Line #71 InNameOnly/LiveActionTV


1	%%This list has been alphabetized; please put new examples into the correct place, thanks!
2
3	Live-Action TV adaptations that are InNameOnly.
4	----
5
6	!!Examples:
7	* The 2008 TV adaptation of ''Series/TheAndromedaStrain'' had very little to do with [[Literature/TheAndromedaStrain the original novel]], beyond the basic concept of a deadly contagion.
8	* ''Series/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays2021'' keeps the basic premise of attempting to travel around the world in eighty days to win a bet, as well as the characters of Phileas Fogg and Jean Passepartout, with the latter getting a RaceLift. However, pretty much everything else from [[Literature/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays the original novel]] (Passepartout's backstory as a circus performer, Fogg being a suspect in a bank-robbery, Aouda's rescue and her subsequent marriage to Fogg etc) have been stripped out so that the series has little in common with its source.
9	* ''Series/BarRescue'': A common theme on the show (like Longshots Sports Bar & Grill) don't have a TV for showing sports games and Taffer even points out many owners think the term "Sports Bar" means it'll succeed.
10	* ''Series/BaywatchNights'' still starred David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon, as well as having a few other characters from the main series showing up, but that was the only reason to keep the name since he was not a lifeguard anymore.
11	* ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'' is supposedly inspired by Nelson Johnson's non-fiction history book ''Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and Corruption of Atlantic City'', but is actually a fictional crime drama set in 1920s USA that follows a very fictionalized version of an historical character mentioned in the book.
12	* The series based off of Betsy Haynes' ''Literature/BoneChillers'' 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.
13	* Black Noir in ''Series/TheBoys2019'' has practically nothing in common with his counterpart from [[ComicBook/TheBoys the source material]]. While both are silent members of The Seven dressed in black armor that conceals their entire bodies, the Black Noir of the show is [[spoiler:a Black man named Earving who was originally part of Payback, and is mute due to brain damage and a lacerated throat, both acquired from a prior mission]]. Black Noir in the comics [[spoiler:is actually a clone of Homelander, is an ElectiveMute, and the true BigBad of the story]].
14	* Very shortly after the long-running prime time Australian soap opera ''A Country Practice'' (1981-1993) was canceled, there was an attempt to revive it. This incarnation was filmed in another city, shown on another network and didn't involve most of the cast and crew of the original. It understandably tried to shift the focus to the new characters, but was bogged down trying to explain the disappearances of most of the old ones. The original show attracted a passionate fanbase that the new one tried to exploit, but it turned out most of them knew when to let go. It was axed after six months.
15	* 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/TheIncredibleHulk The Hulk]], [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor the Sub-Mariner]], and the ComicBook/SilverSurfer). Instead, it features a RagtagBunchOfMisfits consisting of ComicBook/LukeCage, ComicBook/IronFist, 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 a very, very extensive lineup, so this isn't saying much.
16	* ''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. The previous ''Series/DirkGently'' series on the BBC was likewise, except that it also had a Richard Macduff who bore little resemblance to the one in the book, and the pilot featured the death of a Gordon Way in completely different circumstances. Both series also featured [[spoiler: time travel]] as a late reveal, again in completely different circumstances to the book.
17	* ''Series/{{DMZ}}'' bears little resemblance to the [[ComicBook/{{DMZ}} graphic novel series]] it's based on. The basic setting is the same, and several of the supporting characters come from the comics, but the main character and plot are completely new.
18	* ''Series/DonkeyHodie'' has an episode called "The Cow And Potato Bug Opera", where Donkey writes an opera that's supposed to be a reference to the opera of the same name from ''Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood''. All it has in common is the fact that it is a play starring a cow and a potato bug, and unlike the ''Mister Rogers'' operas, most of the lines are spoken, and the only singing is at the end.
19	* NBC's ''Series/Dracula2013'' 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''.
20	* ''Series/TheElectricCompany2009'' has almost nothing in common with [[Series/TheElectricCompany1971 its predecessor]] but its name and having a group of children called the Alphakids. To make things more confusing, they threw in a "they fight crime with superpowers" motif that has little to do with phonics.
