OT: Best TV show theme intro
by roaddog on Mar 21, 2008 2:04 AM EDT
Email
PrintTaking into context the time when they were written and shown, given either the edge, uniqueness or that certain click that the intro music, graphics, and directing/editing added to their memorableness (nice word). The music seems to lock it in for me (cept the runner up for the 80s).
pre 60s - Rawhide, runner up Alfred Hitchcock
60s-70 - Hawaii Five-O, runner up: Star Trek (close)
70s-80 - Magnum PI (just under the wire), runner up: Shaft
80s-90 - Star Trek the Next Generation, runner up: gotta go with Baywatch
90s-00 - I can't believe I am saying it...Friends, runner up: uh...Seinfeld
00s-08 - Alias, runner up: have to be Lost right now.
Man, that's harder than I thought to pick "the Best". I dislike Friends, but that damn song stays with you and the scenery is good. That goofy Seinfeld music sticks too. Had to put Magnum there to get Baywatch in...not for the music..can't even remember what it sounded like....
I went with when the show debuted, but if you think its fits better later, that's cool. Let's let the rules be more like traffic lights in New York City...guidelines ;)
33 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Without thinking about it too much,
I think I liked Barney Miller, Welcome Back Kotter, and Sanford and Son's themes better than Magnum.
mine
50s: Twilight Zone
60s: The Munsters
70s: Barney Miller
80s: Diffrent Strokes
90s: COPS (Bad Boys, Bad Boys)
00s: Hank Williams Jr. Monday Night Football Theme
Mine
Prehistory: Gunsmoke
70s: M*A*S*H
80s: Magnum PI or Cheers or L&O
90s: Seinfield or Freaks and Geeks
00s: Trailor Park Boys
Actually, I vote Cheers above all. M*A*S*H comes in second.
Bonus points for identifying the source show of my user name.
#1
Sanford and Son
"You're a terrible ballplayer, but you've always been a great asshole."-salb918 on Ozzie Guillen
+1
though season 4 for The Wire is pretty close for me
by bleedjaxblue on Mar 21, 2008 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions
A bit more recent
bu the Fresh Prince opening & theme is iconic to my generation.
The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.
+1
I still know the words.
The first version of the Law & Order: Criminal Intent theme song was pretty sick; It had this sweet breakbeat with some homicidal/psycho guitar. They changed it recently, I think when Chris Noth came back or something...
Tim Lincecum is Baseball's Chuck Norris
Have to be in the discussion:
Mission Impossible, All in the Family, WKRP...don't watch much tv these days
A working class hero is something to be.
Television Tunes
I'm partial to The Adventures of Pete and Pete, but the above site probably has just about every TV theme song ever....at least any song I ever bothered to look for.
by Jeteupthemiddle on Mar 21, 2008 10:27 AM EDT reply actions
how bout
X-files? liked that show but maybe more because it was filmed locally. Still theme was pretty cool.
bc
+1
The X-Files had a great theme. Good show too.
by David Tokarz on Mar 21, 2008 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Westerns
For some reason, the oldtime westerns have stayed with me: Rawhide, The Lone Ranger ("...and a hearty Hi-Yo-Silver!"), Have Gun Will Travel, The Rebel. I can't seem to remember the Gunsmoke theme, tho. I guess I was too busy drawing against Matt Dillon at the beginning of each show (at age 10, I was faster).
80s
The first 3 I think of are the A-Team (who can't do the dah-dah-dah-dah, duh-duh-duh) thing in their heads right now? C'mon, hum it out loud in your fofice right now:) Also Knight Rider and Dukes of Hazzard were catchy.
Rockford Files
Gotta go with the Rockford Files, the theme version with the twangy 70s guitar solo in the middle.
Love the Rockford Files
I have it as a ringer on my phone, great theme song, great show.
"You're a terrible ballplayer, but you've always been a great asshole."-salb918 on Ozzie Guillen
Addams Family
It had a song that was pretty easy to remember and stuck around for awhile
#1 All-Time
George of the Jungle
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
I can't believe that there haven't been more Cheers' Posts
It was just an amazing theme.
Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.
Crash Davis
+1
I actually thought I posted that earlier today saying the same thing, but I have to get used to this "preview" and then "post" thing. I hit the preview but forgot to post.
Others I gave props to were Golden Girls (I still love that song), Welcome Back Kotter, M.A.S.H. (even though I prefer the movie version with the lyrics), and The Incredible Hulk. As for newer shows I like The Office and Scrubs (even though it's been cut to just a line or two in the opening credits now).
Oh, and as King Billy saus below, Night Court rocked too. Sweet sweet sax.
"My mom always taught me it's better to laugh at yourself than to laugh at others. She was so wrong. ;)" -Pedrophile
Choices
Here are some solid choices:
Batman (Adam West version)
The Apprentice
Oz
Night Court
by King Billy Royal on Mar 22, 2008 8:18 PM EDT reply actions
A few more not mentioned
The Greatest American Hero (If you don't remember the show, I promise you remember the theme song)
The Heights (how the heck does a theme song do better than the show itself?)
Married...With Children (Set the tone perfectly for the show)
Charles in Charge
The Prisoner (no song really, but a great intro)
Dragnet
I'll second The A-Team, Cheers, Fresh Prince, Simpsons, Mission Impossible
Worst intro of all time: Mindfreak
Vogt early, Vogt often.
I would like to add
MacGyver, my personal all-time favorite.
FJM, down in the trenches doing the Lord's work.
one i haven't seen
These are all great and that website with all the songs is awesome...but somehow "Cops" has to make the list somewhere. I think that song might be one of the most important to the popularity, recognition and survival of the show for any show ever.
by IHateMitchMustain on Mar 23, 2008 1:21 PM EDT reply actions
couple brought up
make me maybe rethink some.
Cops (I wonder if there is anyone in the U.S. that doesn't know that song...even old folks know it), M*A*S*H*, Dragnet and Rockford Files. I debated on Gunsmoke the Adams Family for my picks, but went with the others.
I was thinking of the entirety of the intro, including the cinematography. That is if you can picture what was on screen with the song. That makes me put A-Team in there as well I think. Those silly gunshots along the jeep. Classic. Also the Simpsons and Fresh Prince.
Great lists everyone.
Its kinda interesting in that all these shows are cult classics. Makes you wonder how much was material in the show and how much was tag line to get you to watch. Enjoying all the posts.
Hill Street Blues
Another 80's show people have forgotten about.
And, um, Miami Vice. (not that I ever watched it. Really, I always had plans on Friday nights. Well, some times I did. Err, what were we discussing?)
"Dying is no big deal. The least of us will manage that. Living is the trick." - Red Smith
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
