# The TV Show Opening Credits Hall of Fame and Shame **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2007, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133 "2007-03-23T04:29:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [March 29, 2007, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/81 "2007-03-29T02:04:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Best animated opening. Have you see the [Ramones](http://youtube.com/watch?v=rUH3tsC-UYw) do their version? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/82 "2007-03-29T02:36:26Z")
Regarding theme songs which explain the setup of the show, my favorite quote about these was from Sherwood Schwartz, creator and co-writer of the theme songs of _Gilligan’s Island_ and _The Brady Bunch_. When he was asked why the theme songs to these two shows explained their premise, he replied, “Because the confused cannot laugh.” Makes sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/83 "2007-03-29T02:55:13Z")
[QUOTE=Tengu] It’s actually Painless (‘The Painless Pole’ \*) that wants to commit suicide. Because he thinks he’s gone queer because he wasn’t able to get it up with one of his girlfriends. They have a rather major setup for it - modelled after the last supper - where they give Painless a pill they say will kill him, have him lie down, then have a nurse climb in with him to reassure him of his heterosexuality. I’ve always assumed that the pill was something that was supposed to get him up (because you’d presumably want him to in this situation), but I don’t think that they actually mentioned that.. [/QUOTE] Nope - the Black Pill was a sedative - knocked him out, then Lt Dish came in with Hawkeye, he left her alone after showing her the “Pride of Hamtramck” (you know, I don’t think they name it in the movie, but they do in the book), and she (presumably) had sex with him while he was out (I guess to make him think it was a dream?) In the morning he didn’t remember any of it (but he was out of his funk), and Lt Dish flew out of Korea with a very… _contented_ look on her face ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/84 "2007-03-29T03:13:45Z")
Already listed and I agree should be in the Hall of Fame: **Fresh Prince of Bel Air** (but the full version – you don’t hear it too often) \*\*NYPD Blue Hill Street Blues\*\* (the best for setting a mood) Other that are deserving: \*\*Mad About You The Andy Griffith Show\*\* (check out that swinging accompaniment to the whistling w/ drums and bass) **Golden Girls** (never could find out who sings that) **I Dream of Jeannie** (okay, but the animation set out the premise quite well) ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/85 "2007-03-29T03:30:49Z")
For the Canadians on the boards, I’d add [Made in Canada](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172754/) for its use of The Tragically Hip’s _Blow at High Dough_. This is in addition to all the other reasons I liked the show. How can you go wrong with Rick Mercer playing a character called Richard Strong? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/86 "2007-03-29T09:34:36Z")
_continuing MASH hijack_ [QUOTE=lawoot] Nope - the Black Pill was a sedative [snip further details] [/QUOTE] I take it the details are from the book? (Never been able to find a copy, so I’ve not read it. Read one of the highly mediocre sequels, though.) I wouldn’t be surprised if I forgot some details from the last time I watched the movie (probably almost two years ago, at this point), but I remember thinking that from the first time I watched it… Thanks for filling it in, in any case. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2007, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/87 "2007-03-29T11:43:04Z")
[Some info](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0062568/trivia) on the Hawaii Five-O montage near the bottom of this page. The hula dancer is from the original pilot movie, in which she actually appears. Also, in the opening montage, you also get to see her face, unlike the series, where you just see her swiveling hips. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/88 "2007-03-29T13:50:41Z")
My pick is “You’re not the boss of me now…You’re not the boss of me now…You’re not the boss of me now…and you’re not so big”. I think it’s a great opening…“life is unfair.” ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/89 "2007-03-29T17:54:40Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] Also in the Hall of Fame would be the opening credits to **Police Squad** with the camera seemingly on top of Drebin’s car. This opening was expanded and carried into the **Naked Gun** movies to hilarious effect. [/QUOTE] “POLICE SQUAD…IN COLOR!” 😃 Gotta agree with **The Avengers** and **Twin Peaks** --possibly two of the best ever! HoF: **The Addams Family** **F Troop** (first season) **NUMB3RS** (when they _had_ an opening credits sequence) **Green Acres** --not the theme song, but the “produced/written/directed by” credits; the characters would occasionally acknowlege the presence of the credits. **MST3K** , since no one has mentioned it yet. Specifically, after season 1 and before the Sci-Fi Channel. **The Outer Limits** (60’s version) Any **Gerry Anderson** show **The Adventures of Superman** HoS: The later **Cosby Show** seasons **Family Ties** --blech! **George Lopez** And I HATE that cheesy CG opening to **American Idol**! ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/90 "2007-03-29T20:24:04Z")
[QUOTE=want2know] “POLICE SQUAD…IN COLOR!” 😃 [/QUOTE] Featuring Rex Harrison as Abraham Lincoln! ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/91 "2007-03-29T20:55:30Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] **ExTank** , I’m sorry, but the Enterprise theme really just doesn’t do it for me (probably because I hate any form of country). [/QUOTE] 😕 I don’t know what radio station you listen to, but rest assured, the theme to _Enterprise_ is definitively _not_ “Country.” If anything, it vaguely reminds me of _Boston_. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/92 "2007-03-29T22:50:14Z")
