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[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (21-30)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : July 24, 2014
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We’ve made it to the top 30 of my 100 favorite TV themes countdown.  We’ve seen a lot of classic show intros that you may have forgotten about, but hopefully they’ve brought back some great memories.

 

Let’s get to it and see what the next set of 10 in our countdown will be…

 

#30 THE A-TEAM

Airdates: 1983-1987 (NBC)

 

 

This may be one of my favorite TV shows of all time!

 

A group of crack commandos are hunted by the US government for a war crime that they didn’t commit.  They reside in the Los Angeles underground and survive as soldiers of fortune.  You’ve got a problem and no one else can help… maybe you can hire The A-Team!

 

Once they dropped the annoying female reporter from the show (she really didn’t fit into the plot lines), this series hit its stride.  The A-Team was much more than just guys shooting guns and blowing things up (although that part was AWESOME and yet somehow nobody ever really got seriously hurt!)  The series also interspersed comedy and some outrageous situations while their lives are on the line and somehow they always got the job done.

 

I loved how Mr. T’s character of B.A. Baracus, was afraid of flying and each time they had to board a plane, the team would have to find a different way to knock him out.

 

I started wearing Chuck Taylor shoes as a kid thanks to Dwight Schultz’ character of Murdoch — the insane pilot who the team always busted out of a mental institution.

 

Another of composer Mike Post’s brilliant TV themes, these opening credits spell out the adventure you’re about to go on with perfect detail.  They really put some thought into these credits.  Did you ever notice the shot of the Cylon with Dirk Benedict?  The Cylons were part of his previous big name series Battlestar Galactica.

 

After the ratings started to dip at the end of season 4, the series was unfortunately retooled for season 5.  The team was captured and mock executed by the Feds.  They then went to work for a millionaire (played by Robert Vaughn), who was head of a worldwide foundation.  Their new mission involved helping countries in trouble around the globe.  They now had to fight everything from drug cartels to out of control dictators. They also added a new member of the team, Frankie, a special effects specialist.  Sadly, they also made Murdoch sane.

 

A new synthesized version of the theme song was also introduced, but all of these changes tainted the core of the show and it was gone by the end of the season.

 

 

A few years ago, a big blockbuster Hollywood movie hit theatres based on the series and was an absolute disaster.  The plot was dumb, everything was shot on bad green screen, and the characters were simply trying too hard.  That film should have NEVER been made.

 

#29 THE TWILIGHT ZONE

Airdates: 1959-1964 (CBS), 1985-1987 (CBS), 1988-1989 (Syndicated), 1994 (CBS), 2002-2003 (UPN), 2008 (MyNetwork TV)

 

http://youtu.be/ny7uGEPgoXk

 

It’s the TV show that takes ordinary people and places them into extraordinary situations.  What would you do if you were the last person left on the planet, or saw a monster ripping apart an airplane wing at 33,000 feet, or being able to alter reality and bring back a loved one from the dead?  Then perhaps, you’ve entered The Twilight Zone.

 

For over 50 years, The Twilight Zone has captured the imagination of audiences with several stories over 30 or 60 minutes that places you into the world of the supernatural.  Some of the tales are down right scary, while others are meant to leave the viewer pondering their life decisions.

 

The power of this show has brought it back to TV multiple times and another new series or movie is currently in the very early stages of production.

 

 

I think the 1985 version of the opening theme is by far the coolest.  As soon as that simple piano intro starts up, you know you’re about to enter the Zone.  There’s also a slot machine based on this show that plays the theme over and over, that I’ve actually hit on a few times.  There’s also an amusement park ride based on the show as well!

 

Here’s the intro from the latest revival that aired on UPN and was rerun for a summer on MyNetwork TV.  This theme was composed by Korn’s Jonathan Davis.

 

http://youtu.be/KPBQ0yNcA3Q

 

#28 THE OFFICE

Airdates: 2005-2013 (NBC)

 

 

A hilarious faux-documentary about a group of people who sell paper in Scranton, Pennsylvania, it’s a simple as that.  Cameras follow the staff on their everyday misadventures led by their inept boss, Michael Scott (Steve Carell).  The office pranks, the absolute political incorrectness, and team building misadventures with hilarious cutaways and staff interviews made this show a hit!  Would your boss take you out on a booze cruise, sign everyone up for a marathon, or pack everyone into a bus and travel around searching for pies?

 

This series is absolutely hilarious, but I never got into it until the reruns in syndication.

 

Honestly, I don’t know if I could ever buy paper from salesman as messed up as these, but I wouldn’t mind giving them a call!  I love how the city of Scranton has embraced the show, even hanging up a banner downtown with the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Co. logo.

 

Sadly, this show lost its mojo, after Carell left at the end of season 7.  NBC kept it alive for 2 more seasons, but it wasn’t until the very end that the show started to get funny again.  Without Michael Scott – it wasn’t really The Office.

 

Here’s a look at the Carell-less opening credits:

 

http://youtu.be/f8DjXbosRT8

 

A plan to create a Dwight Schrute spin-off known as The Farm failed and that pilot episode was screened as part of the regular series.

 

The Office was originally created in the UK and aired for 12 episodes (and 3 Christmas specials).  Here’s a look at the brief run of the UK version that aired on the BBC:

 

 

#27 SAVED BY THE BELL

Airdates: 1988-1989 (Disney, under the title Good Morning Miss Bliss), 1989-1993 (NBC), 1993-2000 (as Saved By the Bell: The New Class)

 

http://youtu.be/TS09FujeDRw

 

Sadly, it seems that most versions of these opening credits have been removed from Youtube, but this should still bring back memories.

 

If you grew up in the 90’s – you were watching this show!  At, least I don’t know anyone who didn’t.  And remember when there were actual kids’ shows on Saturday morning?

 

Saved By the Bell was the adventures of Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and his friends’ daily lives of growing up and surviving the world of high school.  This show scored blockbuster ratings for NBC, but was actually started off as a completely different show.

 

In 1987, NBC aired a pilot under the title Good Morning, Miss Bliss that starred Haley Mills as middle school teacher Miss Bliss.  This series focused more on the teachers than it did on the kids.

 

Here’s a brief look at the original pilot:

 

 

There were some up and coming stars also made an appearance in that original pilot.  Did you see Brian Austin Green, Jaleel White, or Jonathan Brandis?

 

NBC passed on the series, but The Disney Channel picked up the rights and reformatted the show to focus more on the students than Miss Bliss.  It aired for 13 episodes.  Only Miss Bliss herself made it to the new series and Dennis Haskens was cast as Principal Mr. Belding, a job he would have for over a decade.

 

NBC took a second look at the show and ordered a full season for Saturday morning kids TV where it became an instant hit.  After the first season aired, NBC executives wanted to keep the ratings high during the summer, so they took the Good Morning, Miss Bliss episodes and quickly shot an intro with Zack, explaining these were their adventures in junior high.  They modified the new Saved By the Bell intro to add on the additional cast that didn’t make it through to the NBC version, including Miss Bliss.

 

Here’s a look at the original Disney Channel credits, then stay tuned for the modified Saved By the Bell intro and credits.

 

 

The following summer, NBC executives ordered more new episodes by having the gang take summer jobs at the Malibu Sands resort.  Their boss is future King of Queens star Leah Remini.

 

Saved By the Bell continued on for 5 seasons and for the final year, NBC doubled their order of episodes, but Tiffani Thiessen as Kelly and Elizabeth Berkley as Jesse did not want to sign on for the additional episodes, so Tori (Leanna Creel) is introduced for a block of episodes near the end of the series run.

 

After the cast graduated high school, NBC kept most of the gang together and spun them off onto Saved By the Bell: The College Years.  It aired for one season and downright stunk.

 

Here’s an actual episode of the series.  Fast forward to 1:16 for the credits and new opening theme song.

 

 

NBC still kept the original series alive, by casting a whole new set of kids and retitling the show Saved By the Bell: The New Class.  Although it was never as popular as the original show, the series added and subtracted main cast members each season.  Dustin Diamond, who played Screech during the original series (and was free after The College Years was cancelled), was brought on as a school assistant starting with season 2.

 

 

By the time the show left the air, the kids were a completely different cast.  Here’s an entire episode of The New Class from season 7.  Even through all the changes, I’m glad they still kept the theme song and look of the intro.

