TV''s Greatest Opening Themes?

What are some of TV''s greatest opening themes -- music, credits?

• Soap had the most creative ones.

  The Diana Canova Troll

• *opens door*

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9NY8R-LmIw

• The opening theme for "Tombstone Territory."%0D\ %0D\ Whistle me up a memory...

• Colbys

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUo_fDtezV4

• Mary Tyler Moore, The Golden Girls (long version), The Brady Bunch (use of windows), Hawaii 5-0 (the original), Magnum P.I., Designing Women, Family Matters, Step by Step, Laverne & Shirley, Bewitched.

• Claire Yarlett. Now there''s a blast from the past.

• True Blood- Bad Things by Jace Everett

  Anonymous

• There was a thread about this very theme with an amazing 100+ response so it should be in the running

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9u71Qq3L58

• Jeffersons

• Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart (with Suzanne Pleshette), The Greatest American Hero.

• Bewitched (especially now that it''s a commercial), The Twilight Zone, and The Addams Family are themes that most people of any age can identify.

• One of the best themes of all times, "Doctor Who"

  http://youtu.be/ECpe4rrUXX0

• The Doctor Who Themes 1963 - 2010 (Every Doctor Who Theme)

  http://youtu.be/6J_3rsEwYVE

  r12

• "Are You Being Served"

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trhsw_BxT_k

• If I had to vote ...\ \ Bewitched\ \ Twilight Zone\ \ All four Treks, especially Voyager.\ \ And the one that always made me get excited...

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG4CuOToA4k

• Hill Street Blues%0D\ %0D\ St. Elsewhere

• "Twin Peaks"

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2lkvrMa27c

• "It''s a Living"

• The Sopranos opening always reminded me of some 80''s Goth two-hit wonder I could never remember the name of

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUT07eZoXPw

• I loved the theme to "The Wire" but have to say I fast forwarded through Tom Waits'' version in Season 2. I love Tom Waits but something about the way he sang this song made me want to vomit. Maybe that was what he was going for.\ \ I don''t know the artist who sang the version in Season 1 was it was perfect

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFDOPPVReHs

• The Rockford Files

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXtpoO_DlDM

• Hill Street Blues

• Star Wars (TV Series) opening theme.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxja5dQklBs

• I guess we should also mention the worst -

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4c6-yvRLnE

• Sanford & Son\ \ There are a lot of 70''s shows mentioned here, is it that the music was better or is it just nostalgia?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5DnqW3F57E

• The alternative national anthem, the opening theme to any Peanuts special:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbiYFA0-8mU

• Dallas!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsVZUJVVaIE

• M*A*S*H

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtYBuVxLbr0&feature=related

• The theme to the Wild, Wild West.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ZFaoVbvsU&feature=related

• %0D\ John Williams is responsible for some of the best:%0D\ LOST IN SPACE (first version)%0D\ LAND OF THE GIANTS (both versions)%0D\ THE TIME TUNNEL%0D\ %0D\ Also:%0D\ PEYTON PLACE (based on the Waxman theme from the movie)%0D\ FAMILY%0D\ SCARECROW AND MRS. KING%0D\ 12 O''CLOCK HIGH%0D\ THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (love that hornpipe and the counter-line)%0D\ LIGHTS OUT%0D\ %0D\ More as I think of them....

  Mayella Ewell, Maycomb, Alabama

• No, the worst has got to be the idiotic non-theme of SOUTHLAND, a show I love but what an awful, moronic theme!

  Tertius Lydgate, Middlemarch

• *M*A*S*H particularly for its lyrics, not present in R28''s link. And interesting denial in the comments about how the theme is "better without the lyrics"\ \ It''s fucking bleak!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Za3BXcxYs&feature=related

• Wasn''t "Suicide is Painless" written by Altman''s son?

