What's in a Name? . . . TV Show Titles

What's in a name?

Would Mad Men by any other title still be as good?

Well yes. I would still be intrigued and enthralled by the exquisite and smoke-filled 60s drama.

But recent show titles have really got me thinking. There's really no doubt what Secret Diary of a Call Girl could be about. And we have a pretty good idea what is going to happen next week on the new ABC show I Survived a Japanese Game Show. Before we even saw How I Met Your Mother, we knew the premise of the show. Ditto for Prison Break and Swingtown.

But House could be another reality series about the wacky real estate market. The Big Bang Theory could be a documentary on the History Channel. Heck Chuck could be about any of the Chucks we met this season.

Some titles immediately command your attention. I was curious about Desperate Housewives and Dirty Sexy Money the minute I heard about them.

Others are a clever play on words -- Grey's Anatomy, Lost, and Damages all give you hints about what the show could be about without explicitly spelling it out for the viewer.

Just as parents agonize over what name to give their newborn, executive producers and networks give a lot of thought as to what to call their show. That's how a show originally called The Rules for Starting Over becomes Unhitched.

A good title can't save a bad series but can a good series be hurt by a bad or misleading title? Would more people have tuned into New Amsterdam if the title had given more of a hint about the series?

Are there shows you have watched or not watched based on a title? What are some of your favorite TV titles ever. I think mine is Arrested Development, which captured that the patriarch of the Bluth family had been arrested, that they were in the development business and that the entire clan was a little arrested in their development.

Talk about TV show titles below.

Where Have I Seen Them Before?

That was Missi Pyle as the con artist Mary had to protect on In Plain Sight. Pyle is the emotionless Renee Winger on Boston Legal, Amanda on The Wedding Bells, and Hope in Heroes. Joanna Cassidy was her very understanding mother-in-law to be. Among her many roles, Cassidy is Victoria Pratt on Heroes, Beverly Bridge on Boston Legal and Margaret Chenowith on Six Feet Under.

Mary Lynn Rajskub was the scientist with gorillas on the loose on The Middleman. We all know that she's Chloe O'Brien on 24 and Chloe on Veronica's Closet.

Fearless Prediction Revised

Right. Well this is a little embarrassing. On Friday I fearlessly predicted that Bobby was The Mole and he was eliminated in Monday night's episode. Awkward.

That means I have to revise my thinking. I still believe Victoria to be an option but I'm also considering Mark, who might be is acting like he's playing the game so meticulously because he isn't really playing the game at all or Paul, who is playing the game so aggressively. I think I've ruled out Alex and Nicole who seem to be so blatantly trying to foil the game but now I'm more confused than ever. Now that Bobby is off the show, have you come up with new theories on who The Mole is? Let me know.

Also I would be remiss if I didn't comment on how I think Jon Kelley is really struggling as a host. A host on this show has to strike that balance of bemused indifference with genuine interest in the players. It's a technique that Phil Keoghan has perfected on The Amazing Race and Kelley is not quite there yet. And the long reveal of the quiz results is a little much. I think this show should totally be a half hour.

Army Wives

Were you as shocked as I was that it was Claudia Joy's daughter Amanda who died in the bombing? The way the show set it up -- that Claudia Joy took Amanda to college -- made the reveal that much more devastating. As upsetting as the plot development is, I really like that the show is not shying away from tragedy. I think the show is up to the dramatic challenge of having Claudia Joy and her family go through the grieving process.

What do you think of the second season of Army Wives so far? Talk about it below.

MVP

Well any show that has the tagline "He Shoots, She Scores" isn't exactly intending to become a critically acclaimed series. MVP is a Canadian series that makes it American debut when it premieres on SOAPnet Thursday night at 11 p.m., is a prime time soap and not exactly a great one. It almost seems like beside the point to actually review the series. But I will tell you about it.

Before the new hockey season begins, the team captain dies from a heart attack brought on by drug use. His wife Evelyn and his daughter Molly are left destitute. There's also bad-boy Damon, often shirtless rookie Trevor and new team captain Gabe who has decided he wants to change his partying ways. Gabe is romancing sweet day care center owner Connie while Trevor is dealing his disingenuous girlfriend back home who wants his money.

What I did really like about the show is that everyone looks much more real than the do on American TV shows. The women aren't that super skinny that looks like it can only be attained if your diet consists of lettuce and cigarettes. The men are handsome but the kind of handsome you actually see in real life. It may be a cheesy soap, but the actors by their mere existence, give the show a level of credibility.

If you don't have cable and want to check the show out, ABC is airing it Friday night after the Daytime Emmy Awards at 10 p.m. It's the perfect show to pay bills or fold laundry to. You so don't have to pay attention to know what's going on. Two stars.

That's all for today. I'll be back on Friday with the ballot for the 2008 Amy Awards (I'm having so much fun going through your nominations). Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com.

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