# Best TV theme song? Please post a link **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, music\ **Created:** [December 18, 2021, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287 "2021-12-18T16:18:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/21 "2021-12-18T17:44:48Z")
Cheers (full version) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h-mi0r0LpXo/maxresdefault.jpg "Cheers intro song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-mi0r0LpXo) The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4JCehDOy54) This song charted, peaking at #2 in June 1981. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/22 "2021-12-18T17:47:15Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > I liked when they added the professor and Mary Ann at the end, I always thought they should have paired up. Smart guy gets the cute girl kind of thing like. Yeah, I didn’t get what the deal was with “…aaand the rest” in the early going. The prof and Mary Ann were every bit as important as the others. It was very much an ensemble cast. This might be an apocryphal story, but I heard Bob Denver threatened to walk if they didn’t add the Professor and Mary Ann to the song. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/23 "2021-12-18T17:48:02Z")
Did The Royle Family ever run in the US? Not your typical theme tune, but absolutely a little gem [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiuqKZEDTJA) Here’s the full song [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wyepxjhlxdI/maxresdefault.jpg "Half The World Away") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyepxjhlxdI) j ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/24 "2021-12-18T17:59:44Z")
Who’s old enough to remember this? I remember singing along as a kid (in repeats anyway; I was only 2 going on 3 in 1967)…”is he strong? Listen bud- he’s got radioactive blood!” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXeaf7tOqPM) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/25 "2021-12-18T18:04:49Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PnF5GgcDRsI/hqdefault.jpg "Only Fools and Horses Main Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnF5GgcDRsI) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Z5ohUHIjAxI/hqdefault.jpg "Classic! The original Minder theme tune") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5ohUHIjAxI) ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/26 "2021-12-18T18:04:49Z")
Well someone beat me to Jonny Quest so: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QTY1i9F_7Yw/hqdefault.jpg "Star Blazers Theme Season 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTY1i9F_7Yw) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/27 "2021-12-18T18:37:50Z")
Both the intro and outro for Bullwinkle [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ejgfnRvAOno/hqdefault.jpg "The Bullwinkle Show intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejgfnRvAOno) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WZBUSGDt4ZI/hqdefault.jpg "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle – Ending (1963) Theme (VHS Capture)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZBUSGDt4ZI) Gary Shandling Show [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8cWbkWTYwTw/hqdefault.jpg "It's Garry Shandling's Show - Theme Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cWbkWTYwTw&t=26) ATHF [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dcd6wU86OgI/hqdefault.jpg "Force Intro | Aqua Teen Hunger | Adult Swim") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcd6wU86OgI) > [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > I liked when they added the professor and Mary Ann at the end, I always thought they should have paired up. Smart guy gets the cute girl kind of thing like. Meh, I always hoped Gilligan would man up and get some. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/28 "2021-12-18T18:48:33Z")
Every Lalo Schifrin ever but here’s the theme from Mannix, which doesn’t get as much play as his others. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YniFjzmOLsU/maxresdefault.jpg "Mannix (Extended)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YniFjzmOLsU) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/29 "2021-12-18T18:54:12Z")
I am negligent in not including the closing theme to the Beverly Hillbillies. Like a fine set of bookends they are. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dWko5bkG5Uk/maxresdefault.jpg "Beverly Hillbillies Closing (1966)/ Viacom Enterprises (1990) [1080p60]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWko5bkG5Uk) Yall come back now, hear! . . . . . This has been a Filmways presentation! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/30 "2021-12-18T18:58:06Z")
Henry Mancini and the Peter Gunn theme. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nz3WMFEC9Gs/hqdefault.jpg "Peter Gunn - Henry Mancini") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz3WMFEC9Gs) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/31 "2021-12-18T19:02:05Z")
Another Mancini theme: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ifSVPt9vBdM?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=FLr5Z9EbNm-xwrQfLOvIzt1A This version is at least as good as the soundtrack version! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/32 "2021-12-18T19:05:04Z")
Mr. Lucky Main Theme – wouldn’t copy here. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/33 "2021-12-18T19:08:00Z")
For me it’s Hill Street Blues. [Hill Street Blues Tune Extended - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqH3qCxz2x0) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/34 "2021-12-18T19:13:31Z")
Both of the _Monk_ theme songs were perfect for it. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cml6-InI2-U/hqdefault.jpg "Theme from Monk (Season 1)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cml6-InI2-U) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7j5Be5a86uA/hqdefault.jpg "Monk Theme Song - It's A Jungle Out There") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j5Be5a86uA) ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/35 "2021-12-18T19:18:39Z")
One of my favorites: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/GIGYLBVjYZA/hqdefault.jpg "Mash theme song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIGYLBVjYZA) ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/36 "2021-12-18T19:22:03Z")
Underdog Not just the best theme song but my pick for the best song ever. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Pa1fH0SvGPg/hqdefault.jpg "Underdog Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa1fH0SvGPg) When I post this, I always have to post The Blanks version [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BwmAXj3IgIk/maxresdefault.jpg "Scrubs - Underdog (English)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwmAXj3IgIk) ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/37 "2021-12-18T19:29:35Z")
What was that one ? All i’m seeing is “This video is unavailable” Anyway, if was this one, then here it is again ! If not, here’s another Mancini theme : [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RtXF9K_BRC8/hqdefault.jpg "The Invisible Man TV Series Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtXF9K_BRC8) Surprised no one’s mentioned this one … [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/d2JooUMsDdA/maxresdefault.jpg "The Brady Bunch Theme Song Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2JooUMsDdA) HA ! Only joking. apologies for any vomit that may have caused. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/38 "2021-12-18T19:32:34Z")
Since Mike Post has already been mentioned, I give you the theme from _Quantum Leap_. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DjK9GJMBpt0/hqdefault.jpg "Quantum Leap Theme / Intro / Opening - JUST THE INTRO (episode clip seamlessly edited out)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjK9GJMBpt0) ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/39 "2021-12-18T19:40:36Z")
OK - not a song, but: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XVSRm80WzZk/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDo-1qd7sK36QZ8o1SfsfUe0Z5MtQ "THE TWILIGHT ZONE THEME") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVSRm80WzZk) ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/40 "2021-12-18T19:44:07Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > liked when they added the professor and Mary Ann at the end, > [@solost](#): > > Yeah, I didn’t get what the deal was with “…aaand the rest” in the early going. You might be interested in the discussion here: > According to one source, when the theme was first recorded the writers had not decided exactly how many “castaways” there would be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287.md?page=3)