 

http://youtu.be/gNQ8btlH3RM

 

#26 PERFECT STRANGERS

Airdates: 1986-1993 (ABC)

 

http://youtu.be/eIUIoy2ydRk

 

It’s the misadventures of Balki from Mepos, who moves to Chicago to live with this American cousin Larry.  Their clash of cultures was the setting for this great sit-com!

 

Their opening credits theme is one of the better from the 80s and 90s and you knew exactly what to expect of the show.  But, their more famous intro was not the original one.  Check out the opening credits from the first season:

 

 

While the first season does give us more of the theme and some cool b-roll shots of both Larry and Balki moving, those shots over the pink background make them look like a gay couple.  The later version of the credits was much better.

 

I also read that Louie Anderson was originally cast in the role of Larry in the original pilot.  I would love to see that, but I don’t think that’s ever seen the light of day.

 

#25 CHARLES IN CHARGE

Airdates: 1984-1985 (CBS), 1987-1990 (Syndicated)

 

http://youtu.be/km22zWPz4uY

 

I flat out hated this show when it was on the air, but I did think the theme song was kind of cool.  It set the tone and clearly explained that Charles (Scott Baio) lived in the basement and was the family’s housekeeper.

 

It debuted on CBS in 1984, but only lasted a season due to low ratings.  When it entered syndication for local stations to air, the show did much better and went on three more years.

 

I want to know, who was the sloppy editor for those first season CBS’ credits?  Did you catch how the names are slapped on the screen almost a second before the shot of many of the actors?

 

When the show came back in syndication, it underwent some major changes.  First, the original family the Pembrokes, moved to Seattle and a new family the Powells moved in, allowing Charles to stay in the same role.  The theme song was jazzed up and the new cast members were introduced.  Here’s a look at the revamped and much better credits:

 

http://youtu.be/PTY1BvQo8Es

 

#24 FAMILY GUY

Airdates: 1999-2003 (FOX), 2005-present (FOX)

 

 

What was originally ordered as a set of comedy sketches for MadTV, turned out to be a Sunday night animation staple!  FOX has had ratings success with the adventures of The Griffins with their TV parodies and political incorrectness.

 

The best part of this show is all the cutaway gags in which no one is safe.  Whether they’re making fun of Jews or the President, everybody takes an equal ribbing in this hilarious show.

 

This is one of the rare television series to come back from the dead to even bigger ratings.  After airing the show on Wednesday nights, FOX cancelled it in 2003.  The producers kept the franchise alive with a direct to DVD movie that did blockbuster sales.  FOX decided to put the show back on the air and broadcast it with the rest of their Sunday night adult cartoons and the ratings have never looked back.

 

The show has been so successful; it’s spawned two spin-offs The Cleveland Show and American Dad.  Executive producer Seth Macfarlane has gone on to write a few blockbuster movies and is even said to be working on a new version of The Flintstones.  If that ever happens, I’m sure it will be comedy gold.

 

Where the writers of The Simpsons have seemed to run out of ideas for the past decade, Family Guy shows no sign of slowing down creatively.

 

#23 NIGHT COURT

Airdates: 1984-1992 (NBC)

 

 

No TV theme countdown is complete without Night Court!  If I ever had to end up in a New York City courtroom, I would hope that it’s Judge Harold T. Stone’s (Harry Anderson.)

 

The premise of the show was simple.  You get arrested or sued for a petty crime; you end up in Judge Stone’s late night court.  The series dealt with the crazy people that would end up in front of his bench as well as the lives of the judge, his defendants, and bailiffs.

 

There were a few major cast changes over the years.  First, it took three seasons to cast Markie Post as attorney Christine Sullivan.  For the first two seasons, we had three different attorneys in the role.

 

Secondly, there were three female bailiffs.  The first was chain smoking Selma Diamond as Selma, died from lung cancer after the second season.  She was replaced by Florence Halop as Florence, but she died after season three.  Finally, Marsha Warfield took on the role as Roz from season four onward.

 

There were also two court clerks during the run.  Karen Austin as Lana during season one and Charles Robinson as Mac from season two onwards.

 

Here’s a look at the pilot’s credits.  Check out the different cast and Richard Moll with hair!  I also love how you get to see some awesome shots of the gritty 80’s New York City streets.

 

http://youtu.be/3iYZ6X4Skf4

 

…and here’s the season 3 intro with Florence Halop.

 

 

#22 THE COSBY SHOW

Airdates: 1984-1992 (NBC)

 

 

It’s one of the most popular sit-coms in TV history and may have saved NBC from bankruptcy in the 1980s.  The Huxtables were the family that everybody wanted to be a part of.  No matter what the problem, Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Claire (Phylicia Rashad) would make sure to turn it into a teaching moment for their kids.  Sometimes they would break into song, sometimes they would turn the house into a giant apartment building to teach their son a lesson, or they would welcome yet another long lost relative that’s a great jazz musician!

 

The series concept was almost perfect, two professional working parents, and five kids.  Except that when the kids started to grow up, the show lost something.  The first five seasons were hilarious, well written, and well produced.  Once they brought in Olivia (Raven-Symone) this show down right sucked.  At this point, both Rudy (Keisha Knight Pulliam) and Vanessa’s (Tempestt Bledsoe) characters were useless.  The writers also tried to go for the “look at the little cute kid” tactics and would really derail the plot.  The last three seasons each saw major ratings slides.

 

What I did love is how each season; they would shoot a new set of opening credits, and rework the theme song.

 

Somebody on Youtube edited every single version of the theme into one big movie.  Take a look!  The theme used for the last season, was actually supposed to be for the season before, but producers could not get the rights to the mural in the background, which is why seasons 6 & 7 intros are the same.

 

http://youtu.be/-LeYcyYUg-w

 

#21 READING RAINBOW

Airdates: 1983-2006 (PBS)

 

http://youtu.be/vwrybM6tL-8

 

I had no idea this show was still on the air in 2006, but who is the knucklehead that pulled the plug?  It’s an educational TV show that’s teaching kids to read!  Fortunately, host LeVar Burton is working to bring this series back, and I predict it will be on the air within two years.  It’s already back as an IPAD app and a Kickstarter campaign rose over 5 million in days!

 

I grew up watching this show.  I don’t like to read, but this show sure made me want to.  Plus, I learned all kinds of life lessons from the vignettes and on locations shoots that Burton would present.  My favorite was the behind the scenes tour of Star Trek: The Next Generation, where he played Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge.

 

Here’s a remastered version of the theme that was used from 1999 on…

 

http://youtu.be/_C0weGdvwr8

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 21 – 30

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

We’re in the top 30 and some really big name shows are now making the list.  I wanted to add Saturday Night Live to number 29, but they are so tight with their clips, that none of their opening credits have been uploaded online.  I at least wanted to give them an honorable mention!  They are another series that have kept the general theme of their credits, but have changed along with the times.

 

Next week, we hit the top 20!  We’ve got a number of crazy families on the list!  Plus, we’re only two weeks away from the big countdown finale!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

 

Image credit – Daniel Horacio Agostini

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (31-40)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : July 17, 2014
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Category: Archive, Been, Columns, Kickin' Back with Jersey Joe, Topics, Travel

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Here it is!  We’ve made it to the top 50!  All summer long, I’ve been counting down my top 100 favorite TV show themes.  We’ve had everything from current hits, to kid’s shows, to obscure classics.  Let’s keep the list going and see what’s in store for the next set of 10!

 

#40 HUNTER

Airdates: 1984-1991 & 2003 (NBC)

 

 

Fred Dryer was originally a football player for both the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams, before turning to acting, and taking on his signature character Hunter.

 

Hunter was a no-nonsense cop who battled the bad guys in the mean streets of LA.  Although the show would be considered tame by today’s TV standards, Hunter was a bit violent for the 1980’s.

 

I loved this series and it blended the right amount of action and humor, plus guy vs. gal antics with his partner Dee Dee McCall (Stepfanie Karmer).

 

The opening credits featured another great soundtrack by composer Mike Post, who would also create the themes for a number of TV shows.  Both the credits and the theme were updated every season, giving us more then seven great cuts.

 

Here’s a look at the revised credits from season 3.  They make no secret that this is a gritty cop show.  Just look at the drug dealing, murder, and action shots they feature.

