Dexter - it portrays the mundane routines of getting ready for the day as a visceral experience. A perfect way to set the tone for a show about a boring forensics guy who’s also a serial killer.
NB: When I click on the “Danger: UXB” link above, it for some reason starts toward the end of the opening sequence. If this happens, just start it over again from the beginning and it will run normally.
Was there ever a “callback” in the episode to the message? (not that Jim returned the call, but was it ever referenced)
Farscape had a great opening. Great show, too.
Battlestar as well.
And Babylon 5, especially season 3.
Am I the first to mention Game of Thrones? This is the first season opener. I don’t know how many versions there are. I like how you can tell where we are going to visit during the episode by which city unwinds.
Steve Austin. A man barely alive. But we can rebuild him…
I had a feeling you would post this! 
I agree, I love the song.
BTW, this is the original original 90-second intro, which aired only once, on the two-hour pilot. When it re-airs in syndication as a two-parter, they use a slightliy different version of the Season 1 intro, as a different actor plays Danno. Note: You get to see the hula dancer’s face in this one, not just her hips.
Since so many of my favorites have been mentioned already, I’ll add Magnum, P.I., one of the five greatest TV theme songs ever, and a perfect intro to the world of the series.
Not my favorites but certainly the most effective have be those for Sherwood Schwatz’ Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch. Like The Beverly Hillbillies before them, everything you need to know about the premis is in the opening credits.
Twice that I know of.
- In the first few episodes, Jim’s trailer was at a different location.
Very soon thereafter, he moved to the Paradise Cove location (which was not a trailer park).
In the episode that followed, Jim said that he had to go feed Beth’s cat.
You could also include Green Acres and (IIRC) Petticoat Junction; I’d have to look at the lists for Schwartz (the master) and Paul Henning to remember others. By compressing the unusual, even bizarre story setting into a cheerful singing sequence, audience acceptance would be that much higher. Being entertaining and memorable certainly helped audience retention.
I’ll always love the opening of GW…
I was looking to see if anybody had mentioned The Sopranos yet, but this made me think twice. I agree with your assessment. Rome did a good one as well.
For current shows, I’d like to put in a vote for “Archer.”
Old shows, “Hawaii Five-0.” Also, the old National Geographic Special theme. The actual sequence of images varied, but with that music, you can put almost anything on and it will be awesome.
Actually, for ABC’s Wide World of Sports, I like this one better.
+1
The show was crap, but the Star Trek: Voyager opening credits were awesome.
[Ah yes, I wasn’t hallucinating. The credits won an Emmy.]
Also Jonny Quest!
Had forgotten about Carnivale - excellent opening.
These days it’s Justified that I love… The song, that beat.
And yes to Doctor Who.
And Supernatural when they do the then and now and you get to find out the song of the day.
Game of Thrones - the clockwork opening of the map of the world!