20 Movies And TV Shows That Almost Had Entirely Different Names

The movies and TV shows that we know and love might have been named completely differently if producers went with their gut instincts and very first ideas. In a parallel universe, there’s no ‘Stranger Things,’ no ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, and ‘The Big Bang Theory’ would have been called ‘Lenny, Kenny, and Penny.’

It’s time to stroll through ‘The Twilight Zone’ and step into the ‘what if’ part of TV Land. So get settled in with some popcorn, put on your 3D glasses, and scroll down for Bored Panda’s newest feature about what movies and TV shows were originally called.

Don’t forget to upvote your fave pics and, when you’re done with this list, check our post about popular things that initially had very different names.

#1 Stranger Things

Image credits: Netflix

#2 Mr. Bean

Image credits: ITV

#3 Friends

Image credits: NBC

Who doesn’t love the hit TV show ‘Friends?’ Well, imagine having to look forward to an episode of ‘Six of One.’ Or ‘Insomnia Cafe.’ Weird, right? Even though I’m pretty sure that we’d get used to those names if we heard them over and over again over the years, they just sound plain bonkers right now, don’t they?

Would ‘Friends’ have become an iconic show if it was called something else? My mind says ‘probably,’ but my gut says ‘no.’ There’s a lot in a name. And it can make (or break) a project.

Finding the perfect title for your show or film is a delicate balancing act. And way, way harder than it sounds. The Hollywood Reporter stresses that you can’t be too witty, but you have to avoid being too generic, as well. Titles also can’t be too long, lazy, or too vague. With a list of advice that long, it’s no wonder so many shows fail to captivate their target audiences.

#4 The Big Bang Theory

Image credits: CBS

#5 Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Image credits: The WB

#6 Charmed

Image credits: The WB

Keeping titles simple and to-the-point yet dynamic seems to be the main goal. So if you’re unsure what to name your next visual masterpiece, consider giving it a single-word title.

But the words you use can’t just sound cool—they have to actually be related to your show. When somebody hears the title, they immediately have to understand more or less what the show’s going to be about. Is it serious? Goofy? Seriously goofy?

Humor and playing around with double meaning can also work wonders. As can ‘modernizing’ the name of your show to fit the current context of important events: you can draw inspiration from current social, political, and other issues to link your title to the audience.