A terrible name can hurt a show's popularity as it turns-off prospective viewers and makes it hard for the show to be talked about in tv and publications.
Would a rose by any other name still smell as sweet? In the case of how these 4 TV shows with terrible names, they may have had more fame if they were called something else.
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GCB
Over 10 episodes of the shortly-cancelled show in 2012, this dramedy follows four rich Christian women in Dallas, skewering a specific lifestyle of gossip, plastic surgery, and fraud. The book is titled Good Christian Bitches, but ABC doesn't use swear words in their titles so proceed with an acronym. There is a possibility the low viewership of the show coincided with naming the show an acronym no one knew, including book readers.
In 2012, ABC also had Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23. Whether both shows were short lived because of "bitch" censorship, we will never know. However, in GCB's case, I think the high expense of the show was more influential on the cancelling of the show. Which is sad as it's a really funny show!
As of publication of this article, you can purchase the show on Prime Video.
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Cougar Town
Over 6 seasons from 2009-2015, this sitcom followed the escapades of neighbors living in Gulfhaven, Florida, which is nicknamed "Cougar Town" because its high-school team mascot is a cougar. Courtney Cox played the main character, a recently divorced mom in her 40s, trying to navigate life with her teenage son, ex-husband, and wine-loving friends. Women dating younger men or being predatory is not a main tenant of the show.
The creator chose the title because it "is noisy and that people will be aware of this show." The creators knew of the risk that "cougar" is a pejorative term for older single women still in the dating scene yet thought it would create enough buzz it wouldn't be a deterrent. Surveys showed people decided not to check out the show because of the name. The research supported that once the survey-takers watched the show they liked it, supporting the name hurt the popularity of the show.
ABC is owned by Disney and the sitcoms are generally family friendly. "Cougar Town" implies a sitcom about women out to date younger men and is a turn off to families looking for a similar tv show to Modern Family and The Middle. The producers and creators' unhappiness with the title is evident in interviews and changes to the opening credits. In the final episode, the title sequence called the show Sunshine State, which would have been a much better title for the sitcom, signaling to consumers it's a Florida sitcom with humor about Florida.
As of publication of this article, you can stream the show on Hulu.
Atlantis
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Over 2 seasons from 2013-2015, this fantasy-adventure follows a modern boy, Jason, as he washes up on the shores of an ancient and mysterious city called Atlantis after investigating a mysterious disturbance related to his father's disappearance. While the title of the show is "Atlantis" the plot line does not follow the standard imaging of the mystical city, but instead follows Jason as if he's a reincarnation of the demi-god and his stories mirror the Argonauts mythos.
The BBC was looking for another hit like Merlin, a fantasy-adventure retelling of the Arthurian legend with an attractive dark-haired main character and episode-of-the-week struggles. An adaption of the Jason stories from Greek mythology fit the necessary episode-of-the week, ranging from a Minotaur to Hercules as characters Jason and his friends must confront. So then why did they call this Atlantis when it has absolutely nothing to do with Atlantis and everything to do with a great myth? I have no idea. They should have just called it Argonauts. I assume marketing wanted a one word title just like Merlin but Jason doesn't have the same ring. I think this show would be better remembered if it tapped into the Greek mythology, Percy Jackson-obsessed fans by calling the show after Argonauts instead of a bait-and-switch about an underwater city.
As of publication of this article, you can stream the show on Hulu, Crackle, and Roku Channel.
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Over 4 seasons from 2009-2015, this musical dramedy followed a young woman who abandons a good job at a New York law firm in an attempt to find happiness in West Covina, California after realizing an ex-boyfriend lives in the city. She is crazy and is an ex-girlfriend, so unlike the above examples, this title is accurate.
The problem is, like "cougar," the term "crazy ex-girlfriend" is pejorative. A lot of people who would normally watch a musical comedy tv show, may be turned off by the offensive title. The show is critically acclaimed and has a high audience score, but a lot of online discussion was often prefaced with "we know the title is a lot."
Even though the title may be awkward, the show is very very good. Those 4 Emmy wins are 100% deserved and I wouldn't choose a different name.
As of publication of this article, you can stream the show on Netflix.
Any television shows you wish you could re-name?
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