# TV shows that changed names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217 "2010-05-12T20:43:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/1 "2010-05-12T20:43:43Z")
I can think of a few: A sitcom called _ **These Friends of Mine** _ debuted a few months before another one with a similar name, and when the latter became a smash hit, the former was renamed for its star: _ **Ellen** _. When Valerie Harper was fired from _her own self-titled show_, _ **Valerie** _ became _ **Valerie’s Family** _ and later _ **The Hogan Family** _. A short-lived sitcom called _ **Cursed** _ was so named because of the premise that the lead character was living under a curse placed on him by an ex-girlfriend. Hilarity did not ensue, so they dumped the premise and re-christened it _ **The Weber Show** _ (after star Steven Weber). It still died after less than a full season. _ **Saturday Night Live** _ was called _ **NBC’s Saturday Night** _ during its first season. 10 points to the first doper who can explain why. What other examples are there? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/2 "2010-05-12T20:45:00Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > _ **Saturday Night Live** _ was called _ **NBC’s Saturday Night** _ during its first season. 10 points to the first doper who can explain why. IIRC, there was another show on the air called _Saturday Night Live_. ETA: Ah, yes, here we go: [Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_with_Howard_Cosell) Also, even though Pardo announced it as “NBC’s Saturday Night,” the title card only said _Saturday Night_. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/3 "2010-05-12T20:49:15Z")
_Seinfeld_ was originally _The Seinfeld Chronicles_, I’m told. I never actually saw anything with that name on it. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/4 "2010-05-12T20:50:31Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > IIRC, there was another show on the air called _Saturday Night Live_. > > ETA: Ah, yes, here we go: [Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_with_Howard_Cosell) > > Also, even though Pardo announced it as “NBC’s Saturday Night,” the title card only said _Saturday Night_. I was going to award you only 5 points until you came up with the link. Yep, a variety show hosted by Howard Cosell. Amazing it didn’t last. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/5 "2010-05-12T20:52:58Z")
Because it would have been very odd to bill it as CBS’s Saturday Night when it was produced and aired by NBC? (How much is a cookie in points?) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/6 "2010-05-12T20:53:13Z")
NCIS used to be Navy NCIS, which is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/7 "2010-05-12T20:55:05Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > _Seinfeld_ was originally _The Seinfeld Chronicles_, I’m told. I never actually saw anything with that name on it. Just the pilot episode had the different title – which, in kind of a throwback, aired _before_ the series was picked up. But I’ll allow it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/8 "2010-05-12T21:05:36Z")
“_Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place_” proved to be too many syllables for the unwashed massed, and was rechristened, “_Two Guys and a Girl_.” (Actually, in-show changes ended up with characters no longer working at the titular pizzaria, so the old title didn’t make any sense, much like _Valerie_.) ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/9 "2010-05-12T21:11:56Z")
A spin-off of the Columbo detective series featuring “Mrs. Columbo” was first given that title. Critical savaging of the show quickly followed, and references to Kate Mulgrew being Columbo’s husband were dropped. The series was subsequently renamed _Kate the Detective_ and _Kate Loves a Mystery_, but it was ultimately cancelled after 13 episodes. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/10 "2010-05-12T21:18:00Z")
The most famous bomb in television history is undoubtedly _You’re in the Picture_, a game show hosted by Jackie Gleason that debuted in March of 1961. The premiere episode was so embarrassingly bad that Gleason appeared on a bare set for the second episode and devoted the entire 30 minutes apologizing for it. Critics said this was considerably more entertaining. Subsequently, the series was renamed _The Jackie Gleason Show_, and the format was changed to a talk/interview program. But as it remained in the same time slot, it technically was the same show. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/11 "2010-05-12T21:21:23Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Critical savaging of the show quickly followed, and references to Kate Mulgrew being Columbo’s husband were dropped. Thank god, because that’s confusing on multiple levels. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/12 "2010-05-12T21:34:24Z")
They’re now talking about changing the name of Cougar Town because the whole Courtney Cox dating younger men premise was dropped after about six episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/13 "2010-05-12T22:05:51Z")