 

 

By the time we get to season 5, the rock guitar really kicks in.  Plus, we get the money shot of Hunter stopping his car just above the Hollywood sign to admire the view of his city at the end.  I don’t recall that being in any episode…

 

 

By the time we get to season 7, Stepfanie Kramer left the show to pursue a singing career.  Have you ever heard her sing?  I haven’t.  A new female lead was brought in, but she clashed with actor Fred Dryer, so she was killed off and midway through the season and he gets yet another female partner.  The end shot in this version of the credits and even hard rock guitar theme are pretty cool.

 

 

After a few successful made for TV movies, NBC decided to bring back Hunter as a regular series in 2003.  Were you watching?  You probably weren’t.  It was cancelled after airing only 3 of the 5 produced episodes.

 

 

I admit it… I did watch the revival and they made two critical mistakes.  First, they moved Hunter from LA to San Diego and secondly, they let him look old.  The grey hair just wasn’t him.  It was like watching my grandfather do the stunts.  The only thing they did right in this version was to bring back Stepfanie Kramer, which they had already done in the TV movie.

 

#39 GREEN ACRES

Airdates: 1965-1971 (CBS)

 

 

You take a rich couple and put them on a farm in the country and you’ve got Green Acres!

 

The series explored the vast difference between city and country life and with a more than memorable opening theme.

 

Arnold the pig probably became more famous than the main characters during the show’s run.  Arnold could understand English and loved to watch TV, among many of his talent’s that cranked up the slapstick value of the show.  Although, he wasn’t on every episode, Arnold guaranteed a good laugh when he appeared.  I mean, who’s not going to laugh at a pig watching TV?

 

#38 SEINFELD

Airdates: 1989-1998 (NBC)

 

 

It’s the show about nothing that became one of the greatest shows in American TV history.  Every week, we would tune in to see the misadventures of Jerry and the gang as they screwed up life and love in New York City.

 

The show really didn’t have traditional opening credits.  During the early seasons, Jerry would perform his standup act as that memorable theme played in the background.  In the later years, they pretty much dropped Jerry’s standup from the show, which I think was a big mistake.

 

Not as big of a mistake as the series finale, though… am I right?

 

I could go on and on about this one, but we’ve all seen every episode over and over.  It’s one of the greatest shows ever… enough said.

 

#37 THE LOVE BOAT

Airdates: 1977-1987 (ABC)

 

 

It’s the cruise ship that everyone wanted to be on.  That’s because you never knew which big name celebrity would be making a guest appearance!

 

The Love Boat sailed for 10 seasons and each episode gave us three or four completely unrelated stories that somehow intertwined with each other.  The only weird part of the show was the use of a laugh track when this was clearly not recorded in front of a studio audience.

 

This series was so popular that one of the episodes has been rated one of TV Guide’s 100 Greatest Episodes of all Time.

 

For the show’s ninth season, the theme and credits got a massive upgrade.  Check out the new version with the Love Boat Mermaids!  YES!

 

 

Even after the show left the air, it still made two more TV movies.

 

UPN brought back the show as Love Boat: The Next Wave for two seasons from 1998-1999, but sadly it was cancelled to do low ratings and never gained the fame of its predecessor.  I never understood why the new captain kept putting his hat on over and over in the new credits?

 

 

#36 THE ODD COUPLE

Airdates: 1970-1975 (ABC)

 

 

Based on the hit Broadway play and the hit movie, you have two completely opposite divorced husbands sharing an apartment in 1970’s New York City.  One was a clean and proper guy, while the other was a complete slob.  That’s all you needed for one of television’s classic sit-coms.

 

I always liked the jazzy theme of the credits and the vintage shots of The Big Apple.  Even for the 1970’s their box design used here was unique and not easy to do.

 

ABC tried again with this same format and even recycled 8 scripts for its successor The New Odd Couple for one season that lasted from 1982-1983, only this time it was with two African-American guys. It never caught on and was cancelled.  Rumors are still floating around that Hollywood is planning another big budget Odd Couple film.

 

#35 THE SOPRANOS

Airdates: 1999-2007 (HBO)

 

http://youtu.be/RiDoBYu-S04

 

A show all about gangsters whacking each other off in New Jersey.  Sounds like a simple idea, but with plots and drama as complex as this show was, it was no wonder that it was must watch and much talked about TV for everyone.  It was the movie Goodfellas as a weekly TV series!

 

It’s not often that you find a show, as perfectly casted as this.  James Gandolfini was the perfect lead and everyone still talks about what happened in that final scene when Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin cranked up on the juke box.  Did he get whacked?  What do you think?

 

While the theme song stayed the same, the opening credits were altered for season 4 to remove the shot of the World Trade Center.  Living in the area, I can also tell you that if you followed the route he was driving, you would exit from the Lincoln Tunnel and end up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but not before driving in circles around Jersey City to follow a few of the b-roll cutaway shots are not in the correct order.

 

Here’s a look at the season 5 credits, minus the World Trade Center towers.

 

 

TV Guide has listed The Sopranos opening credits as #10 of TV’s Top Ten Title Sequences.

 

#34 THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN

Airdates: 1993-present (CBS)

 

 

It’s official!  Dave is now the king of late night and I am going to be busted up when this show leaves the air next year.  I’ve been watching Dave since he started on NBC way back in 1982.  I even remember his short lived daytime show, where he got his feet wet that NBC cancelled all their game shows for even before that!

 

David Letterman has been a late night staple for many of us for decades and now I can understand how everyone would run to watch his mentor, Johnny Carson each night.  Dave is bow the Johnny of our generation.  Every big star from actor to comedian to US president has made a stop in the Ed Sullivan Theater to talk.

 

 

While Dave has kept the same brilliant jazzy show theme, the credits have changed drastically over the years.  Another show that was forced to remove images of the World Trade Center after it was destroyed (and Dave’s first show back on the air after that event will forever be TV history.)

 

By watching the evolution of Dave’s opening credits, you also get to see a glimpse of the gentrification of New York City.  In the first set, you’ll see the old cigarette billboards and dirt all over Times Square, but by the time we get to 1997, you can see how that’s all been cleaned up.

 

http://youtu.be/9HeKgjuJRZo

 

I always loved how they found unique ways to feature the band out and about in the city for their beauty shot!

 

…and here’s one final piece of TV history.  It’s their modified opening credits the night Superstorm Sandy hit New York City.  I didn’t get to see this when it was originally broadcast and I was too busy bailing water out of my flooded apartment.  I would have given anything to have been watching this in that most horrifying moment!

 

 

#33 GROWING PAINS

Airdate: 1985-1992 (ABC)

 

 

Another of the big 80’s family sit-coms, Growing Pains dealt with the Seavers as they too faced the trouble of raising three kids in the changing world.  It kind of sounds a lot like the plot of a few other 80’s sit-coms, but this show seemed to work and many of the obstacles that faced the family, seemed more true to life.

 

This series would deal with tough topics such as AIDS, sex, and even a close friend dying in a car accident, without trying to be cute like Full House was.  This was also thanks to Alan Thicke’s character, who as the father was a practicing psychologist who worked out of home and was always there to help his kids figure things out.

 

The first set of credits for this show, featured still painting meaning to depict the changing world and parenting through the years.  Thankfully, these were abandoned for glamour shots of the cast and a more upbeat theme after the first season.

 

 

I wonder if those were actually real life vintage photos of the cast?

 

#32 ONE DAY AT A TIME

Airdates: 1975-1984 (CBS)

 

 

I could call this just another sit-com, but it was actually more of a comedy-drama.  This series would tackle tough issues with life and relationships, while the main character, who was a divorcee who picks up her life and moves to Indianapolis, tackles a new world of feminism, all while raising her two daughters.

 

Each episode was set up so that you got the hard hitting plot point fairly early, then explored the resolution along with the characters for the remainder of the half hour.

 

 

While the characters took on a great deal of personal drama, cast member Mackenzie Phillips battled a very public fight with drugs that got her dismissed from the show, only to be rehired again.

 

As the series rolled on, new characters were constantly introduced to help keep the plots fresh.  Eventually, the mother (Bonnie Franklin) found a new true love, as did her younger daughter (Valerie Bertinelli) who basically grew up in front of America’s eyes.

 

The season six opening credits keep the same song, but the editing style is quite a departure from the rest of the show.  It looks like some editor found the magic box that allows video to be placed in boxes on screen and flown around.  This version of the opening is just one big train wreck.

