On February 9, 55 years ago, 73 million viewers watched The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show , one of the largest audiences in television history. This week’s quiz is all about landmark television shows.

Small-screen biggies

1. This iconic Indian television show appeared for two seasons in the ’90s, with KK Raina playing the sidekick of a famous fictional detective. Name the detective who also inspired a Hindi film many years later.

2. Which sportsperson appeared in four of the 10 most globally watched events of the ’70s — in 1974 in Zaire and then in 1975, 1976 and 1979. The years are definitely a hint.

3. Which television series of the late ’80s was conceived and written by RK Laxman, and featured a guest appearance by Shah Rukh Khan?

4. Billed as the ‘Global Jukebox’, this television extravaganza was held in both London and Philadelphia in July 1985 and watched across 150 nations with an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion. Name the event or the primary organiser.

5. Occasions involving the British royal family have always made for large audiences. Which single event involving the family was watched by an estimated 2 billion viewers ?

6. Indian television in the ’80s. If Kavita Agarwal, Radha Seth and Vandana Mohan were the the supporting anchors for each season of a specific programme, who was the main anchor for all three seasons. Also, name the show.

7. This specific show was known as The Last One , and telecast on May 6, 2004. Television spots were sold for an average of $2 million for 30 seconds and an estimated 52.4 million viewers watched it in the US. Name it.

8. This television star of the ’40s and ’50s was so popular that in 1951, her pregnancy was written into her show, inviting a fair amount of controversy from conservatives. Name the star and her eponymous show (the follow-up show was screened in the early days of Doordarshan)?

9. On air since 2011, this series, shot in Northern Ireland, Malta and Croatia, has ensured that Arya and Daenerys are popular baby names in the US and UK. Which is this critically acclaimed and cult show, with more than 40 Emmy awards to its credit?

10. Why did The Simpsons’ episode Bart to the Future, telecast in 2000, become a hot topic of discussion in late 2016?

Answers

1. Byomkesh Bakshi, played by Rajit Kapur; KK Raina played Ajit Kumar Banerji

2. Muhammad Ali; his major title bouts were viewed by between 1 billion and 2 billion people

3.Wagle Ki Duniya , starring Anjan Srivastava, was broadly based on Laxman’s Common Man

4. Live Aid, the music concert organised to raise funds for the Ethiopian famine. Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats was one of the primary organisers

5. The funeral of Princess Diana in 1997; Elton John’s performance of Candle In the Wind became the highest selling British single with the proceeds going to Diana’s favourite charities

6. Siddhartha Basu, Quiz Time

7. The series finale of Friends . The rate was the largest ever paid for a sitcom

8. Lucille Ball, I Love Lucy

9.Game of Thrones , based on the series by George RR Martin

10. It showed Donald Trump becoming the President of the US. The Simpsons has also predicted the smartwatch and a Lady Gaga performance in the Super Bowl half-time show

BLINKJOY
 

Joy Bhattacharjya is a quizmaster; @joybhattacharj

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