Summary

It’s natural for long-running franchises to evolve over the years, but some change so drastically that their titles no longer make sense. A good title should capture something fundamental about a movie or TV show while making audiences excited to watch it. However, if a franchise drags on for long enough to change what it’s about, this can leave it tied to a title that doesn’t fit.

TV shows can’t just change their titles halfway through their run if it no longer reflects what the show is about. Similarly, movie franchises can name each movie depending on the content, but studios always prefer including a recognizable franchise name to drive ticket sales. Years after their first entries, there are plenty of movie and TV franchises which are stuck with ill-fitting names which no longer represent them.

TheSawfranchisenow includes 10 movies, with another one slated for release in 2025. It’s most iconic scene may still be from the first movie in 2004. The image of Gordon sawing off his foot is part of what made the low-budget horror movie such a huge hit, but none of the following movies have had similar scenes. The traps and games have become more creative and elaborate over the years.

The image of Gordon sawing off his foot is part of what made the low-budget horror movie such a huge hit, but none of the following movies have had similar scenes.

The other reason that the franchise is namedSawis because John Kramer’s serial killer moniker is “Jigsaw”. However,the franchise killed Jigsaw off inSaw III.His legacy still influences the subsequent movies, but he isn’t as important, so the nameSawdoesn’t make as much sense as it used to.Saw Xis a direct sequel that tears up the timeline to bring Jigsaw back, soSawmay be on the way to reclaiming its title.

Lostis a very simple title for a show with such a rich and complex mythology. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the show’s many mysteries, but the survivors of Oceanic 815 aren’t marooned on the island forever. The end of season 4 shows a flash-forward with some of the main characters having returned home. They are no longer lost, but they debate about whether they should go back.

The end of season 4 shows a flash-forward with some of the main characters having returned home. They are no longer lost, but they debate about whether they should go back.

Lost’s supernatural mysteries keep things interesting right until the end. While the first couple of seasons are as much about the struggles of survival and escape as they are about unlocking the truth of the island, the show gradually shifts focus. By the end, the characters know that they were marooned on the island for a reason, and simply escaping isn’t the tempting option it once was.

The first season of the dark comedySearch Partyfollows a group of friends who go looking for their missing friend, but once she is found, the show takes an unexpected turn. Seasons 2 and 3 are about the friends trying to cover up a murder and subsequently being put on trial. Season 4 returns to the premise that the title promises, but this feels more like a coincidence than a desire to set the record straight.

Season 4 returns to the premise that the title promises, but this feels more like a coincidence than a desire to set the record straight.

WithSearch Party,it’s wise to expect the unexpected. Once the show stops trying to stick to the concept of its title, all bets are off, and the plot develops in plenty of surprising ways. By the fifth season, Dory is leading a psychedelic enlightenment cult, not leading a search party.Each season takes on a new genre, but the show’s title still somehow describes the ever-present elements of discovery and fun.

New Girlis the perfect title for about a season or so, but the sitcom changes its approach before too long. By definition,Jess can only be new for so long, so the writers found a way to giveNew Girllegs long after the novelty of Jess' arrival wore off.New Girlis initially about the comedic conflict when a woman moves in with an apartment full of immature men, and the title emphasizes this.

New Girlis initially about the comedic conflict when a woman moves in with an apartment full of immature men, and the title emphasizes this.

AsNew Girldeveloped, the show pulled back from its “battle of the sexes” premise. Jess became an accepted part of the friend group, and the show transitioned into being a more generic but no less hilarious sitcom about young people living together.New Girl’s castshared the load a lot more, and by the time the show wrapped up, it felt strange that the title would single Jess out.

6The Pink Panther

The Pink Diamond Isn’t In Every Pink Panther Movie

ThePink Pantherfranchiseis known for Peter Sellers' performances as the bumbling French detective Inspector Clouseau, but he was never meant to be the star of the show. Clouseau is merely a supporting character in 1963’sThe Pink Panther.The main character is the gentleman jewel thief Sir Charles Lytton, also known by his criminal alias, The Phantom.The “Pink Panther” of the title is his latest target, an enormous diamond with a pink flaw.

The Pink Panther gets stolen and recovered a few times in other movies, but some movies are named after the diamond even though the plot has nothing to do with it.