21	* ''Series/FridayThe13thTheSeries'' was unrelated to the [[Franchise/FridayThe13th film series]], and despite common rumor there were never any plans to have Jason appear on the show or feature his mask as one of the artifacts. The films get a small ShoutOut in the episode "Crippled Inside" though, where the song the rocker chick from ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIIIJasonTakesManhattan'' plays on her guitar can be heard on the radio.
22	* The ''Series/Goosebumps1995'' episodes "[[Recap/Goosebumps1995S3E10TheHauntedHouseGame The Haunted House Game]]" and "[[Recap/Goosebumps1995S3E22TeachersPet Teacher's Pet]]" kept the concepts of board games and a snake person from the short stories they were based and that's about it.
23	* ''Series/GothamKnights2023'': So far, at least, Jane Doe is an extremely far cry from her comic-book counterpart, a completely skinless woman whose M.O. is to KillAndReplace other people by removing her victims' skin and hair and wearing it over her own body while [[VoiceChangeling perfectly mimicking their voices]]. Here, she's an ordinary woman (if a bit mentally unhinged) and criminal without any special ability or doing anything like this.
24	* Netflix's ''Series/TheHauntingOfHillHouse2018'' has nothing in common with the [[Literature/TheHauntingOfHillHouse 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. It does adapt some plot points in a BroadStrokes manner, such as Nell's mental health issues and [[spoiler:apparent suicide]], but it's otherwise a completely different story.
25	* ''Series/Halo2022'': Master Chief Petty Officer John 117 is a SPARTAN-II SuperSoldier paired with the ArtificialIntelligence Cortana. That's the end of his similarities with his canon-self. His show version is part of an entirely different team of Spartans, he lacks the special closeness with them that he has with Blue Team, and his personality is radically different in the Silver Timeline than it is in canon. The biggest (and most divisive) change would be that John is often shown without his helmet. While he has taken it off in canon, it's usually a rare moment, with ''Series/Halo4ForwardUntoDawn'' showing that he keeps it on even when other Spartans on his own team remove their helmets. This heavily factors into his different characterization between this series and the games, as John is a ConsummateProfessional in the games and [[spoiler:only makes moves against portions of the UNSC once the Human-Covenant War is over and ONI's paranoia starts becoming a bigger threat to mankind]]. The Silver Rimeline Chief, meanwhile, carries more doubts about the UNSC and even briefly turns against it toward the end of Season 1.
26	* ''Series/{{Haven}}'' is ostensibly an adaptation of Creator/StephenKing's novella ''The Colorado Kid.'' But other than having a murdered character named "The Colorado Kid" and Vince Teague, who is a reporter, the show took the concept of AdaptationExpansion to heart. Fans would be surprised to hear the DifferentlyPoweredIndividual premise and the overarching IdentityAmnesia story line are exclusive to the show. The book isn't even set in Haven--that's a location borrowed from ''The Langoliers,'' another King story. However, the show is very aware it's technically a Stephen King adaptation and love to throw in {{Mythology Gag}}s referencing his other work.
27	* ''Series/TheHexter'': Vesemir is the eldest resident of Kaer Morhen and he acts as some sort of paternal figure to Geralt… and that's basically all traits he shares with Vesemir from the books. Instead of being a witcher, he's a member of a {{Druid}}-like priest caste that was responsible for creating the mutagens and performing the trials on children to turn them into witchers. In the books, Vesemir was only a fencing instructor and thus did not possess the knowledge necessary to create new mutagens in order to mutate more boys into witchers. Some of the characteristics of Vesemir the witcher were given to the Old Witcher in the series.
28	* The ''Series/HoratioHornblower'' episode "The Even Chance" bears only a passing resemblance to the first several chapters of 'Mr Midshipman Hornblower''.
