Soapbox: Hey, TV! Stop It with the "Clever" Show Titles

April 2, 2007

Now, I know TV shows named after their main characters have been around forever: "Newhart," "Seinfeld," even "Caroline in the City." But right now, there's this whole crop of pseudo double meaning titles out there that I just cannot sanction.

I suppose it all started with "The Wedding Bells." They're wedding planners! Their last name is Bell! Suddenly, the show is infused with so much meaning!

Then along came "The Riches," in which the main characters assume the identity of a couple whose last name is Rich. And guess what? They're rich! How strangely apropos.

But I've really hit my limit with "Traveler," ABC's new thriller about friends who get blamed for a terrorist attack. I figured the title came from the cross-country road trip they're taking when the attack happens. Nope. It's actually from the name of a friend who might have framed them: Will — wait for it — Traveler.

Seriously, these sound like the names you'd use for the word problems in elementary school math tests. ("John and Sally Saver went to the bank ..."). What's next? A show about caterers named the Cooks? Patisserie owners named the Bakers? Farmers named the, uh, Farmers? Give it a rest, guys. We get it.

Photos courtesy of Fox and FX