Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Post Your Favorite or Best TV Show Intro

gkarris

gkarris

macrumors G3
Original poster
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
I thought, with all the Apple creative-types on this forum, this would be a good place to ask.

What is your favorite or best TV show intro/opening? It seems to becoming a "lost art"... :(

I always loved the TV show's opening while watching as a kid.

People have now been able to "Fast Forward" past it, and with that, producers have been cutting the intro's to just a "10 second splash" to make room for more ads (that happend with Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis, we fans protested and got our long intro's back - but Stargate Universe has the "short splash").

Some shows, though, seem to have kept the long intro's/openings (great that the shows' creators insist on having it).

With that being said, what I feel is the all-time best intro (a great show I watched as a kid, not a favorite) is:

Hawaii Five-0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepyGm9Me6w

Definitely awesome compositions, cinematography, arrangement, melody, etc.
 
gkarris

gkarris

macrumors G3
Original poster
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
King Mook Mook said:
Oh, this is an easy one! Doctor Who's theme is the best. Hands down. It's a classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02hh8_HAGyk

It's short, snapping, and so catchy!

King Mook Mook
Click to expand...

LOL - I was just thinking about this one when I checked this thread... yes, awesome (but with Peter Davison ;) )

As far as favorite (I always watch it, even when watching the DVD's), mine is JAG (DJE - cool, CB - HOT):

SD 4:3 intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-tqYQTnUj4

HD 16:9 intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtyKqBsIXTk&feature=related

:D
 
mscriv

mscriv

macrumors 601
Aug 14, 2008
4,923
602
Dallas, Texas
I vote for Dexter. It's simply brilliant. He's just doing everyday normal things, but it's cringeworthy because you know who he is on the inside and what he's capable of. It's a testament to the writers and the show itself that the intro can provoke such a reaction in the audience.
 
steve2112

steve2112

macrumors 68040
Feb 20, 2009
3,023
6
East of Lyra, Northwest of Pegasus
I'm a sucker for the older shows. I love the intro to MASH. "Suicide is Painless" is a great fit for the show. I always liked the Jefferson's theme song as well.

My favorite may be Miami Vice, though. Jan Hammer's Vice theme is up-tempo, and grabs you right away. I love the Vice theme, and I used to have it on cassette when I was in high school. I still have it on MP3 now. Throw in the fast boats, fast cars, and hot women in bikinis, and you have a winner. :)
 
P

phas3

macrumors 65816
Oct 5, 2008
1,131
22
John Adams intro is AMAZING! The music makes it 10x better

Chuck - geeky visually effects

Dexter - that is all I can say! Every time I watch the intro it makes me want to go on a killing spree, following the rules of Dexter of course since my name is Dexter haha
 
D

devdeol

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2010
1
0
I am watch many show like Lost, Dexter and etc. But my favorite show is gossip girl. I like it very much. I like to watch gossip girl online. Please suggest me more online show sites.
 
Mousse

Mousse

macrumors 68040
Apr 7, 2008
3,488
6,707
Flea Bottom, King's Landing
obeygiant said:
The GReatest American Hero

A-Team

I could go on believe me...
Click to expand...

Oh yeah.
smiley.jpg


I like the final part of the Married ...with Children opening where Al flushes the mighty Ferguson, causing massive water pressure lose at the Buckingham Fountain.:cool:
 
Thomas Veil

Thomas Veil

macrumors 68030
Feb 14, 2004
2,636
8,862
Much greener pastures
OP, you're right...opening credits are becoming a lost art. It's a shame, because I love a good opening titles sequence. But, ya know, gotta save time for more commercials. :rolleyes:

One of the all-time greats: The Prisoner. Especially for its time, it's fast, aggressive, and without a word, tells the backstory of how Number 6 found himself in The Village. It also creatively mixes a thunder sound effect with Ron Grainer's music.

Also:

Babylon 5 -- This series had a different theme song in each of its five seasons, and they all fit the "theme" of that particular year. Season 1's theme was upbeat and optimistic. Season 2's got a bit more mysterious, just as the show's central mysteries did. By Season 3 they were getting into a war, and it's reflected in the music, which varies from a triumphant fanfare to a grim sort of dirge. In Season 4 the music continued the dour theme, while the vocal track added narration from many of the show's characters. Finally, the Season 5 credits begin with melancholy reflections on dialogue from the previous four seasons, building to a victorious military crescendo. Talk about the music telling the story.

Search -- This is from the pilot, which was called "Probe", and it was probably TV's first hi-tech set of opening credits, probably influenced equally by the James Bond movies and by "The Andromeda Strain". What's funny is that this was all done on film and probably cost a small fortune, whereas today you could do this rather easily in After Effects. This open also contains Dominic Frontiere's finest TV theme ever.

The Outer Limits -- Do I have to explain? The oscilloscope, the whine, and the voice taking over your TV. And the music, once again, is Dominic Frontiere's.

[B]It Takes a Thief[/B] -- The graphics and the jazzy Dave Grusin music just go so well together.

Mission: Impossible -- This is from the 1988 remake, which updated both the theme song and the opening montage from the 1960s version. Another classic.

The Avengers -- This contains both the open and close, because the music in the close frankly rocks! Posed entirely in a studio, done partially in silhouette, this captures the cool, British nature of the series very well.

Las Vegas -- This is another one that captures its subject magnificently. I love the fast-paced, swirling camera shots which flow into one another so well. I especially like two shots: the one where they throw the dice, and the overhead shot where the woman joyfully throws her chips in the air (at the camera). And though I'm not a huge fan of Elvis, "A Little Less Conversation" really works as the theme song. The titles, which slide in from off-screen, are rather cool icing on the cake.

I also wanted to add two others which I couldn't find on the net :( :

The third season open of Lost in Space, because the John Williams music is a fan favorite (it was covered by Apollo Four Forty) and because of the unique use of the 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 countdown.

And Persons Unknown, which had a nice creepy sort of "electronic grunge" view of the ghost town in which the main characters were held prisoner, along with some spooky music. I also liked the tltles, which were obviously influenced by recent movie thrillers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom