History InNameOnly / LiveActionTV

* ''Series/{{Haven}}'' is ostensibly an AdaptationExpansion of Creator/StephenKing's novella ''The Colorado Kid.'' Fans would be surprised to hear that the DifferentlyPoweredIndividual premise and the overarching IdentityAmnesia storyline were not in the original story. The book also isn't set in Haven, Maine, instead another, unnamed Maine town; Haven is borrowed from ''The Langoliers''. However, the show is very much aware it's technically a Stephen King adaptation and loves to throw in [[MythologyGag Mythology Gags]] referencing his other work.

* ''Series/{{Haven}}'' is ostensibly an AdaptationExpansion of Creator/StephenKing's novella ''The Colorado Kid.'' But beyond a few plot points, it does its own thing. Including changing the location to the town from ''The Langoliers.'' Despite this, the show doesn't let you forget you're technically watching a King adaptation and loves to throw in [[MythologyGag Mythology Gags]] referencing his other work.

* The 2001 revival of ''Series/CardSharks'' had contestants predict whether cards were higher or lower than each other... but other than that? Where were the survey questions? The second player's row of cards? And what the hell are Clip Chips?!!? It quickly got the FanNickname of "[=CaSINO=]", an [[FunWithAcronyms acronym]] for "'''Ca'''rd '''S'''harks '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly".

* ''Series/TheWatch'' is "InspiredBy the works of Creator/TerryPratchett". It somehow manages to be both DarkerAndEdgier ''and'' DenserAndWackier than [[Literature/{{Discworld}} the books]], with an Ankh-Morpork filled with 21st century technology including perfectly ordinary looking ''payphones'', while Vetinari's "legalised crime" initiative is presented as making Ankh-Morpork a ''more'' dangerous place to live, when the paradox in the novels is that it actually ''works'' (and it extends to dealers in dangerous drugs such as Slab, which it definitely didn't in the books -- also this is apparently the purvue of the Alchemists' Guild, who in the novels are ''far'' too unworldly for that kind of thing). Despite keeping the gag about the six-foot Carrot being a "dwarf by adoption", the main biological dwarf, Cheery Littlebottom, is actually taller than him. Colon and Nobby are AdaptedOut. Vimes is given a new angsty backstory where he had ulterior motives for joining the Watch. And Lady Sybil has gone from a middle-aged dragon-breeder whose main asset in a fight is a CompellingVoice to a [[AgeLift young]] vigilante ActionGirl. The plot is a weird mashup of ''Literature/GuardsGuards'' and ''Literature/NightWatch'', stitched together with elements from other books and entirely new material.

* ''Series/TheWatch'' is "InspiredBy the works of Creator/TerryPratchett". It somehow manages to be both DarkerAndEdgier ''and'' DenserAndWackier than [[Literature/{{Discworld}} the books]], with an Ankh-Morpork filled with 21st century technology including perfectly ordinary looking ''payphones'', while Vetinari's "legalised crime" initiative is presented as making Ankh-Morpork a ''more'' dangerous place to live, when the paradox in the novels is that it actually ''works'' (and it extends to dealers in dangerous drugs such as Slab, which it definitely didn't in the books -- also this is apparently the purvue of the Alchemists' Guild, who in the novels are ''far'' too unworldly for that kind of thing). Despite keeping the gag about the six-foot Carrot being a "dwarf by adoption", the main biological dwarf, Cheery Littlebottom, is actually taller than him. Colon and Nobby are AdaptedOut. Vimes is given a new angsty backstory where he had ulterior motives for joining the Watch. And Lady Sybil has gone from a middle-aged dragon-breeder whose main asset in a fight is a VoiceOfCommand to a young vigilante ActionGirl. The plot is a weird mashup of ''Literature/GuardsGuards'' and ''Literature/NightWatch'', stitched together with elements from other books and entirely new material.

* ''Series/TheWatch'' is "InspiredBy the works of Creator/TerryPratchett''. It somehow manages to be both DarkerAndEdgier ''and'' DenserAndWackier than the books, with an Ankh-Morpork filled with 21st century technology including perfectly ordinary looking ''payphones'', while Vetinari's "legalised crime" initiative is presented as making Ankh-Morpork a ''more'' dangerous place to live, when the paradox in the novels is that it actually ''works'' (and it extends to dealers in dangerous drugs such as Slab, which it definitely didn't in the books -- also this is apparently the purvue of the Alchemists' Guild, who in the novels are ''far'' too unworldly for that kind of thing). Despite keeping the gag about the six-foot Carrot being a "dwarf by adoption", the main biological dwarf, Cheery Littlebottom, is actually taller than him. Colon and Nobby are AdaptedOut. Vimes is given a new angsty backstory where he had ulterior motives for joining the Watch. And Lady Sybil has gone from a middle-aged dragon-breeder whose main asset in a fight is a VoiceOfCommand to a young vigilante ActionGirl. The plot is a weird mashup of ''Literature/GuardsGuards'' and ''Literature/NightWatch'', stitched together with elements from other books and entirely new material.

* NBC's ''Series/{{Dracula}}'' is quite literally ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'' in name only. The show was so unconnected to the original novel that you could have changed literally every character's name, even Dracula himself, and lost ''nothing''.

* The ''[[ComicBook/TheDefenders Defenders]]'' Creator/{{Netflix}} show is not based off the comic (which was about a secret group of heroes best known for their founding four -- Comicbook/DoctorStrange, [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk The Hulk]], [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor the Sub-Mariner]], and the Comicbook/SilverSurfer). Instead, it features a RagtagBunchOfMisfits consisting of Comicbook/{{Luke Cage|HeroForHire}}, [[Comicbook/ImmortalIronFist Iron Fist]], Comicbook/JessicaJones and Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}. In mild fairness, Luke Cage has been a Defender somewhat regularly, and Iron Fist has joined once or twice, but the Defenders as a whole have had [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters a very, very extensive lineup]], so this isn't saying much.

