There is more time allotted to commercials and less to the show nowadays (a typical half hour show is now only ~20-22mins). Better to spend what precious time they have now on story rather than several minutes on an intro.
Flytravel From United States of America, joined Dec 2009, 525 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1975 times:
I think during the 90s, there was change going on and by the end of the decade and into 2000, the trend was to distance itself from the decades earlier and shows appear more modern, as is the case with every decade. Gone were the cheesy family shows on TGIF but instead family friendly 'Boy Meets World' and 'Sabrina' but kid focused and by the end of the decade and totally gone by 2000.
'Seinfeld' was probably the biggest hit in the '90s going with a simpler TV theme. However, 'Home Improvement' which was at one point early was close in ratings, had a more traditional theme like 'Roseanne' and even those two themes weren't like show themes from the 80's. I'm surprised that you put 'Roseanne' in the top list rather than the bottom list but maybe it was in the middle.
'Friends' had lyrics its in theme, but it was a pop song that wasn't created for the show.
It'd be cool for themes with lyrics or well done themes to come back in style again but I doubt it'd happen anytime soon. Anyways, in syndication, TV Land and other channels want to squeeze that time for more commercials.
It's not just tv theme songs though, the quality of film scoring in general has gone downhill quite a bit. There's very rarely any memorable original music in films and TV these days. I don't know why that is.
Jetsgo From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2964 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1934 times:
This is really only half related to the topic on hand, but I came across Night Court the other day and realized I had forgotten how awesome their intro was:
moose135 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 2009 posts, RR: 12 Reply 7, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 1927 times:
Quoting poLOT (Reply 1): There is more time allotted to commercials and less to the show nowadays (a typical half hour show is now only ~20-22mins). Better to spend what precious time they have now on story rather than several minutes on an intro.
Exactly. You get 30 seconds (if that) of music and titles, then they stretch the list of cast members over the first 5 minutes of the show.
A few to add to the list:
Where everybody know your name...
Opening credits: Cheers
Full song: Cheers
Maybe my favorite of them all - let's be careful out there... Hill Street Blues
EA CO AS From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 12562 posts, RR: 64 Reply 8, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 1922 times:
And let's not forget the single best opening title sequence in TV history...
I don't think anything less of Breaking Bad for its short intro... still biting my nails in anticipation of the final season!
Pan Am should of had more of an opening IMHO, and they should of kept the FULL Dallas theme for the restart, but otherwise I'm fine with current show's openings.
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Quoting Flytravel (Reply 2): 'Friends' had lyrics its in theme, but it was a pop song that wasn't created for the show.
That's a second reason to get rid of them: if you use a "real" song the royalties add up.
Quoting Klaus (Reply 5): HBO still seems to care about proper title sequences, including decent musical themes.
Of course they do. Since they have no commercials the extra time isn't an issue for them.
It bugs me that in the cut down half hour long Entourage episodes in syndication, they keep the full theme song. It's a good sequence, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather have an extra minute of show. I really like the full episodes Spike shows sometimes which are blocked for 35 or 40 minutes.
Why do Aerospace Engineering students have to turn things in on time?
Stabilator From United States of America, joined Nov 2010, 487 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 1874 times:
Quoting Klaus (Reply 5): HBO still seems to care about proper title sequences, including decent musical themes.
I also think HBO did a nice job with the opening of Boardwalk Empire.
So we beat on against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
Braniff747SP From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 2631 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 1821 times:
Longhornmaniac From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 3094 posts, RR: 48 Reply 15, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1808 times:
ER, Law and Order, and Game of Thrones are my favorite non-sports TV themes. Another good ones is Firefly.
rfields5421 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 6150 posts, RR: 25 Reply 16, posted (10 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1798 times:
vikkyvik From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 8228 posts, RR: 28 Reply 20, posted (10 months 4 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 1644 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW PHOTO SCREENER
Thanks for mentioning The Cosby Show! I loved that show (actually will still watch it every now and then). I was always a fan of the Seasons 6 and 7 intro:
Quoting Ps76 (Reply 4): The sitcom "Perfect Strangers". I used to love this show and it's theme song!