29	** In the book, the titular even chance is Hornblower arranging for only one pistol to be loaded in his duel with Simpson, with neither knowing which one, giving each a 50:50 chance of winning, far better than Hornblower's odds in a standard duel. Captain Keene [[spoiler:stops the duel by having neither pistol loaded, not wanting to lose two midshipmen]]. Simpson does not reappear in any subsequent story. In the A&E series, it is a standard duel, but Hornblower is knocked unconscious by Clayton, who is killed by Simpson.
30	** The rest of the episode features "The Cargo of Rice" and part of "The Penalty of Failure", "Hornblower and the Man Who Felt Queer" and part of "Hornblower and the Man Who Saw God". The first half of "The Man Who Saw God" is put out of order (immediately after his transfer to ''Indefatigable'' instead of after the capture of the ''Papillon'') and comprised only two scenes involving Styles rat fighting while omitting the second half: Hornblower and Finch manning a swivel gun in the mizzen topmast, which is hit and topples, forcing them to jump for safety;
31	** "The Penalty of Failure" omits his capture by a French privateer, which Hornblower sets on fire to slow down to allow the ''Indefatigable'' to capture her.
32	** In "The Man Who Felt Queer", Simpson and the crew of the ''Justinian'' are rescued after it is sunk and absorbed into the ''Indefatigable'', leading to Simpson taking part in the raid on the ''Papillon''. Archie Kennedy has a seizure, and Hornblower must knock him unconscious to avoid giving away their presence. Simpson then casts loose the jolly boat and shoots Hornblower. Finch dives overboard to save Hornblower, who takes command of the ''Papillon'' in battle against French corvettes. Hornblower later accuses Simpson of trying to murder him and re-opens the duel. In the book, Simpson and the ''Justinian'' never reappear, it is a seaman called Hales who has a seizure, the jolly boat is lost in the course of battle and the ''Papillon'' is simply captured and not involved in a fight against the French.
33	* The 2010 ''Series/HumanTarget'' TV show shares the title and the name of the main character. That's about it. Just like in the title sample, you get the feeling that they had a bodyguard show lying around waiting for a name.
34	* The original ''Series/{{Ironside\|1967}}'' focused on a white cop paralyzed due to a sniper's bullet, who solved crimes in San Francisco. The [[Series/Ironside2013 Ironside revival]] focused on a black cop paralyzed due to accidentally being shot by a fellow cop, who solved crimes in New York City. In addition to the change in setting, the new version was also darker in tone, didn't use the original theme, nor did any other character from the original carry over. The original lasted 8 seasons, the revival was canned in the middle of its first.
35	* The television version of ''Series/IZombie'' has nothing to do with the comic version of ''ComicBook/IZombie'' beyond a zombie who gets visions of how the deceased died from eating their brains. In the comic the "zombie vision" plot line becomes less important as the eponymous zombie, Gwen, gets roped into preventing the apocalypse with a FantasyKitchenSink cast. The show is a PoliceProcedural where the eponymous zombie, Liv, solves crimes every week with a mostly human cast. The comic version is also very magic heavy while the show is pure science fiction.
36	* ''Series/KamenRiderHibiki'' was originally going to be a ContinuityReboot of ''Henshin Ninja Arashi'', another {{Toku}} series by creator Creator/ShotaroIshinomori, but during development the idea was abandoned and it became an original (but still ninja-themed) property. However, Bandai insisted that the series still be called "Kamen Rider" [[MerchandiseDriven for merchandising purposes]], forcing the team to adapt the ideas they'd already created. As a result, ''Hibiki'' lacks most of the iconic ''Kamen Rider'' elements: he doesn't look like an insect, defeats his enemies with [[MusicalAssassin music]] rather than a [[DivingKick Rider Kick]], and isn't even all that good at riding his CoolBike (he tends to get around in a Honda Element instead). However, Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad since ''Hibiki'' became a fan favorite thanks to its unique sense of style and focus on character development...at least, until ExecutiveMeddling kicked in...
37	* 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 [[IntergenerationalFriendship their age gap]] and a specific purpose.
38	* 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.
39	* Creator/TheBBC's ''Series/LarkRiseToCandleford'' and ''Series/TheParadise'' exported the setting and characters, but not the plot, from Flora Thompson's book and Creator/EmileZola's ''Ladies' Paradise'' respectively.
