Top 20 Shows With Horrible Titles
#20: “Dr. Pimple Popper” (2018-)
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Riding on the strange but popular trend of pimple popping videos on YouTube comes “Dr. Pimple Popper” starring dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee. In the show, Dr. Lee diagnoses and treats patients dealing with skin issues such as large cysts or pimples, lumps and tumors. That treatment usually ends with some popping or lancing. Don’t ask us where this fascination comes from, but there’s clearly an audience for it. The title might be unappealing, but we have to admit, it’s at least pretty accurate.
#19: “Trophy Wife” (2013-14)
ABC’s “Trophy Wife” ran for only one season, but it was actually a pretty solid comedy starring Malin Akerman, Marcia Gay Harden, Michaela Watkins and Bradley Whitford. You probably wouldn’t guess that based off its trashy title though, which make it sound like a poorly written family sitcom from another era. Unfortunately for the surprisingly clever series, the bad title was just too much for it to overcome. Ratings declined, and “Trophy Wife” was cancelled in 2014.
#18: “Love Monkey” (2006)
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You might think this short-lived 2006 series would get a pass since it was named after a book, but when your title is this unmarketable, you really have no excuses. It’s a wonder the executives at CBS didn’t take one look at the title and move onto the next series for development, but instead the show made it to air . . . for a while. Although it received decent reviews, it had a hard time finding an audience, and lasted only a few episodes before CBS pulled the plug.
#17: “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” (2012-17)
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Reality TV has truly shovelled out some terrible titles over the years, but “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” might be the worst of the bunch. As if the nickname Honey Boo Boo wasn’t obnoxious enough on its own, they had to go and make it the title of the “Toddlers & Tiaras” spin-off. The show was all about exploiting the poor girl’s childhood for television, and the ridiculous title of the series is really just the bitter icing on the cake.
#16: “God Friended Me” (2018-)
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Premiering in the fall of 2018, “God Friended Me” is far and away the cheesiest title from a show still on the air. The title is an obvious attempt to appeal to younger audiences in a wholesome and endearing manner, but comes across instead as absurd, desperate, and preachy. While such a groan-inducing title might accurately describe the premise, it doesn’t do the series any favors. In fact, when your premise is this silly, maybe misleading is actually in your interests . . .
#15: “Shasta McNasty” (1999-2000)
“Shasta McNasty” was yet another short-lived sitcom with a horrible title, which might be just a coincidence . . . or maybe not. The series focused on three friends living in Venice Beach, who play together in a rap-rock group called Shasta McNasty. Right… This series could only have been created in 1999. The series lasted a full 22-episode season but failed to be renewed for a second season. If only they’d picked a better band name.
#14: “$#*! My Dad Says” (2010-11)
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As a network executive thinking about your upcoming fall TV lineup, it might be worth your time to sit down, and make sure that none of your shows have titles that are partially censored. How are viewers supposed to spread the word about your series when some of them might not feel comfortable saying - or typing out - the title? Especially where parents can see or hear. For a network sitcom, this seems like a really boneheaded move.
#13: “Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place” (1998-2001)
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This title was so bad, it was actually changed in the middle of the show’s run. Just kidding, they actually abandoned the whole pizzeria element of the series, but our point still stands. This title has all the hallmarks of a bad name: it doesn’t roll off the tongue, it’s incredibly specific and mundane, and there’s a small chance it could be mistaken for an adult movie. Two things the show did have, however? Young Ryan Reynolds and Nathan Fillion.
#12: “Selfie” (2014)
One ingredient in a terrible title? Making it painfully obvious how hard you’re trying to appeal to your target audience. “Selfie’s” blatant attempt to bring in younger viewers backfired when the show not only disappointed in ratings, but became a laughing stock due to its terrible title. You’d have to try very hard to tank a show starring the charming duo of John Cho and Karen Gillan, but being titled “Selfie” seems to have been enough, and the show lasted only a single season.
#11: “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” (2011-12)
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This terribly-titled sitcom starred Jaime Pressly and Katie Finneran as Annie and Sophie, two single mothers dealing with out-of-control teenage daughters. It was cancelled just halfway through its first season, with the six remaining episodes airing only in Australia and New Zealand. The show’s title sounds like a lowbrow reality show, and paints the show in a hugely negative tone right off the bat. Who would want to watch an entire series based around moms who hate their daughters? Well, no one, apparently.
