# Best TV theme song? Please post a link

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287>\
**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:** 9

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**Author:** ![Blisters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Blisters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blisters)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/161 "2021-12-26T02:06:35Z")

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I love lots of these but no one has mentioned this song yet.

Can’t figure out how to format in my phone.

Chico and the man

[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k7FISjhfpmc](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k7FISjhfpmc)

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**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/162 "2021-12-26T06:58:59Z")

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> [@needscoffee](#):
>
> Buffy the Vampire Slayer

That is genuinely nothing special, and remarkable only for its mediocrity and lack of musical quality. It qualifies as a “song” only in the most tenuous sense.

Its companion show _Angel_, on the other hand, is indeed remarkable, and tremendously evocative.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gHSFV5IkM5c/maxresdefault.jpg "Angel - All Seasons Opening Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSFV5IkM5c)

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/163 "2021-12-26T07:01:24Z")

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> [@Bootb](#):
>
> That is genuinely nothing special, and remarkable only for its mediocrity and lack of musical quality. It qualifies as a “song” only in the most tenuous sense.

A pity it didn’t meet your lofty standards.

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/164 "2021-12-26T08:50:55Z")

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_Angel_ reminded me of this theme. I’m sure I’ve posted it here before sometime in the past. This UK show, not that you could guess from the music, is about student nurses.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Uu0fyzu7TZE/maxresdefault.jpg "Angels - Alan Parker") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu0fyzu7TZE)

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**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/165 "2021-12-26T14:02:33Z")

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The cartoon _Marine Boy_ ( _Kaitei Shōnen Marin_) was fairly forgettable, but the tune was a real ‘earworm’.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xri42GBLc5c/hqdefault.jpg "Marine Boy Theme Tune") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xri42GBLc5c)

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/166 "2021-12-26T17:05:36Z")

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Here are the first 200 posted:

