Monday, July 25, 2011

Cougartown: Time for a Name Change

While at lunch with my co-workers we were talking about everything pop culture (like we always do) and I don't remember exactly how it came to be but I thought in my mind about Cougar Town and uttered the words "Cougartown really needs to change its name."  I remember at the end of season one series creator Bill Lawrence (Scrubs) had debated changing the name of the show, and word on the street was that it was going to happen, but in the eleventh hour the show stuck with Cougartown.
Cougar Town Bikes
I have watched a few episodes of the show, and it is pretty funny.  I watched the pilot, and hated the show, so I gave up, then watched towards the end of the first season and was pleasantly surpised the show had become so much more than what originally aired.  I have also watched a handful of episodes in the second season as well.  The stars of the show Courtney Cox, Busy Phillips, Christa Miller are just great.  These are three funny ladies and Lawrence and his writers know how to work with them.  Many fans of the show are outraged that major award shows don't pay attention, and that it doesn't pull in more viewers.  I have to say after lunch today it hit me, the name of the show is so divisive and in my opinion awful it turns people away from the show.

cougar-town-dont-do-me.jpgUsing Shakespeare's famous words uttered by Juliet in his most famous work Romeo and Juliet "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."  Using this analogy the name of the show shouldnt matter,because it is still quality programming, but I believe it matters a great deal.  Most shows with unappealing titles changed their titles prior their pilot or very early on in the shows history before it could become popular.  Dynasty was called Oil originally.  After about 3 or 4 four episodes The Happy Days was changed to Happy Days.  There were also shows that changed their name in the middle of the series.  Two Guys a Girls and Pizza Place changed to Two Guys and a Girl because they dropped the pizza place.  8 Simple Rules to Dating my Teenage Daughter went to 8 Simple Rules after the death of John Ritter.  These shows all changed their names for functional reasons, but I think Cougartown should change its name to stay afloat because I can the axe coming down next year from ABC if it doesn't produce strong numbers.

I was opposed to the name change because I remember the options that Bill Lawrence floated around, and they were all worse of just too bland.  This show does have pizaz and its name should fit.  I think Cougar Town needs to go and a new name be considered for this upcoming season.  Now I am not diehard fan as say Aped from Community with this show, but I have to pose this question to all of you, what would you change the name of the show to?

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