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TV Shows With Odd Or Precocious Titles

Inspired by the new ABC series "Conveyor Belt of Love," I wanted to start this thread to compile a list of series with weird titles.

Starting with another ABC show, "Emily's Reasons Why Not" - which lasted all of one episode. Just the title alone boggles the mind.

Then there is another show that was on Fox many years ago, "Ryan Caulfield: Year One." Pretty smug, if you ask me, to include the year in the title of your show, expecting that it will continue for several seasons. (Needless to say, this show lasted less than a year - which means no "Year Two" for Mr. Caulfield.)

Everyone else, feel free to add to the thread.
 
Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter or whatever the title was, of the last show that John Ritter ever did.

Whew! a TV game show whose title you pronounced by making a "whooshing" noise, not actually using your vocal chords.

James at 15, which changed to James at 16 in its second season, and would be James at 47 if it were still on! :eek:

Valerie, Valerie's Family, The Hogan Family, the ever-changing name of the TV show after its star left!
 
It was actually 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter, which also gave us Kaley Cuoco. Sadly, when John Ritter passed away, the show went downhill. :(
 
KML-224 said:
It was actually 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter, which also gave us Kaley Cuoco. Sadly, when John Ritter passed away, the show went downhill. :(
How much longer did that show go on after he died? I remembered that I had basically quit watching it even before he died, because I had lost interest in it, although I tuned back in (briefly) when I heard about the rerun of the Three's Company-themed episode.

Kaley Cuoco had previously played Marcia in one of those TV movies about the behind-the-scenes stuff that went on at The Brady Bunch. At least, I think that was Kaley Cuoco.
 
What's odder than "No Soap, Radio"?

Also, someone on one of these threads wanted to
know the meaning of "You Bet Your Life." All I know,
from Bob Dwan's book about the show, is that the
title came from the show's original game format:
couples were given $20 and could bet any or all
of it on each of four questions in their chosen category.
 
...of course, Monty Python's Flying Circus had no circus acts, wasn't about aviation and had nobody on the staff actually named Monty Python ;-) ...
 
Corky Marlowe said:
How about the British rock & roll show from the 70's, "The Old Grey Whistle Test"?

Given only the title, how many people would know that "Ready, Steady, Go!"
was a rock & roll show?
 
Though not a real show, but a panel discussion skit on SNL:

You Can Pick Your Nose, You Can Pick Your Friends, But You Can't Pick Your Friends' Noses
 
One title that quickly comes to mind was the short-lived ABC sitcom, "Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)" that aired as a mid-season replacement during the 2001-02 season. If memory serves correct, the show (about a ficticious TV network) was pulled after three low-rated episodes and then returned for a summer burn-off of two more episodes under the title, "My Adventures in Television." All episodes, under both titles, aired -- you guessed it -- at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.
 
Two titles that spring to my mind are:
- Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour (syndicated, 1972-73)
- ½ Hour Comedy Hour (ABC, 1983)
 
firepoint525 said:
KML-224 said:
It was actually 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter, which also gave us Kaley Cuoco. Sadly, when John Ritter passed away, the show went downhill. :(
How much longer did that show go on after he died? I remembered that I had basically quit watching it even before he died, because I had lost interest in it, although I tuned back in (briefly) when I heard about the rerun of the Three's Company-themed episode.

Kaley Cuoco had previously played Marcia in one of those TV movies about the behind-the-scenes stuff that went on at The Brady Bunch. At least, I think that was Kaley Cuoco.

I believe Ritter died during rehearsal of the 3rd episode of season 2. The show went into a 2 or 3 week hiatus then came back with two "dad died" episodes which were beautifully performed and a tribute to John.

Although the show was definitely different after John's death it did have several unexpected surprises. Katey Sagal came into her own as the lead in the show and the addition of James Garner as the grandfather added depth. One cast addition that didn't add anything of value, IMHO, was David Spade.

8 Rules ended after season 3 reportedly because Sagal wanted to pursue her singing career. Kaley Cuoco went on to "Charmed" which was cancelled. In 2007 she starred in a TV movie "Fat Like Me" which did show her talents much more so than her former sitcoms. She is now starring in "Big Bang Theory" but, again IMHO, isn't used to her full capacity.
 
wbhist said:
Two titles that spring to my mind are:
- Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour (syndicated, 1972-73)
- ½ Hour Comedy Hour (ABC, 1983)

Well, in that case, let's not forget Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour (ABC, 1970). ;)
 
What about the short-lived game show called "The Magnificent Marble Machine" hosted by Art James? Contestants answered questions for a chance to play a HUGE pinball machine in the bonus round. I'm not making this stuff up. ;)

It might work today if the player could somehow win $1 million!!
 
milwaukee_dave said:
One title that quickly comes to mind was the short-lived ABC sitcom, "Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)" that aired as a mid-season replacement during the 2001-02 season. If memory serves correct, the show (about a ficticious TV network) was pulled after three low-rated episodes and then returned for a summer burn-off of two more episodes under the title, "My Adventures in Television." All episodes, under both titles, aired -- you guessed it -- at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.

I remember a short-lived ABC show that also aired on Nick at Nite in 1991. ABC only carried the first 6 episodes, while Nick at Nite carried all 13 episodes. That show was Hi Honey, I'm Home. That was one of the dumbest shows I ever saw. A show about a TV family show was cancelled, and they enter the real world. They made it look like people live in the TV world, and when their show is cancelled, they go live in the real world, and can't easily deal with the real world. Elaine Duff (the modern world mother) & Honey Neilson (the 50's stay at home mother) were the oddest neighbors & friends. Elaine couldn't see that Honey was living in the past with her look, family look, and the home? Also, the Neilsons supposedly knew different TV families & characters. Could you imagine what the world would be like if this were real? We'd have a whacked up world (other than what it is now).
 
Dave said:
I remember a short-lived ABC show that also aired on Nick at Nite in 1991. ABC only carried the first 6 episodes, while Nick at Nite carried all 13 episodes. That show was Hi Honey, I'm Home. A show about a TV family show was cancelled, and they enter the real world. They made it look like people live in the TV world, and when their show is cancelled, they go live in the real world, and can't easily deal with the real world.

In addition, the TV family still lived in black-and-white, while everyone else was in living color.
 
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