Thought I would start a companion to the film music thread. The music can either be opening/ending or in the show. Also any kind of show; serial, news, documentary etc.
Overall I think I like best the music of Cowboy Bebop , the anime series, composed by Yoko Kano. Catchy opening music and ending song and a terrific variety of music in the show to match the variety of themes the show tackles.
Apart from that there are many shows whose music I like but none stand out in particular. A few:
I like the opening themes of Law and Order and West Wing.
Seinfeld: the “music” isn’t great per se but it really matches the quirky brilliance of the show.
Ken Burns documentaries usually have a great selection of music; though usually not original . I also like the opening theme of the documentary The Power of Myth
I always had to stop and listen to the theme to Now and Again when it came on. Loved that show, loved the theme song.
Also, as a big Jerry Goldsmith fan, I always enjoyed the opening theme to “The Waltons”, “Barnaby Jones” (yes, even that) and “Star Trek Voyager”. (A theme which, as it happens, won an Emmy, instead of the also-nominated “Friends” theme.)
The “Starman” theme was always catchy. As is the “Invaders” theme (old Roy Thinnes science fiction series). Oh! And “Cosmos”. Of course.
Miami Vice not only had a tremendous theme song and music by Jan Hammer, but it also included many great songs during the show.
They would spend up to $50,000 to acquire current songs and included up to 5-6 songs per episode. Artists included Phil Collins, Glenn Frey, Russ Ballard and many more.
Guest stars included Phil Collins, Glen Frey, Frank Zappa, Ted Nugent, James Brown, and Isaac Hayes.
Of course, the show pretty much was designed to be a music video by Michael Mann. It was largely style over substance.
The Wonder Years used Joe Cocker’s cover of “A Little Help from My Friends” while showing enjoyable 8mm home movies of the cast. It also closed with a beautiful acoustic guitar version of the same song. The music within each episode was refectlive of the plot and the episode’s period setting. I always loved the use of music in The Wonder Years (one of my fave shows of all-time).
Although it’s not really a traditional television show, the theme to Monday Night Football (American) is pretty wonderful.
I read this as Alfred Hitchcock Presents The Jeffersons and was seriously amused.
And my picks? Hill Street Blues Iron Chef OZ Mystery! (How can you go wrong with the Edward Gorey animation?)
I still know the words to the theme from 21 Jump Street.
Another Michael Mann show with a great theme and great music was Crime Story. He had Del Shannon rework “Runaway” as the opening theme, tweaking the lyics a little bit and using a blistering sax instead of the Vox organ during the bridge. Lots of great 60’s tunes throughout the show as well.
The theme for the original Star Trek episode “The Doomsday Machine” was always one of my favorites… I suspect John Williams ripped it off for his theme for Jaws. That same relentless pounding… great stuff.
Thomas Newman’s theme for the opening credits of “Boston Public” is very cool.
Some of Mark Snow’s work for “X-Files” was quite good, but it gets old fast. My favorite Mark Snow theme was actually for a little-known, short-lived show called “Nowhere Man.”
I’ve always liked the subtlety of the opening theme for “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” Great buildup.
I always kind of dug the music for the miniseries V, especially the main theme.
Oh, and a little tiny hijack: the stupid cheese-rock theme for “Star Trek: Enterprise**” needs to go! I swear I have a hard time watching the show (which is getting better) just because of that damned song.
Which reminds me… I always liked the songs they chose for “Homicide: Life on the Streets.” The score was only all right, but when they licensed other songs for the action, they were almost always good.
I downloaded the theme to The Incredible Hulk, I love it so much. Accompanied by the film of him walking down the freeway after having to leave yet another town, it has such a haunting, wistful quality. Beautiful.