Forget how good the show is, the real test of TV-worthiness is how good the opening credits are, right? I have four favorite opening credits, two of which I feel no shame about, and two of which I name expecting mockery to ensue.
The unembarrassing credits:
Firefly
Veronica Mars.
The shameful credits:
Friends
The Dukes of Hazzard.
Sua
The Rockford Files - especially the pics of Rockford grocery shopping, of Rocky and the way too quick pic of the bikini girl.
Magnum P.I.
I like opening credits where there is something to actually watch:
Simpsons, of course. Waiting to see what Bart writes on the chalkboard, and how they all hit the couch.
Rockford - for the answering machine messages.
But - I LIKED Waylon Jennings singing the Duke Boys song (whatever it is called). It has now earwormed its way into my head for the rest of the day.
Forgot about the Rockford files - excellent credits.
As for the Simpsons, I used to love the credits, but honestly after many years the new snarky chalkboard message got old. I do still love waiting to hear what riff Lisa will play on the sax.
Sua
There was once a show called “Hardcastle and McCormick” that had one of the coolest theme songs out there, “Drive!” Very 80s, you could easily see Kenny Loggins making a hit with it. Mike Post and Pete Carpenter wrote some great songs for TV.
Cheers and Gilligan’s Island. Bewitched was pretty cool too.
The Sopranos, The Dukes of Hazzard, Cheers, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons
The Standard, in my opinion, by which opening credits are measured.
Story behind some of the images in the montage.
Police Squad must deseve a mention, both opening and closing credits.
I was going to mention Hawaii 5-0, too. The credits were much better than the show itself.
Taxi had a great theme, and simple but memorable visuals.
Futurama makes me want to dance.
True Blood - both the song and the images are hypnotic.
Bart: Should I write it on the chalkboard 100 times?
Mrs. Krabapple: Honestly, we all got sick of that years ago.
For the beauty of the (entirely instrumental) theme song, it’s hard to beat Angel in my opinion. The images were pretty standard stuff, but the music was worth listening to all by itself.
Except for the blah first season The Cosby Show is also a winner, but for the reverse reason: they clearly enjoyed playing around with it, and it was always fun to watch. Particularly fun was the first episode of each season, when they’d change it.
Kim Possible wins for best opening theme song with words; Powerpuff Girls for closing song with words.
And the Drew Carey Show opening with “5 O’clock World” rocks. “Cleveland Rocks,” not so much, ironically.
Hawaii Five-0…Zulu as Kono, baby!!!
Babylon 5…especially the Season 3 version with the simple, crushing
“It failed.”
I always liked the very end of “Twin Peaks.” Not so much the credits, but the VERY end when they flashed the Lynch/Frost Productions logo. I don’t know why, but there was something about it that always creeped me out!
I was beaten to Mad Men, but Dexter has a great opening sequence as well.
And the X-Files opening always got me in the mood for the show.
The Big Bang Theory for the coolest song (WE BUILT THE PYRAMIDS)
I like the opening credits for Chuck.
Kim Possible–great theme.
Total Drama Island–summarizes characters perfectly.
The Dick Van Dyke Show–only opening credits that make me smile/laugh every single time I see them. Nobody trips over an ottoman like Dick.