumpole of the Bailey"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Rumpole of the Bailey" is all about a defence barrister who can get almost anyone off. It was created by a real-life barrister and thus had a realism to it, as well as a droll sense of humour that fans enjoyed. Even when Rumpole was prevailed upon to prosecute, he was such a believer in the underdog that he got the defendant off.

Advertisement

Question 16 - French & Saunders
BBC One/ BBC Two
Can you identify this hilarious comedy duo?
"French & Saunders"
"Fawlty Towers"
"Black Books"
"Absolutely Fabulous"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders were one of the UK's first major female comedy duos and blazed a trail for many women who came after them. Their very different physicality lent itself to all sorts of hilarious sketches, and their willingness to make absolute fools of themselves meant you could never be sure what to expect.

Advertisement

Question 17 - The Bill
ITV
Do you remember this long-running soapy cop show?
"The Bill"
"Coronation Street"
"Silent Witness"
"Kavanagh QC"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you liked police dramas but couldn't wait for shorter series to come back, you could always count on "The Bill." This regular soapy show came out of an ITV drama called "Woodentop," then ran for decades until its eventual end in 2010.

Advertisement

Question 18 - Lovejoy
BBC One
What is this comedy-drama mystery show of the '80s?
"Broadchurch"
"Hamish Macbeth"
"Luther"
"Lovejoy"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Lovejoy" was based on a series of novels about a conman and trickster who uses his wiles to help unlucky souls get the better of those who took advantage of them. It ran for six seasons, finishing in 1994, and remains popular with a loyal core of fans.

Advertisement

Question 19 - Absolutely Fabulous
BBC Two/ BBC One
Two national treasures star in this show, but what is its name?
"Miranda"
"The Office"
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Last of the Summer Wine"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The absolutely fabulous and splendid Jennifer Saunders returns in this comedy, where she teamed up with fellow household name Joanna Lumley. "Ab Fab" was such a hit that even people who have never seen an episode have a baseline familiarity with it. The words, "Darling, sweetie darling" echoed almost continuously throughout '90s Britain.

Advertisement

Question 20 - One Foot in the Grave
BBC One
I don't believe it! What's this sitcom, then?
"One Foot in the Grave"
"Fawlty Towers"
"Dad's Army"
"Peep Show"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Victor Meldrew and his long-suffering wife Margaret have very different views on the joys of retirement, and their attitude to life itself could not be more disparate. However, they love one another, and that love underscores the shenanigans of "One Foot in the Grave" and makes it more than just a show about a grumpy man and the woman who is stuck with him, elevating it to a hilarious and quite charming sitcom about one's golden years.

Advertisement

Question 21 - Keeping Up Appearances
BBC One
Do you recognize this incredibly successful sitcom about middle class foibles?
"Keeping Up Appearances"
"Dad's Army"
"Peep Show"
"The Inbetweeners"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Keeping Up Appearances" is one of the most-sold shows in television history, with good reason. Everyone has met a woman like Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "bouquet," of course, as it is French). This meddling middle-class snob is a staple feature of just about every society on Earth, and the success of the show proves that we all need a chance to giggle about it.

Advertisement

Question 22 - Red Dwarf
BBC Two/ Dave
It's cold outside, and ridiculous inside! What is this show?
"The Inbetweeners"
"Red Dwarf"
"Fawlty Towers"
"Last of the Summer Wine"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rob Grant and Doug Naylor are the creators of this show about David Lister, the last human being in the world. Lister was in a punishment stasis booth when a radiation leak killed everyone else on the mining ship Red Dwarf. When radiation levels are finally safe, it's three million years later, and Lister hasn't aged a day. This show was not just hilarious and nerdy as heck, but it was also notable for having two black leads out of the four core cast without ever commenting on it, at a time that British TV had not really begun to think seriously about diversity.

Advertisement

Question 23 - The Vicar Of Dibley
BBC One
What is this sitcom starring half of an iconic comic duo?
"Peep Show"
"The Inbetweeners"
"Dad's Army"
"The Vicar Of Dibley"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are clearly great friends, and part of that friendship meant the ability to do other projects without one another, without speculation from industry or trade magazines about what it meant. Thus, French was able to star in "The Vicar of Dibley," a show about a traditional village dealing with its first female vicar. It was one of those funny and sweet shows that hides its incredibly progressive message about the roles of women behind a thick veneer of comedy, so you don't even realize how progressive it is while you're watching it.

