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Test Your TV Smarts: Do You Remember These Jaw-Dropping Moments in Television?

Test Your TV Smarts: Do You Remember These Jaw-Dropping Moments in Television?

What event was first broadcast live globally via satellite in 1967?

The Olympic Games

The Vietnam War

The Beatles performing “All You Need Is Love”

The Moon Landing

Our World was the first live, international, satellite television production, which aired on June 25, 1967. During this broadcast, The Beatles performed “All You Need Is Love” to an estimated 400 million viewers worldwide.

I Love Lucy

Star Trek

The Jeffersons

Friends

The “Star Trek” episode “Plato’s Stepchildren,” which aired on November 22, 1968, featured the first interracial kiss on American television between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols).

Which TV series finale holds the record for the highest viewership ever in television history?

Friends

M*A*S*H

Breaking Bad

Seinfeld

The finale of “M*A*S*H,” titled “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” aired on February 28, 1983, and was watched by over 105 million viewers, making it the most-watched television episode in U.S. history.

Which TV show was the first to have a live audience vote to determine the outcome of an episode?

Big Brother

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

American Idol

Saturday Night Live

“American Idol,” which debuted in 2002, revolutionized TV by allowing viewers to vote live for their favorite singers, significantly influencing the show’s outcomes.

Who was the first woman to host a late-night network television talk show in the United States?

Oprah Winfrey

Joan Rivers

Ellen DeGeneres

Chelsea Handler

Joan Rivers became the first woman to host a late-night network television talk show when she began hosting “The Late Show” on Fox in 1986.

What was the first television broadcast in color in the United States?

A presidential speech

An episode of “Bonanza”

The Rose Parade

The World Series

The first television broadcast in color in the United States was the Rose Parade, televised on January 1, 1954, by NBC. This marked the beginning of a new era in television broadcasting.

Which TV news anchor famously announced the death of President John F. Kennedy on air?

Walter Cronkite

Dan Rather

Peter Jennings

Tom Brokaw

Walter Cronkite is remembered for his emotional announcement of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on CBS News on November 22, 1963, a seminal moment in television history.

What TV show was the first to depict a married couple sharing a bed?

The Brady Bunch

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Mary Kay and Johnny

I Love Lucy

“Mary Kay and Johnny,” a sitcom that aired in 1947, was the first TV show to depict a married couple sharing a bed, challenging the norms of the time.

Which series is known for having the first openly gay main character on American television?

Will & Grace

My So-Called Life

Ellen

Modern Family

“Ellen” made television history when the show’s main character, played by Ellen DeGeneres, came out as gay in the 1997 episode “The Puppy Episode,” making it the first show on American television with an openly gay lead.

Which event did the TV show “Saturday Night Live” first parody in its premiere episode in 1975?

The Watergate scandal

The Vietnam War

Ford’s presidency

The 1976 Presidential Election

“Saturday Night Live” began its long-standing tradition of political satire by parodying the Watergate scandal in its very first episode.

What groundbreaking TV event occurred during the 1984 Super Bowl XVIII halftime show?

Apple’s “1984” commercial airs

Michael Jackson performs

First live broadcast of halftime

A reunion of The Beatles is announced

Apple’s “1984” commercial, directed by Ridley Scott, debuted during Super Bowl XVIII, introducing the Apple Macintosh computer. It has since been hailed as a masterpiece of advertising.

Grey’s Anatomy

ER

City Hospital

The Operation

In 1983, “The Operation” featured a live broadcast of an open heart surgery on the PBS network, marking a significant moment in medical and television history.

What was the first news event covered live on American television?

The Hindenburg disaster

The bombing of Pearl Harbor

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

The assassination of President Kennedy

The Hindenburg disaster was the first news event covered live on television. Footage of the airship catching fire in 1937 was broadcasted as it happened, marking a significant moment in media history.

Which TV show was the first to have a live audience vote to determine the outcome of an episode?

Big Brother

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

American Idol

Saturday Night Live

“American Idol,” which debuted in 2002, revolutionized TV by allowing viewers to vote live for their favorite singers, significantly influencing the show’s outcomes.

What TV show featured the first on-screen warning about explicit content?

NYPD Blue

The Sopranos

South Park

Saturday Night Live

“NYPD Blue” was the first television show to carry an on-screen warning about its explicit content prior to the episode airing, marking a new era of TV programming.

CNN

Fox News

BBC World News

Al Jazeera

CNN featured the longest uninterrupted news broadcast during the September 11 attacks, providing continuous coverage for nearly 100 hours.

Which TV series was the first to be entirely shot on high-definition video?

The Sopranos

Lost

The X-Files

Star Trek: Voyager

“Star Trek: Voyager” was the first television series to be entirely shot on high-definition video, beginning with its 1999 season, showcasing significant advancements in television production technology.

Which show broadcast the first live telecast from inside the U.S. House of Representatives?

Meet the Press

This Week

C-SPAN

CNN Live

C-SPAN broadcast the first live telecast from inside the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979, significantly increasing public access to governmental proceedings.

Who was the first female news anchor of a major network evening news program?

Barbara Walters

Diane Sawyer

Katie Couric

Connie Chung

Barbara Walters became the first female anchor of a major network evening news program when she joined ABC Evening News in 1976, paving the way for future female journalists in prominent news roles.

What was the first major TV event to be simultaneously broadcast in over 140 countries?

The Live Aid concert

The Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana

The opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics

The Live Earth concert

The Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981 was broadcast in over 140 countries, making it one of the most-watched events in television history, with an estimated 750 million viewers globally.

Channel Surfer

You’ve flipped through some channels, but there’s plenty more to explore in TV history!

Prime Time Player

You’re tuned in well! With a bit more viewing, you could be a TV trivia titan.

Historic Headliner

You’re the star of the show! Your knowledge of unforgettable TV moments is truly award-winning!

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© 2025 Trivia Oasis
© 2025 Trivia Oasis