* Netflix’s Series/TheHauntingOfHillHouse has nothing in common with the source material aside from character names and the haunted house aspect. Everything else, from relationships to the history of the titular house are tweaked in some way or another.

* ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'': Take everything you thought you knew about Arthurian Legend and throw it out the window. Arthur is a Prince right from the start, Merlin is Arthur's servant [[AgeLift who is around his age]], magic is outlawed, Gwen is a Camelot servant (with a RaceLift) rather than a French princess, etc. Things like the dragon under the castle and TheReveal about Morgana come from the legends, but have their contexts significantly changed. Then again, the [[KingArthur Arthurian Mythos]] has been doing this with every iteration of King Arthur since before the written word, so it's tradition.

* The series based off of Betsy Haynes' ''Bone Chillers'' books is mostly made of original episodes and the ones based on certain books only retained the basic concept. Additionally, the books were an anthology while the show uses the main characters from the entry ''Back to School'' for the entire series.

* ''Series/{{Perry Mason|2020}}'' (2020): {{Zigzagged}}. The series starts out with Perry as a {{Noir}} P.I. and not even in law school. However, halfway through season 1, he has to step in and defend their client after E.B. dies and no other trustworthy lawyer will take up the case. A letter is faked that makes it look like he apprenticed to E.B. for months. He then passes the bar exam and is sworn in as a lawyer.

* Netflix’s Series/TheHauntingOfHillHouse has nothing in common with the source material aside from character names and the haunted house aspect. Everything else, from relationships to the history of the titular house are tweaked in some way or another. The series is excellent proof that this trope is in not always a bad thing, however, as it received near-universal acclaim.

* ''Series/PerryMason2020'': {{Zigzagged}}. The series starts out with Perry as a {{Noir}} P.I. and not even in law school. However, halfway through season 1, he has to step in and defend their client after E.B. dies and no other trustworthy lawyer will take up the case. A letter is faked that makes it look like he apprenticed to E.B. for months. He then passes the bar exam and is sworn in as a lawyer.

* The series ''Series/PoltergeistTheLegacy'' shares nothing in common with its namesake, the ''Film/{{Poltergeist}}'' films.

* The book ''Series/KissMeFirst'' is about Leila, who becomes [[{{Hikikomori}} a shut-in]] once her mother dies and spends all her time online; after getting roped into a forum called The Red Pill, and falling under the influence of the forum's creator/leader Adrian, Leila is asked by Adrian to impersonate someone online [[spoiler: so that they can [[DrivenToSuicide commit suicide]]]], having been convinced it's the ethically correct thing to do. Through this, she meets Tess, an older woman with bipolar disorder, and they strike up a close online connection. What does this have in common with the Channel 4/Netflix series of the same name? Aside from the characters being named the same and a plot that's roughly about online friendships and the perils of the internet, not much. A lot of the action takes place on a fictional MMO, and many of the characters (and their relationships to each other) were radically changed; most notably, the QueerBaiting that the series was accused of isn't present in the book, where Leila and Tess' friendship is online only and informed by both their age gap and a specific purpose.

* ''Series/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'' has very little to do with the story of the [[Literature/DirkGently original book]] apart from the fact that there is an eccentric 'holistic detective' in both of them and that everything in it is connected to everything else.

* ''Series/PerryMason2020'': {{Zigzagged}}. The series starts out with Perry as a {{Noir}} P.I. and not even in law school. It's later revealed he's been apprenticed to his employer, a lawyer, and passes the bar in episode 5 however, to step up and defend their latest client after E.B. dies.

* The ''Series/{{Poirot}}'' adaptation of ''Literature/TheBigFour'' has a very different storyline from the book. Half of the cast from the original was [[AdaptedOut deleted]], a [[CanonForeigner new character]] is introduced and the motivation and actions of the villain is greatly modified. Likely for the best; it was cobbled together from a few short stories that were expanded and given an overarching plot. Christie herself regarded it as one of her least favourite books.
** Also done with ''Literature/TheLaboursOfHercules'', a book of twelve short stories, each case representing one of the mythical hero's labours. Details from a few were expanded into a single plot. This route was chosen because the series had, by then, ceased producing the hour-long short story adaptations they began with.

* The ''[[ComicBook/TheDefenders Defenders]]'' Creator/{{Netflix}} show is not based off the comic (which was about a secret group of heroes best known for their founding four -- Comicbook/DoctorStrange, [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk The Hulk]], [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor the Sub-Mariner]], and the Comicbook/SilverSurfer). Instead, it features a RagtagBunchOfMisfits consisting of Comicbook/{{Luke Cage|HeroForHire}}, [[Comicbook/ImmortalIronFist Iron Fist]], Comicbook/JessicaJones and Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}.

* ''Series/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'' has very little to do with the story of the original book apart from the fact that there is an eccentric 'holistic detective' in both of them and that everything in it is connected to everything else.

* The ''[[ComicBook/TheDefenders Defenders]]'' Creator/{{Netflix}} show is not based off the comic (which was about a secret group of heroes best known for their founding four -- Comicbook/DoctorStrange, [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk The Hulk]], [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor the Sub-Mariner]], and the Comicbook/SilverSurfer). Instead, it features a RagTagBunchOfMisfits consisting of Comicbook/{{Luke Cage|HeroForHire}}, [[Comicbook/ImmortalIronFist Iron Fist]], Comicbook/JessicaJones and Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}.