40	* The 2014 series ''Series/TheLastShip'' has a different premise, story, and setting than the original [[Literature/TheLastShip novel]]. While the name of the destroyer remains the same, the fact that the events take place in the 21st century means that the "UsefulNotes/ColdWar going hot" theme won't play out. The plot is, instead, a global pandemic that wipes out a sizable percentage of the world population, and the destroyer is the location of a lab by a scientist attempting to find the vaccine. With the world governments collapsing, the danger is still real, as the destroyer is soon attacked by a half-a-dozen Russian helicopter gunships (the Russian government has ceased to exist). Commander Chandler, together with his XO, Slattery, has to keep his ship away from civilization, while a doctor tries to figure out the cure.
41	* The original ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'' was a comic tale involving a man playing a prank on a romantic rival. The television show ''Series/SleepyHollow'' is the story of a [[FishOutOfTemporalWater time-displaced]] [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution Revolutionary War soldier]] who teams up with a local cop to fight [[AllMythsAreTrue demons and supernatural entities]].
42	* Aside from the general premise (Lucifer retires from Hell and opens a nigh-club in L.A.) and character names (Lucifer Morningstar, Mazikeen, Amenadiel, Lux) in ''Series/Lucifer2016'', the show is absolutely nothing like [[ComicBook/{{Lucifer}} the comics]]. While the comic book is a sort of Cosmic [[HighFantasy High]]-UrbanFantasy story that escalates in stakes and settings, the television series is a LowFantasy BuddyCopShow that is UrbanFantasy in the long-run, and a PoliceProcedural CopShow with a new serial killer every episode. Lucifer is portrayed as a LovableSexManiac {{Manchild}} with a strong sense of right and wrong as opposed to being the second-most powerful {{Sociopath}} in the entire universe, Mazikeen is NotSoStoic, Amenadiel is black and more sympathetic, and that is not even going into the various other changes done to the general lore of the series.
43	* ''Series/LukeCage2016'' villain Black Mariah has absolutely nothing in common with her comic book counterpart. While the show takes liberties with all of Luke's rogues gallery, the changes to Mariah are the most drastic. Whereas the comic version is a BrawnHilda, has always been a crime boss, and is named after the ambulance used to transport dead bodies, in the show she's average-sized, a NonActionBigBad, and a city councilwoman who at first only dabbles in corrupt activity before increasingly leaning into her family's criminal heritage. The name "Black Mariah" was changed to an EmbarrassingNickname, and even her real name, Mariah Dillard, is a married name as she's a widow in the show whereas the comic version never married. She's also RelatedInTheAdaptation to the villainess Deadly Nightshade, her daughter [[ChildByRape from being raped by her great-uncle]], a connection and background wholly invented by the show.
44	* ''Series/MadTV1995'' bore no resemblance at all to [[Magazine/{{Mad}} the magazine]] that is its namesake. For the first few seasons, there were ''Spy vs Spy'' cartoons in every episode, but even those were eventually removed.
45	* The live-action version of Spanish children's books ''Manolito Gafotas''. The eponymous KidHero was DemotedToExtra, his [[EnsembleDarkHorse popular little brother]] even more so, and much of the plot centered on his parents and neighbours, most of which were bit players in the novels. In particular, Manolito's dad and godfather became {{Ascended Extra}}s, getting even more screen time than ''Manolito himself''. Oh, and the plots of the novels were all but ignored. In short, it was basically a generic Spanish SitCom with the names of the ''Manolito Gafotas'' cast slapped on.
46	* The ''VideoGame/ManiacMansion'' sitcom has basically nothing to do with the Creator/LucasArts PC game, beyond the fact that there were a bunch of maniacs living in a mansion and one of them was a MadScientist named Dr. Fred.
47	* ''Series/Merlin2008'': 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 [[Myth/ArthurianLegend Arthurian Mythos]] has been doing this with every iteration of King Arthur since before the written word, so it's tradition.
