# TV Series with Story-Telling Intro Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353 "2009-10-19T17:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/1 "2009-10-19T17:02:44Z")
In response to this thread: > **[TV shows with narrated intro sequences](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=536450)** > > I’m looking for TV shows that feature an intro sequence with narration, explaining the premise of the show. Things like the A-Team, Knight Rider, Renegade, Otherworld, Friday the 13th the Series, Quantum Leap, etc. Star Trek sort of counts, but the... What about TV series that have a song that tells the backstory/premise (as opposed to just some introductory song – it has to relate the sertup). The OP in that thread listed the classic **Gilligan’s Island** (“…a three hour tour…”) and the less-well-known **Branded**. What are some others? **The Smothers Brothers Show** (the first one, before their controversial variety show, where Tom is an angel) **Hank** – 1960s show about a college “Drop in”\* \*\*Magilla Gorilla Captain Nice \*\* \*Hank attended classes in disguise because he couldn’t afford tuition. God knows how he hoped to get a diploma or transcript. Hank is one of the few shows I know of that had a “final episode” in the 1960s – Hank got a degree. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/2 "2009-10-19T17:08:45Z")
I think Mystery Science Theatre 3000 fits (well, fitted) your requirements. Come to think about it, could old series like Green Acres or Petticoat Junction (or heck, the Dukes of Hazzard) kind of fit the bill. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/3 "2009-10-19T17:11:16Z")
_The Brady Bunch._ ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/4 "2009-10-19T17:12:27Z")
“Here’s the story, of a lovely lady…” The Brady Bunch “Come and listen to a story about a man name Jed” Beverly Hillbillies ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/5 "2009-10-19T17:13:15Z")
**F-Troop** “The end of the civil war was near and quite accidently the hero…” ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/6 "2009-10-19T17:28:12Z")
Land of the Lost ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/7 "2009-10-19T17:30:03Z")
\*Liddsville \*and _H. R. Pufnstuf_ come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/8 "2009-10-19T17:31:53Z")
_The Nanny._ ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/9 "2009-10-19T17:34:14Z")
Fairly Oddparents ---
**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:** [October 19, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/10 "2009-10-19T17:36:32Z")
Green Acres I think Petticoat Junction might qualify, though it is more of an introduction and less of a story. Not surprising, since both were made by the same people who did Beverly Hillbillies. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/11 "2009-10-19T17:48:12Z")
How about one that has a spoken introduction _and_ a storytelling song? [The Amazing 3](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z71s2GOt2s0) ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/12 "2009-10-19T18:00:19Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Green Acres > > I think Petticoat Junction might qualify, though it is more of an introduction and less of a story. Not surprising, since both were made by the same people who did Beverly Hillbillies. I see you agree w/ my post up above 😛 . I will give you Petticoat Junction is more of an intro to the premise (telling you Uncle Joe’s moving kinda slow, and that there’s curves up ahead etc.) than Green Acres (which gives a story sort of explaining why this clearly urban couple is now living on a beat-up farm). I suppose the Dukes of Hazzard theme is more an introduction too, as there is really no story, just that them “Good Ol’ Boys been in trouble with the law since they day they was born…” The ‘Love Theme from Mystery Science Theatre’, now that’s a Story. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/13 "2009-10-19T18:08:08Z")
The Patty Duke Show ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/14 "2009-10-19T18:14:22Z")
The Dukes of Hazzard!! Plus the singer (Waylon Jennings) is the narrator of the show. Whoa. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/15 "2009-10-19T18:42:29Z")
The Flinstones & The Jetsons ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/16 "2009-10-19T19:23:14Z")
Strangers with Candy and Upright Citizens Brigade both give an intro in their intros. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/17 "2009-10-19T19:25:32Z")
**The Jeffersons** **The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air** ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/18 "2009-10-19T19:32:22Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > Strangers with Candy and Upright Citizens Brigade both give an intro in their intros. I don’t know Upright Citizens Brigade, but Strangers with Candy belongs in the [other thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11679882), about narrated intros. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/19 "2009-10-19T23:47:34Z")
[It’s About Time](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_About_Time_%28TV_series%29), which was a fantasy show about two astronauts who traveled back to prehistoric times and encountered a group of cave-people. It lasted for 26 episodes from 1966-67 and was created by “Gilligan’s Island” producer, Sherwood Schwartz. The first half of the season had the astronauts living among the cave-people and attempting to repair their spaceship. In an attempt to improve ratings mid-season, the show was retooled so that the astronauts repaired their ship and returned to the 20th century, dragging a caveman and his family forward in time with them. I’m going to link to the lyrics of the theme, so that I don’t get in trouble posting too much of them. There was one version of the theme for the first half of the season. The lyrics were rewritten to explain the events of the second half. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1G-TsdNWGg) are the opening and closing credits from YouTube and [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_About_Time_%28TV_series%29#Theme_Song) are the two versions of the lyrics, side-by-side. ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353/20 "2009-10-20T00:15:55Z")
Webster and Mr Belvedere come close. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-with-story-telling-intro-songs/514353.md?page=2)