# lamest movie/tv theme songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2018, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804 "2018-03-01T06:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/21 "2018-03-01T17:45:15Z")
**Monk** originally had a peppy little jazz guitar piece that was replaced by a Randy “Mumbles” Newman dirge. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/22 "2018-03-01T19:06:59Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > My god. > > Utterly fascinating. Regarding that song: I heard it on the radio decades before I knew it was a theme song, and my reaction was “What is this tripe?” So-so melody, and lyrics that sounded like generic soft rock goop–except that they were exceptionally pointless and emotive. The lyrics just did not add up. When I eventually caught the show (time-filler on a local church-owned station), the lyrics and the emotion suddenly made sense. And the melody grew on me a little. Still, I can’t be very enthusiastic about the tune because without context it was bad. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/23 "2018-03-01T19:17:22Z")
It’s not the worst ever but I find the Outlander theme really underwhelming. I generally enjoy Celtic music but it is REALLY blah. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/24 "2018-03-01T19:19:09Z")
What??? I LOVE the theme of The Greatest American Hero! I have a theme radio station on Pandora and sing my lungs out in the car if that ever comes on. One, thing, I don’t hate, but find puzzling, is the theme to [Quantum Leap](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE_L2NSuSNs). Yeah, it’s from the 80s, but the juxtaposition of a generic 80’s TV jazz theme to a sci-fi show makes NO sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/25 "2018-03-01T19:20:47Z")
> [@awldune](#): > > It’s not the worst ever but I find the Outlander theme really underwhelming. I generally enjoy Celtic music but it is REALLY blah. Ugh. Yeah. Totally. It’s a Scottish Themed show. I get it already. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/26 "2018-03-01T19:40:17Z")
The [original](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JumPsCbB7rQ), pre-Mike Post opening credits song to “Magnum, p.i.” was somnolescent, better suited to Jessica Fletcher or Barnaby Jones. The [Mike Post-orchastrated theme](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xIaXl7SqkBw), on the other hand, is iconic, and feels like a good ‘Eighties complement to the _Hawaii Five-Oh_ theme. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/27 "2018-03-01T19:44:20Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > By the end of [_Requiem For a Dream_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVIRcnlRKF8) there was a violinist or two I wanted to commission a Trotsky-like hit on. To each his own. _Lux Aeterna_ is one of my all-time favorite pieces of movie score. > [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > [Speed Racer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suCm1w_KTiY) > > Yep, they were serious. Hey, that’s one of the fondest memories of my childhood… ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/28 "2018-03-01T19:51:30Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > There’s a special place in limbo for the god-awful feel-goodery of the theme for [_The Greatest American Hero._](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb4C7vSByMM) > It’s hurtful. Aw, come on now. If it weren’t for The Greatest American Hero, we wouldn’t have George Costanza’s answering machine greeting. “Believe it or not, George isn’t at home…” ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/29 "2018-03-01T20:00:38Z")
_Bosch_ “I’ve got a feelin’ and I can’t let go.” That’s the entire lyrics, repeated something like 100 billion times. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/30 "2018-03-01T20:01:15Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > It’s bland, boring and forgettable. Hal Linden said pretty much the same thing about the theme to “Barney Miller”. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/31 "2018-03-01T20:04:04Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Hal Linden said pretty much the same thing about the theme to “Barney Miller”. I find that opening bass line totally iconic. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/32 "2018-03-01T20:05:52Z")
To be fair, Linden was comparing the theme to his show against those of other hit shows of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/33 "2018-03-01T20:09:15Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Hal Linden said pretty much the same thing about the theme to “Barney Miller”. That’s all it took to get me humming and playing air-bass. 🙂 Killer jazz riff. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/34 "2018-03-01T20:26:00Z")
[Too Many Cooks.](https://youtu.be/QrGrOK8oZG8) ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/35 "2018-03-01T20:38:19Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > There usually is a “skip intro” button. But it is only fleetingly available. You really gotta pay attention to click it. Automatically skipping intros when watching back to back episodes is turned on by default. I find it horribly annoying, and after much searching found out that you have to go to Netflix in a browser on a computer so you can go to a sooper seekrit menu to turn it off. And it still shows the ferschluggin’ skip intro button every. stupid. episode. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/36 "2018-03-01T20:45:19Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > **Monk** originally had a peppy little jazz guitar piece that was replaced by a Randy “Mumbles” Newman dirge. If you ever get your own TV show, don’t change the theme song. –Marci Maven > [@TimeWinder](#): > > _Bosch_ > > “I’ve got a feelin’ and I can’t let go.” That’s the entire lyrics, repeated something like 100 billion times. You are correct, but at least the mirrored images look cool. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/37 "2018-03-01T20:47:26Z")
How can anyone not like the _Barney Miller_ theme? That’s one of the greatest bass lines of all time! ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/38 "2018-03-01T20:54:48Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > [Mighty Hercules](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laoBvt9CcQo): “Virtue in his eyes, iron in his thighs”? Really, that’s what you came up with? More than made up for by the catchy tune and the accomplished singing. I haven’t heard the theme for over thirty years but can still hum the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/39 "2018-03-01T21:00:37Z")
Facts of Life ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804/40 "2018-03-01T21:03:39Z")
The theme song to “The Fosters” is just about the lamest, most treacly excuse for music extant. The show itself isn’t bad, but even the first few notes of the theme is enough to make me sprain a finger trying to stop it so I can skip ahead. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lamest-movie-tv-theme-songs/809804.md?page=3)