48	* In-Universe: In one episode of ''Series/MurderSheWrote'', some film execs buy the rights to one of Jessica's novels merely so they can use its title for a crappy slasher film.
49	* ''Franchise/NancyDrew'' gets a Riverdale-esque makeover in ''Series/NancyDrew2019''. There is the occasional MythologyGag here and there, but between the different setting, the supernatural aspects, and the fact multiple characters have their backstories and personalities radically changed, it feels like a new property where some characters just happen to share their names with Nancy Drew characters. Or just similar names in some cases, since Nick, Bess, and George all had their names slightly changed from their book counterparts.
50	** The SpinOff series ''Series/TomSwift2022'' gets hit with it even harder. It has a far darker and more adult tone, much like the new Drew does. The only characters to carry over to the new series were Tom himself and his father Barton...and not only are their personalities altered far beyond the point of recognition, Barton is killed off almost immediately. [[spoiler:Not that that stops him from playing a huge role in the plot, once time travel is introduced...]]
51	* ''Series/TheNewMonkees''. It's a musical/comedy starring a band, made up of four cute boys selected by the shows' creators; the similarities to [[Series/TheMonkees the classic series]] end there.
52	* Literature/TheNightmareRoom's ''The Howler'' only retains the basic concept of a machine that lets you talk to ghosts. Everything else is changed, from the motivation to wanting the device to what the ghosts do.
53	* ''Series/{{Perry Mason\|2020}}'' (2020): {{Zigzagged}}. The series starts out with Perry as a FilmNoir 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.
54	* ''Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie'' very loosely adapts plots from both the Poirot and Miss Marple series, but replaces both of the original detectives with policemen (Larosière in seasons 1-3; Laurence in seasons 4-6), alters storylines considerably, and resets everything in post-WWII France.
55	* 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 favorite books.
56	* The series ''Series/PoltergeistTheLegacy'' shares nothing in common with its namesake, the ''Film/{{Poltergeist\|1982}}'' films.
57	* ''Series/ThePrincessWeiYoung'' has very little in common with [[Literature/ThePrincessWeiYang the novel]].
58	** In the novel Wei Yang is the heroine's real name and she really is part of the Li family. Xin Er's backstory and taking on Wei Young's identity are original to the series.
59	** The novel starts with Wei Yang already married to Tuoba Zhen (Tuoba Jun in the series), deposed as empress in favour of Zhang Le/Chang Le, and ordered to commit suicide. After her death she time-travels back to her thirteen-year-old self. None of this happens in the series.
60	** Chiyun Nan doesn't exist in the novel. Wei Yang's stepmother does have a nephew, but his name is Gao Jin and he's a minor annoyance instead of a real threat.
61	* The ITV/AMC ''Series/ThePrisoner2009'' bears only the faintest resemblance to [[Series/ThePrisoner1967 the original]] -- it occurs in a place called The Village, the hero is called Number Six and the villain is called Number Two, and that's about it. The underlying premise is almost ''totally'' different.
62	** Given how unique the original version was, making an In Name Only version with some of the same inspirations and preoccupations was truer to the original spirit than a slavish remake would have been. Unfortunately, it wasn't awesome enough to deserve to carry the name.
63	* The French version of ''Ready Steady Cook'' was just a straight cookery show. As bemused executive producer Peter Bazalgette later put it, "for four or five years they paid us a format fee to NOT make Ready Steady Cook!"
64	* ''Series/ReBootTheGuardianCode'' is, on-paper, a SequelSeries to the animated series ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot''. In execution, however, the show has virtually nothing in common with the show it is based on. All plot threads from the original have been completely abandoned -- particularly glaring in that ''[=ReBoot=]'' infamously ended on a {{cliffhanger}} -- and have been replaced with a generic plot about [[RecruitTeenagersWithAttitude a group of human teens]] and their RobotGirl companion entering {{cyberspace}} to fight an evil, hoodie-clad hacker. About the only things it had in common were Megabyte and the ''[=ReBoot=]'' icon appeared, CGI was used, and that it's a Canadian production.
