The 30 Greatest TV Show Intros Of All Time

[Warner2BruceTD]

I'm on vacation this week, so i'm doing all sorts of wacky shit to pass the time. Enter this thread.

I've compiled a list of the top 30 TV show intros of all time. The criteria is as follows, loosely listed in order of importance:

-A great, memorable song is obviously important. The song should also set the tone for the show.

-Uniqueness. Although simple is sometimes better, something creative is often more memorable. It should set you up for what the show is all about.

-Is it iconic? Instantly recognizable? It doesnt have to be, but it sure helps.

-Show quality. Not the most important factor, but it plays a part for sure. Don't mistake awesomely bad shows for flat out bad shows, either.

-The "No Friends or Star Trek" rule is in effect.

-PLEASE do not post videos or links of your own choices until i'm done posting, as this will clutter the thread, and be confusing for people like goosedennis.

Unlike my "100 Greatest Wrestlers" marathon thread, which has no end in sight and moves slower than Champ after a session at Golden Corral, this will be quick & tidy, and will finish by tonight or tommorow.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#30

What's Happening!!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpBhrjfetkk[/ame]

It's a rule that all black television shows must have a "sassy" female character. What's Happening!! has two such characters, sassy little sister Dee, and sassy restaurantuer Shirley. Dee often crosses the line, going from sassy to flat out biatch. I envision her character today running a DMV office.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#29

Hung

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSEWYOFu6EQ&feature=related[/ame]

Hung tells the story of a man who is losing it all...his house burned down, he's recently divorced, he's quickly losing touch with his teenaged kids, and his job teaching and coaching the baseball team at a high school in economically struggling Detroit is hanging by a thread. Taking advantage of his huge dick, he turns to man whoring to make ends meet, and fill the voids in his life.

The show's opening sequence symbolically shows him "losing it all", to the tune of the great I'll Be You're Man by The Black Keys.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#28

Dragnet

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj-qhIGTXdU[/ame]

Dragnet was a radio hit that moved to television in 1951. The simple yet classic opening is identical to what was used on the radio. The show was redone in the 60's, and again used the same classic opening.

[NAHSTE]

Great idea for a thread. Palooza and I were toying with a similar idea a while back which never came to fruition.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#27

The Jeffersons

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjq0hKl4Vo8&feature=related[/ame]

George & Louise Jefferson move out of Archie Bunker's neighborhood, and into Manhattan, in what I believe is still the longest running spinoff sitcom of all time. I chose the Season 3 open, because it's the one I remembered best - the George strut in the begging, dancing on the bed, and knocking on Isabelles head at the end.

As for the black sitcom sassy female quota, check. Florence, the maid. George would have fired her ass within a week, but then he would no longer have his prime antagonist.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#26

Roseanne

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czaYRgpgoiw&feature=related[/ame]

I always thought Roseanne was a very realistic depiction of the typical white trash/working class/working trash american family. It fell into silly sitcom traps at times like most shows do, but when a serious storyline came calling, which was often, the show delivered in a very believable manner.

The show open changed nearly every season, but it almost always centered around the Conner's kitchen table...pizza night, chinese food, and in the case of Season 3 & 4, poker night for candy & pretzels - probably a typical Thursday night for many similar "working trash" families around the country.

[NAHSTE]

Surprised at how low The Jefferson's is. That is as iconic a theme as I can think of.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#25

I Dream Of Jeannie

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twrt7Zn75vg[/ame]

The 60's were the golden era of TV intros, you just don't see the same level of effort anymore, especially when it comes to sitcoms. The creativity went straight into the shitter in the following decades. The 70's saw the switch to credits layered over zany scenes from the show, while original music played in the backround. The 80's transitioned to cheesy posed shots of the stars, combined with really cheesy original music. The 90's stayed cheesey early on, and then sitcoms began to disappear towards the end of the decade. The 00's saw most shows drop intos altogether, in favor of an extra :30 commercial or network bumper, a truly sad development.

Anyway, here is the first of many 60's sitcoms to make the list, "I Dream Of Jeannie", which edged out the similarly themed show that it will be compared to for eternity, "Bewitched".

"I Dream Of Jeannie" is underlying misogynistic fun at it's best, inspiring both slutty halloween outfits and increasingly middle aged bedroom role play scenerios for several decades to come.

Yes, Master!

[Warner2BruceTD]

#24

Bonanza

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdRgBAY278[/ame]

I'm comfortable enough in my sexuality to say that Michael Landon, circa 1960, was gay porn hot.

Don't sell Lorne Greene short, either.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#23

The Munsters

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGICvFr9tDo[/ame]

When did America stop being fun? If something like "The Munsters" was on the fall schedule in 2010, it would be thrashed by critics and cancelled within a month.

I guaruntee your then teenaged dad (and jeffx) fapped to Marilyn.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#22

The Odd Couple

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af1h4ibpKJA[/ame]

If you never saw an episode of The Odd Couple, and stumbled upon the show at 3am, you would instantly be caught up on the plot, thanks to the intro.

Oscar Madison, the dirty, alcoholic, chain smoking sports writer, and Felix Unger, the prim and proper businessman, living together. No homo. Divorce was still a touchy TV subject in those days.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#21

Car 54 Where Are You?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAPtM6Q_mwA&feature=related[/ame]

Fred Gwynne makes his second appearance on the list. "Grandpa" Al Lewis was also a semi regular in this series.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#20

Sanford And Son

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqazleR3FE[/ame]

There isnt much to this intro, with grumpy Fred Sanford sitting on the porch waiting for his son to come home. It makes the list for having that FUCKING AWESOME instrumental song that instantly gets stuck in your head for a week every time you hear it.

Go ahead, click play. You will be humming that shit at work while people stare at you.

[Warner2BruceTD]

#19

Dexter

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej8-Rqo-VT4[/ame]

The creepiest breakfast ever.

I always watch for the creepy nod he gives at the end.