TV's Rivalries Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hamilton Burger

Erle Stanley Gardner's fictional defense attorney was Perry Mason, played by Raymond Burr from 1957 to 1966. In the 1950s, there is no way a D.A. would have been a woman, so Della Street was not the answer; she was Perry's secretary, played by Barbara Hale. Paul Drake was Perry's private investigator, which leaves Hamilton Berger as, perhaps, the most losing D.A. in the history of jurisprudence! Berger was played stoically by William Talman. But, FYI, Perry actually lost three cases during the course of the show, i.e., "The Case of the Terrified Typist", "The Case of the Witless Witness", and "The Case of the Deadly Verdict".

Answer: Charles Winchester III

The operation(s) of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Unit was televised from 1972 to 1983. Captain/Major Benjamin Franklin Pierce, played by Alan Alda, was the glue that kept the Korean War from driving everyone insane. His friend was B.J. Hunnicut (Mike Farrell), with Corporal Klinger, one of the very first cross-dressers, played by Jamie Farr, and 'Radar' O"Reilly, the 'go to' guy, was Gary Burghoff.

But Hawkeye's main adversary (after Frank Burns left) was Boston's own arrogant Major Charles Emerson Winchester, played to pompous perfection by David Ogden Stiers.

Answer: Rainn Wilson

The US version of "The Office" aired from 2005 to 2013. Steve Carrell was the clueless leader of the Scranton office of Dunder Mifflin, but the main rivalry or the 'butt of all the jokes' was the uptight Dwight Schrute who was ably portrayed by Rainn Wilson. Wilson started out as Casey Keegan on the TV soap opera "One Life to Live", and has gone on to appear in movies like "Galaxy Quest" and "The Expendables" (1999), as well as "Juno" in 2007.

Unfortunately, his 2015 TV show "Backstrom", a criminal procedural, did not fare well and was cancelled prior to season two.

Answer: Dr. Doofenschmirtz and Perry the Platypus

Original episodes of "Phineas and Ferb" aired on the Disney Channel from 2007 to 2015. It's summertime and genius half-brothers Phineas and Ferb must figure out what they are going to do each day - which always involves some extraordinary project like "building a rocket or fighting a mummy or climbing up the Eiffel Tower", as their theme song says.

While their friends usually join along, their platypus, Perry, is a secret agent and must foil the evil schemes of Dr. Heinz Doofenschmirtz. Little Heinz was not well treated as a child and has turned to a life of performing disastrous deeds in the 'tri-state area'.

Answer: Magneto

The animated "X-Men" series ran from 1992 to 1997. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and spawned several movies. X-Men (and some females in there too) was about a bunch of mutants with superhuman powers who were not readily accepted by the world at large and joined forces under the auspices of Professor Charles Xavier; although Xavier was wheel-chair bound, he possessed exceptional telekinetic powers.

He led others like Cyclops, Mystique, Wolverine and Storm in their fight to save the world. On the dark side was Xavier's archenemy, Magneto who, as his name indicates, could generate and control magnetic fields.

Answer: Newman

"Hello, Newman"! Can't you just hear the disdain in Jerry's voice when he would run into Newman, a somewhat corrupt postal carrier, well-played by Wayne Knight? While the source of their conflict was never clearly outlined, their distaste for each other was palpable. Newman debuted in the second season of "Seinfeld" (1989-1998), but as a voice only (voiced by Larry David).

He did not appear in physical form until the third season's episode "The Suicide". His first name was never disclosed, except in one scene when an actress misread her line and said "Goodbye, Norman".

Answer: Esther Anderson

Norman Lear, the sitcom pioneer, created "Sanford and Son" (1972-1977) about a cranky, black, widowed junk dealer who lived in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, played to the hilt by Redd Foxx. He was assisted by his 34 year old frustrated and bored son, Lamont. Fred was sort of the "black Archie Bunker" in terms of his bigotry toward whites and Lamont's Hispanic friend, and his curmudgeonly attitude toward life.

But is was his deceased wife Elizabeth's sister, Aunt Esther (LaWanda Page), who always drove him crazy; as she would say "Sucka!"

Answer: Locutus

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" ((1987-1994) was set 78 years in the future (of TOS), in the 24th century. Still aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, it was a kinder, gentler Trek with a more cerebral captain and a more diverse crew; their enemies were also 'bigger and badder' and, often, cleverer.

In late 2366, Picard was assimilated to become Locutus of Borg, and to act as a 'spokesdrone' for the Borg Collective in their attempt to assimilate the inhabitants of Earth. "We are Borg; resistance is futile." Lachesis is one of the Fates; Lucretius was a Roman poet and philosopher; Limos is the spirit of hunger and starvation.

Answer: Ziva David

"NCIS" (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) began airing in 2003. Since that time, womanizer Tony has had relationships with many women on the show, both personal and professional, but the one who got to him the most on both levels was Ziva David. Ziva was a former Israeli Mossad Officer before her tenure at "NCIS", which extended from 2005 through 2013. Ziva was played by Cote de Pablo, a Chilean born actress and singer; unfortunately, when Cote decided to leave the show, Tony's relationship with Ziva had to end. Abby Sciuto is the forensic expert; Eleanor Bishop is the agent who replaced Ziva; Jenny Shepard was a former NCIS director.

Answer: Barry Kripke

"The Big Bang Theory" first introduced us to the obsessive-compulsive genius known as Sheldon Cooper in 2007. During the next several years, Sheldon has alienated just about everyone with whom he has come into contact; examples are Leslie Winkle and Wil Wheaton who were high on his list, but with whom he has come to terms.

However, the same cannot be said for his colleague and archenemy Barry Kripke (who talks like Elmer Fudd). At one point, Sheldon was forced to work on a project with him in the "Cooper/Kripke Inversion" episode, only to find (to his utter dismay) that his work was far below the caliber of Kripke's.