65	* ''Series/ResidentEvil2022'' manages to outdo even the Creator/PaulWSAnderson [[Film/ResidentEvilFilmSeries film franchise]] in this regard when it comes to the [[Franchise/ResidentEvil source material]]. Rather than following Chris, Leon, Jill or Claire the characters from the games and their stories, the Netflix show instead follows Jade and Billie the CanonForeigner daughters of Wesker in a {{Dystopia}} ComingOfAge and MeanwhileInTheFuture story set AfterTheEnd. Wesker instead of being a platinum blonde Aryan-looking MadScientist who died in a volcano in 2009, is a black British man living alive and healthy in 2022 with Umbrella being a global threat in the post-apocalypse, unlike the games where they were brought down not too long after they caused a single outbreak that was limited to one town rather than the whole world. Besides the zombies ([[NotUsingTheZWord which they call "Zeroes"]]), Lickers, zombie dogs, big insect/arachnid monsters, a typewriter in a safe room and the names of "Wesker", "Raccoon City" and "Umbrella", the show has [[BroadStrokes nothing in common with the games]] and if ''Resident Evil'' wasn't the title, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the show was a take-off of ''Film/TheMazeRunnerSeries'' or some other YoungAdultLiterature adaptation.
66	* The [[Series/RichieRich 2015 Live-Action Richie Rich Series]] basically has nothing in common with the [[ComicBook/RichieRich the original comics]]. Most of the comic's supporting cast such as Gloria, Dollar, Cadbury, and Professor Keenbean were AdaptedOut, with only Richie's dad and Irona the Robot Maid appearing. Also, instead of Richie being from a well established wealthy family, he got his fortune from making a reusable energy source.
67	* A European series called ''Katz And Dog'' turned into this when it was aired in America. It was renamed ''Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop'', presumably because the distributors hoped it'd sell better, but it had nothing to do with the original Rin Tin Tin franchise.
68	* As ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'''s detractors note, the series is completely different in tone and content from the ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'' that they're derived from--aside from being a DarkerAndEdgier DysfunctionJunction, it makes some creative choices that would just confuse fans of the franchise, like having Jughead and Betty start dating.
69	* As the series went on ''Series/RobinHood'' kept moving further and further away from its [[Myth/RobinHood source material]]. By the time Tuck shows up (black, fit, not a Friar and pontificating on the "idea of Robin Hood" instead of spiritual matters) and Robin Hood is paired up with a whiny village girl called Kate instead of Maid Marian, you begin to wonder what the point was.
70	* The 1954-55 version of ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' had little in common with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works beyond Holmes, Dr. Watson and Inspector Lestrade (whose name is pronounced such that it rhymes with "paid" as opposed to "pod"), makes use of only one Conan Doyle story (''The Red Headed League'') and alters another ("The Greek Interpreter" became "The French Interpreter") and frequently features a CanonForeigner named Sgt. Wilkins. Mind you, this is not the only version that bears little resemblance to Conan Doyle's works -- an American radio program based on the stories did the same thing.
71	* In ''Series/SpiderManJapan'', the eponymous hero looks like ComicBook/SpiderMan and has the same powers, but he is more a {{toku}}satsu superhero (in fact being '''the''' predecessor for ''Super Sentai'''s HumongousMecha elements) than a comic book superhero. He has a wrist-worn transformation device (although it merely stores the Spider-Man suit in this case), a Spider-Car (technically the comic had one too, but it was totally different and short-lived), his webshooters are voice-activated (he would shout ''Spider String!'') and last but not least, he has a ''HumongousMecha''. Yeah. Imagine Peter "constantly strapped for cash" Parker being able to buy, repair, refuel and run general maintenance on a robot the size of a skyscraper. This Spider - man and Leopardon later play a role in ComicBook/SpiderVerse.\
72	\
73	Nevertheless, Creator/StanLee was actually involved in the production, and has said several times that he thought the series was excellent, even praising its creativity (and thus its deviance from the character ''he created''). There's an interview with him on the Japanese DVD box set. Apparently, Lee is not too familiar with Japanese media. While the [[HumongousMecha battle mechas]] would be seen as creative at the time, seeing how Spider-Man was the first to do that, everything else, from the transformation device to most of the plot, seems to be copied straight from ''Series/HimitsuSentaiGoranger'' and ''Series/JAKQDengekitai'', two shows which were already released at the time. This was likely Lee's first exposure to Japanese Tokusatsu, as Marvel would later produce ''Series/BattleFeverJ'' and Lee would later attempt to unsuccessfully bring ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' to America.
