I know in TV there have been many shows which have changed their title either during their run, or shortly before they aired. I started a short list, please add any others...


"Ellen" was actually a sitcom titled "These Friends of Mine" for it's first brief season (March 1994). The network later retitled the show when it returned for season 2 in September, 1994. .

"Seinfeld" actually premiered as "The Seinfeld Chronicles" sitcom on NBC in July, 1989. Once the show was added to the schedule that September, NBC retitled it "Seinfeld", not to be confused with ABC's "The Marshall Chronicles".

"Dynasty", ABC's answer to "Dallas", was originally titled "Oil", but was renamed "Dynasty" before it aired on January 12, 1981.

Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place became Two Guys and a Girl.

Baa Baa Black Sheep became Black Sheep Squadron.

Anyone remember when ABC used to show Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley weekday mornings mixed in with their game shows? For those broadcasts the on screen titles changed to: Happy Days Again and Laverne & Shirley and Company. Three's Company was also broadcast, but I cannot recall its title change.

YES! I do remember the daytime airings of 'Laverne and Shirley and Company' as well as 'Happy Days Again'! Why did ABC do this?

I know in TV there have been many shows which have changed their title either during their run, or shortly before they aired. I started a short list, please add any others...


"Ellen" was actually a sitcom titled "These Friends of Mine" for it's first brief season (March 1994). The network later retitled the show when it returned for season 2 in September, 1994. .

"Seinfeld" actually premiered as "The Seinfeld Chronicles" sitcom on NBC in July, 1989. Once the show was added to the schedule that September, NBC retitled it "Seinfeld", not to be confused with ABC's "The Marshall Chronicles".

"Dynasty", ABC's answer to "Dallas", was originally titled "Oil", but was renamed "Dynasty" before it aired on January 12, 1981.
The Colbys was originally Dynasty II: The Colbys

I know in TV there have been many shows which have changed their title either during their run, or shortly before they aired. I started a short list, please add any others...


"Ellen" was actually a sitcom titled "These Friends of Mine" for it's first brief season (March 1994). The network later retitled the show when it returned for season 2 in September, 1994. .

"Seinfeld" actually premiered as "The Seinfeld Chronicles" sitcom on NBC in July, 1989. Once the show was added to the schedule that September, NBC retitled it "Seinfeld", not to be confused with ABC's "The Marshall Chronicles".

"Dynasty", ABC's answer to "Dallas", was originally titled "Oil", but was renamed "Dynasty" before it aired on January 12, 1981.
Saved by the Bell was originally Good Morning Miss Biss

YES! I do remember the daytime airings of 'Laverne and Shirley and Company' as well as 'Happy Days Again'! Why did ABC do this?
Sometimes when shows go into syndication while they're still primetime, they change the title for the syndicated episodes. ABC had nothing to do with it.

The Andy Griffith Show's syndicated title was Andy of Mayberry, when syndicated episodes aired while still a primetime series.

Laverne & Shirley became Laverne & Company, after Cindy Williams left the show in the middle of the last season.

I Love Lucy became The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour
The Lucy Show became Here's Lucy
All in the Family became Archie Bunkers Place
Three's Company became Three's A Crowd
The Golden Girls becameThe Golden Palace

Valerie became Valerie's Family which then became The Hogan Family

The Misadventures Of Sheriff Lobo was renamed Lobo during its second season, Soldier Of Fortune inc was renamed Special Operations Force in its second season, and Magnum P.I was later shortened to Magnum.

I didn't know that about Dynasty originally being called "Oil". I'm glad they changed the name.

I didn't know that about Dynasty originally being called "Oil". I'm glad they changed the name.


Yes! Aside from "Oil" being changed...

Actor George Peppard was originally cast as Blake Carrington, but didn't do well with test audiences (so John Forsythe got the role).

Angie Dickinson was the actress they had in mind to play Krystle, but she didn't want to commit to series television so soon (she had finished a long run of 'Ploice Woman' a few years earlier). Linda Evans got the role.

Sophia Loren was the original choice to play Alexis Carrington, Liz Taylor was the second choice, and because they both refused - Joan Collins was lucky number 3.