Robert Conrad’s **Ba Ba Black Sheep** became **Black Sheep Squadron**. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/14 "2010-05-12T22:06:51Z")
Not sure if this is what the OP is looking for, but it gives me a chance to ask a question I’ve wondered about for awhile. Why, when a show goes into syndication, does it sometimes change names to something similar but not quite the same? The two examples I can think of offhand are “What’s Happening?” which became “What’s Happening Now?” in syndication, and “It’s a Living,” which became “Making a Living.” I think I also saw “Happy Days” become “Happy Days Again,” but I might just be dreaming that one–in any case, it certainly wasn’t widespread. I’m sure about the other two. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/15 "2010-05-12T22:09:28Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > The two examples I can think of offhand are “What’s Happening?” which became “What’s Happening Now?” in syndication, and “It’s a Living,” which became “Making a Living.” FWIW, [What’s Happening Now](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088640/) was a “sequel” and [Wikipedia sez](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_a_Living_%281980_TV_series%29#Title_changes) _It’s a Living_ changed it’s name after it’s first season. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/16 "2010-05-12T22:45:01Z")
**James at 15** became **James at 16** ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/17 "2010-05-12T22:51:57Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > Not sure if this is what the OP is looking for, but it gives me a chance to ask a question I’ve wondered about for awhile. > > Why, when a show goes into syndication, does it sometimes change names to something similar but not quite the same? > > The two examples I can think of offhand are “What’s Happening?” which became “What’s Happening Now?” in syndication, and “It’s a Living,” which became “Making a Living.” > > I think I also saw “Happy Days” become “Happy Days Again,” but I might just be dreaming that one–in any case, it certainly wasn’t widespread. I’m sure about the other two. There was also CHiPs Patrol (which is California Highway Patrol Patrol) when it was in syndication while first run eps still played on NBC. Emergency was called Emergency One (which is the title that I was familiar with growing up). It sometimes happened to shows that were syndicated as well as on networks in primetime to differentiate them. You don’t see that so much any more. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/18 "2010-05-12T23:00:59Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > Not sure if this is what the OP is looking for, but it gives me a chance to ask a question I’ve wondered about for awhile. > > Why, when a show goes into syndication, does it sometimes change names to something similar but not quite the same? > > The two examples I can think of offhand are “What’s Happening?” which became “What’s Happening Now?” in syndication, and “It’s a Living,” which became “Making a Living.” > > I think I also saw “Happy Days” become “Happy Days Again,” but I might just be dreaming that one–in any case, it certainly wasn’t widespread. I’m sure about the other two. Like **KneadToKnow** said, \*What’s Happenning _and What’s Happening Now were actually two different shows. But you’re right, it used to be that if a show went into syndication while still airing original episodes on a network, the syndicated version got a new title. Thus: Happy Days (Again), Emergency (One), Laverne and Shirley (and Company)… I have no cite for this, but going from memory, I think it was MASH_ that pushed back on this rule and refused to syndicate unless the title was unchanged. They won that battle, and since then shows have gone into syndication with their original titles. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/19 "2010-05-12T23:12:15Z")
“You’ll Never Get Rich” was changed to “The Phil Silvers Show.” But most people just call it “Sgt. Bilko” which was never it’s official title. ---
**Author:** ![ScatteredFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@ScatteredFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScatteredFrog)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217/20 "2010-05-13T00:01:53Z")
I got a really obscure (read: “bad”) one for ya… A syndicated show from the late '80s called _Second Chance_ – about a guy who died but St. Peter couldn’t make up his mind (too bad for heaven, too good for hell), so he put the guy back on earth as a guardian angel to a teenager and his Fonz-like friend. Amazingly, this show got renewed for another season and they dropped the whole guardian angel premise, and the show was renamed _Boys Will Be Boys_. Oh…and Dana Carvey’s short-lived variety show was renamed every week – but maybe that doesn’t count because it was named _(place brand name here) Presents The Dana Carvey Show_, and each brand name every week was actually owned by the same company. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-names/539217.md?page=2)