30 Rock  
77 Sunset Strip  
A Team, The  
Action!  
Addams Family, The  
Airwolf  
All in the Family  
Americans, The  
Angel  
Angels  
Angie  
Aqua Teen Hunger Force  
Archer  
Avengers, The  
Banana Splits, The  
Barney Miller  
Batman  
Battlestar Galactica  
BBC Test Match Cricket  
BBC Wimbledon  
Beany and Cecil  
Beverly Hillbillies, The  
Bewitched  
Big Blue Marble  
Bob Newhart Show, The  
Brady Bunch, The  
Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Bugs Bunny Show, The  
Bullwinkle Show, The  
Cheers  
Chico and the Man  
China Beach  
Cimarron Strip  
Combat!  
Coronet Blue  
Courageous Cat & Minute Mouse  
Courtship of Eddie’s Father, The  
Cowboy Bebop  
Curb Your Enthusiasm  
Cutie Honey  
Danger Man  
Dark Shadows  
Dating Game, The  
Deadwood  
Dick Van Dyke Show, The  
Dirty Jobs  
Doctors Hospital  
Dynasty  
Ed  
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl  
Equalizer, The  
Fall Guy, The  
Family Guy  
Fireball XL 5  
Firefly  
Flying Blind  
Frasier  
F-Troop  
Galavant  
George of the Jungle  
Get a Life  
Get Smart  
Ghost in the Shell  
Gigantor  
Gilligan’s Island  
Gomer Pyle, USMC  
Good Morning America  
Grandstand  
Gravity Falls  
Greatest American Hero, The  
Gunsmoke  
Harry’s Game  
Have Gun Will Travel  
Hawaii Five-O  
Hee Haw  
High Chaparral  
Highway Patrol  
Hill Street Blues  
Hockey Night in Canada  
Huntley & Brinkley News Hour  
Invisible Man, The  
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show  
Jamie and the Magic Torch  
Jeffersons, The  
Joe 90  
Johnny Quest  
Josie and the Pussycats  
Justified  
Kolchak: The Night Stalker  
Last Kingdom, The  
Laverne and Shirley  
Leftover, The  
Lost in Space  
Lupin  
M_A_S\*H  
Magnum, PI  
Magpie  
Man from U.N.C.L.E., The  
Man in a Suitcase  
Mannix  
Marine Boy  
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The  
Maude  
Maverick  
McHale’s Navy  
Miami Vice  
Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer  
Minder  
Mission: Impossible  
Monk  
Monkees, The  
Moone Boy  
Mr. Lucky  
Munsters, The  
Mysterious Benedict Society, The  
Mystery Science Theater 3000  
Name of the Game, The  
Narcos  
National Geographic Special  
NBC Monday Night Baseball  
North of 60  
Odd Couple, The  
O’Grady  
Only Fools and Horses  
Only Murders in the Building  
Outer Limits, The  
Patriot  
Peep Show  
Perry Mason  
Persuaders, The  
Peter Gunn  
Prisoner, The  
Protectors, The  
Psych  
Quantum Leap  
Rat Patrol, The  
Rawhide  
Robin of Sherwood  
Rockford Files, The  
Rocky & Bullwinkle  
Rod Serling’s Night Gallery  
Rondeau  
Room 222  
Route 66  
Royle Family, The  
S.W.A.T.  
Sanford and Son  
Scooby Doo  
Sea Hunt  
Sealab 2021  
Secret Agent Man  
Simon & Simon  
Six Million Dollar Man, The  
Sledge Hammer!  
Sonic the Hedgehog  
Sopranos, The  
South Park  
Speed Racer  
Spiderman  
Squidbillies  
St. Elsewhere  
Star Blazers  
Star Trek  
Star Trek Deep Space Nine  
Steptoe and Son  
Stingray  
Strange Report  
Streets of San Francisco, The  
Succession  
Super Chicken  
Tales of the Unexpected  
Taxi  
Terriers  
That 70s Show  
Then Came Bronson  
Thunderbirds  
Tick, The  
Top Cat  
Topper  
Tour de France Theme  
Twelve O’Clock High  
Twilight Zone, The  
Twin Peaks  
UFO  
Underdog  
Untouchables, The  
Van der Valk  
Veronica Mars  
Virginian, The  
Vision On  
Wall Street Week  
Weekend World  
Welcome Back, Kotter  
Whirlybirds  
Wild Wild West, The  
Wire, The  
WKRP in Cincinnati  
Wonder Woman  
Wonderfalls  
World in Action

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/167 "2021-12-26T17:07:20Z")

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Number 201 is an old favorite that I should have thought of sooner.

Shameless:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ciFzoaZS7T8/maxresdefault.jpg "Shameless US - Opening - 720p HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFzoaZS7T8)

mmm

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/168 "2021-12-26T21:40:05Z")

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This really should be on the list, if it isn’t already. It’s one of Jerry Fielding’s best themes.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sns1Xj6L-Qc/hqdefault.jpg "Star Trek Voyager - 4k / HD Intro - NeonVisual") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sns1Xj6L-Qc)

I also like the outro of _ **ST: Enterprise** _, aka “Archer’s Theme”:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5JNgC8tc-x8/maxresdefault.jpg "Star Trek: Enterprise Music - Archer's Theme (expanded edit)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JNgC8tc-x8)

I’m not listing _ **ST: TNG** _ because it’s a reworking of the theme from _ **ST: TMP** _.

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**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/169 "2021-12-27T03:44:57Z")

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I forgot Spectreman… funky and inspired

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Csyfi2ihsRA/hqdefault.jpg "Spectreman Theme Opening English Version") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csyfi2ihsRA)

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**Author:** ![Hakushon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hakushon/32/5503_2.png) [@Hakushon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakushon)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/170 "2021-12-27T05:52:29Z")

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OMG, I _almost_ posted that (but felt I had posted too many already)! That’s a really good one, IMHO.