Saved by the Bell was originally Good Morning Miss Biss

Actually, Good Morning Miss Bliss was a different series altogether. It has its differences from the regular SBTB in that the location is different and similar things like that. It originally aired on Disney Channel, I believe, but once it was cancelled Brandon Tartikoff revived the idea and changed it to the 5 season show that was later on NBC.

Just for reference, according to Wikipedia:

Saved by the Bell is an American sitcom that originally aired between 1989 and 1993. The series is a retooled version of the 1988 series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was itself later retconned into the history of Saved by the Bell. The series followed the exploits of several students along with their principal at Bayside High School.

Also, [edit]
Saved by the Bell originated in an NBC pilot entitled Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was inspired by then NBC president Brandon Tartikoff's teachers from his past. The show was set in Indianapolis, Indiana. NBC decided not to pick up the pilot, but Disney Channel did and aired the series for one season. Unlike the series that followed, the intention was to focus on the life of the teacher Miss Bliss, played by Hayley Mills, as the main character. The characters of Zack Morris, Samuel "Screech" Powers, Lisa Turtle and Mr. Richard Belding all originated on the series; other main characters, including other classmates Nikki Coleman (Heather Hopper), Mikey Gonzalez (Max Battimo) and maintenance supervisor Mylo Williams (T. K. Carter) were discontinued when the show changed direction. Jaleel White, Brian Austin Green and Jonathan Brandis all had roles in the pilot episode.

The show was canceled after 13 episodes and the rights were acquired by NBC, which had reconsidered the matter. Seeing that it had merit, they decided to revamp and recreate the series. Executive Producer Peter Engel wanted the show to be called When the Bell Rings, but Tartikoff convinced him to go with the title Saved by the Bell.[1]

Yes! Aside from "Oil" being changed...

Actor George Peppard was originally cast as Blake Carrington, but didn't do well with test audiences (so John Forsythe got the role).

Test audiences had nothing to do with it, Peppard was canned because he couldn't get along with the series producers.

In it's last season Little House on the Prairie was retitled Little House: A New Beginning.

The Andy Griffith Show became Mayberry R.F.D. after Andy Griffith left the show.

Roseanne was originally gonna be called Life and Stuff. But they changed it to Roseanne before it aired.

One Tree Hill was originally supposed to be called Ravens.

Anyone remember when ABC used to show Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley weekday mornings mixed in with their game shows? For those broadcasts the on screen titles changed to: Happy Days Again and Laverne & Shirley and Company. Three's Company was also broadcast, but I cannot recall its title change.

Well I can't recall what happened to TC, but I do remember that when ABC reran Three's a Crowd on their daytime sked, it was referred to as Three's Company Too, I think.

Also, when the CBS reran the final season of Hawaii Five-O on their late night broadcasts in the '80s, they retitled the final season eps. as "MacGarrett."

Sometimes when shows go into syndication while they're still primetime, they change the title for the syndicated episodes. ABC had nothing to do with it.

The Andy Griffith Show's syndicated title was Andy of Mayberry, when syndicated episodes aired while still a primetime series.

Did those titles turn up in syndication for HD and L&S? I've never seen them reran anywhere in any area I've lived like that, while the series where still broadcast in primetime. This was ABC broadcasting those shows in their morning daytime line up, NOT regular cross country local station syndication.

"My Girls" became "Living Single".

"The Black Family" was changed to "Good Times".

"Trophy Wife" has been changed to "Megan wants a millionare".

Did 'Beverly Hills 90210' OFFICIALLY change it's name to the shorter '90210', or is that just the way it was referred to in the media?

I thought of this one as well as 'Melrose Place' (I'm pretty positive that show had another working title before it became 'Melrose Place').

It was always fully titled Beverly Hills 90210. The media nicknamed it "90210".

The pilot for The Dick Van Dyke Show was titled Head of the Family. While that's a different case than for an existing show changing its title, the pilot did have the same premise and several of the same characters.

I might add that preliminary titles for Petticoat Junction included "Whistle Stop" and "Ozark Widow."

Parker Lewis Can't Lose became just plain 'ole "Parker Lewis" after the 1st season.

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YES! I do remember the daytime airings of 'Laverne and Shirley and Company' as well as 'Happy Days Again'! Why did ABC do this?

