# TV Shows where someone gets killed in the opening credits **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824 "2020-06-24T19:32:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/21 "2020-06-25T11:25:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Colombo usually took some time to establish the backstory of the murder, including the relationship between the killer and victim, and a look at the actual crime itself. I haven’t seen many, but I don’t think the format allowed for a murder until several minutes in. SUITABLE FOR FRAMING, the one with Ross Martin and Don Ameche, has the killer just walk in and shoot the guy in the opening seconds — after “PETER FALK as COLUMBO” has appeared on the screen, but before the one-minute mark and additional opening credits; the murderer then starts rummaging around in Make It Look Like A Burglary fashion, all without a word (and he then rushes off to pose for an alibi, knowing a red-herring gunshot will soon ring out at his uncle’s place). ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/22 "2020-06-25T11:38:44Z")
Buffy the Vampire Slayer typically had a vampire or two getting “dusted” during the opening credits. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/23 "2020-06-25T13:24:40Z")
The various versions of the [Highlander](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROCd0oUjvpg) series titles have Duncan beheading a few opponents. Sometimes you see him swing the sword. One clip shows the opponent falling to his knees. Sometimes you see the lightening that follows a beheading. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/24 "2020-06-25T13:32:43Z")
Technically, the opening to The Flash shows Barry’s mom getting killed. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/25 "2020-06-25T14:06:25Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Almost none of these replies are actually answering the OP. There are about a bajillion TV episodes where someone is killed _before_ the credits. The OP is asking what shows have someone being killed _during_ the credit sequence. as far as I know, the only one I’ve seen has been the aforementioned _Police Squad_. As the credits announced who the episode’s guest star was you’d watch them get bumped off. Just meant to be one of the show’s signature “running jokes,” like how each episode starred “Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln.” Who was also only in the credits but ironically _didn’t_ get bumped off. edited to add- for those not familiar, here’s an example [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYdUZfHGP04](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYdUZfHGP04) ---
**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 25, 2020, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/26 "2020-06-25T14:21:57Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Or could it be that Speed Racer is the _only_ TV show (cartoon or otherwise) to show someone getting killed in the opening credits? Does Speed Racer even show someone definitively dying? It shows a big explosion, but that means nothing in a cartoon. I mean, the opening of “The A-Team” shows a couple of jeep crashes that would probably be fatal in real life (but not in the A-Team universe). ---
**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 25, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/27 "2020-06-25T14:38:27Z")
How about this: Battlestar Galactica. More explosions than you can shake a stick at, including **an entire planet**. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2ZCYYxtfLNM/hqdefault.jpg "Battlestar Galactica 80's Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZCYYxtfLNM) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/28 "2020-06-25T15:23:11Z")
Huh. The domed spaceship at 0:53 is from the sf/ecology movie _Silent Running_. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/29 "2020-06-25T17:16:19Z")
The opening credits sequence to _[Too Many Cooks](https://youtu.be/QrGrOK8oZG8)_ features a number of gruesome murders. ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824/30 "2020-06-25T19:33:37Z")
Does a one-time instance count? The _Simpsons_ Halloween special “Treehouse of Horror IX” has Homer, Bart, etc. die during the usual opening credits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-someone-gets-killed-in-the-opening-credits/912824.md?page=1)