For the song alone, the nostalgic side of me cannot not say The Golden Girls doesn’t have the absolute best theme song. It’s definitely a tie between that and Swat Kats, which would be my pick for best intro sequence, period.
hands down and without a doubt; m.a.s.k.
runner up? ds9 specifically season 1 - especially the premiere pre wormhole reveal.
third runner up? adventures of little koala - especially the japanese version
fourth runner up is david the gnome
worst? TURBO TEEN
So many comments for best, I feel like we need some more tip-ins for worst (mainly because you all stole my best choices, dang it).
One of the absolute worst has to be the weird John Tesh style piano-only intro to ALF. I have no idea how this show stayed on the air as long as it did, though I was absolutely part of the problem by watching it all the time.
Honorary mention to pretty much every ABC family sitcom sitcom from the late 80’s/early 90’s having the same awful formulaic intro with a saxophone and every character facing the camera with their hands on their hips.
When they made Star Trek Enterprise, they kept the tradition of using award winning epic sci-fi orchestral music, then they played it over the closing credits. The intro music was that croaking, bland, boring pop song about faith of the heart or something. What a forgettable show.
Best… The Peacemaker! It comes with a dance.
141 comments and no one’s said Futurama? That song slaps.
Take my love, take my land Take me where I cannot stand I don’t care cause I’m still free You can’t take the sky from me
For those curious it’s from firefly
I don’t think I’ve ever skipped it in my life.
Our local Browncoats chapter rents out a theater once a year to watch Serenity, and everyone singing along with the song is so glorious
This was going to be my answer. I’m so glad it’s the top comment.
The Cheers theme song encapsulates a whole region of my childhood brain. I still get chills of nostalgia whenever I hear it.
Also, the theme to Trailer Park Boys builds a particular ball of sadness and nostalgia in my stomach.
I’ve never seen (or at least paid any attention to) a single second of Cheers.
But then, I was young when Dad watched it. At the time, if it wasn’t a cartoon, I was completely uninterested by what passed as entertainment for adults.
But I definitely remember hearing the song and seeing the visuals of the old newspapers in that intro.
Yeah the visuals of seeing those turn of the 19th century bar-goers was what got me most. I was just old enough to want to be interested in what the grown ups were into. I think I thought Ted Danson was a “cool guy” and I had a crush on Kirstie Alley. Other than being given studio audience ques, I’m not sure I followed any of the plot. In the same vein, I watched Moonlighting because I thought it would make me clever. Looking back I was probably the kind of kid that I would have found annoying.
I was afraid I was gonna have to say Tank!, but ya beat me to it, ya beautiful bastard.
Worst is MASH, imho. The intro music is on par with a dose of phenobarbital.
Suicide is Painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it,
If I please!
I got the album with that single. It’s good.
Absolutely top-tier opening theme, certainly in contention for best. Definitely all-time best soundtrack, taken as a whole, no contest.
God dammit.
Nanananananana Nananananananana BatMAN!!!
Babylon 5. I challenge anyone to listen to that intro and not get curious. Also, I think it was the first series to change the intro from season to season.
King of the Hill is a close second.
Oh! I have another:
Battlestar Galactica the 2k4 remake.
Not the requiem for a dream one from the miniseries, but the vocal and drums episode intro; although both are good.
I had the drum riff as a ringtone for a while.
The Goodies
Knight Rider was a theme I always loved
Best intro? Too Many Cooks. No questions.
Not sure about worst, though. Some are just… uninteresting, I guess
Related: The Lost Art of TV Theme Songs
I can’t not support Too Many Cooks
🎵 It takes a lot to make a stew 🎵
