# TV Themes--all time greatest **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 17, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390 "2006-01-17T18:49:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/1 "2006-01-17T18:49:05Z")
Ahh…the music. While TV _shows_ can be a “vast wasteland”, quite often, TV _themes_ are _not_. Make some nominations, & don’t be afraid to endorse other peoples’ choices. I’d like to offer– The Peter Gunn theme. The Original Battlestar Galactica Theme. The I Spy Theme. Dr. Who offered some nice theramin (?) music. And, of course, Cowboy Bebop. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/2 "2006-01-17T18:50:19Z")
The theme from SWAT. Also the theme from Hill Street Blues. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/3 "2006-01-17T18:53:31Z")
Knight Rider? Anyone? Star Trek: The next Generation is also. I heartily second Cowboy Bebop. I have that as my phone’s ringtone. SWAT is also a very cool theme song. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/4 "2006-01-17T19:08:33Z")
The Rockford Files LA Law The X-Files ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/5 "2006-01-17T19:09:16Z")
The A-Team Speed Racer Gilligan’s Island ---
**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:** [January 17, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/6 "2006-01-17T19:10:34Z")
Twilight Zone Hogan’s Heroes ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/7 "2006-01-17T19:11:46Z")
SWAT Rockford Files Mission: Impossible Hawaii Five-O Lost in Space (3rd season) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Wawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Captain\_Wawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Wawa)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/8 "2006-01-17T19:12:12Z")
**Magnum, P.I.** ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/9 "2006-01-17T19:14:26Z")
I forgot…M_A_S\*H ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/10 "2006-01-17T19:15:55Z")
> [@ronincyberpunk](#): > > I heartily second Cowboy Bebop. I have that as my phone’s ringtone. I want that ringtone! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/11 "2006-01-17T19:48:32Z")
1. The current Battlestar Galactica Theme 2. Farscape 3. Babylon 5 Season 3 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/12 "2006-01-17T19:56:20Z")
Many said already: Peter Gunn: My favorite Mission impossible SWAT Greatest American Hero Twilight Zone: just because. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/13 "2006-01-17T19:56:47Z")
Night Court has a cool one. Cheers. The Dukes of Hazzard as sung by the legendary Waylon Jennings. Beverly Hills 90210. My college friends and I would randomly breaking into this tune complete with air guitar. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/14 "2006-01-17T21:06:38Z")
Anything composed by [Mike Post.](http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/P/htmlP/postmike/postmike.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/15 "2006-01-17T21:10:34Z")
**The Persuaders**. Haunting dulcimer tune by John Barry. The BBC do a nice line in slightly cheesy theme tunes for their sports shows. I’m particularly fond of [**Ski Sunday**](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/ski_sunday/3314913.stm) (Real Audio). Nobody’s mentioned **Futurama** yet? And yeah, **Hawaii Five-O**. Theme tunes don’t get much better than that. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/16 "2006-01-17T21:23:25Z")
**Starsky and Hutch**! ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/17 "2006-01-17T21:29:45Z")
_Sanford and Son_. _The Muppet Show_. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/18 "2006-01-17T21:55:46Z")
Some past similar threads: > **[Best and Worst T.V. Show Theme Songs Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=305357)** > > To me, the uncontested worst T.V. Show theme ever is the theme to NUMB3RS. I love the show, but the theme makes me wince. I’ve never been a big fan of the CSI theme either. The song by itself is awesome, I just think as a theme song for CSI it’s... > **[Favorite TV Show Opening/Closing Title Sequences](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=318076)** > > \*\*The Dick Van Dyke Show The Andy Griffith Show Dragnet The NBC Mystery Movie\*\* (Mysterious guy shines a flashlight to the drones of Henry Mancini’s eerie score) All in the Family MASH Little House on the Prairie (funny that Laura makes like... > **[Best TV Series Opening Sequence Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=328501)** > > or, “Have y’all seen the anime series Paranoia Agent?” I can’t get either the music or the images out of my head. It amazes me how it manages to be simultaneously uplifting and creepy, people laughing in front of scenes of destruction and... And once again I say - **Jack of All Trades**. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/19 "2006-01-17T22:07:44Z")
**Hawaii Five-O** Great theme song. _ **Fantastic** _ opening sequence. The wahine running on the beach; the hair flip as she stares right at the camera. Terrific !!! Aloha. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/20 "2006-01-17T22:08:37Z")
I like a tune you can whistle, so: Andy Griffith Show Taxi [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390.md?page=2)