Advertisement

Question 24 - I'm Alan Partridge
BBC Two
Ahoy! Do you know what show this is?
"I'm Alan Partridge"
"Black Books"
"The Good Life"
"Are You Being Served?"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Comedian Steve Coogan created the loathsome egoistic radio personality Alan Partridge as an alter ego, and this show follows Alan's tragic life as a presenter on radio Norwich. Its success is in depicting an utterly unlikeable figure who you really don't want to see succeed, but still being funny enough to make you want to stick around and watch him fail.

Advertisement

Question 25 - Have I Got News For You
BBC Two/ BBC One/ BBC One HD
Can you recognize this flagship BBC comedy news program?
"The Day Today"
"Have I Got News For You"
"That Was The Week That Was"
"Mock the Week"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Have I Got News For You" is still on the air today, and remains one of the most popular political shows on TV. In the '90s, it was hosted by the acid-tongued Angus Deayton, whose downfall due to scandal was still in the future. However, the show survived the loss of Deayton thanks to the chemistry of stars Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, whose contrasting styles keep this satirical take on the news fresh every week.

Advertisement

Question 26 - Eastenders
BBC One/ BBC One HD
What is the name of this long-running BBC soap opera?
"Coronation Street"
"Emmerdale"
"Eastenders"
"Brookside"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Eastenders" comes and goes as a staple of water-cooler conversation, riding particularly high in the '90s when everyone was hooked on mysteries such as who shot Grant Mitchell. It was basically compulsory to watch, or at least be able to converse about the residents of Albert Square, from their many trials and tribulations to their bizarrely high murder rate for an ordinary residential street.

Advertisement

Question 27 - Allo Allo
BBC One
If we asked whether you know the name of this show, would you say, "Oui" or "Non"?
"'Allo 'Allo"
"Are You Being Served?"
"Steptoe and Son"
"The Thick of It"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The French Resistance had never been more amusing than when it was depicted in this hilarious sitcom about a cafe owner and his wife as they try to survive under Nazi Germany while keeping their spirits up. It ran for nine seasons, and while it did lean heavily on French stereotypes, it did also depict the French as brave under occupation.

Advertisement

Question 28 - Cracker
Granada Television for ITV
Can you remember this show about a criminal psychologist?
Cracker
Line of Duty
Unforgotten
Silent Witness
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Antihero Dr. Edward "Fitz" Fitzgerald is the protagonist of this TV show about a criminal psychologist whose many vices do not prevent him from solving seemingly intractable cases. Robbie Coltrane starred in this show, and until he played Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, it was probably his best-known role.

Advertisement

Question 29 - Drop the Dead Donkey
Channel 4
Do you recall this satire about the world of political news?
"Drop the Dead Donkey"
"Mock the Week"
"That Was The Week That Was"
"The Day Today"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The studio of fictional Globelink News was the setting for this hit show about the ups and downs of reporting political news after being purchased by an oligarch whose henchmen want to avoid stories that he might not like. Is the news all about ratings, or about telling the truth? The show never answered the question definitively, but it had a lot of fun on the way.

Advertisement

Question 30 - Inspector Morse
ITV
Can you name this long-running police show?
"Unforgotten"
"Broadchurch"
"Inspector Morse"
"Luther"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This show ran for 13 years from 1987 to 2000, starring John Thaw as the eponymous Inspector Morse. Its setting in the relatively low-crime town of Oxford did not prevent it featuring all sorts of criminal shenanigans, and its feature-length episodes gave it a chance to lead the viewer down all sorts of dead ends and past a great many red herrings.

Advertisement

Question 31 - Dinnerladies
BBC One
Do you remember this show about making the best of an awful job in a manufacturing company canteen?
"Dinnerladies"
"Are You Being Served?"
"Open All Hours"
"Coupling"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Comedian Victoria Wood was the creator of this show about the canteen workers at HWD Components. It only ran for a total of two series, comprising just 16 episodes in all, but it remains beloved. It dealt with difficult subjects like chemotherapy with humour and heart, earning a great many awards for such a short-lived show.

Advertisement

Question 32 - Men Behaving Badly
ITV/ BBC1/ Channel 4
Can you name this show that was considered the ultimate representation of "lad" culture?
"Bottom"
"Men Behaving Badly"
"Father Ted"
"Coupling"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Martin Clunes was ubiquitous on British TV, and nowhere more so than on his sitcom "Men Behaving Badly." This show was emblematic of the then-prominent "lad" culture, that leaned heavily on stereotypes about immature men who don't pull their weight and remain emotionally stunted and shrewish women who fall for them anyway. The show was beloved at the time, but even its diehard fans tend to note that it has not aged well.

