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SHOWS WITH UNUSUAL - ODD - UNFITTING TITLES

gregg75

gregg75

THE BIG BANG THEORY - Is anybody actually working on the "big bang" science
creation theory? What would be a better title for this show?

YES DEAR - What? "Life With My Brother-In-Law" would have been a more fitting title.

STILL STANDING - "You Make Me Happy" is the theme song. That sounds like a better
title for the series to me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCk2WVvNzKk

What others come to mind? I'm sure there are many.
 
I think "Three's Company" should've been called "Man about the House"

And "All In The Family," would've been much funnier if it was called "Till Death Do Us Part"

The Ted Baxter vehicle "Too Close For Comfort," should've been called "Keep It In The Family"

John Stamos and Jack Klugman's "You Again?" would be better if it was called "Home To Roost"

And if Bill Cosby hadn't been so vain, and called his second show "Cosby" he would've seen "One Foot in the Grave" would have sounded better.

;D
 
"Cosby" WAS going to be called "One Foot In The Grave," after the British original, but the original pilot tested badly. So the wife was replaced with Phylicia Rashad and the title changed to "Cosby," while the tone was softened considerably to lure in former Cosby show fans.

Actually, it was considerably more than his second show as well. There were "The Bill Cosby Show," "The Cosby Show," and "The Cosby Mysteries" before the show ever aired. And if you want to count shows without his name in the title you'd need to add "The Electric Company," "I Spy," and "You Bet Your Life" as well.

As for "Big Bang Theory," it's a pun. The Big Bang creation of the Universe and Big Bang as in sexual intercourse.
 
What others come to mind? Still waiting for some good initial examples. :). ;)
 
Mark said:
I think "Three's Company" should've been called "Man about the House"

And "All In The Family," would've been much funnier if it was called "Till Death Do Us Part"

The Ted Baxter vehicle "Too Close For Comfort," should've been called "Keep It In The Family"

John Stamos and Jack Klugman's "You Again?" would be better if it was called "Home To Roost"

And if Bill Cosby hadn't been so vain, and called his second show "Cosby" he would've seen "One Foot in the Grave" would have sounded better.

;D
Click to expand...

I know that Cosby was already discussed, but this brings up the question of why so many British shows that are brought to the US are retitled. The only major exception I can think of is The Office.
 
Pab Sungenis said:
"Cosby" WAS going to be called "One Foot In The Grave," after the British original, but the original pilot tested badly. So the wife was replaced with Phylicia Rashad and the title changed to "Cosby," while the tone was softened considerably to lure in former Cosby show fans.

Actually, it was considerably more than his second show as well. There were "The Bill Cosby Show," "The Cosby Show," and "The Cosby Mysteries" before the show ever aired.
Click to expand...

Don't forget his 1970s variety shows, "The New Bill Cosby Show" and "Cos".
 
anotherguy said:
I know that Cosby was already discussed, but this brings up the question of why so many British shows that are brought to the US are retitled. The only major exception I can think of is The Office.
Click to expand...

"Dear John," and "Men Behaving Badly" were also comedies based on British shows and not retitled.

A couple of other close ones, "Open All Night" (with the hysterical late Sam Whipple) was "Open All Hours" in the British version and I remember "The Two Of Us" (with Mimi Kennedy and the late Dana "European Vacation" Hill) was "Two's Company" in the British version.

And of course a lot of the game shows: "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," "Weakest Link," and reality shows, "Who's Line Is It Anyway," "Celebrity Fit Club" weren't changed for the American market
 
"Emily's Reasons Why Not" is an odd, unfitting title any day of the week.
 
Never heard of that.
Not sure you guys are getting the thread. Just because something is from England
and is renamed, does not make it odd.

Odd is a title that does not match the actual show.
Example: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
That show does not take place at night or involve heat.
 
gregg75 said:
Odd is a title that does not match the actual show.
Example: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
That show does not take place at night or involve heat.
Click to expand...

Based on a 1967 movie of the same name. Not odd at all.
 
azumanga said:
Pab Sungenis said:
"Cosby" WAS going to be called "One Foot In The Grave," after the British original, but the original pilot tested badly. So the wife was replaced with Phylicia Rashad and the title changed to "Cosby," while the tone was softened considerably to lure in former Cosby show fans.

Actually, it was considerably more than his second show as well. There were "The Bill Cosby Show," "The Cosby Show," and "The Cosby Mysteries" before the show ever aired.
Click to expand...

Don't forget his 1970s variety shows, "The New Bill Cosby Show" and "Cos".
Click to expand...

And Also Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.
 
Mark said:
"Dear John," and "Men Behaving Badly" were also comedies based on British shows and not retitled.

A couple of other close ones, "Open All Night" (with the hysterical late Sam Whipple) was "Open All Hours" in the British version and I remember "The Two Of Us" (with Mimi Kennedy and the late Dana "European Vacation" Hill) was "Two's Company" in the British version.

And of course a lot of the game shows: "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," "Weakest Link," and reality shows, "Who's Line Is It Anyway," "Celebrity Fit Club" weren't changed for the American market
Click to expand...

In most of the cases though these sitcoms were shows with short runs, and the game/reality shows tend to keep the original titles more. But then in the other direction Match Game was called Blankety Blank in Britain and Australia.
 
Pab Sungenis said:
As for "Big Bang Theory," it's a pun. The Big Bang creation of the Universe and Big Bang as in sexual intercourse.
Click to expand...

Intercourse. Hehe. I think its actually a fitting title, due to said innuendo. The characters aren't working on the Big Bang Theory, per se, but it seems like they're all mainly physicists, so it still works. Hey, it beats a truly fitting title like "Awkward, Horny Scientists in Pasadena".
 
gregg75 said:
Odd is a title that does not match the actual show.
Example: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
That show does not take place at night or involve heat.
Click to expand...

(facepalm)

As Pab Sungenis noted, it's a show inspired by the movie, a film that itself was based upon the novel of the same name.

The 'heat' or the 'night' aren't literal references. But to indulge just how off base your observation is--the TV show had plenty of night scenes!

Do you even know what the heck this thread is supposed to be about? ::)
 
gregg75 said:
Odd is a title that does not match the actual show.
Example: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
That show does not take place at night or involve heat.
Click to expand...

The title refers to a saying that meant if the night was hot all sorts of bad things would happen.
 
Novel or whatever, In The Heat Of The Night would be a fitting title for a show
set in muggy Savannah where folks sit on the porch and wipe the sweat or
slap mosquitoes all night. SORRY name for a book, sorry name for a show IMO.
 
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