Themes and Opening Credits
 

Some of them stick in your mind because they were awesome...some because they were so bad. And others because they happened to correspond with a particular time in your life. And some just because the programmes they were attached to were your favourites.

Let's kick off with one everyone will recognise ( i assume):

I still get a little shiver of excitement listening to this one. I loved Sunday night telly. Bath and jimjams, then Muppets and Hart to Hart, with cheese and pickle sandwiches and mum's homemade scones and jam.



This next one was really special to me. I was obsessed with this programme. And it sowed the seeds of my current historical interests.

This shows the opening sequence and then the end sequence is tacked on. I love both the music and the little song ('Oh, oh Antonio')




So, let's have your memorable themes and opening sequences!





[eta] Slight segue: my favourite scene from the programme. Toplis was an ordinary ranking soldier, who had deserted and was maskerading as an officer and conning his way around the place. Everything about him has changed. His bearing, his accent. He's adopted the officer persona completely. He's wanted for murder, though he hadn't actually killed. At this point there was a huge manhunt for him, and he was I believe Britain's 'most wanted'. The military police are closing in. It won't be long before he is gunned down on a country lane.

It's a lovely scene. And I think McGann plays it to perfection.

You know, I've never seen an episode of the muppets.

I like the opening credits to Big Bang Theory because it's kind of a catchy tune, but it's also short and sweet. Same goes for the intros to Community and 30 Rock.
The opening credits for Game of Thrones are pretty impressive but they do go on way too long.

Hmm, I can only really think of shows that I'm watching right now...

Except for the awesomeness that is Doctor Who.

An example of the theme used for the relaunch 2005-2010:


2010 onwards, now with added peril:

The Wire's "Way Down in the Hole" is one of the best opening sequences of all time, and the season-to-season variations in the titles are fantastic too.

Can't argue with Doctor Who.

The Adventures of Pete & Pete, early 90s Nickelodeon, had Miracle Legion A.K.A. Polaris doing their theme, and actually put out an album as Polaris with the theme and incidental music from Pete&Pete that I adore.

Thank you Dana for this great thread. Thank you Dana for opening with one of my favorites, The Muppet Show. Gonna be hard to top that one, but that's not the point. Here is one that has both qualities, a very catchy tune and striking visuals. The show was incredible too.

True Blood.

Another one of my favorites. Awesome music, great visuals, landmark anime. Those who've seen it know, those who haven't, don't. Yet. See you, Space Cowboy!

Cowboy Bebop.

Blueflare has never seen an episode of the Muppets, and I find that tragic and unbelievable. There may be some who have never seen an episode of this program, but it was so iconic that its very title has become an idiom in the English language. It's short and the voice carries so much impact that when you hear it, you're practically thrust into

The Twilight Zone.

It was so incredible it totally lost my interest after the second season.

Starring that Oscar-winning Rabbit.....

The opening song to Justified...it gets sets the theme perfectly.

The opening to Suits (Which is coming back this Summer!!)

The opening to Creature Features, Chicago's WGN Saturday Night Double feature horror show from when I was a kid.

Who can forget Battlestar Galactica's Gayatri Mantra/drum thing?


I couldn't find one with the video AND music, weirdly...

"Saturday evenings, except hockey season"

LOL!

Surprised bobody listed this one yet ...


I still get chills from it.

And ST:TOS .... awesomeness. You knew that television was going to be different.

I have to admit a certain fondness for Welcome Back, Kotter, and Happy Days.

So many of the television themes from my childhood evoke special memories and catch my attention. I am guessing they grab other people the same way. Like Emergency, F-Troop, Get Smart, Adam-12, The Man from UNCLE, Dark Shadows, Mission Impossible ...

Yeah, I didn't get out much, but we had a color television.

NORM !!!

Where everyone knows your name...
.

wolf--

um, yeah. I haven't posted that one because it has always creeped me the fuck out. At some point in my misspent youth, I watched tv long into the night (nights were longer then with only three channels) and actually saw the television station's sign off. You whippersnappers have no concept that a television channel might actually stop broadcasting, but it happened. And it was scary when it did because that meant I was the only one awake in the whole world, freakin scary. They let you know it was coming, they played the Star Spangled Banner and then wolf's test pattern with that Indian Head.

No thanks.