I’ve been watching Babylon 5 again (love that series), and as I was watching it, I noticed I really love the title screens. It is one of the few series that I don’t fast forward through the first title credits, or intro. Made me wonder what other dopers think best series intros are.
So, what shows do you actually watch the intros for? What shows do you think have the best ones?
Babylon 5’s are the best, but Battlestar Galactica’s were pretty darned good too. So were the production cartoons that ran after the credits. I always waited for the ‘Grrr. Arrrg.’ after any Mutant Enemy show as well.
**Dexter **is really high up on my list.
Buffy had very cool theme music & the “Grr Arrgh.”
The A-Team
Babylon 5?!?!
The cheesy opening credits are one of the reasons I stopped watching.
Hawaii Five-0
Second the Babylon 5 nomination. I always watched it as well - it set the mood.
Dexter’s opening sequence is both beautiful and clever.
Although I didn’t like the show I thought the credits music for Six Feet Under was excellent.
Jonny Quest (I prefer the “Real Adventures” version, because of the updated musical accompaniment that still embraces the classic theme, and the produced-just-for-the-intro action clips—most notably the one with Jesse Bannon doing that Rita Hayworth thing.); and Ghost in the Shell.
And of course, Airwolf. Accept no substitutes. 
Rome, with its animated graffiti, was always a wonderful introduction to the show. The Sopranos also set a wonderful mood: the moment where Tony exhales a cloud of nasty yellow smoke seems almost mythical.
I like Mad Men, even though some complain that the music is off-period.
I’ll second Battlestar Galactica.
Dead Like Me.
You beat me to it. It is a pleasure to watch and to listen to.
The original TV series of Mission: Impossible, with that lit fuse and wonderfully tense (Lalo Schifrin?) musical theme.
Another one for the Buffy intro. Perfectly expresses the theme of the series, yet apparently the music wasn’t even written for the show.
The only correct answer to this question is The Wire. Fourth season in particular.
The über-trippy mid-70s opening for Doctor Who, with psychedelic swirls and intensely trippy music (with a kickass bass lick).
I really enjoy the opening for Venture Brothers (all three seasons). It’s got that cheesy adventure cartoon action with just enough lounge style to reflect the fashions/settings.
Plus: walking eye!
I’ll second Rome. Its intro is the only one I watch in full every time.
I’m sure I’ll get blasted for this, but I thought that the visuals at the beginning of Star Trek: Enterprise were good. I could have done without the sappy Diane Warren lyric, but the visuals were cool. The episode set in the Mirror universe was even better.