This is a thread about shows where they evolve (or devolve) away from their original title. They keep the title, but it doesn't seem to make sense why they kept the title. For example...

Chico and the Man - In it's fourth season, Chico was gone (Freddie Prinze died). And even though Ed once or twice referred to his replacement Raul as "Chico", that seemed to only be so they wouldn't have to change the title. The last season was more like "The Man".

Boy Meets World - By the end of the show, Cory was a man (or a man-child by the way he acted, lol). One could argue that he was still young enough to be considered a boy, but it's just that when the show started he was 12 (I believe) and the last couple seasons he was in college. So whole different show, really.

Welcome Back, Kotter - In the final season, Kotter was only in about 6 or 7 episodes. It's hardly Welcome Back, Kotter and more like Where Are You, Kotter?

S Club 7 - In the final season, Paul left the group making it six members. Yet, it was still S Club 7.

8 Simple Rules - After Paul died, there didn't seem to be any "simple rules" about anything. At that point, it had nothing to do with the book it was based on.

Well My Three Sons is a misnomer as Steve Douglas ended up with 4 sons total (adopting Ernie--yea, Mike got married and left, but that is beside the point), plus ended up with a stepdaughter in the last couple of seasons.

Another example is the British Sci Fi show, "Blakes7". There never really WERE "7" people in that group; you had to count the computers to make "7".

And after Season Two, Blake left the series, yet it was still called "Blakes7" right up until the end! :)

The obvious one to me was the sitcom "Valerie" with Valerie Harper. 'Course once she got canned they could hardly call the show her name anymore so they ended up with The Hogan Family.

The obvious one to me was the sitcom "Valerie" with Valerie Harper. 'Course once she got canned they could hardly call the show her name anymore so they ended up with The Hogan Family.
I remember they actually called the show Valerie's Family for one year before they changed it to The Hogan's. :lol:

I remember they actually called the show Valerie's Family for one year before they changed it to The Hogan's. :lol:


THAT was it! Thanks Sonny - I didn't think it looked right just as "Valerie"!!

Thx Bud! :wave:

THAT was it! Thanks Sonny - I didn't think it looked right just as "Valerie"!!

Thx Bud! :wave:
You're welcome. :) Actually the series came on the air as Valerie. Then when Valerie Harper was fired, they changed the name to Valeries Family. I remember on the theme song it said Valerie's Family: The Hogans. Then finally it became The Hogan Family. All of that because they lost the star. :lol:

Well, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch was one that didn't make sense by the last two seasons---i mean by the time the show ended Sabrina had graduated college and wasn't a teenager anymore so to call the show "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" made little sense. espeically since the actress playing her was well into her early 30's by the end of the series.

another one i think of is Empty Nest--- the title is supposed be about a guy whose family is gone and yet both daughters lived in the house with him, so how was his house an empty nest?

During the first season of 8 Simple Rules most of my friends and I were huge fans of the show. Often we used to discuss how the show would keep the title after a few years. We thought maybe there would be a focus on Rory after the girls got out of high school. But after John Ritter's death the show changed a lot and Cate wasn't extremely strict with the kids.

Adam--I remember when Freddie Prinze died :( and I wondered how they could keep going on with the show. The powers that be came up with the thought that since Chico means "boy" in spanish :confused: they could use almost anyone to replace Freddie :eek:

The show Making A Living came out in 1980 and lasted one season. The show came back in syndication from 85-89 as It's A Living.

After Sanford and Son ended, the show changed to The Sanford Arms and had a new family living in the Sanford house. The show still had Aunt Esther, Bubba, and the original theme.

In 1980 Redd Foxx was back as Fred Sanford, the show was called Sanford and was without Lamont.

I have a couple of examples.

Family Matters-During the first season of the show it focus on the Winslow family and what they went through and how they dealt with it. After season two it became the Urkel Show and mainly focused on Steve Urkel. It definitely should have stayed the way it was in the first season or changed the name to the Urkel Show.

