All-time best one-word titles
“Gunsmoke” (1955-75), TV series
“Jaws,” novel (1974) by Peter Benchley and film (1975)
“Lost” (2004-10), TV series
“Babe” (1995), film
“Fateless” (1975), novel by Imre Kertesz
“Heartbroke” (1982), song by Guy Clark
“Blonde” (2000), novel by Joyce Carol Oates
“Wit” (1995), play by Margaret Edson
“Ragtime” (1975), novel by E.L. Doctorow
“Oklahoma!” (1943), musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
All-time worst one-word titles
“Solar” (2010), novel by Ian McEwan
“Scrubs” (2001-10), TV series
“Inception” (2010), film
“Company” (1970), musical by Stephen Sondheim
“Bounce” (2000), film
“Saw” (2004), film
“Unsub” (1989), TV series
“Shroud” (2002), novel by John Banville
“Beowulf” (circa 800-900 AD), poem
“Splice” (2009), film
Send your own nominations for best and worst one-word titles to: jikeller@tribune.com. Some of the e-mail responses may be published in Arts & Entertainment.
