ByJackson McHenry,
a Vulture critic covering theater, film, and TV
Who knows what this one is called, but it stars Alan Cumming!
Photo: Jeff Neumann/CBS
A genius who’s bad at dealing with people pairs up with an unlikely ally. An expert in one field turns out to be an expert in another. Someone died, but by the end of the episode, we’ll know what really happened. If you watch enough network procedural dramas, every one of them boils down to the same basic plots, and in some cases, even the same basic premise. That’s why we love them! (Which is, in turn, why network TV keeps making them.) But in this case — and given the addition of new shows like Instinct and Deception — it’s worth wondering if the names aren’t just a little bit lazy. Half of these show titles are just generic nouns! The other half are common phrases that double as puns about the main character’s name! It’s like each one was chosen by someone writing the world’s least clever crossword. Anyway, can you guess all the generic show names from their log lines?
Guess the Network Drama!
Correct! Instinct airs on CBS.
Incorrect! The answer was Instinct, which airs on CBS.
Correct! Bull airs on CBS.
Incorrect! The answer was Bull, which airs on CBS.
Correct! Time After Time premiered on ABC last year before being cancelled.
Inorrect! The answer was Time After Time, which premiered on ABC last year before being cancelled.
Correct! Deception recently premiered on ABC.
Incorrect! The answer was Deception, which recently premiered on ABC.
Correct! The Resident is currently airing on Fox.
Incorrect! The answer was The Resident, which is currently airing on Fox.
Correct! Body of Proof was on ABC from 2011 to 2013.
Inorrect! The answer was Body of Proof, which was on ABC from 2011 to 2013.
Correct! The Unit aired on CBS from 2006 to 2009.
Incorrect! The answer was The Unit, which aired on CBS from 2006 to 2009.
Correct! Without a Trace aired on CBS from 2002 to 2009.
Incorrect! The answer was Without a Trace, which aired on CBS from 2002 to 2009.
Correct! Lie to Me aired on Fox from 2009 to 2011.
Incorrect! The answer was Lie to Me, which aired on Fox from 2009 to 2011.
Correct! Blue Bloods currently airs on CBS.
Incorrect! The answer was Blue Bloods, which currently airs on CBS.
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