# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/41 "2006-01-18T02:17:39Z")
First 3 to come to mind for me were **Barnaby Jones** , **Lost In Space** and **The Odd Couple**. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/42 "2006-01-18T02:19:59Z")
I loved the theme for _Northern Exposure_, along with the rest of the soundtrack. _Twin Peaks_ _Tales from the Darkside_ (“On the Darkside” by Eddie and the Cruisers aka John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/43 "2006-01-18T02:47:08Z")
And the **Dougie** goes to…Neal Hefti for _The Odd Couple_, _The Bob Newhart Show_ AND _Batman_. ---
**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 18, 2006, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/44 "2006-01-18T05:17:01Z")
**priapus** I believe when you said “Johnny Yuma” you actually meant the television show “ **The Rebel** ” starring Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma. It was a great theme song done by the legendary **Johnny Cash** and sung to the tune of “Dixie”. Johnny Yuma was a rebel, he roamed through the West … * * * By the way, did I mention I like the **Hawaii Five-O** theme song? 🙂 Aloha ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/45 "2006-01-18T05:31:57Z")
some of my faves have been mentioned already, but off the top of my head, in no particular order: Rockford Files M_A_S\*H Peter Gunn and if you’re going to mention Peter Gunn, you must include Courageous Cat And Minute Mouse Hawaii Five-O Night Court Secret Agent The Cosby Show ('84-'92) Season 4 Friends Animaniacs Tiny Toons WKRP In Cincinnati The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Monk Mad About You George Of The Jungle to name a few… ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/46 "2006-01-18T05:52:43Z")
The Critic. I’ve searched high and low for a full version of that song, but alas, it is no where to be found and may not even exist ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/47 "2006-01-18T06:14:03Z")
I second \*\*\*Boondocks. \*\*\* “I am the ballot in the box, the bullet in the gun…” ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/48 "2006-01-18T06:28:26Z")
**Angel** **Firefly** **Gummi Bears** (I have these on my playlist and play them often) **Children of Dune** , not sure if that counts (miniseries) and I hate the show, but I love the themesong: **Spongebob Squarepants** ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/49 "2006-01-18T06:29:12Z")
Good, nobody has yet mentioned _Stingray_ (although the Mike Post, er, post, did cover it in general form.) Ditto for _Law & Order_. I find it hard to believe, though, that none have mentioned _The Equalizer_, which I believe was penned by Stewart Copeland. And as other have mentioned, _The Rockford Files_, _Magnum P.I._, _Peter Gunn_, _The Saint_, _The Persuaders_, _Hawaii Five-O_, _The Greatest American Hero_, _The Twilight Zone_, and too many others to mention. Heck, for some of these shows, the theme was the best part of the show. Oh, and nobody mentions _Monty Python’s Flying Circus_? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/50 "2006-01-18T06:38:09Z")
forgot to mention (after trolling through itunes) **Kids in the Hall Gary Shandling My So Called Life Alien Nation Earth: Final Conflict Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Charmed Reading Rainbow Everwood** not theme songs, but I love the songs from Buffy’s Once More with Feeling and Phoebe’s songs on Friends, especially the Smelly Cat Remix and not favorites but just find them amusing because they are so damn short (hijack - shortest theme songs?) **Lost Will & Grace** ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/51 "2006-01-18T06:51:47Z")
Green Hornet was the best of the Jazzy themes. Firefly had the best song. I like Ghost in the Shell:SAC. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/52 "2006-01-18T06:56:38Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? You mean the game show theme, or the animated show’s theme? ---
**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:** [January 18, 2006, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/53 "2006-01-18T07:03:18Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Oh, and nobody mentions _Monty Python’s Flying Circus_? _The Liberty Bell March_ by John Philip Sousa > [@jackdavinci](#): > > Kids in the Hall _Having an Average Weekend_ by Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet ---
**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 18, 2006, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/54 "2006-01-18T07:33:29Z")
Well, if we are going to choose theme songs written _long_ before the show ever saw the light of day, perhaps the best of the bunch is: **Rossini’s “William Tell Overture”**. Who had that theme song anyway? _That_ theme song? Why, that was _ **The Lone Ranger** _!!! Hiyo Silver … away !!! (Yeah, it’s already been mentioned by **glee** and **priapus** but I just wanted to cast my vote in typical Lone Ranger style). (Great show too. Always watched it as a kid). ---
**Author:** ![swissmtndog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@swissmtndog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swissmtndog)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/55 "2006-01-18T08:28:16Z")
Lots of great mentions, maybe I missed it but I didn’t see **The Sopranos** , one of my faves. Rockford Files BH 90210 (show I hated to like, but great theme) The Facts of Life (ok, that was a joke, for those who remember it I should apologize for getting that crap song in your head) ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/56 "2006-01-18T09:07:48Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > **priapus** > I believe when you said “Johnny Yuma” you actually meant the television show “ **The Rebel** ” starring Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma. > > It was a great theme song done by the legendary **Johnny Cash** and sung to the tune of “Dixie”. > > Johnny Yuma was a rebel, he roamed through the West … > > * * * > > By the way, did I mention I like the **Hawaii Five-O** theme song? 🙂 > > Aloha All I really remember is trhat he always wore the same filthy clothes.C’mon man,the war’s over,buy some levis ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/57 "2006-01-18T09:09:59Z")
the show that got me rumming around the house in a sugar enhanced frenzy was the CISCO KID ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/58 "2006-01-18T11:15:58Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > nobody has yet mentioned _Stingray_ Blimey give us a chance. I think the **UFO** theme is cooler. Thunderbirds is up there too. Yet another vote for the Rockford Files. And anyone remember the theme for Sledge Hammer? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/59 "2006-01-18T11:39:24Z")
**Lain** **Inspector Gadget** (How could no one have mentioned Inspector Gadget?) ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390/60 "2006-01-18T12:15:43Z")
> [@swissmtndog](#): > > Lots of great mentions, maybe I missed it but I didn’t see **The Sopranos** , one of my faves. Those of you who love the Peter Gunn theme should really hear the brilliant mix on the Sopranos 2nd soundtrack, [Peppers and Eggs](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005AR37/qid=1137586063/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/102-2903559-8304163?s=music&v=glance&n=5174), of Every Breath You Take/Theme From Peter Gunn - every time I play this CD, I always repeat this track at least once! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-themes-all-time-greatest/340390.md?page=4)