7th Heaven-During the early seasons the show focused on the 7 Camden family members. The parents and the kids. In later years the mother got pregnant and had twins and yet they kept the name 7th Heaven. They should have changed the name or not had the mom get pregnant and have twins. There were no longer just 7 people in the house anymore, there was now 9. 9th Heaven would have sounded stupid but it wasn't 7th Heaven anymore either.

Happy Days-This show should have been changed to The Fonzie show after Richie left. After he left, it only focused on him. Happy Days just didn't fit anymore, the name made no sense after that.

Alvin and the Chipmunks - Around 1988 (S6), this show's title changed at least twice. 1st it was called simply "The Chipmunks" and by 1990 (S8), it was renamed: "The Chipmunks Go to the Movies," where every episode was a spoof of past movies.

The Real Ghostbusters (The 1980s Cartoon Series) - During 1988 (I think), the show was re-christened as "Slimer: And the Real Ghostbusters"

Good Times - When John Amos left, the show became The J.J. Show or "All About J.J." b/c most of the later episodes, espeically the ones minus John Amos became more focused on J.J.

All in the Family - When Gloria and Meathead left, it became more of the Archie and Edith show (w/ out Gloria and Meathead, instead of All in the Family), which ironically is what the 1st season of "Archie Bunker's Place" was somewhat. But when Jean Stapleton left "Archie Bunker's Place," it became more like "Just Archie Bunker."

The show Making A Living came out in 1980 and lasted one season. The show came back in syndication from 85-89 as It's A Living.




Actually--it started as It's a Living. When ABC brought it back for a second season, they retitled it, Making a Living. When the now canceled series was revived, it was under the It's a Living moniker and all the Making a Living episodes were retitled in syndicated reruns.

7th Heaven-During the early seasons the show focused on the 7 Camden family members. The parents and the kids.

That's interesting. I didn't realize that "7th Heaven" was called that because of the 7 family members!

Seinfeld - The show stopped focusing on his character's standup career and more on his crazy friends and side characters.

Saved By The Bell - By the time he entered the college years, Zack didn't have the same amount of luck that he had in high school because he couldn't talk or scheme his way of everything like he used to.

Married With Children - By the fifth season, Bud and Kelly were adults.

Leave It To Beaver - The last season was pretty much Wally's.

That's interesting. I didn't realize that "7th Heaven" was called that because of the 7 family members!

i don't think it was, i thought that was some sort of biblical reference or a play on the old saying "take me to 7th heaven".

i don't think it was, i thought that was some sort of biblical reference or a play on the old saying "take me to 7th heaven".

It was, I read an interview with Katherine Hicks who played the mother, Annie Camden. She said the name 7th Heaven was because there were seven people in the family and the father was a reverend. Basically it was like living in 7th Heaven, the 7 of them and they were a religious family. I hope that helps.

i don't think it was, i thought that was some sort of biblical reference or a play on the old saying "take me to 7th heaven".

That's what I thought, too, but either way makes sense! It's a cute name for a show!

"All In The Family" - By the time the show was finally renamed to 'Archie Bunker's Place', 'the family' had long gone without Archie.

Alvin and the Chipmunks - Around 1988 (S6), this show's title changed at least twice. 1st it was called simply "The Chipmunks" and by 1990 (S8), it was renamed: "The Chipmunks Go to the Movies," where every episode was a spoof of past movies.

Wasn't Chipmunks Go to the Movies a separate seriers from Alvin and the Chipmunks? That's what I always believed.

7th Heaven-During the early seasons the show focused on the 7 Camden family members. The parents and the kids. In later years the mother got pregnant and had twins and yet they kept the name 7th Heaven. They should have changed the name or not had the mom get pregnant and have twins. There were no longer just 7 people in the house anymore, there was now 9. 9th Heaven would have sounded stupid but it wasn't 7th Heaven anymore either.

A case could be argued for the name still fitting because by having twins, the parents ended up with seven kids. So the name 7th Heaven could be applied to the number of kids they ended up having.