[The best animated opening of all time.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEx9r5enZsk) The music. The playing with the WB logo. The fact that they’re confident enough in the iconicness of the character to not complicate the sequence with actually showing or the name of the show! They just demonstrate the badass. And then they did a spinoff set in the future where the hero was a teen, and gave it a techno/rock opening score. [And it didn’t suck. At all.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlobFExM-UM) The latter was designed by Darwyn Cooke. Who wrote the brilliant The New Frontier and is now filling the late Will Eisner’s prodigious shoes in The Spirit. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/93 "2007-03-29T23:48:59Z")
No love for _The Wild, Wild West_? Hall of **FAME** , baby! ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/94 "2007-03-30T00:05:38Z")
Has anyone said The Muppets Show for Hall of Fame yet? I’d always sing along. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/95 "2007-03-30T00:32:31Z")
[QUOTE=Tengu] _continuing MASH hijack_ I take it the details are from the book? (Never been able to find a copy, so I’ve not read it. Read one of the highly mediocre sequels, though.) I wouldn’t be surprised if I forgot some details from the last time I watched the movie (probably almost two years ago, at this point), but I remember thinking that from the first time I watched it… [/QUOTE] The movie follows the book fairly well - also in that Frank and Hot Lips were quite minor characters. Which sequels did you read? There are two diverging sets. The one by Hooker, Mash Goes to Main, Mash Mania, and I think one other, are quite good, and some of the later ones react against the show to some extent. Hawkeye and friends in Maine use Democrat as a curse, and tells a great story at a trial about how he got a dragon to wipe out Hiroshima when the A bomb didn’t work. Not exactly Alan Alda territory. The set of TV spinoffs (MASH goes to Paris is one) suck from the little I could make myself read. I seem to remember Henry being in them - whoops. 🙂 (Hope I don’t need a spoiler box for that!) ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/96 "2007-03-30T00:43:56Z")
I’d have to nominate [_ **Farscape** _](http://youtube.com/watch?v=WYlbKKKHyMs) for the Hall of Fame - these are the season 3 credits. Season 1 and 2 used different scenes, but the same voiceover, but both the scenes and voiceovers changed in Season 3 and Season 4 to reflect Crichton’s journey throughout the universe. So we went from: “On a ship, a living ship full of strange alien lifeforms” and “I’m just looking for a way home” (Season 1 and 2) to: “Aboard this ship, this living ship full of escaped prisoners - my friends” and “Earth is unprepared…_snip_…should I stay?..but then you’ll never know the wonders I’ve seen” in Season 3 to: “I’ve made enemies…powerful…dangerous…now all I want is to find a way home and warn Earth” and “Look upward and share the wonders I’ve seen” in Season 4. E. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/97 "2007-03-30T01:28:26Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] Which sequels did you read? There are two diverging sets. The one by Hooker, Mash Goes to Main, Mash Mania, and I think one other [/QUOTE] It was one of Hooker’s. Mash Mania, I think. I don’t remember too many details though. Henry visited them at one point, I do remember. I think part of what bugged me was that Hawk, Trap, Spearchucker, and Hook all ended up together after the war, which didn’t strike me as particularly likely. Also, that Hawk and Trap came across as jerks, more than the charming rogues of the movie and early TV episodes. Probably due to the ‘reacting against the TV series’ aspect. (Also, maybe because Hooker alone wasn’t as talented as Hooker adapted by Ring Lardner and Robert Altman and acted by Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould.) ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/98 "2007-03-30T02:17:22Z")
[QUOTE=ExTank] 😕 I don’t know what radio station you listen to, but rest assured, the theme to _Enterprise_ is definitively _not_ “Country.” If anything, it vaguely reminds me of _Boston_. [/QUOTE] Upon reviewing (the things I do for the SD _shudder_) it has a country-ish flavour–the strumming guitar, the backbeat and the folksy sound–but it’s also very reminiscent of soft-pop ballads, so I call it a draw. 🙂 Also upon reviewing _The Mothers-in-Law_ theme, the opening phrases for _The X-Files_ theme go la-mi-re-mi-so-mi, la-mi-re-mi-la-mi; the opening phrases for _The Mothers-in-Law_ theme goes la-mi-mah-re-do-la, so-la-mi-re-mi-la-mi (and I have no idea if that makes any sense whatsoever, but there you go). So the second phrases of each song match up, but the first ones throw you for a loop. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/99 "2007-03-30T12:40:41Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] Featuring Rex Harrison as Abraham Lincoln! [/QUOTE] Tonight’s special guest star… **Lorne Greene!** ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133/100 "2007-03-30T21:31:01Z")
[QUOTE=ExTank] 😕 I don’t know what radio station you listen to, but rest assured, the theme to _Enterprise_ is definitively _not_ “Country.” If anything, it vaguely reminds me of _Boston_. [/QUOTE] “Faith of the Heart” (aka "Where My Heart Will Take Me) was originally recorded by Rod Stewart and was played over the closing credits of the motion picture **Patch Adams**. It was re-recorded for Enterprise by a British pop singer named Russell Watson. The song was composed by Diane Warren, whose other compositions include “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith, “If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher, and “Not A Dry Eye In The House” by Meat Loaf. Her [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Warren) criticizes her as a “jump the shark” songwriter whose songs artists turn to when their careers are in a slump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-show-opening-credits-hall-of-fame-and-shame/397133.md?page=6)