 

 

By the time the show entered the final season, the editing style of the credits returned to normal, but featured many new additions to the cast.

 

 

#31 THE PRICE IS RIGHT

Airdates: 1972-present (CBS), 1972-1980 & 1985-1986 & 1994-1995 (Syndicated)

 

 

Here it comes!  Television’s most exciting hour!  It’s the game show and the open that’s excited viewers for over 40 years.  It’s a simple game show, where contestants are called four at a time to the stage to bid on an item, the person closest to the actual retail price gets to play a special pricing game for more cash.  Three at a time, they face off at a wheel and the top two go to the Showcase Showdown, where only the one who is closest to the actual retail price without going over, can take home the big cash!

 

The show was originally targeted to housewives, who were expert shoppers, and were also home during the day to watch the show.

 

Most people recognize Bob Barker and current host Drew Carey from the show, but Bob was not the first to host the series.  It actually aired in black and white on both NBC and CBS in a much scaled down form during the 1950s and 1960s.  Only a modified version of the bidding round was played.  This version was hosted by game show legend Bill Cullen from Pittsburgh.

 

You can check out a full episode of the original version, here:

 

 

When the Bob Barker version hit the air in 1972, it was known as The New Price is Right for a time.  Another version aired at night for local stations hosted by Dennis James, before Barker took over that show as well after 4 seasons.  Here’s a rare look at the James night time version:

 

http://youtu.be/v6WKm3sXkgM

 

Price made it back to syndication in 1985 for a season with host Tom Kennedy.  It returned again in 1994 with major modifications with host Doug Davidson.  The Davidson version was down right awful.  The set was seriously overhauled and mostly used video screens for the prizes and the games.  This version was a serious rating flop and was gone after one embarrassing season.

 

http://youtu.be/Gw4UjWy6tRU

 

When the Barker version started in 1972, the now famous “Come on Down!” line that called contestants to play was not part of the show open.  Instead, a contestant’s name was called and told to simply “Stand Up!”  It was quickly changed to the version we now know to love.

 

The Price is Right music itself has nothing to do with grocery products or prices, but it has become such a part of the show, that after all these years, it has to get a mention.  The current Drew Carey episodes still use the same style of open and theme, although now they are in high definition.

 

 

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 31 – 40

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

We’re now past the halfway point in my countdown and the best is still to come!  I wanted to add M*A*S*H at number 32, but couldn’t find any actual show opens posted online.  There are tons of theme links, but none of the actual credit sequences with the cast securing injured solders off of the helicopter and buses.

 

Check back next week when we take a look at numbers 21-30.  We’ve got lots more NBC, including your favorite high school class, a Saturday night staple, and the New York courtroom we all wish we could get a case in if we ever get in trouble with the law!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

 

Image credit –Jonathan Lassoff

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (41-50)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : July 10, 2014
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Here it is!  We’ve made it to the top 50!  All summer long, I’ve been counting down my top 100 favorite TV show themes.  We’ve had everything from current hits, to kid’s shows, to obscure classics.  Let’s keep the list going and see what’s in store for the next set of 10!

 

#50 KNIGHT RIDER

Airdates: 1982-1986 (NBC)

 

 

I can’t tell you how bad I’ve always wanted to drive this car!  I recently re-watched the pilot on DVD and was shocked at how graphic it was for the 80’s.  The pilot shows our hero, Michael Knight, getting shot in the head as a cop and then is nursed back to health with no family, no identity, and goes to work for the Foundation for Law and Government.  Basically, they go after the bad guys, when the cops can’t!

 

Michael’s talking car, KITT (perfectly voiced by actor William Daniels) was a super computer on wheels.  This car is far more advanced than anything we have on the road today.  This car could drive 150 MPH on auto-pilot through city streets, had an early form of GPS, a computer database that could look up just about anything, and a TURBO BOOST button that caused the car to jump high in the air.  Why hasn’t our military developed this?

 

I don’t know who voiced over the original intro (there was no voice over for the first few episodes), but he sounded like he really needed to stop smoking.  It was all he could do to get the show’s title out of his mouth before being winded.  Listen to him gasp for air!

 

Want to hear a scarier version of the intro?  Listen to this guy from the Danish version:

 

http://youtu.be/6xCTDkkcPg0

 

I still say the show’s greatest episode was when KITT was challenged by his evil twin KARR.  Kind of reminds me of Data and Lore from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

 

While the show was awesome in the 80’s (and including several made for TV movies), it has been brought back twice since.  One ran for two seasons in syndication as Team Knight Rider and in 2008 for NBC starring Val Kilmer.  The 2008 version was a disaster all around.  They changed the car into a Transformer and even recycled some of the original series plots.

 

http://youtu.be/8jk8dhYQqoA

 

#49 THE DUKES OF HAZZARD

Airdates: 1979-1985 (CBS)

 

http://youtu.be/4C3N6LgU0lI

 

The only way to follow Knight Rider in my count down is to go with another of TV’s greatest car show ever, The Dukes of Hazzard.  You can’t tell me that there’s ever been a funnier cop to watch on TV than Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane!

 

A bunch of country hicks that run around in a car with the doors welded shut, getting arrested over and over.  That was the plot for the series that skyrocketed in the ratings week after week.

 

As the show grew with fans, so did the cast’s egos.  First, James Best as Roscoe walked off the show and was replaced for three episodes, followed by Tom Wopat and John Schneider (Luke & Bo Duke) who walked off for most of season 5 and were replaced by their nearly identical and yet somehow related counterparts Coy & Vance Duke, until everything was settled.

 

Take a look at the opening credits and teaser with the Coy and Vance replacements.  Remember them?

 

 

#48 FRAGGLE ROCK

Airdates: 1983-1987 (HBO)

 

 

This was back at the time when pay cable channel, HBO aired kid’s shows.

 

Created by Jim Henson and is part of his Muppets franchise, the Fraggles lived underground and ate candy scaffolding created by ant like creatures known as the Doozers.  Fraggles played, while the Doozers just worked and worked.  They were constantly trying to avoid the Gorgs, who are farmers that live at another tunnel exit and consider the Fraggles pests.

 

Sound crazy?  This would probably never hit the air today, but back in the 80’s, it was great for both kids and adults and still has a loyal following.

 

#47 FAMILY MATTERS

Airdates: 1989-1997 (ABC) 1997-1998 (CBS)

 

 

So, what’s missing from the season 1 credits?  Steve Urkel! The nerdy neighbor would be the show’s star after the first season, but here Jaleel White was only an occasional guest star until everyone loved his character.

 

Another of ABC’s family sit-coms, the show dealt with the problems of work, school and growing up in a Chicago suburb.  Somehow, this show was a loose spinoff of Perfect Strangers.

 

The show moved to CBS for the final season, when they tried to create a family friendly Friday night of programming to take some of the thunder from ABC’s similar programming strategy.  It failed and this show along with a few others that moved to the network were gone in less than a year.

 

Here’s a look at a syndicated set of opening credits that have been cut down for time:

 

http://youtu.be/fL0SaAkEJ9s

 

#46 SCRUBS

Airdates: 2001-2008 (NBC) 2009-2010 (ABC)

 

 

A bunch of interns at a teaching hospital learning the ropes of working in a medical center.  These guys knew how to make medicine, funny.  Some of the show’s greatest moments would be the classic daydream cutaways!

 

Just like many other shows, the opening credits got shorter and shorter as the series went on.

 

 

This show probably would have been on the air for several more years, but star Zach Braff, decided he wanted to leave and many of the original cast followed.  The show was rebranded Scrubs: Med School for the ninth season.  A new set of credits were created, but without most of the stars everyone knew (some of the cast did hang around for a few episodes), the experiment was a flop.

 

 

#45 DR. WHO

Airdates: 1963-1989 (BBC) 2005-present (BBC)

 

 

The theme song and opening credits have basically been the same for this classic sci-fi series for more than half a century!

 

Mostly aired on PBS in the United States, Dr. Who tells the story of a time traveling humanoid alien who helps to right wrongs, fight for the human civilization, and help ordinary people.

 

The series currently holds the Guinness Record for the Longest Science Fiction Show.

