My wife and I have been watching a rotating selection of TV shows lately. We get the shows from Netflix, and watch them in order. I can’t help but notice that, sometimes, when we start an episode, we let the disk play right on through the opening credits. Conversely, with other shows, we habitually skip past the credits. Clearly, in the world of opening credits, not all television series are created equal.
Good opening credits (in order of when I thought of them):
Freaks and Geeks
Northern Exposure
The Addams Family
Star Trek (Both the original and the Next Generation)
Gilligan’s Island
Mission: Impossible
The Flintstones
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
The Jeffersons,
Wonderfalls
The Simpsons
The Office
The Muppet Show
All in the Family
The Twilight Zone
We’re not watching all these shows, of course, these are just good openings regardless of whether I’ve seen an episode lately. In fact, some of these shows aren’t particularly that great – the opening song is the best part of the show. Either way, I list them here because they either have a great song, clever footage, a unique or stylized intro, or it’s just nice and short. Or some combination of all that.
Bad Opening Credits:
Quantum Leap
So, first there’s an opening scene that explains the premise. This, I have no problem with. But then, there’s a really long, really dated song and, just when you think it’s all over, you realize they haven’t even flashed the actors names on the screen yet, and a whole other verse begins.
Battlestar Gallactica
This one is a lot like Quantum Leap, what with it’s “here’s the whole premise” thing. After the teaser, though, the credits finally come on and then – after the credit are over! – we are treated to a bizarre montage of scene that we will see in the upcoming episode. Talk about spoilers.
M*A*S*H
There’s nothing wrong with the music…if this was a drama. My sister used to watch this show all the time, and after sitting with her through the opening credits, I’d get up and leave because I was so depressed. Some people claim this is a comedy, but I’ll never know because I can’t get past the first thirty seconds.
Futurama
Just a big, bloated, confusing mess. It nearly induces a seizure.
How about you – any TV show openings you particularly like or dislike?
Futurama – Bella calls this the “boump boump” show. She loves the opening song. We try to catch the beginning whenever we remember. If it’s like 8:03, we don’t even bother turning it on – (for her) the best part is over. Sometimes she has me look it up on YouTube so she can hear it.
This is a new development so I find your post and inclusion of Futurama very apropos.
M*A*S*H – Couldn’t agree more. I used to watch TV everyday after school. Whatever the lineup was, the “kid shows” ended at 5:00 and then M*A*S*H came on. Everyday was this race to the TV to turn it off as fast as possible once that dreaded music started.
I was once at another kid’s house working on a school project when it came on. I instinctively slammed the power button on his TV the second I heard it coming on. His response: “You don’t watch MASH?”
Thanks to Family Guy I now know the lyrics to the M*A*S*H theme song. If you thought the tune was depressing, you’ve got to check out the words. Written by a 14-year-old:
suicide is painless,
It brings on many changes,
And I can take or leave it if I please
Doogie Howser, M.D. – I always liked the way they told the story using newspaper clippings. And that awesome electric piano theme song – I try my hand at this at least once a week.
The Beverly Hillbillies – I love the song.
My Name Is Earl – I don’t currently watch this show, but I did see the first few episodes. I think Jason Lee has a great voice for narration.
Amazing Race / Project Runway – Both shows start off by showing all the contestants – even after they are eliminated. There’s a lot of “Oh, remember them?” comments toward the end of the seasons.
Project Runway is especially good because they have the contestants saying little phrases during the intro. Nothing brings a smile to my face like hearing a haughty little comment from one of the eliminated.
Good TV theme songs:
The Facts of Life
Little House on the Prairie
Moonlighting
Good Times
The Jeffersons
Different Strokes
Family Ties
What’s Happenin’?
Growing Pains
Eight is Enough
Friends
The Waltons
The Beverly Hillbilly’s
Greatest American Hero
As you can see, I like to sing along. The two without lyrics, The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie, are just good songs that fit the show so well, and I sing along anyway like; Doo, doo, doo, doo, do do d d d dooooo. Yeah, it’s all good fun. And I agree with most of yours too, especially The Muppet Show, that song is the best.
Bad TV theme songs;
Star Trek Voyager – oh so slow and boring, but it did grow on me by the end of the series.
Survivor
Amazing Race – with the cheesy little set up of each contestant
ER – just blah
I don’t agree on M*A*S*H, I actually like the theme song, though your right, it doesn’t fit the show at all.
David–
Owen is rather partial to the opening of “Northern Exposure”, which is far far less annoying than Futurama.
I rememeber that M*A*S*H’s theme song was titled “Suicide is Painless” – Jennifer and I once rented the very lousy movie, and in that movie they sing the words to the song.
I’ve never seen “Doogie Howser” or “PRoject Runway”, so I’ll have to take your word on those. And, yes, I agree – “Beverly Hillbillies” does have a great opening. It’s a lot like “Gilligan’s Island” – great opening, mediocre show.
Jennifer- Yeah, I forgot about about “What’s Happenin'” and “Diff’rent Strokes”, those were great beginnings. I don’t remember the opening of “Greatest American Hero”, but the song was a lot of fun.
I think you’re right, “Voyager” does have a lame beginning. I think part of this was due to the fact that, when it first aired, I was expecting a moving, inspiring monologue, like its two predecessors. Alas, it’s just shots of the ship flying (slowly) around in space.
Oh, and I forgot one; The Love Boat, that’s an awesome one.
How could I forget, Laverne and Shirley and The Mary Tyler Moor Show!