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/171 "2021-12-27T16:14:19Z")

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I get goose bumps listening to these:

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vvK7Lgqcu5Y/hqdefault.jpg "Honeymooners Ending Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvK7Lgqcu5Y)

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CwALONKsAN0/hqdefault.jpg "TV THEME - "THE AMOS 'N ANDY SHOW"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwALONKsAN0)

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/172 "2021-12-27T17:31:21Z")

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These should not be overlooked:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_0DvXQ05Xw8/maxresdefault.jpg "Leave It To Beaver Season 5 Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0DvXQ05Xw8)

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TvSXdO7SDCE/hqdefault.jpg "The Andy Griffith Show \*\*\* The Opening Theme Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvSXdO7SDCE)

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fZFN3h0Oogc/hqdefault.jpg "Mayberry R.F.D. (Intro) S1 (1969)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZFN3h0Oogc)

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**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/173 "2021-12-27T18:32:27Z")

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Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers.

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LXqMzmFSX_4/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgWig1MA8=&rs=AOn4CLCy8IKpNSan8x1ejgDno9tC4oiSxA ""Sesame Street Theme" 1998-2001") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXqMzmFSX_4)

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AQS3JGqx46U/maxresdefault.jpg "Mister Roger's Neighborhood | "Won't You Be My Neighbor" Song | PBS KIDS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQS3JGqx46U)

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**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 27, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/174 "2021-12-27T19:20:00Z")

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Best anime theme

[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU21rCWkuJw)

Catchy

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rg6CiPI6h2g/hqdefault.jpg "Pokémon Theme Song (Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg6CiPI6h2g)

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**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 27, 2021, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/175 "2021-12-27T20:12:41Z")

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Knight Rider

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cTZBy5qAA0k/hqdefault.jpg "Knight Rider intro opening sequence") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTZBy5qAA0k)

What’s striking to me about this is it’s almost a minute and a half long and includes only show clips, voiceover exposition, the show’s title, and the names of the three primary stars. No mention whatsoever of any producers or even a “created by”; it’s _just a show intro_.

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/176 "2021-12-27T21:06:13Z")

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> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> These should not be overlooked:

Neither should these:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/H8mVIsJUDzY/maxresdefault.jpg "Jack Benny Program End Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8mVIsJUDzY)

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9vOxPUFF0T0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHUBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGGQgZShBMA8=&rs=AOn4CLC3vzRvuI29JOLIbLUkutnafZ-Hsw "Theme Song to My Mother the Car") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vOxPUFF0T0)

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**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 28, 2021, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/177 "2021-12-28T01:12:05Z")

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Oops - forgot - the swellest one ever  
(with some fine words from the legendary Tommy Tedesco, the Happy Kyne and the Mirthmakers guitarist.)

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YA0-SpqYYXU/hqdefault.jpg "Fernwood Tonight with Tommy Tedesco Alias Tommy Marranuchi") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA0-SpqYYXU)

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**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/178 "2021-12-28T13:57:52Z")

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I liked the Red Dwarf Outro after watching the show – not quite as good in isolation IMHO

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/K8b4NQhMZms/maxresdefault.jpg "Red Dwarf - Series 1-5 Closing Sequence CLEAN VERSION") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8b4NQhMZms)

Brian

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/179 "2021-12-29T04:00:10Z")

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Sound familiar?

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/f65xzJN9O18/hqdefault.jpg "M SQUAD [1957-1960]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f65xzJN9O18)

She was the girl of my dreams (literally 🤭) when I was in fifth grade:

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IeOsjAE6APw/hqdefault.jpg "That girl season 2-4 opening") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeOsjAE6APw)

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song-please-post-a-link/956287/180 "2021-12-29T04:34:40Z")

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Follyfoot

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CqwJoEGyGMY/hqdefault.jpg "Tv Theme Follyfoot (Full Theme)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqwJoEGyGMY)

The Tomorrow People

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ei7i7RFvrUM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tomorrow People Theme (Intro & Outro)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei7i7RFvrUM)

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