• Big Love (final season)\ \ Rescue Me\ \ Treme\ \ Lost\ \ The Amazing Race\ \ 30 Rock\ \ That Girl (1st and 2nd season)

• It''s a Living, but I can''t seem to find the alternate of Making a Living which they changed it to for some unknown reason. And this theme song is edited a bit, because the ending used to be, ''with no misgivings, it''s a living....'' They were SO brassy!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM33xzGyHAw

  Lila McKann

• Jonny Quest

• Though I prefer "The Addams Family" over "The Munsters", I like the "Munsters" theme song better:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUftpgCf8yE

• Scratching and Surviving

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNNBjbJT6nI

  Hanging in a chow line

• My favorite TV show, Miami Vice.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eULLnmqeHso&feature=related

• All In The Family

• R28 here, I personally think "Suicide is Painless" is much better with lyrics. Those people comment on the youtube video that its better without the lyrics have obviously never really listened to the words. If they had they would know its a very well written song lyrically.

• I think "It''s a Living" was from when it was on network TV and "Making A Living" was from it''s syndication run

• uh

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOiKa51ll-k&feature=related

• A hot dog makes her loose control

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQTqKcojrVY

• The Jeffersons Theme - Jeff Barry

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9y4iXAso4I

• GET SMART - Irving SzathMARY!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cscedJQ3PFU

• House

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5i5ERDE_2E&NR=1

• The really sad thing is that they don''t do opening themes at all anymore. It pissed me off big time when I watched the pilot of Law&Order LA and didn''t find an opening theme. Made me hate the show right from the start.\ A TV show needs to have an opening theme. It''s like business card where they quickly introduce the styling and atmosphere of the show. In this regard I think Dallas did a great job. Not just the theme music. Visually the title was great too.

• The Doris Day Show%0D\ %0D\ and another vote for True Blood although some of those pictures used creep me out. Like the lettering though for the credits.

• I like the opening for LAW & ORDER UK.

• Pardon me, but what about "Maude"

  Beatrice Arthur

• Brideshead Reviisited, Jeeves & Wooster & That Girl

• What, are none of you gay? It''s Wonder Woman of course!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_blOQEu9ws

• Uhm...HELLO!!!\ \ The clear winner:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-0S-UyrPHw

• Oops

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-0S-UyrPHw

• Bow down bitches!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypZT4lQHoK8

  And Susan Sullivan, as Maggie

• This one. By far.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKwaCTfa1EE&feature=related

• Law & Order

  doing doing

• I always loved the faux hornpipe of THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR. \ \ I also thought Edward Mulhare was gorgeous!

• Six Million Dollar Man!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HofoK_QQxGc&feature=related

  Steve Austin

• Room 222. Love the music.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcaUluahdwM

• The Courtship of Eddies'' Father

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCF7Dnov8vA&feature=related

  Yes, I''m sentimental today.

• Agree that Twin Peaks and I Claudius were the best. For me, this one is hands down the worst. I hated everything about this show-- from Linda Lavin and Polly Holliday''s hammy over-emoting to Philip McKeon''s face. Gah!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuWZnGuTbT0

• [quote]I loved the theme to "The Wire" but have to say I fast forwarded through Tom Waits'' version in Season 2. I love Tom Waits but something about the way he sang this song made me want to vomit. Maybe that was what he was going for.\ \ I felt the exact same way. I used to mute it until the title sequence was over. Great song, though.

• True Blood has an excellent opening credits.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wet5OM7RR8Q

• I agree, R65.

• THe first season of THAT GIRL---love them pizzicato strings! And New York never looked more exciting! %0D\ %0D\ %0D\ %0D\ It starts at :55....

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge7N1oE_pcw

  Tilde C. Kooeck, The Hague, Netherlands

• Reminds me of the credits for HBO''s now defunct "Carnivale" which I also liked.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNRs0Z61gu4

• Does anyone remember the theme to "Beacon Hill" -- the American version of "Upstairs Downstairs"> It was, I believe, the most expensive American television series ever made at that time and it only lasted one season. \ \ Marvin Hamlisch, who I generally can''t abide, wrote a brilliant theme song ... which I''ve spent a long time trying to find.