From what I remember, ABC didn't rename the shows for its network daytime reruns. Paramount renamed the shows for syndication while the original shows were still in production, most likely to prevent confusion w/ the still-running primetime versions.

Almost 30 years ago I was a college library and was looking at the first season episodes of "Happy Days." I wanted to see the airdate of episodes (no internet to do that with back then).

And I noticed the first 3-4 episodes were called "The Happy Days." This was from the TV listing in the Los Angeles Times.

Did 'Beverly Hills 90210' OFFICIALLY change it's name to the shorter '90210', or is that just the way it was referred to in the media?

I thought of this one as well as 'Melrose Place' (I'm pretty positive that show had another working title before it became 'Melrose Place').

Well the original title of 90210 was "Class Of Beverly Hills" but the network hated the title (which later became the title of one of the first season episodes) and it was changed to "Beverly Hills, 90210". It never changed it's title to "90210" the media just always called it that.

As far as i know, Melrose Place was always called "Melrose Place".

IIRC, 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter changed to 8 Simple Rules after John Ritter died.

IIRC, 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter changed to 8 Simple Rules after John Ritter died.

in fact you do remember correctly. it did change it's name to 8 simple rules!

IIRC, 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter changed to 8 Simple Rules after John Ritter died.

in fact you do remember correctly. it did change it's name to 8 simple rules!

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries became The Hardy Boys Mysteries when "Nancy Drew" was dropped for its third (and final) season.

"These Friends of Mine: (the better version) became "Ellen"

"Its A Living" changed to "Making A Living", then was back to its original name when it was revived a couple of years after the first run.

"Sanford and Son" was revived as "The Sanford Arms"

"What's Happening" was retitled to "What's Happening Now" when it was revived in the late 80's / Early 90's

the original "Battlestar Galactica" was renamed "Galactica 1980" when it relaunched for season 3

The relaunching of a TV Star Trek series, in the 70's, was originally titled Star Trek: Phase II. But that story line was later taken by the First ST Movie and, as we all know, the second ST series bcame known as ST:TNG.

"Gary Unmarried" was introduced as "Project Gary" during last years Upfronts, but changed the name of the show before premiering in the Fall of '08.

This also happened with the CW's "Priviliged". Its original title was "Surviving the Filthy Rich"

Of course, we could spend a whole thread on cartoons and Kids programming. The Power Rangers alone have had about a dozen different titles.

"Sabrina the Teenage Witch" was shortened to "Sabrina" after Sabrina started college, but I don't know if that was an official change or just a media thing.

Supposedly the final season (1970-71) of "The Virginian" was retitled as "The Men from Shiloh."

I thought "Airwolf" should've changed their title when they moved from CBS to USA, b/c that whole final season during the USA-era was nothing at all like its CBS-era counterpart. The whole cast from the CBS-era was axed, they used a lot of stock footage (heck, they even used stock footage from Magnum, P.I. for car explosion scenes, which ironically was also created by Donald Bellasario) and drastically cheap production values.

The 2003-04 revival of "Dragnet" became "L.A. Dragnet" for its 2nd season and in a baaaaad way, too, b/c Ed O'Neill appeared less and less, new unnecessary characters were added, and the show became another lame clone of "Law and Order."

"Sabrina the Teenage Witch" was shortened to "Sabrina" after Sabrina started college, but I don't know if that was an official change or just a media thing.'


What it was that the WB wanted to offically change the name of the show from "Sabrina the Teenage witch" to "Sabrina" but Archie Comics who owns the rights to the name wouldn't let them. So they basically in promos only called it "Sabrina" but the offical title was still Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.

Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place became Two Guys and a Girl.
sounds like a porno movie

I Love Lucy became The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour

I'm no Lucy expert but I remember hearing that The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour was what it was called in syndication.

I'm not sure on the exact title but wasn't it called, when it orginally aired, "The Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Show"?

yes, I think it was. I know that it originally aired once a month as part of an anthology series called "THE DESILU PLAYHOUSE".

the pilot episode of "THE TWILIGHT ZONE" had a different title but I forget what it was.

"THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW" was originally titled "THE CALVACADE OF STARS" when it was on the Dumont network.

"THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES" was originally going to be called "HEAD FOR THE HILLS", "THE HILLBILLIES", or "THE HILLBILLIES OF BEVERLY HILLS" (they did name the pilot that, however)

"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" was called "NBC SATURDAY NIGHT" for its first season because ABC also had a show that was also broadcast live from New York and called "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE". But then it was cannceled, freeing up the title.

"SCTV" became "SCTV NETWORK 90" when NBC added it to their late night schedule and expanded it to 90 minutes in 1980.


The working title for "BEWITCHED" was "THE WITCH OF WESTPORT" and the working title for "CHARLIES ANGELS" was "ALLEY CATS".


Just recently, NBC changed the title of their short-lived show "CURSED" to "THE WEBER SHOW".

sounds like a porno movie
:brent
Oh Lord, now I'm never going to be able to watch that show again without thinking about that!!!

the pilot episode of "THE TWILIGHT ZONE" had a different title but I forget what it was.

The Twilight Zone never had a different title unless you count the 4th season when the word 'The' was dropped.

From what I remember, ABC didn't rename the shows for its network daytime reruns. Paramount renamed the shows for syndication while the original shows were still in production, most likely to prevent confusion w/ the still-running primetime versions.

Not in my area. The weekday (4 to 5 pm) local syndication prints of Happy Days and L & S kept their original titles, while the versions that aired here on ABC weekday mornings had the renamed versions.

Enterprise became Star Trek: Enterprise at the start of the third season. I'm not sure why they dropped the Star Trek title at first.

sounds like a porno movie
:lol:

yes, I think it was. I know that it originally aired once a month as part of an anthology series called "THE DESILU PLAYHOUSE".
Yes, you are correct.

The Lucy Show became Here's Lucy


Those were two completely different shows. I don't know why certain publications insist on making them one show.

"Sanford and Son" was revived as "The Sanford Arms"

Then I believe it was called "Sanford" which last aired on BET


"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" was called "NBC SATURDAY NIGHT" for its first season because ABC also had a show that was also broadcast live from New York and called "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE".
But then it was cannceled, freeing up the title.

It is called SNL now right ??

Golden Girls became The Golden Palace after Bea Arthur left the show.

"Sabrina the Teenage Witch" was shortened to "Sabrina" after Sabrina started college, but I don't know if that was an official change or just a media thing.


It wasn't officially changed by exec's, but people started referring to it as that because she was no longer a teenager, nor did she use her powers. People also call it that for short.

i know many indian TV shows ,and dramas changes their titles

The Disney cartoon Gargoyles became Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles for its third (and final) season.

The Maury Povich Show was changed to Maury.

"Pound Puppies" (the cartoon) changed its title to "The All-New Pound Puppies" and also changed their format as well.

"The All-New Popeye Hour" became "The Popeye and Olive Oyl Show" around 1981, I think.

btw, is Oprah Winfrey's talk show officially called The Oprah Winfrey Show still or has it been changed to Oprah?

btw, is Oprah Winfrey's talk show officially called The Oprah Winfrey Show still or has it been changed to Oprah?

It's title is still offically "The Oprah Winfrey Show" but most people refer to it as just Oprah.

MASH unofficially changed its name to the Alan Alda Show after the first couple of seasons ;)

MASH unofficially changed its name to the Alan Alda Show after the first couple of seasons ;)
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: HOW TRUE!

they made a biiig mistake when they let A.A. take over the writing and directing.

It's title is still offically "The Oprah Winfrey Show" but most people refer to it as just Oprah.

thanks

The Love Boat simply became just plain "Love Boat" during the mid-'80s seasons.

Night Side was the original script title for the Starsky and Hutch movie pilot.

1-800-Missing became Missing by Season 2.

In 1975 The Guiding Light dropped the "The" and became Guiding Light.

STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE was named ENTERPRISE in it's first season.
SCTV became SCTV NETWORK 90 when NBC added it to their late-night lineup in 1980 and expanded it to 90 minutes.
When THE FAMILY CHANNEL started rerunig "BONANZA" in the 80s, they called it "BONANZA: THE LOST EPISODES" because they showed episodes that hadn't been seen in sydnication before.

When Port Charles started doing 13-week story archs they started changing their titles every 13 week, it went from Port Charles to Port Charles: Superstition, Port Charles: Time In A Bottle and so on and so forth.

