I’m glad certain shows have no musical intros whatsoever.
Could you see a muscial intro for LOST with the main characters taking turns looking towards the camera, breaking into a smile, and their names appear?
Boy that would suck.
Came in here to mention Battlestar Galactica, Dexter and Futurama. Ah well, 1/3 doesn’t constitute mandatory flogging in Latecomer Hell.
the Professor and Mary-Ann…
The LA Times had an article recently on “Is the TV theme song dead?” after the passing of Earle Hagen and Alexander Courage. One of the conclusions they made is that one of the few types of shows that still have a lenghty theme song are kids shows. I’m inclined to agree- most of the modern shows I can think of that have memorable theme songs are kids shows. Just ask somebody, kid or adult, “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” and they’re bound to get it right.
The last great long TV intro I can think of is that of The Simpsons. Matt Groening has stated on one of the DVD commentaries that he didn’t realize that TV intros weren’t that long anymore when he commissioned the theme. But Danny Elfman’s theme, combined with the now-familiar visuals, are still entertaining us every week even 19 years later. (I remember seeing a website which calculated how much of your life you’ve wasted watching the Simpsons intro.) It’s also the only intro I can think of that can be shortened or lengthened in case an episode runs short or long.
I was going to comment on how this was a good example of both a great theme song and “here’s all the characters” intro…
But now I’m just going to shake my fist at you for getting the Gilligan’s Island theme song stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
shakes fist
Sherwood Schwartz was once asked why the theme songs to Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch explained the premise of the shows. He replied, “Because confused people can’t laugh.”
The Jeffersons had a good one. The Wonder Years did too even though it was a real song.
Boston Legal has one of the more catchy opening themes that I can think of recently. The opening is not long, but I like that the music sets the tone for the quirky characters that run amok in this show.
Who were left off on the first season. It used to be ‘and the rest’, they were added later.
Battlestar Galitca has a good ‘opening’ but they don’t show it until about 5 minutes into the show.
The original Iron Chef has the longest and best opening sequence in television history ever, bar none.
Look at what’s happened to me
I can’t believe it myself
Suddenly I’m upon top of the world
Should’ve been somebody else…
Believe it or not, I really liked that theme.
Get Smart had a great opening with the various security doors and the steady, Peter Gunn style theme.
Believe it or not, so do I.
I have that song on my computer and mp3 player.
One thing that’s long gone: announcers reading the introductory credits of a television show. (NOT a rickroll.) Last time I heard such a thing a few years ago on Spanish-language television.
Actually, doesn’t this kinda still happen on late-night TV (SNL, The Tonight Show, etc.)?
Saturday Night Live and most talk shows have announcers reading the credits.
Also great was the Good Times theme, one of whose main characters, Ja’net Dubois (Willona), sang the theme song for the Jeffersons.
And if the Good Times theme song didn’t paint a picture of at least the premise of the show, I don’t know what did.
It was mentioned, but of recent openings, I loved the Sopranos’ opening. “My Name is Earl” has an interesting opening, but it is short. Futurama and Simpsons were always entertaining.
Is this true? I don’t even know what the top 10 are any more. This would depress me that such an awful show anchored by the worst actor on TV could be #1.
Please tell me that I was Whooshed.
Long sitcom intros do seem harder to come by these days. Although, Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond had some long intro sequences during their runs. And it seems that animated shows almost always have 'em, such as South Park and Family Guy and the much-mentioned The Simpsons.
Adding to the HBO dramas, Big Love has a long intro, done to the music of The Beach Boys.
The most recent one I can think of where the song explains the show is The Nanny. We are indeed past the golden age of TV theme songs (hey, you forgot Magnum P.I.) Also, Big Love has a memorable title sequence and theme song, even though it’s not written for the show.
But can’t you imagine all those HBO shows if they did have theme songs that explained the premise? It would be hilarious.
I don’t know if the CSI shows really count, as they are not originally-written.
Top 10 TV shows of 2007:
- American Idol (results show)
- American Idol (performance show)
- Dancing With The Stars (performance show)
- Dancing With The Stars (results show)
- NBC Sunday Night Footbal
- CSI
- Grey’s Anatomy/Samantha Who? (tie)
- House
10: CSI: Miami
Source: Nielsen Media Research
[sung to the tune of Sex and the City theme]
These four girls fuck everybody in town…