• I can NOT believe that no one has listed "The Patty Duke Show". Now that was great!

• Flamingo road

• agree r70. The theme song was great.

• Gilligan''s Island%0D\ %0D\ Batman%0D\ %0D\ Mary Tyler Moore Show%0D\ %0D\ Dick Van Dyke Show%0D\ %0D\ All In The Family%0D\ %0D\ Hill Street Blues%0D\ %0D\ The Brady Bunch%0D\ %0D\ The Partridge Family%0D\ %0D\ The Simpsons%0D\ %0D\ The Flintstones%0D\ %0D\ Bugs Bunny Show%0D\ %0D\ The Jeffersons%0D\ %0D\ Good Times%0D\ %0D\ Maude%0D\ %0D\ Soap%0D\ %0D\ Laverne and Shirley

• Hell-o! Did nobody mention Golden Girls?

• This thread should have been closed after R8.

  Donna Pescow, superstaaaahhhhh

• How quickly you doofuses forget.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8NJKS9GLHo

  Beverly Archer

• This thread isn''t complete without...

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwt9xYmXb2o

  Mabel King''s big white granny panties

• Clifford, The Big Red Dog\ \ \ Ok, I admit it''s because a friend made up dirty lyrics to the song.

• I love the theme for the British soap [italic]Emmerdale.[/italic]

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92R3FmHAu5I

• The Odd Couple

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDrfHj3j398

• I loved the theme song from seasons three and four of Star Trek Enterprise. It was a faster tempo version of the same song used in seasons one and two.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4nceCmigAM&feature=related

• The Love Boat. Most Aaron Spelling shows had great credits.

• I win:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUQzNIxGLyM&feature=related

  Mia

• Oh, Mia -- those brown-haired brown-eyed girls of my youth (Diana Rigg, Marlo Thomas, Mary Tyler Moore, etc.) influenced my taste in women for the rest of my life... sigh...\ \ \ I, however, have picked the very best theme song of the sixties. After you hear this once, you''ll never get it out of your head.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWGeRgFa-hI

  drooling lesbian

• Six Feet Under.

• Coronation Street. Original theme. The Brits among us will remember mum and gran shushing us after tea when this came on.

  http://youtu.be/Wf-wKmC2Z-k

• Brideshead Revisited. The ITV version, not that shite film of a few years ago.

  http://youtu.be/Y7obvsi-gFQ

• [italic]Star Trek: Voyager[/italic]

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXCP6lJkDZU

• What I love about the What''s Happening theme is that the music sounds like it could emanate from the actors and actresses. That ''BAUM'' sound is definitely Rerun or Mama sitting down or getting up off the toilet and that clarinet/saxophone sounding car alarm thing sort of sounds like what Shirley Hemphill''s privates would scream, if she were still alive, and if they could.

  Lila McKann

• Game of Thrones -- my favorite opening theme.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7L2PVdrb_8

• New Battlestar Galactica (the Main Title theme used for S2 onwards in the US).

• The theme from MISSION IMPOSSIBLE is memorable for being in 5/4 time. %0D\ %0D\ Can it be that no one has mentioned Phyllis Diller in THE PRUITTS OF SOUTHHAMPTON yet?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--fk7HzTipI

  Howd''y''do? Howd''y''do? Howd''y''do?

• Phyllis:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8--8V7bVeI

• The best, most grand and musical opening ever was for Battleship Yamato or Starblazers. Absolutely fantastic.\ \ As far as current TV shows go, I think Game of Thrones has inovative graphics but the theme itself isn''t particularly amazing. Same with Dexter, frankly.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5oniErmeuE

• Mash

• Ooohhh... I forgot about the Mission Impossible theme. Very iconic.\ \ Aaron Spelling''s shows had many iconic titles too. Dynasty, Charlie''s Angels etc. I thought they were pretty good, but never too clever. Considering the purpose of a title sequence and the show I thought that the one for Hart to Hart was well done too. Although, does a show need a basic introduction every week? Still I think it was well done.

