Q 01/05

On which network did Roots first air in January 1977?

A) ABC

B) CBS

C) NBC

D) PBS

Answer · why

A) ABC

The network ran it over eight consecutive nights, partly to limit the damage if it flopped.

Q 02/05

Over how many consecutive nights was Roots originally broadcast?

A) Five

B) Eight

C) Six

D) Twelve

Answer · why

B) Eight

The BBC later screened it in six parts, the version used on home video until 2016.

Q 03/05

How many Primetime Emmy nominations did Roots receive?

A) 12

B) 21

C) 30

D) 37

Answer · why

D) 37

It won nine, plus a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award.

Q 04/05

Roughly how many viewers watched the final episode of Roots?

A) 40 million

B) 60 million

C) 80 million

D) 100 million

Answer · why

D) 100 million

An average of 80 million watched each of the last seven episodes.

Q 05/05

In which year was Alex Haley's novel Roots published?

A) 1965

B) 1970

C) 1976

D) 1981

Answer · why

C) 1976

The miniseries followed just a year later, in January 1977.