Oh man, me too! That was my favorite sitcom when I was a kid.
"Standing tall, on the wings of my dreams....Rise and fall...."
Always loved that the opening credits showed Balky falling down right when they say "standing tall" (at least I think it was Balky....this is all from memory).
Quoting kiwirob (Reply 19): What about the Big Bang Theory, it has a theme.
...which is probably the only good part of the show.....
Then there were the cartoon theme songs that I remember from when I was a kid:
I see your Fall Guy (one of my favourite shows when I was growing up btw) and raise you the show from my childhood which I guess has shaped my "career"
What this entire thread is telling me is that there was a time when TV didn't suck. Even though we had like 3 channels there seemed to be a higher probability that something 'good' would be on
rfields5421 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 6150 posts, RR: 25 Reply 29, posted (10 months 4 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 1512 times:
Quoting SmittyOne (Reply 28): Quoting Klaus (Reply 26):…or as kids we've just had somewhat lower standards then, and were more easily entertained…!
Quoting moose135 (Reply 27):It's just that now, that same number of good shows get spread across 497 channels, so they have to fill in with dreck...
Haha, to some degree true on both! I clearly recall watching bowling!!
The limited amount of time for 'good shows' did seem to concentrate more good ones together. Failure rates of new shows were still high - but networks and production companies could put their effort into a few popular shows.
Of course we ended up watching Ed Sullivan and Bonanza on Sunday evenings for a decade. And I remember watching both bowling and wrestling on Saturdays - simply because there was absolutely nothing else on.
yfbflyer From Canada, joined Sep 2006, 294 posts, RR: 1 Reply 30, posted (10 months 4 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 1507 times:
half hour shows were 22.5 minutes but now some are down to 18min run time with out comercials. With the time pressure most shows have cut down the them song to fit a whole episode into the 18min.
2707200X From United States of America, joined Mar 2009, 6945 posts, RR: 1 Reply 31, posted (10 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 1424 times:
garnetpalmetto From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 5244 posts, RR: 55 Reply 32, posted (10 months 3 weeks 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 1355 times:
I don't think things are quite as bad in recent years as OP thinks. For instance, I think The Wire did a great job with its opening titles/theme, especially using different variations on the theme each season by different artists and changing up the footage to be relevant to the goings-on of each season. For instance:
Those are all wonderful theme songs. What you pointed out is a problem with music across the board. Music from that era was better as well so as a result, the TV show themes, movie themes and even music in commercials were better back then. In many ways, the 1970s was the peak of Western civilization.
Now EVERY aviation enthusiast should know about this TV show. 'Flying High'.
I remember when I was 5 years old begging to stay up late to watch this show.
This is the proper Barney Miller theme from the early seasons.
Keep in mind, this taping is a rerun and was some 10 years after the original broadcast.
garnetpalmetto From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 5244 posts, RR: 55 Reply 40, posted (10 months 3 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 1132 times:
garnetpalmetto From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 5244 posts, RR: 55 Reply 41, posted (10 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 1113 times:
zippyjet From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 4724 posts, RR: 13 Reply 42, posted (10 months 3 weeks 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1005 times:
One of the worst themes (at least in my humble opinion)
These days, it seems CBS has the most of them:
Big Bang Theory (hatoraide) Bare (Gay Naked Ladies) No thank you
CSI, NY, CSI, and Miami (MIA) cancelled...Songs by the Who, Jerry Bruckheimer rules
Cold Case *
Hawaii 5-0 (Not a bad update on the classic)
2 and a Half Men (don't care for it)
Without A Trace *
Criminal Minds
The Nanny (a throwback to your over the top animated late 1950's/early 1960's schmaltzarama) (OK the Nanny has been off for years but I still lop it into the recent era.
* Denotes cancelled series
Can anyone else remember any over the top type animated themes like the one for the Nanny? Within the past 10 to 20 years?