 

Dr. Who has become a part of pop culture in the United Kingdom and numerous attempts have been made to bring it across the pond to the United States.  In 1996, FOX aired a movie pilot that was not picked up to series.  Most recently, new episodes have been airing on BBC America.

 

The Doctor has changed numerous times over the years, but the premise of the show has not.  When the Doctor is near death, he re-energizes himself into a new host.  A changing sign of the times, the Doctor’s ship is actually a vintage police call box.  They were plentiful on London streets in the 60’s, but are all but gone now.

 

I’ve seen this show off and on over the years and I’m fascinated at how they’ve kept the character fresh and relevant through all these decades.  I’d like to see some of the original black and white episodes, but nearly 100 of the early shows were erased and the tapes were recycled.

 

If you really want to see some TV history, check out what this fan did.  They’ve edited together every opening credit sequence since 1963!

 

 

#44 THE FALL GUY

Airdates: 1981-1986 (ABC)

 

 

Another great 80’s action show, The Fall Guy was the story of Colt Seavers (played by Lee Majors) who was a Hollywood stuntman by day and private investigator at night.  It was ABC’s answer to The A Team!  The show featured amazing stunts, great plot lines, and a pre Night Court Markie Post!

 

I have no idea what country this other intro is from, but take a look at Ein Colt fur alle Falle.  The Fall Guy – aired overseas.

 

 

#43 HAPPY DAYS

Airdates: 1974-1984 (ABC)

 

 

It’s the show that brought us such phrases as “sit on it” and “jump the shark,” Happy Days was TV gold in the 70’s and early 80’s.  Set in the 1950’s, the series focused on Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) and his misadventures with friends and family as they made their way through the decade.  He often sought the advice of his bad boy, leather jacket wearing friend Fonzie (Henry Winkler,) who would become the main focus of the show after Richie joins the army and leaves.

 

The famous Happy Days theme song, was the not the series first.  For the first two seasons, Bill Haley’s famous Rock Around the Clock opened the show.

 

http://youtu.be/B87SJz_T-sM

 

The series featured many cast and format changes over the years.  The first happened in season 3, when the sit-com went with a multi-camera setup and was taped in front of a live studio audience.  The set was changed to allow for the modifications, so the Cunningham’s house seemed to undergo a little renovation over the summer hiatus.

 

The Chuck Cunningham syndrome, as it came to be known, was the sudden and mysterious departure of the older brother Chuck.  He appeared off and on during the first two seasons as the older, athletic brother, but never returned after season 2.  Later scripts make no mention of him and even refer to the main character Richie as the only son.

 

Later, Richie would leave the series and the plot lines would focus on Fonzie and his new role as auto shop teacher at the local high school.  While still popular, the series was on the air for far too long and the writers were running out of things to do with the cast.  New characters were being constantly introduced, while many of the main cast ended up with spin-offs of their own.

 

 

The result was a very different looking show by the time they got to their last season.  The cast didn’t even look like they belonged in the 60’s, anymore.

 

#42 THE X FILES

Airdates: 1993-2002 (FOX)

 

http://youtu.be/rbBX6aEzEz8

 

As soon as the dark whistle theme kicked in, you know you were about to battle aliens and government conspiracies.

 

The X Files was one of the last powerhouse shows on FOX’s Friday night, before moving to it’s final home on Sundays, where it aired for several more years.

 

Agent Mulder (David Duchovny) and his partner Agent Scully (Gillian Anderson) initially started off with a rough relationship, as Scully was always the skeptic when it came to investigating the paranormal.  11 seasons and several movies will change that; as the two finally hooked up, got married, and had a kid!  The whole romance thing never worked for me as it took away from the mystery that was the core of this show.

 

It spawned one spin-off, The Lone Gunman, based on a trio of nerdy informants the FOX burned off after 13 less than exciting episodes.

 

#41 CSI

Airdates: 2000-present (CBS)

 

 

I’ve been to Las Vegas a zillion times and I’m grateful that I’ve never needed the services of CSI!  All kidding aside, it’s one of TV’s most popular shows and with The Who’s rocking theme, you get one awesome show open.  Although for the first couple of seasons the credits were a lot less flashy.

 

 

14 seasons later, only a few of the original cast is still part of the show, but current star Ted Danson is absolutely perfect in his role as team leader.  Sure, the series gets gory at times as they try to solve murders, but they’ve been able to keep most of the scripts fresh and the plots are constantly taking crazy turns!

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 41 – 50

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

We’re now past the halfway point in my countdown and the best is still to come!  I wanted to add Unsolved Mysteries and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego at number 41, but I couldn’t find any good show intros online.  Most of what I found was either remixes or parodies.

 

Check back next week when we take a look at numbers 31-40.  We’ve got America’s favorite game show, the cruise ship everybody wants to be on, and the show about nothing!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

Image credit – chrisinplymouth

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (51-60)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : July 3, 2014
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We’re coming up on the half way point of my top 100 TV Themes summer count down.  I’ve never done a countdown show before, maybe we should do this more often!  So far, we’ve focused mostly on oldies, now we’re going to start moving up towards the 21st century.

 

Sadly, as TV progressed into the 21st century, the new style was for shows to shorten or drop their theme songs all together to slam in more ad time.  The standard sitcom now runs only 19 minutes without commercials!

 

Anyhow, I’ve got a few police show themes on my list this week… so let’s take a look!

 

#60 THE SMURFS

Airdates: 1981-1989 (NBC)

 

 

It’s a bunch of little blue people with giant white hats that live in a mushroom village.  These little blue guys skyrocketed into popularity when they first aired on NBC Saturday mornings.  Originally from a comic strip in Belgium, the show grew so popular that the Peacock Network expanded it to 90 minutes!

 

The cartoon regularly featured magic potions and stories set more in the medieval times, that’s until the last season when they started to add more time travel stories in an attempt to boost ratings.

 

In the end, it wasn’t low ratings that killed this show, it was The Today Show.  NBC had plans to create a Saturday morning version of Today, however that didn’t happen for two more seasons after they pulled the plug on Papa Smurf.

 

Now, fans of the show can enjoy the two live action blockbuster movies, with a third planned to hit theatres next year.

 

#59 COPS

Airdates: 1989-2013 (FOX) 2013-present (Spike TV)

 

 

COPS was another of those early shows that helped put FOX on the map.  What a simple and cheap concept to put on TV.  It was essentially, TV’s first reality show.  A camera crew rode around with police officers as they went on patrol and then edited the best action of the night down to 30 minute episodes.

 

This show was a staple of FOX Saturday night until last year, when new episodes moved to Spike TV.  This series made it to air thanks to the 1988 Writer’s Guild of America strike.  FOX needed new programming for their developing network and this reality show was it.

 

The theme song changed very little over the years with only the voice over slightly rewritten starting with season 3 to add “all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”  As with most shows, FOX cut down the theme in the later years, dropping the entire second verse.  Here’s the intro to one of the last FOX aired episodes with the revised voice over:

 

http://youtu.be/FLvH-2d6ruY

 

#58 CRIME STORY

Airdates: 1986-1988 (NBC)

 

 

When Miami Vice became an instant hit for NBC, they wanted another big blockbuster show to follow in the footsteps and the execs came up with Crime Story.

 

Crime Story followed the a big time crime boss from Chicago, who escapes to Las Vegas, and takes over organized crime there.  This show was unique in that it changed cities from Chicago to Vegas in the first season.  Season 2 takes place almost entirely in Vegas, except for the very end, where our crime boss escapes to Mexico, had there been a season 3.

 

Here’s a look at the awesome season 2 Las Vegas intro.

 

 

The show did a great job of turning 1980’s Chicago and Vegas into their 1950’s counterparts.  If this series were on the air today, it would be all computer animation and green screens.  That couldn’t be done back then, so they brought in vintage cars, changed street signs, and shot in older parts of the cities that could easily represent their old school theme.

 

The series featured 50’s music, cool 50’s cars, and lots of guns and violence.  The show was one of the more violent on TV at the time.  One scene used the nuclear testing in the Nevada desert as a plot to knock off a bunch of gangsters.

 

This series did great in the first season, but was killed in the ratings by CBS’s Dallas and Falcon Crest on Friday nights.

 

#57 HILL STREET BLUES

Airdates: 1981-1987 (NBC)

 

http://youtu.be/bABk47MVyug

 

Another of NBC’s gritty 80’s cop shows, Hill Street Blues opening credits put you right in the middle of the action.  I love the dirty, raw shots of the city interspersed with the awesome piano theme.  You know exactly what kind of cop show you’re getting into with this.

