# The Three Greatest TV Theme Songs Ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 9, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970 "2016-06-09T21:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/1 "2016-06-09T21:48:06Z")
[The Six Million Dollar Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV17B8oq_cE) [The Night Stalker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfmK8YUdSpY) [Starsky and Hutch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsJ4pALlbEM) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/2 "2016-06-09T21:57:00Z")
Greatest American Hero The Beverley Hillbillies Due South ---
**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:** [June 9, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/3 "2016-06-09T21:57:36Z")
Hawaii 5-0 Wild Wild West Mission Impossible ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/4 "2016-06-09T21:58:29Z")
The Peter Gunn theme Hawaii 5-0 Miami Vice ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/5 "2016-06-09T22:03:25Z")
Wow, so tough to choose only three. 1. [Hawaii Five-O](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwhvByj8YG8) 2. [Barney Miller](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHYXrLhmHc) 3. [The Wire](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmIvu1yg3bU) mmm ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/6 "2016-06-09T22:06:29Z")
The Liberty Bell March. Hawaii 5-0 Mission:Impossible ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/7 "2016-06-09T22:10:02Z")
I’ll throw one into the mix. (Get Smart) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/8 "2016-06-09T22:11:53Z")
Here’s the original 90-second [Hawaii Five-O](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLgZpIXFWKE) intro, which aired only once, in the pilot showing in 1968. The two-part syndicated version has a modified 60-second intro. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/9 "2016-06-09T22:15:24Z")
True Detective, Season 2. Terrible season, great [theme song](https://youtu.be/JZi6yIDwnxw). ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/10 "2016-06-09T22:16:14Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The Liberty Bell March. > > Hawaii 5-0 > > Mission:Impossible I’d go with these, too (though putting _Mission: Impossible_ first). As an honorable mention: I do have a great fondness for the theme for _It’s Garry Shandling’s Show_, meta as it may be. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/11 "2016-06-09T22:21:39Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Here’s the original 90-second [Hawaii Five-O](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLgZpIXFWKE) intro, which aired only once, in the pilot showing in 1968. The two-part syndicated version has a modified 60-second intro. Yes, that chord change in the longer version makes all the difference. I’d say that and \*\*[Mission: Impossible\*\*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2u9N6Yv9-w) are two of my top 3. Seems like one of them should have lyrics, so I’ll add [**Rawhide**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5upqYOuH0jQ) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/12 "2016-06-09T22:26:49Z")
[Have Gun Will Travel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvxu8QY01s) Have gun will travel reads the card of a man A knight without armor in a savage land His fast gun for hire heeds the calling wind A soldier of fortune is a man called Paladin Paladin Paladin where do you roam Paladin Paladin far far from home [Rawhide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKC8pSFg1Vw) Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ Keep movin’, movin’, movin’ Though they’re disapprovin’ Keep them dogies movin’ Rawhide! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/13 "2016-06-09T22:42:04Z")
[Muppet Babies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znwaVBtVtxA)! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/14 "2016-06-09T22:43:26Z")
The Theme From SWAT The Peter Gunn Theme And the Batman Theme had America dancing the Batusi. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/15 "2016-06-09T22:57:12Z")
So many to choose from! ☹ My top 100 would probably start with these three: _ **The Untouchables** _ (1959) \*\*\*The Avengers\*\*\* (1965) https://www.youtube.com/embed/ELRaqSzEKew?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PL4er8vcMr0IhIIKyi-egyKsmrpn3fxFhR _ **The Rat Patrol** _ (1966) Ah, to be back in sixth grade again.... :o ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/16 "2016-06-09T23:00:24Z")
I have to slip this one in as an honorable mention, since it’s still my favorite TV show of all time: _ **Combat!** _ (1962) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Rjla9AsO2Io/maxresdefault.jpg "Combat　（コンバット・マーチ）") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjla9AsO2Io) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/17 "2016-06-09T23:07:27Z")
In no particular order: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Mission: Impossible Alfred Hitchcock Presents ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/18 "2016-06-09T23:08:00Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > So many to choose from! ☹ > > My top 100 would probably start with these three: > > _ **The Rat Patrol** _ (1966) > > Ah, to be back in sixth grade again.... :o In Color!!! ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/19 "2016-06-09T23:09:40Z")
[Twin Peaks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXrjMaVoTy0) [One Day at a Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guVx3pdfsCk) When Mackenzie Phillips performed with The New Mamas and Papas, she got requests for this all the time. [Masterpiece Theater](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Uf1SYr7E4) (80’s vintage) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970/20 "2016-06-09T23:12:04Z")
M_A_S\*H The Monkees Law & Order [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-three-greatest-tv-theme-songs-ever/756970.md?page=2)