What's Your Favorite TV Theme Song? (1 Viewer)

[docdoowop]

Not really "songs", per se, but:

Count Basie's "M-Squad", Bernard Herrmann's cues from "Twight Zone", theme from "Perry Mason".

Oh, and the theme from "Gilligan's Island."

Just kidding.

 

[Radioman970]

Here's my list. Had to edit it down since it was getting too large...

Sanford & Son
Rockford Files
Twilight Zone
Star Trek...my four all time favorites
Xena the Warrior Princess
Hercules...Legendary Journeys...great tunes on these shows.
$6M Dollar man.
Taxi
Love Boat. o/ The Loooooove booooat!!! o/
Hillstreet Blues
Dick Van Dyke Show
Munsters.
What's Happening!
Andy Griffith
Little House on the Prairie ending theme
Meet the Flintstones
Tom & Jerry Cartoons
The Waltons
Hogan's Heros
Good Times.
All in the Family
Fraggle Rock/Muppet Show
Sesame Street/Mr. Roger's Neighborhood...these make me weep with nostalgia
Fireball XL5. The Gerry Anderson puppet show. That opening theme defines "catchy". The closing theme "I want to be a spaceman" isn't half bad either.
Late Night with David Letterman...Paul on the Hammond!
Wonder Years closing theme...opening theme too,of course, but that closing theme stays with me with the show is over.
Monk. Only watched the show once, but I've listened to it theme song many times. Great stuff!

 

[Eric Peterson]

It's pretty hard to top "The Munsters" or "Sanford & Son". There are plenty of others that I enjoy listening to including "Hawaii 5-O", "Emergency", "Batman", etc... but the first two are easily my faves.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

OK ... I'll play:

Magnum PI
Star Trek: Voyager (The theme was better than the series!)
The Rockford Files
Star Trek
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Mission: Impossible
Stargate: SG-1
Taxi
Hill Street Blues
Maverick

 

[HenryDuBrow]

Rockford Files
Simon & Simon
A-Team
Hawaii Five-0
Baretta
Magnum P.I.
The Avengers
Quincy M.E.
Kojak
McCloud
The Fall Guy
WKRP in Cincinnati
Tenspeed and Brown Shoe

 

[jamoon2006]

Wow - I hadn't thought about it, but I have a ton of TV themes I really like!

Favorites? I love the theme to I Spy, and even though it's a more recent show, I really liked the theme from The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. - even though the show is gone, the theme is still around in Olympic promos!

 

[Professor_Echo]

Absolutely love these themes and opening credits. Check them out:

THE NAME OF THE GAME
YouTube - The Name Of The Game - Opening

THEN CAME BRONSON
YouTube - Then Came Bronson -OPENING CREDITS-

 

[Travis87]

my favorites are
Hawaii Five-O
The A-Team
CHiPs
Batman The Animated Series has an amazing theme
and as far as new shows go, i really like the theme from American version of The Office

 

[Ockeghem]

I thought of another one that is a favorite of mine. I love the theme from the The Avengers. I also love all of the music composed by Laurie Johnson for that series. N.B.: The music used for The House That Jack Built and The Joker is in my opinion, superb. The harmonies (and voicings) that run through the latter episode are very similar to those used by Harry Lubin in the season two closing theme to The Outer Limits (original series). I never tire of it, and it is (thankfully) used quite a lot in The Joker.

 

[John Stell]

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

 

[Radioman970]

That was my problem too. So many good ones. Somebody joked about Gilligan? Hell! I love that one! And Brady Bunch too. Sure, for the wrong audience they are like fingernails on the chalkboard.

Brisco County is an excellent choice, btw. I was going to list Bonanza too.

 

[Ray_R]

Here're mine:

Quantum Leap
Mission: Impossible
Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Knight Rider
MacGyver
Magnum P.I.

 

[Doug Wallen]

Hill Street Blues
Murder One
Star Trek - Deep Space Nine
Hawaii Five-0
Perry Mason
Mannix
Mission:Impossible
Adventures of Brisco County
Eureka

 

[Rich56]

The Mission:Impossible theme set the tone for that show like nothing before or since. Absolutely brilliant.

Other faves:

Twilight Zone
The Avengers
Andy Griffith
Hawaii Five-O

Too bad modern shows have pretty much abandoned the original instrumental theme. Haven't heard anything memorable in years.

 

[FrosteyV]

Thought of a few others:

Lost in Space (season 3, John Williams)
Perry Mason
Barretta
Star Trek Deep Space 9
Secret Agent/Danger Man
Combat!
Surfside 6

 

[Derek_J]

TGAH (no one's mentioned this yet??)
Moonlighting
Buffy

 

[Tony J Case]

* Best Theme - EVER, period, full stop.
* A close runner up
* More Ron Grainer Awsomeness!
* Dig that funky 70's theme!

Not that I watch television anymore - but it's sad to see opening and end credits fall by the wayside. Just one more reason I hate TV.

 

[Professor_Echo]

Love that DR. WHO opening, Tony. I had never seen that before, but very minimalist and atmospheric.

As for THE PRISONER, did you know many sources claim the theme came from Patrick McGoohan himself? Apparently he hummed it for the producers and the composer and it took root. If true, one must ask if there's anything on that show McGoohan did not contribute his genius to.

How about this beginning, one of those story setup opening credits I love and miss so much. These were particularly used for FUGITIVE type shows, taking their cue from that classic. I absolutely love the ominous Paul Frees narration and the memorably exciting theme:

YouTube - THE IMMORTAL (1970)