When prime-time shows went to daytime network airings or into syndication,
the title was often changed. Some examples:

Bonanza became Ponderosa (not to be confused with the recent
syndicated version with a whole new cast in a "prequel"). [Actually, this
one aired on Tuesday nights and featured repeats from earlier seasons;
but only those episodes made after Pernell Roberts left the show.]
Gunsmoke became Marshall Dillon.
The Andy Griffith Show became Andy of Mayberry.
The Real McCoys was retitled simply The McCoys.
Wagon Train became Major Adams, Trailmaster.

Several network kids' shows were retitled for syndication:

Lassie was Jeff's Collie.
Fury became Brave Stallion
Captain Midnight was also known as Jet Jackson, Flying Commando (because the former was too closely linked to sponsor Ovaltine)
Rocky & His Friends became simply The Rocky Show (while at
the same time ABC was airing reruns of The Bullwinkle Show, which had debuted in prime-time on NBC under that title in the fall of 1961)
King Leonardo & His Short Subjects was shortened to The King & Odie.

"Hawaii Five-O" became "McGarrett" for CBS Late Night reruns of the final season (1979-80) starting around 1984, I believe.

When prime-time shows went to daytime network airings or into syndication,
the title was often changed. Some examples:

Bonanza became Ponderosa (not to be confused with the recent
syndicated version with a whole new cast in a "prequel"). [Actually, this
one aired on Tuesday nights and featured repeats from earlier seasons;
but only those episodes made after Pernell Roberts left the show.]
Gunsmoke became Marshall Dillon.
The Andy Griffith Show became Andy of Mayberry.
The Real McCoys was retitled simply The McCoys.
Wagon Train became Major Adams, Trailmaster.

Several network kids' shows were retitled for syndication:

Lassie was Jeff's Collie.
Fury became Brave Stallion
Captain Midnight was also known as Jet Jackson, Flying Commando (because the former was too closely linked to sponsor Ovaltine)
Rocky & His Friends became simply The Rocky Show (while at
the same time ABC was airing reruns of The Bullwinkle Show, which had debuted in prime-time on NBC under that title in the fall of 1961)
King Leonardo & His Short Subjects was shortened to The King & Odie.

and didn't The Carol Burnett Show become Carol Burnett and Friends for syndication when it aired on The Family Channel in the late 80's/early 90's?

"Seaquest DSV" became "Seaquest: 2032" for its final season.

Well "Good Morning Miss Bliss" had to be changed over to "Saved By the Bell" in order for the show to continue without Miss Bliss.

The "Torkelsons" changed to "Almost Home" minus two Torkelson kids.

Happy Days-This show should have been changed to The Fonzie show after Richie left. After he left, it only focused on him. Happy Days just didn't fit anymore, the name made no sense after that.

The producers considered changing the show's title to The Fonzie Show after the Fonzie character became popular, but I think it was Tom Bosley and Ron Howard who put their foot to the idea. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Wasn't Chipmunks Go to the Movies a separate seriers from Alvin and the Chipmunks? That's what I always believed.

If you're referring to the 1983-91 run, then the final season (1990-91) was actually called "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Go to the Movies."

Why? B/C every episode in that entire final season was a spoof of a classic movie.


And speaking of long-running cartoons:

I always thought the final season (1989-90) of "The Smurfs" should've been called "The Smurfs: Time Travel Adeventures," b/c every episode in that final season had them traveling far away from Smurf Village back to various places back in time.

Well My Three Sons is a misnomer as Steve Douglas ended up with 4 sons total (adopting Ernie--yea, Mike got married and left, but that is beside the point), plus ended up with a stepdaughter in the last couple of seasons.

All too true. However, it's worth pointing out that Katie gave birth to triplet sons, reinforcing the My Three Sons title for herself and husband Robbie...! The triplets were on for several seasons.

The producers considered changing the show's title to The Fonzie Show after the Fonzie character became popular, but I think it was Tom Bosley and Ron Howard who put their foot to the idea. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

Henry Winkler was also against the idea of changing the show to 'Fonzie's Happy Days' (along with Ron Howard). I've read this in several old articles.