• Bump. All the talk of the theme to "It's/Making A Living" on the Ann Jillian and Barrie Youngfellow(!) threads got me thinking about the best TV theme songs. But it looks like we already covered Jillian and crew earlier in this thread. Laverna and Shirley was always one of my favorites growing up.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DgOXkzea7-IA

• The theme to Gloria is an earworm that has stayed in my head for 30 years, even though the show was only on for one season. Poor Sally, though. It ranked 18th in it's premiere season, and scored an 18.7 rating, and the suits still pulled the plug. Shows today would kill for an 18.7.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DvBvNcSFzda4

• Game of Thrones - I don't even fast forward through that one. Same with True Blood.

• An oldie but goodie...Hawaii Five O. A young Jack Lord yuuuuummmmm.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepyGm9Me6w&feature=player_detailpage

  Anonymous

• I also thought it was interesting that many shows used closing themes that were different from the opening themes. For instance, WKRP and The Jeffersons. Others just did a closing theme that was a variation on the opening. I'm 90% certain that Gimme A Break's closing theme was Nell Carter sitting at a Casio keyboard trying to recreate the opening theme. (You can hear it at 13:20 of the clip.)

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DToQbPnbvoCc

  Sorry%2C%20last%20post%20here%21

• I would say the all-time greatest were: Hawaii Five-O (the most exciting) Phyllis (the best final payoff gag) Maude (the best sung song) But there are some forgotten ones I just love. I loved the theme for the all-too-brief series "Pasadena" with this credit sequence--the music perfectly captures the sense of hidden secrets.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D7gJVm8NFF50

• Route 66

• Wonder Woman, bitches!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ROi9Isk_5I

• Ripley's Believe it Or Not with Jack Palance (early 80's)

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D2iR-QjtpZQ0

• Beverly Hillbillies single-handedly saved the 5 string banjo from extinction. Whether that's a good thing is open to debate.

• It's hard to argue against themes that became number one hits like 'Theme from SWAT' and 'Miami Vice Theme'.

• Lucy Show

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DP7T8jQ3JgXo%26feature%3Dyoutube_gdata_player

• Re: MASH theme. Altman's son, as a teen, co-wrote it. He received more money from residuals than his father did for directing the movie.

• The Littlest Hobo

• ABC Wide World of Sports. The Agony of Defeat Guy seems kind of mild now, in our current state of Extreme Everything.

  http://youtu.be/P2AZH4FeGsc

  Pel%E9

• Amen! Love Sherman's little dance after coming out of the jump rope.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D4N83L29yGKI

• Friends

  I'll be there for youuuuuuuuu

• The West Wing.

• A Year in the Life. Im on a phone so maybe someone could grab the youtube video for me?

• A year in the life? Seriously?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DxigpFo9f8wc%26feature%3Dyoutube_gdata_player

• LOST IN SPACE (3rd Season) I DREAM OF JEANNIE THE DAYS AND NIGHTS OF MOLLY DODD

• Mama Dyke here. I always loved "The Facts of Life" theme. Both the original first season theme and the one used in the second and third. I had them both recorded onto a cassette tape and played that song everywhere I went. It was the only song I played for at least five years. It still makes me feel warm and fussy.

  Mama

• None of these songs were even chart hits. If a song is truly a great theme it would have charted on some level. Songs you find personally tuneful would be a better title for this thread.

• Blossom

  In%20my%20opinionation

• The Farmer's Daughter, I loved the theme when I was a kid.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DHd_SmDzCsbI

• Nanny and the Professor

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3De_dgMSnacvA

• Chico and The Man (I really love this one).

