Familiar Sayings of Crime-Fighters Quiz

Answer: Gil Grissom

Along with Temperance "Bones" Brennan, Gil Grissom in the original "CSI" series remains the great 'apostle' for science among crime-solvers. In one scene a fellow CSI agent, Greg Sanders, asks Grissom if having faith or beliefs is incompatible with their scientific profession. Grissom replies, "no, as long as you don't regard faith as science".

Answer: Jessica Fletcher

In the TV show "Murder, She Wrote", how many times have we seen and heard Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) pause dramatically with about ten minutes left in the show, and say "I think I know who killed..."? This is usually followed by her scheme on how to prove it or to catch the criminal red-handed.

Answer: Sherlock Holmes

This is one of Holmes' favourite expressions, often prefaced by "Watson...".

Answer: Joe Friday

From the 1950s TV show "Dragnet", Joe Friday (Jack Webb) is usually quoted as saying "Just the facts, ma'am", but like "Beam me up, Scotty" on "Star Trek", or "Elementary, my dear Watson" in Holmes stories, it was never said on the show. The phrase WAS used in the title of the 2017 book about the show. Friday did on occasion use the phrase, "All we want are the facts, ma'am".

Answer: Frank Reagan

Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) was the NYPD Commissioner for ten years on the TV show "Blue Bloods". The regular supporting cast was made up of his family: father (the former Police Commissioner), two sons in the NYPD, daughter (an assistant) DA, a daughter-in-law (a nurse), later another daughter-in-law (also in the NYPD), three grandchildren (plus a fourth unknown to all). Almost every episode featured a scene at the Reagan dining-table, usually following Sunday Mass, and a fuss is made about who has to say Grace.

Answer: Steve McGarrett

There have been two incarnations of the TV show "Hawaii 5-O". The first ran from 1968-1980, in those days a very long run for a crime show. Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) ran a special force on Hawaii, with his deputy Danny (Danno) Williams (James MacArthur).

When the criminals were apprehended, McGarrett would often end the scene with the arresting command, "Book 'em, Danno". In the later remake (2010-2020) McGarrett is played by Alex O'Loughlin and Danny Williams by Scott Caan. In one episode McGarrett tells Danny for the first time, "Book 'em, Danno". Danny's reaction is not positive and the series makes much of his disapproval and McHarrett's delight in continuing it.

Answer: Richard Castle

In the TV show "Castle", Richard Castle is a successful writer of thrillers, one of which has details in common with a current murder case. Castle's close relationship with the Mayor allows him to join the investigators on a one-time basis. His assistance in solving the crime leads to a more permanent association, both with the Department and with its leader, Detective Kate Beckett. Castle is fond of advancing wild and bizarre solutions, involving conspiracy theories, alien abduction, time travel, Bigfoot etc. One of his favourite exclamations is "Best case ever!", when faced with a particularly odd case.

Answer: Columbo

Near the end of an episode of "Columbo", fans got very used to Peter Falk dressed in his wrinkled raincoat and often raising a couple of his fingers. He would start to leave. But we all knew that he would stop, turn around, fix the other character with a knowing smile, and say very innocently, "Oh, just one more thing". That "one more thing" usually leads to the solution to the crime.

Answer: Jack Hodgins

Jack Hodgins was one of the original characters on the TV show "Bones". His specialities in the lab lay in entomology (Booth called him "Bug Boy"), botany and mineralogy. He was also deeply involved in conspriracy theories and romantically linked to Angela Montenegro.

They are married in the closing episode of season 5. He constantly used the self-description, "I'm King of the Lab", even though he was outranked by Cam Saroyan. When in the final episode Cam took a leave of absence, Hodgins was appointed as her temporary replacement, and he thus did become "King of the Lab".

Answer: Leroy Jethro Gibbs

In the original "NCIS" series, the team leader was Leroy Jethro Gibbs who had a series of numbered rules for life and for solving crimes, which he passed on to his agents. We find out in a later episode that he got that habit from his wife Shannon when they first met. Two of these are Rule 9: "always carry a knife", Rule 13: "never ever involve a lawyer".

When he leaves the show, he launches the last of the boats that he has been building in his basement with the name "Rule 91". He then explains Rule 91 to his team and to us viewers, that "when you decide to walk away, don't look back". Gibbs didn't.