All of these shows premiered in 1971 – but which ones made it past 1972?

Stars from years past came back in the Seventies with varying degrees of success.

Fifty years ago, television was changing. The wholesome family sitcoms and Westerns that had defined the medium during its first two decades were giving way to grittier detective dramas and more adult, work-oriented comedies.

Multiple big-name stars from the Fifties and Sixties tried their luck with new shows in 1971 — some of which lasted many seasons while others flopped.

Here are ten shows that all premiered in 1971. Can you guess which ones made it past their first season, lasting until 1973, '74, '75 and beyond?

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  1. Did this 1971 detective drama make it past 1972?
  2. Did Andy Griffith's '70s show make it past 1972?
  3. Another Sixties star premiered a new sitcom the same year. Did Dick Van Dyke's '70s show make it past 1972?
  4. Movie star Rock Hudson came to TV with this 1971 show. Did it make it past 1972?
  5. This 1971 series featured Bruce Lee. Did it make it past 1972?
  6. This famous couple had more than one variety show, starting with this one in 1971. Did this iteration make it past 1972?
  7. Before he became Jim Rockford, James Garner went back to his TV Western roots in this 1971 series. Did it make it past 1972?
  8. This 1971 show featured 'The Fugitive' star David Janssen and Will Geer before The Waltons. Did it make it past 1972?
  9. This 1971 series about endearing outlaws came at the tail end of the TV Western heyday. Did it make it past 1972?
  10. The '70s even saw Jimmy Stewart come to the small screen. Did his 1971 sitcom make it past 1972?

All of these shows premiered in 1971 – but which ones made it past 1972?

Your Result...

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181 Comments

Mark 10 months ago
9 out of 10...dummy me, I got confused and answered 'no' on the Alias Smith and Jones question. And Will Geer did not 'star' on O'Hara: U.S. Treasury, but he was a GUEST star. There were no other real regulars on that show outside of David Janssen.
Mark Mark 10 months ago
And looking over these comments, I discovered that I had taken the quiz a while back and got a perfect score! I'm so embarrassed!
Pacificsun 14 months ago
Funny how we remember the failures! 9/10
Jeffrey 15 months ago
''You got 7 out of 10'' Did you answer these questions no problem or would you have liked to phone a friend? ---- I got 3, 8 and 9 wrong.
Jeffrey Jeffrey 15 months ago
I wish MeTV would bring back "Diagnosis Murder", even though I haven't been able to watch TV for over a month & a 1/2, almost 2 months, due to an accident with the cable box.
Moverfan Jeffrey 13 months ago
Diagnosis: Murder is on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries for two hours s day...if you don't mind watching it at six in the morning.
Jeffrey 20 months ago
''You got 9 out of 10'' ---------Did you answer these questions no problem or would you have liked to phone a friend? I got number six wrong.
Lillyrose 29 months ago
7 out of 10. I didn't know that Jimmy Stewart had his own T.V. series. His best movie was "The Glenn Miller Story."
GregLemieux 29 months ago
10/10 Back then, when there were only 3 networks, I was a real TV expert.
silverbelle7070 30 months ago
I didn't know there was a "new" Dick Van Dyke show
Mark silverbelle7070 10 months ago
Yep, and Carl Reiner was involved with it, just like the original DVD show. This time around, he was married to Hope Lange.
MarthaWashington 30 months ago
I got 10/10 but results said 8/10. Not the first time answers vs end results were different.
Must be the same counting system they used for this past election
jwj 30 months ago
9/10 , 71 the year I was born
DonnaNMI 30 months ago
9/10 missing #3. Several I have never heard of. Wouldn’t mind seeing the Jimmy Stewart show.
Moverfan DonnaNMI 30 months ago
It was a comedy--the basic premise was they had a son, a daughter-in-law, an eight-year-old grandson--and an eight-year-old son of their own (talk about a surprise baby) who insisted that his nephew address him as Uncle. I remember watching it, but I was only eight or nine myself at the time.
Mark DonnaNMI 10 months ago
It's available on DVD from Warner Bros. MOD (Made On Demand) DVD division. That means when you order it, they press the discs (unless, of course, you buy a used copy).

I've bought several short-lived series from them (Search, Harry O, the TV version of Shaft). Paid a little more, but it's worth it if you really like a show.
Mark Mark 10 months ago
It also aired sometime ago on what was known as GoodLife Network. It ran on Sunday night, along with another show in this article, The New Dick Van Dyke Show.
Jamesatkinson 30 months ago
9 out of 10 : Hell I didn't even know there was a second Dick Van Dyke Show, let alone that it made it to a second season.😁😜
Moody 30 months ago
9/10. A lot of these shows I've never heard of.
TheSentinel 30 months ago
8/10 - Tripped up by 3 and 9.
JohnAustin779 30 months ago
9/10. This was a pretty easy quiz and I wasn't born until the end of the '70s 😊😄🖖!
purplerose60 30 months ago
9/10! I loved Alias Smith and Jones 🥰
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