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DahR3JYqkJCk

• Mad Men - there was an ad at the beginning appropriately enough.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DUXyWBmbQL84

• Rubicon on AMC didn't last long, but the theme was great.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DcHSfSQ6xcXs

• When a young man looks at Madame She just throws herself right at him She's as flames more than gay parades And at Madame's Place she's the perfect host She fucks the boys and fucks Donny Most Her amazing charm Brings the boys much harm Cause she's full of the AIDS...

• One of the most iconic themes (at least the opening notes): DRAGNET! Perhaps second only to THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

• I always loved the Xena opening credits and theme as a kid. At the end when they cut to her on the cliffside, it was just do awesome. Also the best theme ever was X-FILES.

• "Millenium"

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DgPLQ4qUdrC4

• Peter Gunn and Perry Mason.

  anon

• Wonder Woman fucking owns this thread!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW-ReDPMrGM

• The Pruitts of Southampton

• Even this Wonder Woman theme kicks ass!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT8QJbTWlXs&feature=player_detailpage#t=142s

• Always liked the snappy theme song from "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir"

• What's wrong with A Year in the Life? It's very nice.

• Mission: Impossible

• Cheers! (Where everybody knows your name!) And the dandy in the last shot made me smile. Batman. The Young and the Restless.

  anonymous

• Fun Food Factory

• I can't believe no one's mentioned The Muppet Show.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DEJ9yAV8uQ7g

  Why%20do%20we%20always%20come%20here%20...

• Maude MTM Mission Impossible Dallas Bewitched Law and Order Oprah - ten years come and gone so fast, by Paul Simon

• R121 Was there another FD opening? I vaguely remember a theme song with lyrics that began, "Katy, the farmer's daughter ..."

• I have many favorites, but one I heard today was the Young & The Restless theme. So beautiful and dreamy. It's so good it might be part of why Y&R is one of the few soaps still on.

• r98, I didn't even remember Sally Struthers tried to spin off her Gloria character. Poor, pathetic Sally. And I'm sorry, but that song is terrible too. It'd be like remembering some muzak you heard in an elevator 30 yrs ago.

• Is the theme from Bonanza too eldergay to mention?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DmjdRgBAY278

• "Magnum, P.I." That opening had it all--- Tom Selleck shirtless, a great energetic song, Roger T. Mosely and Larry Manetti. I'm getting warm all over just thinking about it. Did I mention that it featured Tom Selleck, shirtless?

• Even if you have never heard of the show you will probably recognize the theme from Peter Gun, composed by four time Oscar winner Henry Mancini. You know, the guy who wrote "Moon River."

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DqSEleg17T4w

• First season of Andromeda with Kevin Sorbo. It was a really intense guitar riff that sounded like bagpipes. It was from the guitarist from Rush and I think it was called March of the Highguard. Also the music from Earth Final Conflict.

• Favorite theme music would be Rockford Files

• R141, I could only find Seasons 2-3 on YouTube, Season 2's theme was another instrumental, but those lyrics you mentioned seem familiar to me too for some reason, maybe Season 1.

  R121

• Mostly for the video portion, but I liked Quincy's theme:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXf4tV_aeDc

• Can someone explain to me how the theme song from Barnaby Jones got into my head all day? I remember watching it once in a while, but I don't think I've seen it since it went off the air when I was 10 years old. Tonight's episode: Nest of Scorpions...

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DATUILf51B3c

• Opening song for Friends.

• UFO and SPACE 1999. I don't know that I can objectively say they're musically brilliant or anything, but they fill me with buzzy, kitschy happiness.

• No, it was [italic]Love Boat[/italic]

  http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DZmUlKPthrag

• R141, yes there are lyrics to "The Farmer's Daughter" theme, but they were infrequently used. From memory, it was something like... "Katy's the farmer's daughter...you can't resist that gal. She's country style, but city designed, got a smile that's sprinkled with sunshine. Look at the farmer's daughter..she'll pick up your morale...her brand of charm is so disarming, frowns turn upside-down....Katy's the girl from Sweden, she's just what we've been needin'....so glad the farmer's daughter came to town!