My favorite would be the theme song to the Canadian news magazine show “W5”. The opening theme was Fool’s Overture by Supertramp.
Also have to give a shout out to “WKRP in Cincinnati”, “Baretta”, and the old Bob Newhart show.
Two shows I primarily remember for the theme songs:
Courtship of Eddie’s Father (by Harry Nilsson)
Angie–a 1:40 intro for a half hour sitcom!
And while we’re mentioning WKRP, the opening theme couldn’t hold a candle to the closing theme.
Here’s the long version of the Eagles’ Journey of the Sorceror, used as the theme for Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
The Six Feet Under theme is gorgeous.
Dexter’s already been mentioned; that’s forever one of my favourites too.
WKRP in Cincinnati.
Airwolf.
“Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed …”
I’ve found it to be the ultimate earworm.
Seconding True Blood.
Similarly, the kids’ show the theme song for Phineas and Ferb concludes with their sister, who’s always ineffectually tattle-taling, hollering “Mom! Phineas and Ferb are making a title sequence!”
Penn and Teller’s Bullshit! TV show has an interesting intro theme. And the music somehow conveys in feelings what the show is like/about.
I’m going to throw my vote to Space 1999. Good theme. But that theme thrown in with all the action packed scenes clipped and spliced together was one kick ass bucket of excitement.
Bonanza, first, last, and forever! I don’t even like Westerns, but just hearing that music makes me want to saddle up and punch doggies.
And on obscure one, The Protectors. It was a really, really bad British detective show in the early 1970’s starring Robert Vaughn. My family used to watch it and make fun of it. But it had a cool theme song, Avenues and Alleyways by Tony Christie.
Then there’s the classic Persuaders theme, by the late great John Barry.
Night Court Night Court theme - YouTube
Sanford And Son http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5DnqW3F57E
Third Rock From The Sun Third Rock from the Sun Opening Theme - Only Theme - 3rd Rock - YouTube Brian Setzer and his big band did the theme on some later episodes.
Bill Cosby Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_Rppe_MyM8
The Jetsons - YouTube
Batman! Old Batman TV Show Theme Song - YouTube
I could do this all day.
i REALLY like ST Voyager’s theme
Going further afield from what we’ve been considering ‘TV shows’, the Cowboy Bebop anime has a wonderful opening theme:
The Streets of San Francisco: - YouTube
Gonna hop across the pond… I would link to YouTube but I’m on the iPhone. Haven’t mastered that trick yet.
Top of the Pops, BBC (Phil Lynott’s Yellow Pearl version)
Tomorrow’s World, BBC (the early 80s theme)
Jamie and the Magic Torch, ITV (cracking tune from a kids cartoon)
World in Action, ITV (late 70s-early 80s… Had that awesome organ parping in the background, like someone dropped a load of acid before discussing the terrible state of Britain. Was there ever a cheery WiA programme?)
EastEnders (BBC)
Back to the US:
Magnum, PI
The A Team
National Geographic
NBC Nightly News
Agreed! Also liked The Sopranos and Taxi.
70’s stuff: mash, taxi, waltons, MTM, bob newhart, carol burnett, shaft, wide world of sports, laverne & shirley, happy days, partridge family, rockford files, abc sunday night movie, rockford files, und so weiter…
I always thought Baywatch had a really great theme. Better than the show, anyway.