Don't know if anyone else remembers this FOX Kids show:

"Big Bad Beetleborgs" became "Beetleborgs Metallix" for its second (and final) season.

Enterprise became Star Trek: Enterprise at the start of the third season. I'm not sure why they dropped the Star Trek title at first.
"ENTERPRISE" became "STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE" at the start of the SECOND season, not the third.

....the hour-long "special" episodes that were a continuation of "I LOVE LUCY" from 1957 through 1960 were originally titled "THE LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW" [this was due to the fact that Desilu had sold the rights to the original "I LOVE LUCY" series, including the title, to CBS after it ended its original prime-time run in 1957]; when the monthly specials became a part of "WESTINGHOUSE DESILU PLAYHOUSE" in the fall of 1958, the official title became "THE WESTINGHOUSE LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW". After CBS also acquired the 13 hour-long shows, they retitled the series "THE LUCY-DESI COMEDY HOUR" [with a new title sequence] when they began repeating it in the summer of 1962 (and virtually every summer, through 1967), retaining that title after they began syndicating it in the fall of 1967 with the original "I LOVE LUCY" series. In the fall of 1987, VIACOM {who acquired all of CBS' filmed programming library- except for news and sports- in 1971} went a step further and re-edited each hour into two half-hours, putting together a "new" 26 episode syndicated series, "WE LOVE LUCY", which is still seen in some areas.

:tv:

Match Game changed their name every year to Match Game 73, 74, 75 etc... and also to Match Game PM and The Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour.

the coneticut (or however you spell it) based episodes of "I LOVE LUCY" from its last season; were rerun by CBS in 1967 under the title "LUCY IN CONNETICUT".

I THINK CBS used to rerun "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW" in the mornings under the title "THE DICK VAN DYKE DAYTIME SHOW".

This thread is a little old but here are a couple of more:


"McMillan & Wife" was shortened to "McMillian" for the sixth (and final) season when Susan Saint James was killed off due to behind-the-scenes disputes.



The current teen drama "Degrassi: The Next Generation" was shortened to "Degrassi" in Season 10.

It was probably done due to the drastic cast changes over the years since many of the kids that started out at the beginning aren't on the show anymore.

James at 15 was changed to James at 16 about halfway through it's first season. If it wasn't cancelled I'm sure it would have changed again to James at 17 and then 18. I'd love to see a tv reunion movie called James at 50. :D

Also, just wanted to mention that they changed their theme song with the name change which was a terrible decision. The original song was so much better. One of my favorite themes actually.

The half hour episodes of Gunsmoke was called Marshal Dillon when CBS rerun it on tuesdays in the early 60s, The original title for My Three Sons was going to be The Fred MacMurray Show but Fred MacMurray didn't want it, Bonanza reruns in the 60s was called Ponderosa.

Emergency! was called Emergency! One in Syndication then after the series ended it reverted back to Emergency!

Chips was called Chips Patrol in Syndication

Adam-12 was called The New Adam-12 in Syndication

"Dragnet" USA (syndication title)
"Dragnet 1968" USA (second season title)
"Dragnet 1969" USA (third season title)
"Dragnet 1970" USA (fourth season title)

and The B&W Episodes of Dragnet was called Badge 714 in Syndication before it was changed back to Dragnet

Me-TV aired the We Love Lucy format when they had a 100th Birthday Marathon, earlier this month, along with episodes of I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show.

"Jon & Kate Plus 8" was shortened to "Kate Plus 8" after the divorce.

Loving became The City when the location to NYC.

When Another World spun off Sommerset they were called Another World-Bay City and Another World-Somerset.

The short-lived political talk show "Parker Spitzer" became "In The Arena" after Kathleen Parker left.

Regis Philbin's morning talk show went through some title changes:


It was originally called "The Morning Show" from 1983-1988.

When Kathie Lee Gifford came on it became "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" from 1988-2000.

After Gifford left and when they were searching for a new co-host it was then "Live with Regis" from 2000-2001.

Then when Kelly Rippa came on it became "Live! with Regis and Kelly" from 2001-2011.



Regis Philbin has announced his retirement and it is currently unknown if Kelly will continue with a new co-host or if the show is going to be scrapped.