 

And when is the last time you saw an actor smoking in the opening credits?

 

#56 FAME

Airdates: 1982-1983 (NBC) 1983-1987 (Syndicated)

 

 

As you can see with the last few themes, NBC was the powerhouse of television in the 1980’s and they tried for another hit idea with this series dealing with high school kids in a performing arts school. However, a tough Sunday night time slot killed it on the network.  When the show was sold into syndication for local stations – it became a hit.

 

Fame showed the lives to high school kids in a New York City performing arts school as they tried to make big names for themselves in show business.  Looking back on these credits now, I don’t think many of them actually did!

 

#55 CSI: NY

Airdates: 2004-2013 (CBS)

 

 

Gary Sinise was the prefect choice to star in the third CSI spinoff, CSI:NY.  I work in Manhattan and wish my office was as cool as the lab CSI was!

 

Over the years, the series survived a number of cast changes, including the departure of the show’s second star Melinda Kanakaredes.  When CBS moved this show to Friday nights, I knew the end was near, but somehow it still managed to survive for several more seasons.

 

I actually like this series better than the original CSI or the first spin-off CSI: Miami.  The streets of New York gave this series more drama and mystery as our detectives tried to piece together the weekly list of murders.  Sadly, the show wasn’t always shot in the Big Apple and at times it was obvious to see when Los Angeles streets were being used, instead.

 

Baba O’Reilly really rocks here, though.  Don’t you think?

 

Here’s a look at one of the final show opens and the cast changes are obvious.

 

 

#54 I LOVE LUCY

Airdates: 1951-1957 (CBS)

 

 

It was TV’s first mega-hit and it probably the most well known TV theme of them all.  Everybody tuned in each week for Lucy’s next sit-com misadventure.  The show made Lucy and Desi millionaires and has been on the air in reruns, ever since the original broadcast.

 

#53 FAMILY TIES

Airdates: 1982-1989 (NBC)

 

 

Another of NBC’s powerful 80’s sitcoms, Family Ties dealt with two 1960’s hippies that went on to raise a family, while tackling politics and liberal/conservative government debate on a weekly basis.

 

I always thought the second version of the opening credits with an artist painting a family portrait was cooler.  No other show that I can think of has ever tried this style of credits, since.

 

 

As the kids grew up over the years, producers added another kid, as most do when they try to keep a show relevant in the later years.

 

 

Besides the sha-la-la-la at the end of the credits, most will remember the production company’s title card after the end credits that featured the famous dog, Ubu.

 

http://youtu.be/b21JjtknZ-Q

 

#52 EMPTY NEST

Airdates: 1988-1995 (NBC)

 

 

A spin-off of The Golden Girls and aired immediately after on Saturday night’s, Empty Nest told the story of Harry Weston, a pediatrician that lived across the street with his giant dog, Dreyfus.  The characters from both shows crossed over so much that in the final seasons after The Golden Girls was cancelled, Sophia was brought in as a main cast member.

 

This show was freaking hilarious and was a great companion to The Golden Girls and it showed with big ratings!  Remember when people watched TV on Saturday nights?  NBC had such strong Saturday shows, people would tune in starting at 8pm and stay on through the local 11pm news.

 

In the earlier seasons, Harry worked in a Miami hospital as a pediatrician, but in later years, he was reassigned to a local clinic.  The first concept was better, as it allowed him to interact with more kids, which added to the comedy.

 

In the later seasons, a more upbeat version of the main theme was introduced, which in my opinion was a great upgrade!

 

http://youtu.be/tazTm3e98ew

 

#51 TWO & A HALF MEN

Airdates: 2003-present (CBS)

 

 

I never really watched this show and I didn’t care for the premise or (worse) Ashton Kutcher, but for all the trouble behind the scenes, this show has a great theme.

 

While the credits really don’t introduce anything about the show, the barber shop singing theme is unique.  It’s a popular show and I know I’m missing the bus on this one, somehow.

 

http://youtu.be/65_W6vezUx4

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 51 – 60

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

We’re nearly half way done with the summer count down.  I hope you’re enjoying this trip down TV memory lane as much as I am!

 

Check back next week when we take a look at numbers 41-50.  Next week we’re going back to the 60’s, the most awesome car ever, and the scariest show I’ve ever watched on network TV!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

Image credit – Draconiansleet

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (61-70)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : June 26, 2014
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I hope you’re enjoying counting down my top 100 TV themes!  For the past three weeks, we’ve been having a blast!  Now, it’s time to continue our summer countdown with numbers 61 – 70!

 

#70 MR. ED

Airdates: 1961 (Syndication) 1961-1966 (CBS)

 

 

A talking horse?  That was the premise for this 60’s sitcom that was later be re-run over and over on Nick at Nite in the 80’s, giving a whole new generation a look at a real talking horse.

 

The show was first tried out on local stations for 8 months, before being picked up by CBS.

 

Ed was taken care of by clumsy architect Wilbur and would only speak to him.  That added to the comedy as Wilbur would often be seen as psycho for talking to his horse.  What’s wrong with that?  I used to talk to my cat all the time and she’d usually meow to answer…

 

There were a few different theories on how they made the horse talk, including having Ed lick peanut butter, but it was revealed by the never credited off screen voice of Ed, that the horse was trained to lip read when a trainer would touch his hoof.

 

An Ohio preacher once claimed that Mr. Ed’s theme contains Satanic messages if played backward.  Uh, huh…

 

#69 MARRIED WITH CHILDREN

Airdates: 1987-1997 (FOX)

 

 

You know you’re going to make a top 100 list, when Frank Sinatra sings your theme song!

 

The first sit-com that showed America the trashy side of life, this show was panned by critics for being too sleazy, but it put the FOX network on the map.

 

The opening credits changed a bit over the seasons, first because Ted McGinley joined the cast and secondly, because the kids grew up, so new shots were recorded each season.

 

 

The fun part of the intro is where Al Bundy give all his money away.  First to the kids, then to the wife, and what’s left goes to the dog!

 

Here’s a bonus, would you like to see what Married with Children looked like in Brazil? Here’s their intro… notice the similarities?

 

 

#68 MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS

Airdates: 1993-1995 (FOX Kids)

 

 

Go! Go! Power Rangers!  Every kid in the 90’s was singing this.  The show was so bad, it was good!

 

It was a group of average teenagers, who had expert martial arts skills that transferred into a tight spandex costume to fought alien invaders.  That’s what happened when you were a teen, right?

 

The series was loved for its use of over the top alien model footage from some other Japanese kids show.

 

The three seasons were rerun over and over about a zillion times and spawned a number of spin-offs.  I just learned that several of the cast members walked off the set during season 2 and several episodes were completed using existing footage and stock shots.  After a few episodes, three new teens were brought into replace them.  This started the series tradition of introducing a new cast each season.

 

Here are the revamped credits from season 2:

 

 

Same song, but we get completely different cast shots for season 3.  This time, it looks like they simply wheeled the camera out to the parking lot.

 

 

After three seasons in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers format, the show shifted gears to become Power Rangers Zeo.  This version of the credits only used a portion of the original theme.  And for some reason, the Rangers themselves changed colors.

 

 

Sadly, we lose the theme completely for Power Rangers Turbo.  The show shift gears and themes each and every season from this point.  Here’s a look at a few different openings and themes, none are as good as the original.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#67 WKRP IN CINCINNATI

Airdates: 1978-1982 (CBS) 1991-1993 (Syndication)

 

Fast forward to 2:54 for the season 2 opening credits.

 

 

WKRP was the show that made being a radio DJ cool.  Back in the 70s, DJ’s made big bucks and you could call them up a make a request.  Now, most of the radio stations are automated, but this series gave you a glimpse into their rock star lives.

 

One cool note was that the lyrics on the closing credits are completely made up.  They were initially ad-libbed as a placeholder to be written later, but the producers loved the melody, so they went with it as is.  Meaning, the lyrics that make absolutely no sense were used through the entire series run.  Take a listen; see if you can figure out what’s being said.

 

 

This is one of the rare shows that were successfully brought back from the dead.  Almost a decade after being canceled by CBS, it was brought back into syndication with new episodes for local stations to air.  Many of the original cast returned, the theme was given an update and was known as The New WKRP in Cincinnati.

