“Think You Remember Your Favorite Shows?”: Prove It With This 20-Character Career Quiz

Think you know your favorite TV shows inside and out?

It’s easy to remember the big moments—the dramatic finales, hilarious one-liners, unforgettable romances, and shocking plot twists. But what about the careers of the characters who made those moments possible?

From doctors and lawyers to teachers, detectives, journalists, chefs, and completely unexpected professions, television characters have had some memorable—and sometimes surprisingly complicated—career paths.

This 20-character career quiz puts your memory to the test.

How Well Do You Remember Them?

For each question, identify the TV character based on their profession or career.

1. Which character worked as a forensic blood-spatter analyst while secretly living a double life?

A) Dexter Morgan
B) Don Draper
C) Gregory House
D) Saul Goodman

2. Which character was a chemistry teacher who eventually became involved in the drug trade?

A) Walter White
B) Jack Shephard
C) Michael Scott
D) Tony Stark

3. Which character worked as a paper-company regional manager and became famous for his unusual management style?

A) Phil Dunphy
B) Michael Scott
C) Ted Mosby
D) Barney Stinson

4. Which character was a brilliant but unconventional diagnostician at a teaching hospital?

A) Meredith Grey
B) Gregory House
C) Jimmy McGill
D) Don Draper

5. Which character worked as an advertising executive on Madison Avenue?

A) Don Draper
B) Dexter Morgan
C) Jim Halpert
D) Harvey Specter

6. Which character began his career as a lawyer before adopting the professional name Saul Goodman?

A) Mike Ross
B) Jimmy McGill
C) Harvey Specter
D) Perry Mason

7. Which character worked as a high-powered corporate attorney in New York?

A) Harvey Specter
B) Michael Scott
C) Walter White
D) Jon Snow

8. Which character was known for working as a school teacher before becoming involved in supernatural adventures?

A) Buffy Summers
B) Mr. Feeny
C) Coach Taylor
D) Eric Forman

9. Which character worked as an architect and often struggled to balance his professional ambitions with family life?

A) Ted Mosby
B) Don Draper
C) Jack Ryan
D) Sherlock Holmes

10. Which character worked as a journalist and became involved in investigating major mysteries?

A) Rory Gilmore
B) Nancy Drew
C) Lois Lane
D) All of the above

11. Which character was a surgeon whose career was central to the story of a long-running medical drama?

A) Meredith Grey
B) Carrie Bradshaw
C) Claire Underwood
D) Peggy Olson

12. Which character worked as a fashion writer and columnist in New York City?

A) Carrie Bradshaw
B) Rachel Green
C) Lorelai Gilmore
D) Blair Waldorf

13. Which character started out working in a coffee shop before pursuing a career in fashion?

A) Monica Geller
B) Rachel Green
C) Phoebe Buffay
D) Jess Day

14. Which character was a chef whose professional ambitions played an important role in the series?

A) Carmy Berzatto
B) Don Draper
C) Ted Lasso
D) Sheldon Cooper

15. Which character became a professional football coach after an unexpected career opportunity took him overseas?

A) Ted Lasso
B) Coach Taylor
C) Phil Dunphy
D) Jack Shephard

16. Which character worked as a real-estate agent and was known for his enthusiastic personality?

A) Phil Dunphy
B) Michael Scott
C) Chandler Bing
D) Joey Tribbiani

17. Which character worked as a detective while investigating strange and often supernatural cases?

A) Fox Mulder
B) Jim Halpert
C) Ted Mosby
D) Leonard Hofstadter

18. Which character was a police detective known for solving crimes while secretly being a serial killer?

A) Dexter Morgan
B) Sherlock Holmes
C) Rust Cohle
D) Frank Underwood

19. Which character worked as a political operative before becoming President of the United States?

A) Frank Underwood
B) Don Draper
C) Walter White
D) Saul Goodman

20. Which character was a brilliant consulting detective who made his living solving unusual cases?

A) Sherlock Holmes
B) Gregory House
C) Harvey Specter
D) Mike Ross

Answer Key

1. A — Dexter Morgan
2. A — Walter White
3. B — Michael Scott
4. B — Gregory House
5. A — Don Draper
6. B — Jimmy McGill
7. A — Harvey Specter
8. C — Coach Taylor
9. A — Ted Mosby
10. D — All of the above
11. A — Meredith Grey
12. A — Carrie Bradshaw
13. B — Rachel Green
14. A — Carmy Berzatto
15. A — Ted Lasso
16. A — Phil Dunphy
17. A — Fox Mulder
18. A — Dexter Morgan
19. A — Frank Underwood
20. A — Sherlock Holmes

How Did You Score?

17–20: TV Career Expert
You don’t just remember the characters—you remember what they actually did for a living. Your television memory is seriously impressive.

13–16: Dedicated Viewer
You know your favorite shows well, although a few career details may have slipped through the cracks.

9–12: Casual Fan
You recognize the characters, but their professional lives might be a little hazier than their most memorable storylines.

0–8: Time for a Rewatch
Don’t worry—there’s only one solution. Pick a favorite show, settle in, and start watching again.

The Real Challenge

The most interesting thing about television careers isn’t simply remembering someone’s job. Many of these characters changed professions, lost jobs, started businesses, switched careers, or discovered that their dream job wasn’t what they expected.

That’s part of what makes fictional careers so memorable.

A character’s profession often becomes an important part of their personality and storyline. A doctor’s career can create life-or-death drama. A detective’s job can drive an entire mystery. A lawyer’s work can create complicated moral dilemmas. And sometimes, an ordinary job becomes the starting point for an extraordinary story.

So, how many did you get right?

Share your score and challenge a fellow TV fan to beat it.