Advertisement

Question 33 - The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
ITV
Do you know this show, adapted from a popular mystery writer's books?
"Grantchester"
"Broadchurch"
"The Ruth Rendell Mysteries"
"Poldark"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The heroic detective Reg Wexford was the hero of six seasons of this show, which drew on the novels of mystery writer Ruth Rendell. Once they ran out of stories about Wexford, the makers of the show pivoted to other Rendell tales, with considerable success.

Advertisement

Question 34 - The Day Today
ITV
What is this tragically short-lived comedy news show?
"That Was The Week That Was"
"Newsnight"
"The Day That Was"
"The Day Today"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you've ever seen a current affairs program on British TV, you were sure to appreciate the absolute silliness that was "The Day Today." It didn't last as long as it deserved, but it was created by "The Thick of It" and "Veep" mastermind Armando Iannucci, so it holds a special place in TV history as a step on the road to some of the most successful and highly-decorated comedies of all time.

Advertisement

Question 35 - Mr. Bean
ITV
One of the most successful TV shows of all time, what is this mega-hit from Rowan Atkinson?
"Mr. Bean"
"The Inbetweeners"
"Porridge"
"Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Everyone has heard of Mr. Bean, the childish, almost-mute incarnation of Rowan Atkinson that has transcended international boundaries and proven that physical comedy and social awkwardness know no borders. Bean's lack of language meant that it was able to travel in ways comedy rarely can, but it all began as a humble 15-episode series from Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, back in 1990.

Advertisement

Question 36 - Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
ITV/ BBC One
A housewife turns detective in this '90s show. What is its name?
"Hetty Wainthropp Investigates"
"Scott & Bailey"
"Life On Mars"
"The Fall"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patricia Routledge may have been hilarious as Hyacinth Bucket, but she was deadly serious as Hetty Wainthropp, a housewife turned detective who uses common sense to tackle crimes that bamboozle the professionals. It was based on a book called "Missing Persons," whose author David Cook wrote about his real-life mother's experiences solving crimes!

Advertisement

Question 37 - A Bit Of Fry And Laurie
BBC One/ BBC Two
Before "House" and "QI," the two leads teamed up in this show. Do you remember it?
"Mind Your Language"
"Porridge"
"A Bit of Fry and Laurie"
"Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many Americans know Hugh Laurie best from his role as the brilliant but grumpy surgeon in "House," to the point that people in the US believed he was putting on his native British accent when he was interviewed! Anyone who knows him from his extremely silly sketch show "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" knows that the posh British duffer is where Laurie's heart truly belongs. As for comedy partner Stephen Fry, he is now a national institution.

Advertisement

Question 38 -TFI Friday
Channel 4
Are you familiar with this popular talkshow from Ginger Productions' Chris Evans?
"TFI Friday"
"Later With Jools Holland"
"The Last Leg"
"Top Gear"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The F in "TFI" stands for something a little too naughty to print here and warned the viewer what to expect from this irreverent Friday night talk show from DJ Chris Evans. A combination of interviews and musical acts, "TFI Friday" was aimed at a younger set and sometimes featured language and conversation that were designed to show. It ran for six seasons, and the final one used guest presenters, including the Spice Girls.

Advertisement

Question 39 - As Time Goes By
BBC One
Sweethearts reconnected for this TV show, but can you remember its name?
"As Time Goes By"
"Last of the Summer Wine"
"One Foot in the Grave"
"The Darling Buds of May"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Former flames played by Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer reconnect after nearly 40 years apart in this charming show about finding your soulmate later in life. The two leads fell in love during World War Two but lost contact, and the show uses comedy to explore the problems and delights of later-stage true love. It ran for nine seasons and remains widely loved.

Advertisement

Question 40 - Countryfilez
BBC One
Can you name this long-running and charming show about the ins and outs of rural British life?
"A Prayer and a Pint"
"Countryfile"
"Songs of Praise"
"Gardener's World"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The BBC is often accused of being too London-centric, and "Countryfile" was part of its answer to that accusation, debuting in 1988. Presenters visited a region of the country and explored its culture, food and so on, usually while dressed in a Barbour jacket and a pair of wellies. "Countryfile" runs all year and is still on the air, highlighting beautiful and obscure parts of the country.

Advertisement

You Got:
/40
ITV