 

 

By the way, there is no real radio station known as WKRP.

 

#66 TINY TOON ADVENTURES

Airdates: 1990 (CBS, pilot only) 1990-1992 (Syndicated) 1992-1994 (FOX Kids)

 

 

We’ve already talked a little about Tiny Toon Adventures as being a spin-off from the popular Looney Tunes cartoon shorts.  (see #85 Animaniacs).  The original pilot aired as a one time only special on CBS, before heading to syndication.  FOX Kids picked up the last two seasons for a total of 100 episodes.

 

This was another series that spawned a ton of spin-offs, but this was the first, and the best!  Another Warner Bros. series where many of the jokes were aimed more at adults.  FOX even aired several episodes and specials in prime time!

 

I really wish they would have never gone to the spin-offs and kept this series on the air.  It could have lasted as long as the original Looney Tunes.  There was a large cast of characters, so the story development was nearly endless.  WB should take another look and bring this series back.

 

#65 MIAMI VICE

Airdates: 1984-1989 (NBC)

 

http://youtu.be/itU19NopUJY

 

Miami Vice was everybody’s must see TV – even on a Friday night!  It showed the cool side of being a tough detective in the hot streets of Miami.  Every week, the detectives took on drug traffickers and prostitutes. It also featured luxury cars, fast boats, and lots of gun fire!

 

This show started an 80’s fashion craze, where everyone was wearing sport coats and rolling up their sleeves.  And don’t you love that strategically placed bouncing boob shot in the first few seconds of the open?

 

The original working title of the series was Gold Coast.  I think they made the right choice!

 

#64 THE KING OF QUEENS

Airdates: 1998-2007 (CBS)

 

http://youtu.be/Oq5acVuQUo8

 

Thanks Kevin James, but I’ve been stuck in traffic on the Queensboro Bridge (now Ed Koch Bridge) too!

 

This sit-com was freaking hilarious and I once read online that many of the zany plot points came from the writer’s room, who were absolutely stoned out of their mind on drugs and drunk on scotch.  That’s according to co-star Patton Oswalt.  Who knows if that’s true or not, but some of the more funnier moments is Doug beating up a fast food drive thru order box, his best friend falling in love with a giant ice cream cone mascot, and Doug’s father getting taken for walks by a dog walker on a daily basis.

 

I don’t know how Doug kept his sanity, to be honest.  If he wasn’t fighting with his wife, he was arguing with this father, or just ticking off his boss.  Doug made it funny to be a fat, blue collar worker that most of us can relate to.

 

The first and second versions of the credits, showed a shot of the original World Trade Center that was edited out with a shot of the elevated 7 train after 9-11.

 

Later seasons used a condensed version of the theme and some shows only had a quick 5 second title card open.

 

Here’s a fun bonus – a short version of the opening credits from Croatia!

 

 

#63 ST. ELSEWHERE

Airdates: 1982-1988 (NBC)

 

 

It’s the show that brought Howie Mandel to television!  No, it’s not really known for that, but the series was one of the bigger medical dramas to ever air.  One of the more zany plots included a man that got pregnant!  There was no medical matter off limits!  It was basically, House for the 80’s… a decaying teaching hospital, where doctors always pull off some zany diagnosis in the closing minutes of the episode.  Each episode took on a serious subject and injected moments of dark comedy.

 

Howie Mandel is not the only big name you’ll recognize from the credits!

 

#62 THE FLINTSTONES

Airdates: 1960-1966 (ABC)

 

 

Let’s all sing along together, now!

 

It’s The King of Queens in the form of a 1960’s cartoon!  Each week, Fred and Barney would end up on another wacky adventure, whether it was battling the boss, looking for a get rich quick scheme, or just trying to escape the wives at The Loyal Order of Water Buffalos.

 

This show was only on the air 6 seasons, but the reruns are still on today.  It also spawned 2 live action movies and even a cereal and vitamin line for kids.  Everybody knows who Fred Flintstone is and he just had to make my list!

 

In the early days of the show, commercials were made with Fred and Barney selling Winston cigarettes.  No wonder everybody smoked back then…

 

 

…and beer!

 

 

#61 FULL HOUSE

Airdates: 1987-1995 (ABC)

 

 

When you think of a family sit-com, Full House is it!  You had everything, a widowed dad, his two best friends as room mates, and three girls that they’re helping him to raise.

 

Each week, we got a life lesson, a lot of laughs, and so many cutesy – cutesy moments.

 

As the series went on, the opening credits would get shorter and shorter, even though the cast would get larger.  By the time we got to season 8, Michelle was not the cute little girl anymore and only got in the way of the shows plots, so Uncle Jessie got married and had two more kids of his own, adding at least three more names to the intro.

 

 

In an earlier blog, I looked at the original pilot open without Bob Saget in his now legendary role.  Take a look… same song, same shots, different guy!

 

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 61 – 70

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

Another great set of good old shows we got to review this week, but a few more recent series have now made it into the countdown.  I’m still shocked at how they used the Flintstones to sell cigarettes and alcohol.  Parents would throw a fit seeing SpongeBob selling those products!

 

Check back next week when we take a look at numbers 51-60.  Next week we’ve got cops, cops, and more cops!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

 

Image credit – Adrian Patino

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (71-80)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : June 19, 2014
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For the past two weeks, we’ve counted down the bottom 20 of my 100 top TV themes of all time.  This week, we’re in the 70’s!

 

Anyhow, let’s take a look at the next group of ten.

 

#80 THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES

Airdates: 1962-1971 (CBS)

 

http://youtu.be/QtvTE3m5jpM

 

A poor, backwoods family finds oil and moves to Beverly Hills?  It happened in this sitcom that was on for so long; it started off in black and white and ended in full blown color.

 

I guess for the original opening, they weren’t able to take the cast for a real drive down Rodeo Drive, so they used some really bad rear projection.  You can see how the scene bumps up and down as the camera car hits a pot hole, but the cast shot stays steady.

 

However, when the show transitioned to color, they got it right and reshot part of the opening credits, including a real live shot driving down Rodeo Drive!  When the show becomes a hit – the budget increases!

 

 

Just about everybody who was born up until the early 1980’s knew this theme song by heart.  I think it was even played on the radio at one point.

 

The show was remade as a movie in the early 90’s with Jim Varney that was surprisingly pretty good.  Most TV shows remade into movies these days just don’t work.

 

#79 227

Airdates: 1985-1990 (NBC)

 

 

It was the apartment building where everybody knew your name and loved to hang out.  The show made Jackee Harry a TV icon with her Sandra character.  However, by the time season 4 started, tension between her and star Marla Gibbs grew to such a point on the set, that executives gave Harry her own spin-off.  Sadly, after the pilot aired the show was not picked up and Harry was off the air.

 

The show continued on, but Harry’s loss was a blow the series never recovered from.  For season 5, they brought in a whole new slew of characters, but they couldn’t save the falling ratings.  Producers brought Harry back for the last 7 episodes of the season, but it was too late and NBC canceled the show.

 

#78 AMEN

Airdates: 1986-1991 (NBC)

 

 

Another staple on NBC’s powerful Saturday night sit-com lineup, this usually aired at 8pm right before 227.  Remember when Saturday night actually had half descent original programming?

 

Set in a Philadelphia church, this sit-com dealt with the antics of the less than holy Deacon Frye.  The opening credits were recently parodied by Cleveland on Family Guy this season.  This show was absolutely hilarious and I love the old Pennsylvania license plate on his giant car!

 

And check out the bonus end credits that were attached to the video.  Did you happen to catch Cuba Gooding, Jr. as a guest star?  That had to be early in his career.

 

For the show’s entire run, these credits never changed, outside of the addition of new cast members names on screen.

 

#77 DOOGIE HOWSER, MD

Airdates: 1989-1993 (ABC)

 

 

A simple keyboard theme is all you needed for this one.

 

A super genius kid becomes a practicing doctor, before he’s even a teen!  That can really happen, right?  Not if the insurance companies have anything to say about it!  But, of course it can – thanks to the magic of television.

 

At the end of every episode, Doogie would turn on his computer, which at the time was really only a word processor (his life would have been so different had the internet existed then), and type about what he had learned that day.  It always had some witty line and always had a cut away of Doogie as he pondered what he had learned.  I wonder how many kids ended up doing journals thanks to this show?

