# Great TV Theme Music...but Lousy Show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2025, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788 "2025-01-10T05:08:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/21 "2025-01-10T14:39:00Z")
I thought _Ellery Queen_ had the best opening credits ever. That cool playful riff over a chess board scattered with various kooky stuff. The show itself? Don’t remember it. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/22 "2025-01-10T14:49:56Z")
The ABC TV show “Makin’ It” was canceled after only 9 weeks. The theme song debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 a short time after the show was gone, eventually peaking at #5. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/23 "2025-01-10T14:55:04Z")
I’m not sure if it qualifies as a “lousy show,” but the theme song for the U.S. release of Danger Man - [Secret Agent Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT5aDFHKaac) - is _much_ more well known than the show itself. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/24 "2025-01-10T15:25:01Z")
Airwolf did have two episodes that I would rate as some of the best episodic TV up to its day. Trouble is, it ran 80 episodes. Ellery Queen is fine. Holds up OK. Space 1999…well, there are some good episodes in there, there really are! But the rest? I offer these words: Joan Collins as the Queen of Space As for the OP, I offer two: Southland, great theme, nothing much special show Without a Trace. One of the tightest, most intense 30 seconds of theme songs ever. While the show wasn’t “lousy”, it barely achieved mediocrity. Honorable mention: 2 1/2 Men. The tightest and most intense two seconds of theme music ever! 🙂 I got sick of Charlie, and the show shitting on Allen pretty quick. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/25 "2025-01-10T15:31:08Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > The ABC TV show “Makin’ It” was canceled after only 9 weeks. The theme song debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 a short time after the show was gone, eventually peaking at #5. The same thing happened in the early 1990s with a show on Fox called _The Heights_ about a fictional band. The band recorded an actual song “How Do You Talk to an Angel” that hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The show only lasted three months before being cancelled due to poor ratings. I definitely would not call the song “great,” though. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/26 "2025-01-10T15:33:11Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > The best thing about _Airwolf_ was its kick-ass theme music. Seriously we got 15 posts in before anyone suggested this!?! Surely the canonical example of the OP 😄 ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/27 "2025-01-10T15:36:07Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Space 1999…well, there are some good episodes in there, there really are! But the rest? I offer these words: Joan Collins as the Queen of Space I had a huge crush on Catherine Schell, who only joined the show in season 2. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/28 "2025-01-10T16:50:49Z")
Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/29 "2025-01-10T17:01:57Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > I had a huge crush on Catherine Schell She’s not all that! [![](https://catacombs.space1999.net/main/images/spacehd/bow1/spbow13484.jpg) ](https://catacombs.space1999.net/main/images/spacehd/bow1/spbow13484.jpg) ---
**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:** [January 10, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/30 "2025-01-10T17:43:05Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I thought the theme for _Greatest American Hero_ was catchy, but the show was pretty stupid. Yesterday I was wondering what my favorite TV theme song of a show I don’t like. And Greatest American Hero was the was the winner. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/31 "2025-01-10T17:50:16Z")
_Peter Gunn._ Take your standard handsome-but-tough leading man straight out of Central Casting, and give him story lines straight out of paperback novels. But then get Henry Mancini to do the theme song! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oysMt8iL9UE/hqdefault.jpg "Peter Gunn Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oysMt8iL9UE) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/32 "2025-01-11T13:15:12Z")
I was never much for _Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em_, but you have to hand it to a theme tune that spells out the entire title in Morse code - including punctuation: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tduNoff-GHE/maxresdefault.jpg "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tduNoff-GHE) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/33 "2025-01-11T16:15:05Z")
If we’re bringing movies into this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hY2_jUDQHVc/hqdefault.jpg "Jack Frost - Frosty the Snoman.avi") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY2_jUDQHVc) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/34 "2025-01-11T16:40:43Z")
_Angie_ was a forgettable sitcom, but its theme was catchy. “We come to each other from different worlds…” Coincidentally, its leads, Robert Hays and Donna Pescow, each were later in series (_Starman_ and _Out of This World_, respectively), with the premise of a human woman and an extraterrestrial father having a child being raised by one of the parents. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/35 "2025-01-11T17:16:50Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Too Many Cooks: Doesn’t fit the thread._Too Many Cooks_ is one of the greatest shows of all time. Who could forget the famous “Honey I’m ho-” scene? ---
**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:** [January 11, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/36 "2025-01-11T19:52:28Z")
My favorite song of all time is The Underdog Show theme song. The series was pretty bad. The best music to the worst show: The Lone Ranger ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/37 "2025-01-11T20:06:44Z")
Falcon Crest (a show I have never once considered watching) had a pretty boppin’ theme song by Bill Conti. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/652CDKhTRgI/maxresdefault.jpg "FALCON CREST - Main Theme By Bill Conti | CBS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=652CDKhTRgI) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/38 "2025-01-11T20:17:44Z")
Was **George of the Jungle** a good cartoon? I have no idea, but I love the song. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/39 "2025-01-11T20:24:06Z")
I don’t think the Spiderman cartoon from the '60s is considered lousy but it sure wasn’t interesting to me. That theme song, though . . . [Here comes the Spiderman](https://www.google.com/search?q=spiderman+song+lyrics&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS691US691&oq=spiderman+song&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgBEAAYgAQyDAgAEEUYORixAxiABDIHCAEQABiABDIMCAIQABgUGIcCGIAEMgcIAxAuGIAEMgcIBBAAGIAEMgcIBRAAGIAEMgcIBhAuGIAEMgcIBxAAGIAEMgcICBAAGIAEMgcICRAAGIAE0gEJODIzNWowajE1qAIJsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:0ddf9613,vid:wl90tt4newk,st:0) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788/40 "2025-01-11T20:54:05Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Was **George of the Jungle** a good cartoon? I have no idea, but I love the song. Same goes for **Super Chicken** by the same songwriting team. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-tv-theme-music-but-lousy-show/1012788.md?page=3)