# Shows that stank, but had great theme music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316 "2017-10-08T18:05:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/21 "2017-10-08T23:24:33Z")
I can’t really say whether or not _Peter Gunn_ was a good show, because I’ve never seen a episode. But it was a fifties private eye series and it doesn’t have a cult following so I’m going to assume it was an average product of its era. The [theme music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oysMt8iL9UE), however, is a classic. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/22 "2017-10-08T23:26:09Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/w3DpTs-iV7U/hqdefault.jpg "Love, American Style TV theme song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3DpTs-iV7U) Love American Style is a little masterpiece ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/23 "2017-10-08T23:28:51Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/igMoIRvjWqI/hqdefault.jpg "The Name of the Game Theme (Intro & Outro)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igMoIRvjWqI) If you liked Mannix, did you like The Name of the Game? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/24 "2017-10-08T23:33:29Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Any support for "Skippy the Bush Kangaroo" Until this very second I though Skippy was a good kangaroo and not a bush one. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/25 "2017-10-08T23:36:03Z")
^^ Past my bedtime. _Mannix_ was on earlier on a different night (I think). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/26 "2017-10-09T00:22:11Z")
Gilligan’s island…does anyone NOT know the lyrics? ---
**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:** [October 9, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/27 "2017-10-09T00:41:34Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Gilligan’s island…does anyone NOT know the lyrics? This is the [theme from the pilot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx7A4sxJi7c). By John Williams. It’s, it’s, it’s… . ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/28 "2017-10-09T01:51:51Z")
[Nazca](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlifLmsgu24) ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/29 "2017-10-09T01:58:14Z")
[quote=“Critical1, post:11, topic:798316”] the ultimate, a song everyone knows although most don’t know the name. [/QUOTE] I liked the show. Of course, I was about 12 back then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/30 "2017-10-09T01:58:19Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > If you liked Mannix, did you like The Name of the Game? Loved that show! Definitely fails to meet the premise of the thread; it was a GREAT series! (I laughed and laughed when they started publishing the real “People” magazine!) ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/31 "2017-10-09T02:16:16Z")
This one definitely falls outside the premise of the thread, as the show was very good. But one of the best theme songs I know is a jazz number called “Angela”. You know it - if you’re old enough - as [the theme from _Taxi_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DL8SGEyhZE). ---
**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:** [October 9, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/32 "2017-10-09T02:28:52Z")
^ “Good night, Mr. Walters.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/33 "2017-10-09T02:36:14Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > This one definitely falls outside the premise of the thread, as the show was very good. But one of the best theme songs I know is a jazz number called “Angela”. > > You know it - if you’re old enough - as [the theme from _Taxi_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DL8SGEyhZE). Yeah, but it was a great show. I was never a fan of **Jonny Quest** as a child, but damned if it didn’t have a badass [theme song](https://youtu.be/L0kg_tzQvf4). ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/34 "2017-10-09T03:26:22Z")
The original _Hawaii Five-0_ was cool and had awesome theme music. The new _Hawaii Five-0_ is stupid, but they used the original’s awesome theme. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/35 "2017-10-09T03:35:37Z")
The clear and indisputable winner: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/e2ZRSwul7cE/hqdefault.jpg "Cleopatra 2525 Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2ZRSwul7cE) ---
**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:** [October 9, 2017, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/36 "2017-10-09T07:36:18Z")
_American Bandstand_. I could never follow the plot. Lots of great music, though. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/37 "2017-10-09T07:47:51Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Not theme music per se…but Space 1999 had the baddest theme/episode clip thingy ever. I don’t know if these shows were bad, but they didn’t last long and their themes, much like Space 1999’s, are fantastic. [Land of the Giants](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6TlWduvoeE) [Logan’s Run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owNi60LLK1c) [Return Of The Saint](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoDWzIXAqlo) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/38 "2017-10-09T08:57:08Z")
The original _Battlestar Galactica_ wasn’t such a great show, but the theme was suitably epic. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pHp9oZPqs8E/hqdefault.jpg "Battlestar Galactica Original Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHp9oZPqs8E) ---
**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:** [October 9, 2017, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/39 "2017-10-09T10:28:06Z")
[George of the Jungle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXWy-HQefc)! ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316/40 "2017-10-09T11:22:31Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > ^ “Good night, Mr. Walters.” “Mmrfpmph…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-stank-but-had-great-theme-music/798316.md?page=3)