# TV Shows Whose Theme Song Changed During The Show's Run **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308 "2015-01-19T19:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **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:** [January 19, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/21 "2015-01-19T21:39:45Z")
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE eventually altered its famous theme – not much, but (a) enough so you’d notice, and (b) more as the ending nears and the drums go crazy. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/22 "2015-01-19T21:42:18Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > _The Wire_ used a different version of the same song for each season, didn’t it? I remember one of them was really good, but don’t know which season. I gave up on it somewhere in the middle. Yes, _The Wire_ used different versions of Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole.” My favorite was the one with the kids singing from S4. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/23 "2015-01-19T21:44:45Z")
Monk. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/24 "2015-01-19T21:47:33Z")
Star Trek: Enterprise used a [different opening](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfbsZRbwbJ4) (visual similar but tweaked, completely different song) for the Mirror Universe two-parter. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/25 "2015-01-19T21:48:48Z")
In 1985, \*Little Muppet Monsters \*was a show created to run right after \*Muppet Babies \*as part of an hour-long block. After three episodes, the pretty terrible \*Monsters \*was canned. However, the theme music to \*Muppet Babies \*oddly retained the theme from _Little Muppet Monsters_ until the end of its run. ([Wiki cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Henson's_Little_Muppet_Monsters), as I can’t upload the earworm section of my brain.) ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/26 "2015-01-19T21:50:29Z")
Recently the Fox Sitcom New Girl changed from a Zoey Deschenel number to “generic sitcom instrumental song” and the opening was also changed from “we’re so quirky” to “random images of the cast” ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/27 "2015-01-19T22:00:52Z")
I think _Roseanne_’s theme changed. No lyrics to lyrics in the last season. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/28 "2015-01-19T22:07:38Z")
\*\*\*Psych! \*\*\*changed it’s song style to match certain episode themes ---
**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:** [January 19, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/29 "2015-01-19T22:12:52Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > 1. _Mike & Molly_ - First few seasons the theme was slow and bluesy. Now it’s the same words and same performer, but much more up-tempo. And I hate it. I hate it too. The old theme was so romantic, ending with that beautiful ampersand; the new one is crass and in-your-face. And I can’t stand all the yellow. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/30 "2015-01-19T22:52:27Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > The pilot for Lost in Space borrowed the theme song from The Day the Earth Stood Still; subsequent episodes used the more commonly-known theme song written by Johnny Williams (yes, aka John Williams). Season 3 had a totally different (peppier) theme song than Seasons 1 & 2; Land of the Giants ran two seasons, each had a different theme song. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/31 "2015-01-19T22:57:42Z")
> [@Omega\_Glory](#): > > Monk. Even referenced in the episode “Mr. Monk and the TV Star”. “If you ever get a TV show, don’t change the theme song”. I think _Spenser for Hire_ changed the moody early theme into some pop turd in later seasons. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/32 "2015-01-19T23:03:55Z")
The Bob newhart show did such a different version of the theme in later seasons that in my mind it’s a different song. [Version 1.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRVy5jPtjMw) [Version 2.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3tpvB8B2AA) ---
**Author:** ![May\_20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@May\_20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/May_20)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/33 "2015-01-19T23:05:03Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > 1. _Mike & Molly_ - First few seasons the theme was slow and bluesy. Now it’s the same words and same performer, but much more up-tempo. And I hate it. I don’t care for it, either. It was romantic; now it’s bleh. _Bones_ is different, too. It’s more techno than it was a couple seasons ago. I don’t like it, either. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/34 "2015-01-19T23:08:21Z")
_ **That Girl** _ had three different renditions of its theme song; only in the last couple of seasons was a vocal component added. I did NOT care for that one at all! _ **Star Trek TOS** _ and _ **TNG** _ both had more than one version of their themes recorded; I count five for the former. (Despite more recent claims, I would swear in court that the soprano’s voice was originally heard only in the final season.) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/35 "2015-01-19T23:10:20Z")
_ **Mannix** _ (another Desilu show) had at least two versions of its theme recorded. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/36 "2015-01-19T23:16:40Z")
IIRC, _ **The Partridge Family** _’s theme changed over time, especially after they replaced the younger brother with a new kid in season two. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/37 "2015-01-19T23:19:37Z")
_Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ used a different intro for the episode “Superstar,” where Jonathan gets “augmented” into a starring role. That’s not to mention “Once More, With Feeling.” ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/38 "2015-01-19T23:20:13Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > In the US, the recent Battlestar Galactica changed. > > [In the UK, it had used the somber sounding singing version of its opening.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4UPJv08c1k) > > This was deemed too depressing by the Scifi channel, so they had Bear Mccreary make a new one without the singing. I don’t have a link to it, but it was nice too. However, it was even more somber sounding(intentionally so, I believe). 🙂 > > So in the second season, the US switched to the vocal as well. A show about the last 40,000 survivors of an apocalypse, living in rapidly deteriorating conditions who are always one jump away from being completely wiped out by a fleet of killer robots, but they ding the theme song for being too depressing… ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/39 "2015-01-19T23:34:16Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > \*\*\*Psych! \*\*\*changed it’s song style to match certain episode themes I was going to mention that. This is the theme to the Bollywood episode. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LbodxiyYAHw/hqdefault.jpg "Psych Hindi Theme Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbodxiyYAHw) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/40 "2015-01-19T23:39:23Z")
The theme song for _ **It’s about Time** _ (another Sherwood Schwartz production) changed when they switched formats in the middle of the show’s one and only season. The theme for _ **F Troop** _ changed when they went from B&W to color in 1966. The theme for _ **Danger Man** _ was changed when it was shown in the US and became _ **Secret Agent** _. _ **The Avengers** _ had at least two themes; I believe the one most associated with the show came in with Emma Peel and was modified a bit when she was replaced by Tara King. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308.md?page=3)