You Think You Know TV?

You know Saturday Night Live as a staple of late-night TV for decades. But did you know the show had a different title when it first debuted in the fall of 1975? SNL was originally called NBC’s Saturday Night, because at the time a different show was using the title Saturday Night Live. That show, hosted by Howard Cosell, lasted 18 episodes on ABC before it was cancelled. Soon after, SNL adopted the Saturday Night Live name, which is how it’s been known ever since. That’s just one of the facts packed into the latest episode of the ScreenCrush series You Think You Know TV?

You know Mystery Science Theater 3000 from ten seasons on Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel. (They used to spell their name right.) But did you know that MST3K started on a local station in Minnesota named KTMA? The original version of the show ran for 21 episodes before KTMA filed for bankruptcy and the series was sold to the Comedy Channel, which later became Comedy Central. That’s just one of the facts packed into the latest episode of the ScreenCrush series You Think You Know TV?

You probably know that HBO’s hit new series Westworld is based on an old movie, also named Westworld, written and directed by Michael Crichton. But did you know there already was a Westworld TV show? After Westworld became a hit in theaters (and after a sequel, Futureworld, a few years later), CBS aired a series called Beyond Westworld. The show wasn’t nearly as successful as the new Westworld; only five episodes were produced, and just three aired on television. So with its first season finale days away, the new Westworld is already much more successful than the last one. That’s just one of the facts packed into the latest episode of the ScreenCrush series You Think You Know TV?

Did you know Charlie Cox had a shot at playing the young Han Solo? Unfortunately, Cox had gotten so good at playing blind as the title character of Netflix’s Daredevil that he stopped making eye contact with people. (Eye contact being low on the list of priorities for blind people.) And as a result, he blew his Han Solo audition. That’s just one of the facts packed into the latest episode of the ScreenCrush series You Think You Know TV?

We’ve only had one season of ‘Supergirl’ so far, but there’s plenty you may not know about Superman’s cousin.

HBO’s Six Feet Under famously gave fans about a million ways to die, but did you know the network deliberately asked it be “more f—ed up”? Or that you can visit the actual Fisher home, but not that famous tree? Load up the Sia and breathe me in, as the 38th episode of ‘You Think You Know TV?’ embalms a few facts from HBO’s Six Feet Under!

HBO’s The Wire famously shifted focus to different corners of Baltimore between seasons, but did you know creator David Simon based the series on his real-life time as a police reporter? Or that many real public officials and criminals actually played themselves? Get ready to hit them corners, as the 37th episode of ‘You Think You Know TV?’ goes all in the game for HBO’s The Wire!

Batman seems only to get grittier and grittier these days, but did you know the classic 1966 series actually coined the name “Mr. Freeze”? Or that Robin’s famous catchphrase got upwards of 350 uses? Slide down the pole and suit up, as the 36th episode of ‘You Think You Know TV?’ fights crime with style for the original Batman TV series!.

NBC’s The Office borrowed plenty from its British predecessor did you know the writers revamped the series in Season 2 to make it more optimistic? Or that everyone from Paul Giamatti to Patton Oswalt had a shot at Dunder Mifflin? Grab a beet and stock up on paper, as the 35th episode of ‘You Think You Know TV?’ mugs for the camera with some collated facts from The Office.

The BBC’s Sherlock has plenty of Doctor Who in its blood between creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, but did you know Matt Smith even auditioned for the role of Watson? Or that Amanda Abbington (Mary) is Martin Freeman’s real-life partner? Flip your collar and swish that coat, as the 34th episode of ‘You Think You Know TV?’ hits the streets of London to detect some elementary facts from Sherlock.