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.

Yes, yes, that is awesome. But the REASON it's awesome is because you knew *this* was coming up:

Merry Melodies and Looney Tunes.

Ah, the halcyon days before infomercials ... I remember that, too. I had a television in my room long before it was fashionable. I was able to watch things like Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, which was not generally thought to be acceptable viewing for those of an impressionable age.

I refuse to believe it. Where did they run their infomercials???

I don't think I ever saw the signoff. But I saw the signon on Saturday morning many times.

ohhh, I remember that feeling. I remember when I inherited my brother's bedroom telly. Black and white portable with a channel dial and indoor aerial. Awesome.

My vintage smilers



But I could list so many. I'm a theme tune groupie, and Saturday morning kid's TV always seemed to have the best.
During Ant & Dec (& Cat's) heyday on SM:TV live I would sit up in bed from 09.05, topping up my alcohol content on whatever was leftover from the night before, singing along to just about anything. From The Chums theme tune and Mr Postman (in show themes) to the real intros inc Clarissa the Teenage Witch, Pokemon and half the adverts in between.

Oh, I have to include Tiny Planets. When I was in the worst pit of my depression, it was my only source of comfort. Even if it did make me cry. I can't find the original credits, but if I close my eyes, the music is right.


Oh gosh. Now I'm going to have to mention Bagpuss aren't I?
Bagpuss dear Bagpuss, oh fat furry catpuss
Wake up and see the things that I bring
Wake up be bright, be golden and light
Oh Bagpuss please hear what I sing

That's from memory, and probably wrong in places.
When other people have posted, I will include the opening titles.
What pleasure. What anticipation. Oliver Posthwaite's mellifluous tones. I know a whole generation of girls who longed to be Emily. Tellingly, not my sister, who thought the shop must be very dirty...

This one?

Aheh. Not quite.

I remember the test card though. They'd have gaps in the programming. And fill them with the testcard and some godawful music:




Here's a closedown:

Excellent choices all round.

here's one of my favorites. been posted elsewhere ages ago, but seems appropriate here :)




And this is one from a little known but totally awesome comedy set in Roman britain:

@ Sundae: you'll like this, it has Rory McGrath dressed as a barbarian chief :P

Ooh, Dangermouse! I love Dangermouse! I bought the DVD set when it was released in the US.

I only know the creepy test card girl from Life on Mars.

That little cow and her creepy toys haunted my dreams as a kid.

Here's another classic:

I have probably only seen one or two shows, but I always really dug the opening theme song...

Never watched Sopranos. I seem to only be able to manage one HBO show at a time. I was watching Oz, and was resentful of The Sopranos stealing Edie Falco, who was my favorite guard.

It was the Blackhawks, Baby!

Dexter



Sherlock - this is the only live video I've ever seen using that focus shifting technique where everything is made to look like a toy model.

Some of these are absolute classics. The Dexter opening sequence is beautiful. It has such a graceful, measured pace, and Licht's music is perfect.

Puts me in mind of the Six Feet Under credits. These take me to a very strange place. A time of uncertainty, turmoil and change.

I adored Chelsford 123, but my crush at the time was Jimmy Mulville. Gingers, what can I say...

The late 50's, 60's and 70's were the golden age of detective shows.

Peter Gunn. A classic theme song that you still hear a half century later.


77 Sunset strip


Streets of San Francisco. Check out the list of guest stars. It's amazing they could fit them all in one episode.


Mannix - cool music and great montage opening


Hawaii Five-O. One of the alltime great TV themes, bar none.

My Creature Features video was removed so her it is again...:)

I had those Classic TV Themes Cassettes ... the three volume set. I love a good TV theme. Mike Post did a lot of good ones.

Oh, I had some of those tapes!

I used to set a cassette recorder up next to the television speaker and record theme songs, too. Few TV themes made it on to 45s or LPs. I did have the Baretta Theme, SWAT, Rockford Files, Welcome Back Kotter, Dark Shadows, others I can't remember at the moment ... and I have a couple of LPs of Spy music ... a two LP set of original Bond movie music, and one compilation that has Man From UNCLE, Our Man Flint, couple of others. That's what I can remember without trying to unearth the box of records I don't have a player for. I know there are more.

I wish I could find the version Happy Monkey linked a few years ago.... I like that little chrome robot.

but anyway. listen to this once. just once. I dare ya.

Here ya go:

Love the GoT opening credits. Awesome, awesome. I love how measured and stately it is.

Though not like it, it puts me somewhat in mind of the opening to the BBc drama serial I, Claudius.



Actually, I, Claudius is a drama that comes to mind for me quite often when watching GoT. It's the pacing I think. The way things unfold at their own pace, without that sense of constant and imminent peril that seems to pervade most drama.

Mancini.

Another classic tune of his... the show is available now on DVD but someone decided to include some god-awful laugh tracks to the show. Unnecessary and cheapening.



My school was across town from where I lived and a private school so they didn't bus. So, what with after-school programs and not getting home until close to 6 when the news was on, I didn't get much afternoon cartoon time. However, once I could drive, THIS is what I would fly home to watch:


Nickelodeon was so kind enough to run Dangermouse in the evening, well within my viewing window. Every weeknight, 8pm. Good times.

Dangermouse was awesome.

Cyber, I got to see Mancini at a dinner concert before he died (well, obviously.) When he played Moon River I got teary!

All 5 seasons of Babylon 5.


Youtube served it up and I thought of this thread.