# The all-time best TV show theme song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408 "2003-03-14T18:56:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/1 "2003-03-14T18:56:21Z")
I just heard the theme song from **Alf** which is actually really good. It’s light, happy, and the bass is cooking. I can think of very few TV theme songs that I’d actually _want_ to hear. In no particular order: The aforementioned **Alf** theme. The theme song for **King of the Hill** was written by one of the Refreshments (for you Tempe music scene followers) and it’s actually called something like “triangles and yahoos” or vice versa. **Enterprise** has a nice theme song, _Faith of the heart_ by Rod Stewart. It’s okay. Any others? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/2 "2003-03-14T19:02:02Z")
**Peter Gunn**. Mods, feel free to lock this now that the question’s been definitively answered. ---
**Author:** ![sezyou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@sezyou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sezyou)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/3 "2003-03-14T19:03:27Z")
I always thought the “Mission Impossible” theme was great. The theme to “Jonny Quest” and “Hawaii 5-0” were also favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Marathon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Marathon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marathon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/4 "2003-03-14T19:09:14Z")
**Dallas**. It worked well as disco, but after the disco craze ended it evolved nicely into a workable 80s tune. It stands well on its own as a sort of orchestral overture - there’s great writing there! The strings! And those horns! You may think I’m kidding, but as a kid I was _very_ aware as to how that theme song would adapt each season. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/5 "2003-03-14T19:17:28Z")
SWAT ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/6 "2003-03-14T19:23:05Z")
The Greatest American Hero, “Believe it or not, I’m Walkin’ on Air…” ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/7 "2003-03-14T19:24:19Z")
Hawaii Five-0. No question. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/8 "2003-03-14T19:39:58Z")
Peter Gunn Hawaii Five-O Secret Agent Man Speed Racer Spider Man Overture (Loony Tunes) ---
**Author:** ![ECJones29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@ECJones29](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ECJones29)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/9 "2003-03-14T19:45:53Z")
The Andy Griffith Show Theme ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/10 "2003-03-14T19:47:43Z")
I love the theme music on **Angel**. You don’t here the cello often enough. I’ve seen Darling Violetta perform it live. Other than that, I have to agree with Chaim - **The Greatest American Hero** is great. Along that same vein, I think the **Smallville** theme song is so on target for the show. “Somebody save me! Don’t care how you do it, just save me!” StG ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/11 "2003-03-14T19:58:39Z")
Lalo Schiffrin’s theme tune for _Mission Impossible_. Best ever, no question. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/12 "2003-03-14T19:59:09Z")
Bonanza was pretty good. Twin Peaks wasn’t “catchy” but it was good 'n creepy. Same goes for Twighlight Zone. but for sheer class, the winner is: The Cosby Show…I believe he even had a different jazz song intro for each season. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/13 "2003-03-14T20:01:49Z")
“Twighlight” Zone? Please donate to the “Buy DMark A Dictionary And A Brain” fund. ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/14 "2003-03-14T20:05:17Z")
Gilligan’s Island was all right. What made it better was how it was made by just sitting down at the piano and hitting keys til it was born. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/15 "2003-03-14T20:12:57Z")
But what about: Marshall, Will and Holly On a routine expedition Met the greaaatest earthquake ever known High on the rapids Tossed their tiny craft And plunged them down a thousand feet below ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/16 "2003-03-14T20:16:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shadez \* > \*\*Gilligan’s Island was all right. What made it better was how it was made by just sitting down at the piano and hitting keys til it was born. \*\* The best thing about the theme to _Gilligan’s Island_ are the catchy lyrics which pretty much tell the story. I believe it was Sherwood Schwartz who said confused people can’t laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/17 "2003-03-14T20:22:39Z")
I really like the song from Scrubs. ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/18 "2003-03-14T20:23:56Z")
I also like **The Cosby Show**. If you listen to the different seasons, you can tell that it is always different variations of the same tune. Another one - it’s not particularly catchy, but man I love the opening to **The Match Game**. Booowwnn, chicka, bud-a-bum-ba-dum, Boowwwwn. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/19 "2003-03-14T20:25:20Z")
Okay, I was kidding about Land of the Lost but I’m serious about this one: **Cheers** had a great theme song. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408/20 "2003-03-14T20:27:33Z")
**Undeclared!** 😃 Ok, so maybe that doesn’t count. The theme song was “Solid” by the **Dandy Warhols**. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-all-time-best-tv-show-theme-song/161408.md?page=2)