#10: “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” (2017- )
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Unlike the titles of other fantasy comedies, such as “The Good Place” and “The Last Man on Earth”, “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” offers few clues about its angelic-themed premise. Even the title seems unsure of itself. Viewers could be forgiven for having assumed it was going to be a parody superhero series, rather than a story about a man down on his luck who meets a celestial being. It maybe should have stuck to its original working title, “The Gospel of Kevin.”
#9: “It’s Like, You Know…” (1999-2000)
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This completely forgotten ABC sitcom about a New York author trying to navigate the LA scene was able to garner a second season, but always struggled with ratings. We’re pretty sure that its smarmy valley-girl title didn’t help its popularity much. It sounds more like a group of executives came up with it as a joke to make sure that it wasn’t memorable. The show and its scathing satire could have used some respect and, like, you know…a real chance.
#8: “GCB” (2012)
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With a title this vague, it’s no wonder “GCB” was short-lived. The mysterious acronym didn’t offer any clues as to the show’s vibe or genre. The comedy follows Amanda, who moves back to her small town after losing her husband and wealth, only to find the girls she used to bully are now the Queen Bs in charge. “GCB,” which stands for “Good Christian Bitches,” did not make a splash with either audiences or critics... probably in part because nobody was interested in figuring out the acronym.
#7: “Cougar Town” (2009-15)
Despite its cringy name, “Cougar Town” is the most successful series on our list, offering a hilarious look at single life for an older mom and divorcé. The show managed to run for six seasons, marking the first major small-screen success of a “Friends” alum. Courtney Cox’s portrayal of a wannabe cougar navigating the dating scene was marvelous. Still, we can’t help but shudder every time we say the title out loud. Not that potential alternative title “40 and Single” was any less cringy.
#6: “Manimal” (1983)
Comic books are rife with awkwardly-named superheroes. However, few are as patently ridiculous as “Manimal.” To be fair, “Animal Man” was already taken. In the show, the super-powered and rich Dr. Chase spends his free time solving crimes by transforming into animals. While this set-up offers an endless supply of storytelling ideas, the show took itself too seriously, and audiences couldn’t stop giggling at the title. The action-adventure was canned after only eight episodes. However, Manimal did return in the slightly more popular live action series, “Night Man.”
#5: “Bunheads” (2012-13)
The term Bunhead refers to ballet dancers, because they put their hair up in a bun. It’s also a very weird word that’s unfamiliar for those not hip to trendy ballet slang. This short-lived ABC Family drama followed the fish-out-of-water story of Michelle, a Vegas showgirl, who winds up working as a ballet instructor. Using this misguided title to make a show about ballerinas seem ultracool probably didn’t win it many points. “Bunheads” was cancelled after its very first season.
#4: “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23” (2012-13)
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For any of the lucky ones who discovered this hilariously cynical sitcom, you know all too well the struggles of pausing for a moment when you’re about to tell others to run home and watch. The title doesn’t exactly lend itself to water-cooler talk. It’s not short or catchy, and no, we did not bleep out “Bitch,” that’s actually its title. Furthermore, since the main character moves in to Apartment 23 with the aforementioned B in the first episode, the title’s warning is immediately wasted.
#3: “Scrotal Recall” (2014- )
“Scrotal Recall” was a bit of a hidden gem on the UK’s Channel 4 and got an international audience with Netflix. The comedy follows the exploits of a young man who discovers he has chlamydia and needs to contact all his sexual partners. It’s a very workable premise and is well executed. Due to its popularity, Netflix decided to completely take over the show, offering it a second life on the platform and producing more seasons. Fortunately, Netflix’s takeover also allowed a name change to the much more palatable “Lovesick”.
#2: “Heil Honey I’m Home!” (1990)
The award for worst wordplay, and potentially offensive title, goes to the creators of “Heil Honey, I’m Home!” What today seems like it could only have been a joke on “SNL” or “Family Guy” was actually a comedy that aired in the UK. It was meant to be a 50s-era sitcom parody following the zany misadventures of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun living next to a Jewish family. No surprise, the show and its misguided title were pulled off the air after only one episode.
#1: “My Mother the Car” (1965-66)
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From its ridiculous premise to its notoriously awful name, “My Mother the Car” has gone down in history as one of the biggest mistakes ever made by network television. While the Hitler show may have been tasteless, this one reeks of a bizarre lack of creativity. It’s as if they threw a bunch of ideas in a hat, and picked two at random. What if an adult man had to endure having his mother’s spirit possess his car? Nobody wanted to know it seems, since it lasted just one season.
