[net.tv] Title trivia

chas@ihuxe.UUCP (Charles Lambert) (03/21/85)

I've been reading about some of the older British stuff that's
being repeated over here (Prisoner, etc.) and wishing I had access to
a cable company who're showing some of it. Curious thing is, the titles
sometimes get changed, eg:

	Secret Agent was "Danger Man" in Britain;
	Good Neighbours was "The Good Life" (wittier title, I thought)

Can anyone explain this? (I've even seen it happen to the name of a
rock band!)

Charlie Lambert @ the Death Star, Illinois.

stratton@brl-tgr.ARPA (Sue Stratton ) (03/26/85)

> I've been reading about some of the older British stuff that's
> being repeated over here (Prisoner, etc.) and wishing I had access to
> a cable company who're showing some of it. Curious thing is, the titles
> sometimes get changed, eg:
> 
> 	Secret Agent was "Danger Man" in Britain;
> 	Good Neighbours was "The Good Life" (wittier title, I thought)
> 
> Can anyone explain this? (I've even seen it happen to the name of a
> rock band!)
> 
> Charlie Lambert @ the Death Star, Illinois.


I recently had the opportunity to view a friend's collection of "Good Neigh-
BORS" episodes on videotape.  When I noticed that the spelling of the word
"neighbors" was after the American rather than the British fashion (check
it out if you have access to tapes), I asked her about it.  She explained
that (as you mentioned) the show's original title was "The Good Life" but 
that, at the time it was imported, there was a show on American television
with the same name.  Hence the name change and spelling--"our" way since it 
was "for us" anyway.  I agree that the original title is slightly better--
at any rate, I was glad I had asked about it before viewing what was the final
episode in the set I saw. In that one Tom, after a series of daunting set-
backs, toasts "the good life"; I was glad I was "in on the joke."

One question:  does anyone remember a US tv series called "The Good Life"?
I trust my source, but confess that I am unable to recall the program she
mentioned.

Karen Wilson  <kwilson@amsaa.ARPA>