The Pink Panther doesn’t feature in the next two movies in the franchise, but it makes another appearance in the aptly titledThe Pink Panther Returns.The diamond gets stolen and recovered a few times in other movies, but some movies are named after the gem even though the plot has nothing to do with it. The worst offender is 1993’sSon of the Pink Panther, which follows Inspector Clouseau’s son.

Two and a Half Menwas initially about two brothers living together during their adult years, while one of them has custody of his son on the weekends. Shows with child stars don’t tend to last for too long, since the actors age out of their roles before too long. August T. Jones started playing Jake when he was just 10 years old, butTwo and a Half Mencarried on until he was well into adulthood.

August T. Jones started playing Jake when he was just 10 years old, butTwo and a Half Mencarried on until he was well into adulthood.

For a while,Two and a Half Menwas really about three fully-grown men.The show got even further from the concept of its title in its last two seasons, when Jones left the show to attend college. Then,Two and a Half Menbecame a show about two men. Ashton Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen after the original star was fired, but the show never tried to replace Jake’s character.

TheFriday the 13thfranchisedoesn’t take long to start moving away from the date in its title. The movie that started it all does take place on Friday the 13th, as Jason’s mother embarks on a killing spree to avenge the death of her son many years earlier on the same date.Part IIreturns to the same date a few years later, but the franchise soon moves on and ignores its own premise.

For some movies, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact date they take place, but the very fact that it isn’t mentioned shows how the date has lost its importance.

FollowingPart II,the next two movies in the franchise are set in the following two days, on the 14th and 15th respectively. There have been a total of 12Friday the 13thmovies. For some movies, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact date they take place, but the very fact that it isn’t mentioned shows how the date has lost its importance. Jason is the star of the franchise, and he can get his hockey mask and machete out on any day of the year.

The Last Man on Earth’s first episode ends with the brilliant reveal that Phil is not alone, as he sees smoke rising from a fire made by another survivor. However, for the first few episodes, he does still consider himself to be the last man on Earth, since his only companions are women.This all changes with the arrival of Todd, and Phil gradually discovers more and more survivors.

Ultimately, Phil realizes he is far from the last man on Earth, even if there are times when he wishes that were true.

The Last Man on Earthends with a cliffhanger. The season 4 finale shows Phil and his group being surrounded by a newly discovered population of people wearing gas masks, but the show was canceled before season 5 could explain this development. Ultimately, Phil realizes he is far from the last man on Earth, even if there are times when he wishes that were true.

The Raid,also known asThe Raid: Redemption,is a groundbreaking martial arts movie featuring the traditional Indonesian martial art of pencak silat. Some of the movie’s stars have gone on to have success in Hollywood, including Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian and Joe Taslim.The Raidcaused a sensation when it was first released, and a sequel followed soon after, although it completely ignored the premise of the title.

It normally takes a while for movie franchises to drift away from the meaning of their titles, butThe Raiddoes so as soon as possible.

It normally takes a while for movie franchises to drift away from the meaning of their titles, butThe Raiddoes so as soon as possible. The first movie follows an elite tactical response team during a raid on an apartment block in Jakarta. The sequel expands its scope, as one of the characters goes undercover to expose the police corruption in Jakarta’s criminal underworld.There is no raid to speak of, butThe Raid 2is another jaw-dropping martial arts movie.

British satirist Armando Iannucci had already created the popular political comedyThe Thick Of Itwhen he decided to set his sights on the D.C. bubble. It makes sense that he would eventually zero in on the concept ofVeep,since Britain has no real equivalent to the office of vice president. The job of VP has often been a consolation prize for unsuccessful primary nominees, and Iannucci skewers that inherent power imbalance.

Many ofVeep’s best seasons take place long after Selina has left the role of vice president behind, and the show’s title has become redundant.

In season 3 ofVeep,Selina Meyer suddenly gets thrust into the Oval Officewhen President Hughes resigns in disgrace. Many ofVeep’s best seasonstake place long after she has left the role of vice president behind, and the show’s title has become redundant.Veepis at its best when Selina is on the campaign trail with her team of constantly bickering aides and analysts. She even uses the promise of nominating someone as her running mate as a threat, because she knows how impotent the vice president truly is.