# TV shows with narrated intro sequences **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282 "2009-10-19T03:27:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/1 "2009-10-19T03:27:09Z")
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 narrator is a character on the show, so it’s not in quite the same category. So do Outer Limits and Twilight Zone, though neither really explain the plot of the show in the opening sequence. Gilligan’s Island or Branded don’t count; the narration can’t be in song format. “Last time on” intros are also not in contention. No movies or anime, either. ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/2 "2009-10-19T03:28:41Z")
Oh yes, Buck Rogers (70s) and Battlestar Galactica (original) are examples as well. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/3 "2009-10-19T03:29:10Z")
Law and Order… duh 😛 Also… Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order: CI, Law and Order: Trial By Jury, 24 (sometimes), Firefly, Buffy (for the first season anyway) and I’ll bet a ton of others ---
**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, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/4 "2009-10-19T03:35:37Z")
The Odd Couple. ---
**Author:** ![Flip\_Pancake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f1d935/32.png) [@Flip\_Pancake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flip_Pancake)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/5 "2009-10-19T03:42:21Z")
[“Steve Austin, astronaut.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HofoK_QQxGc) ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/6 "2009-10-19T03:44:38Z")
Babylon 5 had an in character one, as did Highlander and (I think) The Pretender. They seem to be most common in Sci-Fi shows (which makes sense, since they’re pretty reliant on the audience getting the premise). ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/7 "2009-10-19T03:44:52Z")
The 6 Million Dollar Man Tales From the Darkside Arrested Development The Incredible Hulk 24 and of course, “What you are witnessing is real. The participants are not actors. They are actual litigants with a case pending” The Peoples Court ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/8 "2009-10-19T03:45:42Z")
“This is Jim Rockford. At the tone, leave your name and message; I’ll get back to you.” ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/9 "2009-10-19T03:52:15Z")
Firefly doesn’t have a narrated opening sequence as far as I am aware (I looked through 3 or 4 episodes. All of the Law and Orders count, as well as the others listed (How could I forget $6 mil man?). Also not sure about Odd Couple, all I remember is the theme song. People’s court is only semi-fictional, but I like the way you’re thinking. ---
**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, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/10 "2009-10-19T03:58:12Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > **Also not sure about Odd Couple** , all I remember is the theme song. People’s court is only semi-fictional, but I like the way you’re thinking. From [IDMB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065329/quotes). > [@](#): > > [Opening narration] > Narrator: On November 13, Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence; that request came from his wife. Deep down, he knew she was right, but he also knew that some day he would return to her. With nowhere else to go, he appeared at the home of his friend, Oscar Madison. Several years earlier, Madison’s wife had thrown HIM out, requesting that HE never return. Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy? ---
**Author:** ![Staale\_Nordlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Staale\_Nordlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staale_Nordlie)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/11 "2009-10-19T03:59:36Z")
Farscape. (Example: [Season 3 intro](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDEC5UE34_4).) ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/12 "2009-10-19T04:00:08Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Babylon 5 had an in character one, as did Highlander and (I think) The Pretender. They seem to be most common in Sci-Fi shows (which makes sense, since they’re pretty reliant on the audience getting the premise). You know, The Pretender is my favourite show of all time and I can’t say for sure whether you’re wrong or not. I know for a fact that at least for the first few episodes (first season?) there was one that was NOT in-character, just a unknown male voice giving the whole “…Then one day, their pretender ran away…” thing, but it doesn’t seem like that was carried through the whole series, or maybe it changed to in-character-- I’ll have to remember to check it out on the DVDs when I have time. NOTE: I understand this is unimportant to this discussion and trivial, but it DOES bug me quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/13 "2009-10-19T04:06:06Z")
> [@ivn1188](#): > > Firefly doesn’t have a narrated opening sequence as far as I am aware (I looked through 3 or 4 episodes. The narration was there in the original airings (I knew it!), but excised for the DVDs. [Firefly Opening Narration by p1nkispunk](http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=8646) ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/14 "2009-10-19T04:07:18Z")
Desperate Housewives. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/15 "2009-10-19T04:07:24Z")
