# TV/Movie themes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657 "2008-11-07T16:45:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/1 "2008-11-07T16:45:43Z")
Not sure if this goes here or in IMHO, but since it’s about entertainment, I’ll try here first. What TV/Movie theme songs are so distinctive to you, or have become so engrained, in our cultural psyche that you recognize them from the first couple of notes? I’ll start by saying the Jeopardy theme, and the theme to the Pink Panther movies. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/2 "2008-11-07T16:48:32Z")
James Bond Theme? ---
**Author:** ![Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nikki_Tikki_Tavi)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/3 "2008-11-07T16:50:04Z")
The Law and Order theme. Da da da da DA DA bum bum… ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/4 "2008-11-07T16:50:11Z")
The **Perry Mason** and **Alfred Hitchcock Presents** themes. And, God help me, **Gilligan’s Island**. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/5 "2008-11-07T16:50:54Z")
You could probably list off a half dozen John Williams tunes here- however, probably the most instantly recognizable, the theme from… Jaws ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/6 "2008-11-07T16:53:03Z")
I’d say the **Chariots of Fire** theme, by Vangelis. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/7 "2008-11-07T16:57:40Z")
For me, the theme from the 1960s Batman TV show. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/8 "2008-11-07T16:58:29Z")
Peter Gunn. It’s also my ring tone. VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/9 "2008-11-07T17:02:08Z")
The Addams Family Buffy The Vampire Slayer The Bugs Bunny Show Angel The Munsters Hockey Night in Canada / La soirée du hockey ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/10 "2008-11-07T18:05:08Z")
Star Wars (Main Theme) The Flintstones Barney Miller Night Court Cheers The A-team Greatest American Hero a lot more , but at work… ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/11 "2008-11-07T18:11:06Z")
Secret Asian Man (I was a kid and that’s what I heard) ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/12 "2008-11-07T18:11:55Z")
Oh, and the X-Files ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/13 "2008-11-07T18:13:02Z")
> [@Veuve\_ClicquotNJ](#): > > Peter Gunn. It’s also my ring tone. > > VCNJ~ I’m using the Duane Eddy version as mine !🆒 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/14 "2008-11-07T18:17:31Z")
You can recognize the opening trill of _Mission: Impossible_ before it even starts on the first full note. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Falling_Reverend)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/15 "2008-11-07T18:19:18Z")
I have to jump on the Star Wars bandwagon as well but some others that get me everytime, Cowboy Bebop Star Trek TNG ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/16 "2008-11-07T18:28:27Z")
Star Wars Indiana Jones Superman I can hear Back to the Future from a mile away ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/17 "2008-11-07T18:43:50Z")
Hogan’s Heroes ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/18 "2008-11-07T19:24:30Z")
Twilight Zone ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/19 "2008-11-07T19:26:38Z")
The love theme from **Romeo and Juliet**. Even people who don’t recognize it as being from Romeo and Juliet, recognize it. I heard people go, “I know that. What is it? I know it!” **The Lone Ranger**. Yes, it existed before, but people really know it from the television show and see the masked man riding on to the screen and Silver rearing up with the first couple of notes from the William Tell Overture. Groucho’s theme music from **“You Bet Your Life”**. I am pretty sure the music predated the television show, probably from a movie of his and his brothers (which no doubt someone will quickly name). Anyway, two notes of that and you think of Groucho. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657/20 "2008-11-07T19:27:04Z")
Dum-dah-Dum-Dum. Dum-dah-Dum-Dum Dum-dah-Dum-Dum-Daaaaaaah! Dragnet [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-themes/471657.md?page=2)