Barney Miller
The Rockford Files
Welcome Back Kotter
Hubby heard me listening to theme songs and asked me to mention his favorite. Strikeback’s theme. Which always reminded me of The Soprano’s theme song. I like both of these gritty themes myself.
The theme for Dallas was great. That is the last great theme song I remember from network television.
Not too long ago I heard a jazzed up version of a bunch of themes from old Westerns. They had the best music. Rawhide, Maverick, Have Gun Will Travel, I never watched any of those shows but I remembered the theme songs. And then they threw in the Dallas theme (I did watch that one. Obsessively).
I actually turned off the sound so I wouldn’t hear the themes to Mad Men and Orange Is the New Black. (Not that I hated them so much, but I didn’t think they were great. And, uh, I was binge-watching.)
Love the theme song for Trailer Park Boys though.
The all time best though in my opinion was Alfred Hitchcock Presents, “Funeral March of a Marionette.”
The Untouchables (1959–63)
***The Avengers*** (1965--68) ***The Rat Patrol ***(1966--68) ***The Wild, Wild West*** (1965-69) ***Perry Mason*** (1959--65) ***Combat! ***(1962--67) ***Twelve O'Clock High*** (1964--67)
Cimmaron Strip (1967–68)
Anything by Mike Post (with or without Pete Carpenter).
Maverick
***Have Gun, Will Travel*** ***The Rifleman*** ***Gunsmoke***
The Virginian
I could go either way, songs or just theme music. I thought of Mash, too, when I originally posted. As theme music I think it worked, not possible if someone had been singing the lyrics imo.
Not mentioned yet:
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Archer
The Venture Brothers
^^^^ This!
I’m surprised that The Rockford Files hasn’t gotten more love in here (might be posters’ ages).
Magnum P.I. was also damn good.
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Seconding This!
And adding a mention to Hill Street Blues
For my money, Rockford Files was the best theme of the '70s. The only one I can think of offhand that even comes close is the Barnaby Jones theme. (I omit Hawaii Five-O because it started in 1968.)
The '80s really belonged to Post and Carpenter: Hill Street Blues, St Elsewhere, LA Law, and so on.
And, of course, to Miami Vice.
Night Court had pretty good theme song. So do The Simpsons and King of the Hill. And* South Park* is one of my all-time favorites.
Some from my iPod.
George, George, George, George
George of the Jungle
Massive Attack by Teardrop - House, M.D.
Dirty Jobs, aka We Care a Lot by Faith No More
Theme from Damages, aka When I Get Through With You
Quantum Leap in the “Anything by Mike Post” category
Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers (theme from the American broadcast of Danger Man, aka Secret Agent)
The theme from Danger Man was pretty badassed itself:
So was the theme from The Persuaders. I can imagine walking into some dimly-lit bistro in Paris and hearing it sung (with French lyrics) by a sultry woman on a tiny stage:
I actually find the Rockford Files theme song really annoying. Love the show (well, usually).
Amazing. 36 posts and all of you are wrong.
The best T.V. theme song is “(Wait 'Til You See) My Gidget” from the series Gidget.
This clip has a brief episode intro before the theme song starts but that episode intro gives you a chance to ogle 19 year old Sally Field in a bikini.
The second best T.V. theme song is “The Unknown Stuntman” from the series The Fall Guy.
This clip gives you the chance to ogle 25 year old Heather Thomas in a bikini. Markie Post does not appear in a bikini but, c’mon, she’s Markie Post so she’s ridiculously cute nonetheless.
Nineteen-year-old Sally Field in a bikini … plus 25-year-old Heather Thomas in a bikini? :eek:
I don’t know whether to drool or weep with joy. :o
DOM, unite! 
The Big Bang Theory.
Bah. Obviously it’s Batman: The Animated Series. Even as a kid I loved the theme, and today I appreciate the way the music blends seamlessly with the animations.