74	* ''Series/StargateUniverse'' is ''very'' different from the [[Series/StargateSG1 previous]] [[Series/StargateAtlantis two]] series in the Franchise/StargateVerse, swapping out the GenreSavvy characters, theme of exploration, and CoolGate for {{Angst}}, [[DarkerAndEdgier grit]], and a million year old space ship that's ready to fall apart at the seams. Half the time, the gate on the ''Destiny'' seems to serve only as a reminder that yes, this ''is'' Stargate (no matter [[FanonDiscontinuity how much SG1 and SGA fans disagree]].) Basically, it's a SoapOpera.
75	* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' in Korea is called ''Power Rangers'' there, instead of ''Super Sentai''.
76	** Especially ''Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger'' and ''Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger'' which aired as ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'' and ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'' (the same name as their Power Rangers counterparts), despite not actually being those series.
77	** ''Especially'' especially Dino Thunder. SPD can be considered an adaptation of Dekaranger, but PRDT took ''only'' the fight footage from Abaranger and is a radically different show.
78	* Aside from its title, the series ''Series/TeenWolf'' goes well out of its way to be completely different from [[Film/TeenWolf the original film]], specifically tone wise and going for a style similar to ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.
79	* The 1997 BBC adaptation of ''Literature/TheWomanInWhite'' follows the book, more or less, until just before the end of Walter Hartright's first narrative (perhaps a fifth of the way in). After that the plot becomes so different that a letter to the ''Radio Times'' wondered why the author of the adaptation had bothered to keep the same title.
80	* In 2011, NBC made a pilot for a ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' TV series. [[Series/WonderWoman2011Pilot Their version]] of Wondy had more in common with ComicBook/{{Batman}} than Wonder Woman, being a rich corporate executive who moonlights as a superhero. Little is made of her Amazon upbringing. Her Lasso of Truth is used only to snag enemies, and never to reveal the truth from anyone, [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique since she does that in a more mundane manner]]. The concept of using the Wonder Woman persona as a company symbol for the public also mirrors the premise of ''Batman Incorporated''.
81	** Also true of the 1967 demo reel for Wonder Woman which was a some kind of bizarre combination of fairy tale, fantasy, camp, and sit-com.
82	** Once again true of ''Film/WonderWoman1974'' starring Creator/CathyLeeCrosby. She didn't have super powers and wore a red dress, blue leggings, and star spangled...sleeves.
83	** Wonderfully averted in 1975's pilot movie ''New, Original Wonder Woman'' starring Lynda Carter with a title that only makes sense once one learns about the previous strange attempts to bring the character to live action.
84	* NBC, at some point, planned a "sexy, contemporary" version of ''Literature/OliverTwist''. The story would have been about a 20-something young woman who “finally finds a true sense of family in a strange group of talented outcasts who use their unique skills to take down wealthy criminals.” For ''some reason'', nothing ever came of it.
85	* ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' is ''very'' loosely based on the [[Literature/TheVampireDiaries book series]] by Creator/LJSmith; aside from the basic premise of a human teenage girl caught in a dangerous love triangle between two vampire brothers, the plots of the show and books differ greatly. Many of the characters also only superficially resemble their book counterparts beyond sharing the same names, especially as the series goes on.
86	* ''Series/TheWatch2021'' 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 purview 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/NightWatchDiscworld Night Watch]]'', stitched together with elements from other books and entirely new material. Notably, the official Keepers of Discworld (Rob Wilikins and Creator/RhiannaPratchett) have distanced themselves from the whole thing.

Context InNameOnly / LiveActionTV