I have to agree with the folks that say no matter what the other criteria are you HAVE to be able to recite/hum/sing the words 20 years later.
In that case there is no doubt. It has to be Gilligan’s Island. Is ther anybody who watched the show when it was on originally that CAN’T?
I’d have to say the theme from Dr. Who would win
If you want a cathcy, upbeat theme that captures the spirit of the show, how about Laverne and Shirley?
Give us any chance, we’ll take it
Give us any rule, we’ll break it
We’re gonna make it on our own
Doin’ it OUR WAY!
Having said that, I personally feel that “Good Times” rocks!
Well, thanks to this thread, a number of TV theme songs is echoing inside my skull: “Well no one told you there’d be days like…” “Happy Days, these are the happy days!” “Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’…” “…big wheels movin’, movin’ on!” “…through rain and wind and weather…” “…the weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed…” “…but suicide is painless! It brings on many changes! And I can take or leave it as I please…” “…but I’ll be there for youuuuuu!” “BATMAAAAAAAAN!” “…he’s a demon on wheels! He’s a demon and he’s gonna be chasin’ after someone!” “Tom Slick! Tom Slick!”
A few not mentioned:
The Dukes of Hazzard by Merle Haggard.
Tom Slick
The Jeopardy theme.
ABC’s Wide World of Sports
ER
(Chicago Hope once did an on-the-nose parody of the ER opening credits that had me ROTFLMAO, especially when Hector Elizondo cracked, “It looks familiar.”) (In the episode, it was supposed to be a commercial for the hospital and featured all the doctors imitating the ER cast with near-identical titles and optical effects. The hospital was referred to as “CH,” for example. Vondie Curtis-Hall leaped to the floor and pumped his fist a la Dr. Benson. And so on.)
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
The Lone Ranger
The Adventures of Superman (George Reeves)
Lois and Clark
But my favorite instrumental was the theme to Quantum Leap. The saxophone solo always got me.
And my favorite with lyrics had to be Green Acres. Never failed to make me smile. And I DID sing along.
Gotta be the Mission Impossible theme song. There is a reason for it too. It was written by Lalo Schifrin who directed the LA Symphony. This guy also wrote many other TV themes, but MI was definitely the best. Perry Mason comes in a close second along with the original Star Trek theme. And BTW what is it with these modern shows that they’ve gotta have some sorta tune that you cannot possibly whistle or hum to yourself? If it isn’t sampled nine ways to Sunday with off beat percission accents you’re out of luck.
I agree with you about Mission: Impossible, Zenster, in fact I think I was first to nominate it in this thread. But I have to correct you about Star Trek, the theme was by Alexander Courage.
Thanks Robot Arm, you first mentioned the IM theme. I only mentioned Perry Mason and Star Trek as addenda. Not as attributions to Lalo. The Avengers theme is another fave. Kills 'em every time I whup it out on the flute, playing “name that tune”. No one’s mentioned “The Wild Wild West” theme yet.
I cannot believe that no one has mentioned the theme music for Looney Tunes / Merry Melodies. The music even has a title (Obscure cartoon theme music titles for $1,000 Alex.), that being, “Merry Go Round Broke Down”. Always good for a bar bet.
Furthermore, I challenge anyone to come up with another song besides the Looney Tunes theme that would universally make all dopers run for their TV sets faster.
There is a copy of this incredibly warped song listed on Napster (I can smell a Napster Great Debate starting as I type this). Little Roger and the Goosebumps cut this number and were promptly sued out of existence by Led Zep. Even my Christian friend thinks that this one is dyno. If you have trouble, or are just plain lazy, I will accept email solicitations for a mass emailing of this musical gem.
My 100th posting celebration gift to all dopers.
jab1 wrote:
And in a similar vein, Super Chicken:
"When you’re life is filled with danger,
When you’re threatened by a stranger,
When it looks like you will take a licken –
(buck buck buck buck!)
There is someone waiting who
Will Harry (?) up and rescue you
Just caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall UP for Super Chicken!
(buck-aaack!)
Fred if you’re afraid, you’ll have to overlook it;
Besides, you knew the job was dang’rous when you took it!
(buck-aaack!)
He will drink his Super Sauce
And throw the bad guys for a loss,
And he will bring 'em in alive and kicken –
(buck buck buck buck!)
There is one thing you should learn,
When there is no one else to turn
To, caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall UP for Super Chicken!
(buck buck buck buck!)
Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall UP for Super Chicken!
(buck-aaack!)"
The Instrumentals:
Rockford Files
Quincy
Cagney & Lacey
CHIPS
Star Trek
The Lone Ranger [well, OK, probably cheating there]
NBC (I think?) Sunday/Wednesday night Mystery Movie
…{the one where Columbo got his start}
MASH {the TV series w/o the words}
nananananananana Batman! I love it, I have it as the ring signal on my cell phone (didn’t take a long time to make it ;-)). I also like ** Knightrider**
No one’s mentioned WKRP in Cincinatti?
Baby, if you’ve ever wondered,
Wondered, whatever became of me,
I’m living on the air in Cincinatti,
Cincinnatti WKRP.
Got kinda tired of packing and unpacking,
Town to town, up and down the dial.
Maybe you and me were never meant to be,
but baby think of me once in a while.
I’m at WKRP in Cincinatti.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned The Tick. I love the theme song and it doesn’t matter one bit if you don’t know all the words. 
I guess I’m the only one remembers the theme from “Hardcastle and McCormick” . . .
*Slow-motion mayhem
Iron and steel in the palm of your hand
Hard-wired heart
Betting your life on the state of the art
Lay down the law
Don’t you let ‘em cross the line
Under the hood, got the bad and the good
Everybody’s doin’ time*
Was mentioned, and it was by Waylon Jennings, not Merle.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 
What about the A Team!
Also there was a cartoon on TV in the 80s called ‘Mask’ [not THE mask], but I dont know whether it was on in America. Anyway, it had a great theme tune.
dhanson wrote:
I’m about to, but my vote’s for the kick-arse outro music. It would have to fall into the No Lyrics category though since the lyrics are totally incomprehensible (there’s a very good reason for this). The whole rock piece ties in wonderfully with miaowing MGM kitty at the end.
Another personal fave: Due South - somewhere between Crash Test Dummies and Cowboy Junkies.
Here in the West we’re living in the best BONANZA.
With a gun and a rope and a hatful of hope
We planted our family tree.
We got a hold of a potful of gold at BONANZA
With a horse and a saddle and a herdful of cattle
How rich can a fellow be?
On this land we staked our claim.
Cartwright is the name.
Hoss’s smile the day we filed
The Ponderosa claim.
Here in the West We’re living in the best BONANZA
If anyone fights with any of us, he’s gonna fight with me.
Hoss and Joe and Adam know it’s Cartwright do or die.
When work is done, the setting sun in the Ponderosa sky.
Here in the West, we’re living in the best BONANZA.
BONANZA, BONANZA…
Some faves from my childhood…
Ulysses 31
Incredible Hulk (the saddest song ever written IMHO)
Here Comes The Grump
Dukes of Hazzard (sung by Waylon Jennings)
The Littlest Hobo