[The Adventures of Superman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0B1ufyXOds) ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/16 "2009-10-19T04:08:27Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > My bad, I was confusing it with the big damn movie. Apparently the network put one on there that got taken out for the DVD release. I’d call it good. ETA: submitted at apparently the same instant you edited. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/17 "2009-10-19T04:34:24Z")
> [@infinitii](#): > > You know, The Pretender is my favourite show of all time and I can’t say for sure whether you’re wrong or not. I know for a fact that at least for the first few episodes (first season?) there was one that was NOT in-character, just a unknown male voice giving the whole “…Then one day, their pretender ran away…” thing, but it doesn’t seem like that was carried through the whole series, or maybe it changed to in-character-- I’ll have to remember to check it out on the DVDs when I have time. > > NOTE: I understand this is unimportant to this discussion and trivial, but it DOES bug me quite a bit. Ah, your semi-right. I just watched the first four seasons intros on youtube, the first season has a non-character give a long naration with text scrolling up the screen ending with the line you remember. For the other seasons, the intro is partly given by characters, but the first line is always “there are pretenders amongst us” spoken by a non-character. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/18 "2009-10-19T04:53:23Z")
**Alias Smith and Jones** had something like that: Narrator: Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry - the two most successful outlaws in the history of the West. And in all the trains and banks they robbed, they never shot anyone. This made our two latter-day Robin Hoods very popular - with everyone but the railroads and the banks. [cut to scene of posse in hot pursuit of Heyes and Curry] Jed ‘Kid’ Curry: There’s one we thing we gotta get, Heyes. Hannibal Heyes: What’s that? Jed ‘Kid’ Curry: Out of this business! [cut to meeting between Heyes, Curry and Sheriff Trevors] Sheriff Lom Trevors: The governor can’t come flat out and give you amnesty now. First you have to prove you deserve it. Hannibal Heyes: Ah. So all we have to do is just stay out of trouble till the governor figures we deserve amnesty. Jed ‘Kid’ Curry: In the mean time, we’ll still be wanted. Sheriff Lom Trevors: Well, that’s true. Till then only you, me and the Governor will know about it. It’ll be our little secret. [cut to scene where another posse is in hot pursuit of Heyes and Curry] Hannibal Heyes: I sure wish the governor’d let a few more people in on our secret! Narrator: “Alias Smith and Jones,” starring Pete Duel and Ben Murphy. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/19 "2009-10-19T05:38:00Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > The narration was there in the original airings (I knew it!), but excised for the DVDs. [Firefly Opening Narration by p1nkispunk](http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=8646) The narrated intros are there in the Hulu videos too. _Castle_’s current season (second) has a narrated intro, which I find odd as the first season didn’t have it. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282/20 "2009-10-19T05:49:59Z")
Andromeda, seasons one and two (before it became the Kevin Sorbo Power Hour), had an omniscient narrator: > [@Andromeda Season 1](#): > > The long night has come. The Systems Commonwealth the greatest civilization in history has fallen. Now, one ship, one crew have vowed to drive back the night and rekindle the light of civilization. On the starship Andromeda hope lives again. > [@Andromeda Season 2](#): > > He is the last guardian of a fallen civilization, a hero from another time. Faced with a universe in chaos, Dylan Hunt recruits an unlikely crew and sets out to reunite the galaxies. On the starship Andromeda hope lives again You can tell it’s already morphing into the Kevin Sorbo show. The third season they just gave up all pretense and had Sorbo’s character (Dylan) narrate the damn thing himself. I’m gonna reveal myself as quite the syndicated action fan, but. There’s also _Xena: Warrior Princess_: > [@Xena Warrior Princess](#): > > In a time of ancient gods, warlords, and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle. The power. The passion. The danger. Her courage will change the world. And what is _Xena_ without _Hercules_? > [@Hercules: The Legendary Journeys](#): > > This is the story of a time long ago. A time of myth and legend when the ancient Gods were petty and cruel and they plagued mankind with suffering. Only one man dared to challenge their power…Hercules. Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen. A strength surpassed only by the power of his heart. He journeyed the Earth battling the minions of his wicked stepmother, Hera, the all-powerful Queen of the Gods. But wherever there was evil, wherever an innocent would suffer, there would be… **Hercules!!!** To prove I watch stuff other than syndicated shlock (not that there’s anything wrong with that…), how about _Soap_? > [@Soap](#): > > This is a story about two sisters, Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell. These are the Tates. And these are the Campbells, and this is SOAP [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-narrated-intro-sequences/514282.md?page=2)