Traxan

I'm watching "Black Sheep Squadron" on H&I and remembered it started out as "Baa Baa Black Sheep." I think it changed names after the second or third season. Not sure why other than maybe the new name sounded less stupid.

Question on my mind is what other shows have done this? Only ones I can think of are "Roseanne/The Connors" and "Golden Girls/Golden Palace," but in both cases that was something of a reboot after a casting change.

The Questyen

Golden Palace is a spin-off. It's not the same show as Golden Girls or a reboot.

RichC2

8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter was shortened to 8 Simple Rules after the "My" passed away.

JimRochester

Seinfeld's pilot episode was called the Seinfeld Chronicles
The original Ellen sitcom started life as These Friends Of Mine
Valerie Harper's show changed names a couple times when she left in a dispute and was replaced by Sandy Duncan - Valerie to Valerie's Family The Hogans, then just The Hogans
Two Guys and Girl started as Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place

milo bloom

I believe Saved by the Bell started as Good Morning, Miss Bliss. The teacher was supposed to be the focus, but Zach was such a charismatic character it was retooled to focus on the students.


And Star Trek Enterprise started out as just "Enterprise" to try to downplay it's nerdy heritage but eventually they just went with it.

emachine12

Aqua Teen Hunger Force > Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 > Aqua Something You Know Whatever > Aqua TV Show Show > Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever

Baywatch > Baywatch: Hawaii

The Cow

Parker Louis dropped the "Can't Lose" late in it's run.

Jericho

Just recently the show Turn changed from that to Turn: Washington's Spies

Mike86

It’s technically a spin-off but Archie Bunker’s Place is essentially a continuation of All in the Family and sort of fits the bill to me.

Paff

Not quite the same thing, but I distinctly remember a few shows getting new names in syndication, I can only assume it was to avoid paying someone. The new title was usually an addition to the existing title, to make it easy on the graphics guy. Like, "Laverne & Shirley & Friends", and "What's Happening Now!"

Doc Moonlight

"The Pruitts of South Hampton" changed it's name to "The Phyllis Diller Show"
"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" shortened it's name to "Dobie Gillis" in the second season.

bluetoast

Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place got shortened to Two Guys and a Girl.

The Cow

"What's Happening Now!" was a sequel.

I've never heard of "Laverne & Shirley & Friends", must have missed that.

DJariya

24 changed it's name twice

24: Live Another Day

and

24: Legacy





NCIS started out as Navy NCIS and later dropped the Navy part after the 1st season

Double_Oh_7

That's what they called it in early syndication. Also- Happy Days was called Happy Days Again when it started in syndication.

And the obscure WB show Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane changed to just Zoe... .

The Cow

Thanks! I do recall Happy Days Again. Looked up the L&S, it was actually "Laverne & Shirley & Company".

The article I read says this was done to shows that went to syndication but were still airing new episodes (to avoid confusion).

Paff

Ah, ok. For a minute, I almost thought I was imagining that. And since you mention it, "L&S&C" sounds like what I remember seeing.

Josh-da-man

Like they were fucking fooling anybody.

rw2516

This was done when a show went into syndication while still airing new episodes in prime time to distinguish them.
Also when the network itself was airing both new and rerun episodes.

CBS would air Hawaii Five-O reruns as "McGarrett"
CBS aired Dick Van Dyke Show reruns in the daytime M-F. Title changed to "The Daytime Dick Van Dyke Show"
Early Gunsmoke episodes were syndicated as Marshall Dillon

Burke's Law changed it's name to Amos Burke, Secret Agent for the third season.

There are a few series where the name was changed after the pilot aired.
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Scalplock>The Iron Horse

The last season of The Virginian title was changed to Men From Shiloh.

Count Dooku

They did that with Andy Griffith Show, I believe.

majorjoe23

Scooby Doo had a bunch of different names, but I’m not sure if those are spinoffs or relaunches or what.

Super Friends became Super Powers.

cultshock

Super Friends - Challenge of the Super Friends - World's Greatest Super Friends - Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show - The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians

The last two were tie-ins with Kenner's Super Powers toyline.

Adam Tyner

No one will know what I'm talking about, but...!

Second Chance -> Boys Will Be Boys

cultshock

Kind of a spin-off/re-tooling similar to All in the Family/Archie Bunker's Place, but Three's Company became Three's a Crowd, when Jack got married. I haven't seen the show in syndication for years, so I'm not sure if the latter show was eventually retitled Three's Company for the syndication package like The Ropers spinoff was.

DthRdrX

Batman: The Animated Series became The Adventures of Batman & Robin during the final 15 episodes, before becoming The new Batman Adventures and eventually Batman Beyond.