# Top TV Tunes #3-Instrumentals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251 "2009-05-13T03:32:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/1 "2009-05-13T03:32:55Z")
You know-the ones you hum off key, not the ones you forget the words to. Like _Peter Gunn_, _Alien Nation_, _Rockford Files_, and _my_ favorite… _Ren and Stimpy!_ ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/2 "2009-05-13T03:35:24Z")
That would be a tie between the Bewitched theme & the one from I Dream of Jeannie. If I’ve got one stuck in my head, I can’t seem to pin down the other. But they’re both great. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/3 "2009-05-13T03:36:29Z")
Duh da duh duh da da duh da da duh duh da da duh da da duh duh da da da dum …see what I mean? ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/4 "2009-05-13T03:37:29Z")
Da duh da duh da da da da duh da da duh da duh da da da da duh da …and so on ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/5 "2009-05-13T03:53:31Z")
Bonanza and Perry Mason (not mixed together tho) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/6 "2009-05-13T04:07:32Z")
_Mission: Impossible_ ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/7 "2009-05-13T04:13:12Z")
The Incredible Hulk. Third Rock From the Sun. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/8 "2009-05-13T04:22:10Z")
and Hawaii Five O! ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/9 "2009-05-13T04:55:36Z")
Airwolf and Knight Rider. Yes, I was a kid in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/10 "2009-05-13T04:56:21Z")
It begins and ends with Magnum, P.I. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/11 "2009-05-13T06:01:52Z")
The Andy Griffith Show ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/12 "2009-05-13T07:20:39Z")
Seconding Lalo Schifrin’s astonishing tune for \*Mission: Impossible \* The OP nabbed \*The Rockford Files \*which is a corker from Mike Post. He’s given the world tons of great tunes like \*Magnum PI \*(also mentioned here) and LA Law but I think my favourite was _Hill Street Blues_. Honourable mentions: Jerry Goldsmith’s fantastic yet melancholy tune to \*The Waltons \*was my favourite part of the show. Oh, and not entirely an orginal piece of work but Jack Newlon’s theme tune for Ernie Kovacs “Oriental Blues” never ever fails to make me smile. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/13 "2009-05-13T11:30:56Z")
Probably a Gerry Anderson show My favourite _UFO_ Another contender _Thunderbirds_ Disqualified because it does have words (or _a_ word) _Stingray!_ No mention of Dr Who yet? The original one. My favourite TV theme is _The Rockford Files_ but that’s already been listed twice. Honorable mention for _Cagney and Lacy_? ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/14 "2009-05-13T11:53:36Z")
Ron Grainer’s theme for [The Prisoner](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AL7npkSXZE). One of the greats. Hawaii Five-O was pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/15 "2009-05-13T12:33:33Z")
I loved the intro for [The Tick](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUW0lj5CfuQ). ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/16 "2009-05-13T12:41:18Z")
Can’t believe I’m the first to mention Jan Hammer’s decade-defining [Miami Vice](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGkurWAXgZs) theme. Magnum is up there too. Proper respect to the old school Peter Gunn & Mission: Impossible too. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/17 "2009-05-13T14:30:47Z")
I think it would only be fair of us to award a Lifetime Achievement award to Mike Post (and maybe Pete Carpenter too)…TRM ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/18 "2009-05-13T14:50:24Z")
I adore the music for Dexter. It’s absolutely perfect for the show… bouncy and cheerful, but with a jarring edge to it. ---
**Author:** ![Floppy\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3bc359/32.png) [@Floppy\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floppy_Joe)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/19 "2009-05-13T14:55:21Z")
I enjoy the happy-go-lucky _Mork and Mindy_. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251/20 "2009-05-13T15:09:07Z")
Ooh I forgot about the wonderful “Hill Street Blues” and “Doctor Who” themes! For the older folk like me: Wagon Train had a memorable tune. Not top tier, but memorable. Likewise, Ben Casey. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-3-instrumentals/496251.md?page=2)