PHLBOS From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7253 posts, RR: 25 Reply 43, posted (10 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 926 times:
Quoting zippyjet (Reply 42): These days, it seems CBS has the most of them:
Big Bang Theory (hatoraide) Bare (Gay Naked Ladies) No thank you
CSI, NY, CSI, and Miami (MIA) cancelled...Songs by the Who, Jerry Bruckheimer rules
Cold Case *
Hawaii 5-0 (Not a bad update on the classic)
2 and a Half Men (don't care for it)
Without A Trace *
Criminal Minds
The Nanny (a throwback to your over the top animated late 1950's/early 1960's schmaltzarama) (OK the Nanny has been off for years but I still lop it into the recent era.
You forgot Person of Interest, while the themesong is somewhat muted over Finch's (Michael Emerson) narration, it's there.
One thing I've noticed regarding TV shows that still have intros; many of them do not list the main cast members in the intro. For decades, this was SOP. Among today's shows, I think Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, CSI, CSI-NY and the now-cancelled CSI-Miami are the only ones that still follow this practice. All the others only list the Created By or Developed By in the credits, usually at the end.
One show that evolved with the disappearing intro act was ER.
This is the proper Barney Miller theme from the early seasons.
Keep in mind, this taping is a rerun and was some 10 years after the original broadcast.
'Fly, actually the intro that ER757 posted is from the show's 2nd Season (1975-1976). The theme didn't switch over to the intro you posted (which is from Seasons 6 through 8, following Jack Soo's death) until Season 3 (1976-1977)... the final season w/Abe Vigoda.
Since Hawaii Five-0 was mentioned a few times; let's post both intros as well as the original 1968 pilot episode Cocoon
Original Series Pilot Epsiode, Cocoon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLgZpIXFWKE
This particular theme would serve as model for the hit version done by The Ventures about a year later.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38514 posts, RR: 80 Reply 44, posted (10 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 882 times:
Quoting PHLBOS (Reply 43): 'Fly, actually the intro that ER757 posted is from the show's 2nd Season (1975-1976). The theme didn't switch over to the intro you posted (which is from Seasons 6 through 8, following Jack Soo's death)
Thanks for the clarification.
Seasons 6 through 8 had the best intro.
Quoting PHLBOS (Reply 43): note the different skyline shot not showing the then-new Twin Towers:
One of the worst shows on TV. It's so trite and dated. And the theme song was as lame. One of my favorite TV themes was the Bill Cosby/Robert Culp I Spy.
PHLBOS From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7253 posts, RR: 25 Reply 47, posted (10 months 3 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 852 times:
Bold emphasis added:
Quoting PHLBOS (Reply 43): The theme didn't switch over to the intro you posted (which is from Seasons 6 through 8, following Jack Soo's death) until Season 3 (1976-1977)... the final season w/Abe Vigoda.
Quoting Superfly (Reply 44): Seasons 6 through 8 had the best intro.
I should've worded my earlier post more clearer. The intro you posted was indeed from Seasons 6 through 8; but the theme was first used in Season 3. Unfortunately, YouTube did not have that one on file, otherwise I would've posted it. Season 3's cast line-up in the intro had Hal Linden, Abe Vigoda, Max Gail, Ron Glass & Jack Soo. Linden's scenes in the intro were identical to the ones from the Season 2 intro (these would carry over into Season 5), but scenes of the other cast members were new and different from the previous seasons' intros.
Quoting Superfly (Reply 44): Quoting PHLBOS (Reply 43):
note the different skyline shot not showing the then-new Twin Towers:
That is just insaine!
What probably happened there was an older stock shot of the skyline (that predated the Twin Towers) was selected due to cost reasons and/or availablity (remember we're talking 1973-1974 here (when the pilot was first written and developed) and the Twin Towers weren't 100% complete yet). Once the show was a hit and renewed for another season, there was extra money available to get a newer shot.
It's worth noting that the footage used in the intros and closings to All in the family and Maude were actually shot in 1969, years before either series first rolled out. Which explains the shots of much older, for the time, cars in the footage of the Maude intro and closing.
[Edited 2012-07-06 05:50:04]
"TransEastern! You'll feel like you've never left the ground because we treat you like dirt!" SNL Parady ad circa 1981
727LOVER From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5723 posts, RR: 20 Reply 48, posted (10 months 3 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 762 times:
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