 

This was another series where the credits changed very little over the years, just new shots of Neil Patrick Harris as he grew up.

 

#76 MR. BELVEDERE

Airdates: 1985-1990 (ABC)

 

 

I love the creative use of photographs, not only of Mr. Belvedere’s adventures, but also the multi shots of the cast.

 

Just by listening to the song, you know you’ve got a legendary butler that moves in with a family from Pittsburgh.  What more do you need?

 

Here’s a look at the opening credits from the first two seasons.  The slide show like opening from the pilot makes me sick.  Glad they only used it once!

 

 

#75 THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON

Airdates: 1962-1992 (NBC)

 

 

While the current incarnation of the show is hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Carson has long been considered the king of late night.  Only David Letterman has recently passed this show on number of episodes and number of seasons.

 

Carson was not the first host of The Tonight Show.  That was actually Steve Allen and it went on the air way back in 1954.

 

When Carson first took over as host, the show aired from 11:15pm – 1:00am.  That’s 105 minutes!  As more local stations began broadcasting 11pm news, Carson’s opening monologue was going unseen by the vast majority of the US.  NBC then decided to move the show to 11:30 and trimming it to 90 minutes.  In the 70’s, Carson grew tired of the 90 minute format and again trimmed the show to an hour.  It was finally moved to the current 11:35 time slot in 1991, to allow affiliates more commercial time in their late news.

 

The opening credits have undergone massive changes over the years.  Sadly, almost all of the pre-1971 shows have been lost.  Videotape was expensive then and NBC would simply tape over the air checks with another show.   There are years of great interviews and skits that will never again see the light of day.

 

#74 PICTURE PAGES

Airdates: in various forms 1974-1990 (CBS, Syndicated, and Nickelodeon)

 

 

I was so mad that I couldn’t have a pen that played music as you write.  I’d still like to have one now to drive my co-workers nuts!

 

Bill Cosby would teach kids reading, writing, and arithmetic using a series of puzzles that you can send away for and play along.

 

The show actually started in Pittsburgh in 1974 when a local grocery store gave away the books.  The segments went national in 1978 as part of the Captain Kangaroo program on CBS.  Later, kids cable network Nickelodeon picked up the rights and aired it as a half hour show.  Here’s a look at the seriously lame song on the Nick version:

 

 

#73 DUCKTALES

Airdates: 1987-1990 (Syndicated)

 

 

Scrooge McDuck and his three nephews were always going on an adventure to score more money.  As a kid, I always thought it would be awesome to jump into Scrooge’s money pit vault.  Now that I’m older, I realize that jumping face first into a deep vault of a zillion coins probably would really hurt.  Also, money is quite filthy… who wants to swim in filth?

 

I actually won tickets to the spin-off movie DuckTales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp from a local TV station.  The same station I ended up working at a decade later!

 

Thanks to the success of this show, Disney launched a whole afternoon of other cartoons including Tale Spin, The Gummi Bears, Chip ‘n Dale’s Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, and a few more that I forget.  DuckTales was always the first and the best, though.

 

This show only lasted 100 episodes, but it seemed to go on forever!  DuckTales Woo-ooh!

 

#72 BONANZA

Airdates: 1959-1973 (NBC)

 

http://youtu.be/NP8qKiTltj0

 

A fictional ranch in Nevada back in the wild west days was the setting for this long lasting series.  Another show that started out in black and white and made the switch to color.

 

It is the second longest television western in history behind Gunsmoke.  It will probably stay that way, because people don’t seem to want TV westerns anymore.

 

I’ve seen a handful of episodes, but the cool part of the credits is how they set the map on fire and luma key to the first shot of video underneath.  Pretty great idea that was ahead of it’s time.

 

And holy moley Jeanne Cooper does not look comfortable posing for her guest star credit show!

 

#71 SIMON & SIMON

Airdates: 1981-1989 (CBS)

 

http://youtu.be/osYdKFhzzlc

 

They were two complete opposites, but they ran a successful private detective agency together.  It was basically, The Odd Couple of private eyes!  It was one of the many action drama/comedy shows of the 80’s.

 

I remember watching the show from time to time and reruns still turn up occasionally, but it was the awesome guitar sax combo of the theme song they used starting with season three that made this one memorable.  The shot of Gerald McRaney getting cold cocked through an open door is pretty priceless as well!  (He went on to star in the Army sit-com Major Dad, right after this!)

 

Take a look at how the opening credits were for the first couple of seasons and you’ll agree that the classic guitar sax combo was a hit!

 

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 71 – 80

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

I hope you enjoyed the look at the next group of themes.  A few kids ones made it into the group this time. I still want a singing pen, Bill Cosby!

 

Check back next week when we take a look at numbers 61-70.  We’ve got Zordon, a fat delivery guy that loves the Mets, and a talking horse!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

Image credit – James Vaughan

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (81-90)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : June 12, 2014
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Last week, we kicked off the summer by checking out the bottom ten of my 100 favorite TV show themes of all time.  This week, we’re looking at 81 – 90.

 

This is more than just a top 100 countdown list.  Each show theme has been judged by theme song, style of video presented, and effectiveness at introducing what the series is all about.

 

Without further adieu… Here’s the next ten:

 

#90 BAYWATCH

Airdates: 1989-1990 (NBC) & 1991-2001 (Syndicated)

 

http://youtu.be/qPdeDV8zCWk

 

Oh, Baywatch!  How I used to rush home from high school to watch your reruns everyday at 4pm on WJAC!  What a perfect time for this show, right before the 5pm news!

 

The real beauty of this show was the slow motion running shots.  But, most people don’t remember this actually started on NBC in 1989.  The ratings from the first season weren’t that great and the show was cancelled by the peacock network.  It was David Hasselhoff himself and the producers that kept the show alive when they pooled together their own money and took the show into syndication, where it was a hit!

 

Over the 12 seasons, the main cast of the show changed quite a bit.

 

With ratings dropping, the producers decided to move the show.  They first tried to move it to Australia, but after from protests at the local town where they wanted to shoot, they settled on Hawaii for season 11.

 

 

By this time, the show was suffering from series writers block and ratings continued to sag.  Hasselhoff left the show after a season into this format, and without the main star, it was canceled after the second Hawaii season.  Here’s the last and final series intro with a completely different song:

 

 

One of the strangest things this series ever did was the dark, detective spin-off Baywatch Nights.  The show ran for 2 seasons and had Hasselhoff battling murders and aliens!  While it’s technically a different show, I had to make a note of it!  Here’s a look at the opening credits with the song After the Sun Goes Down.

 

 

Season 1 was more of a murder/detective theme.  But, it really went sci-fi for season 2.  You now had Mitch the lifeguard battling ghosts and aliens.  It didn’t work and the series was canned.

 

 

#89 THAT ‘70S SHOW

Airdates: 1998-2006 (FOX)

 

I generally hated this sit-com, but I must be in the minority because it was a ratings hit for a long time.  I remember seeing the original FOX upfront presentation where the working show title was Hanging Around.  By the time it hit the air, it was under the name we all came to know, That ‘70s Show.

 

 

They even did a special Christmas intro for a holiday special!

 

 

For me, it was one of those shows where the kids seemed to be too old to be – kids.

 

As the years went on, the stars made bigger names for themselves.  For the last season Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher left to become movie stars.  The show just wasn’t the same and could only last one more season.  It’s hard to keep a show on the air when you lose two of the main cast members.  Here’s a look at the opening from the final season:

 

http://youtu.be/acaixw3ckYQ

 

The show was supposed to start in the 70s and end in the 80s, but the FOX programming bosses decided to create a spin-off That 80’s Show.  It was awful and lasted less than a season.  Remember this?  (the show open was as bad as the series and it doesn’t count for our top 100 list… just mentioning it here for the sake of bringing it up.)

 

http://youtu.be/vcX8GULcYDc

 

#88 MACGUYVER

Airdates: 1985-1992 (ABC)

 

This guy could get out of any situation with a pocket knife and duct tape!  It was amazing to see what invention MacGyver would come up with to get of a life threatening situation week after week.

 

http://youtu.be/Y6_1bNYpMmM

 

Whether it was a big explosion, government corruption, or a murder spree – it was great to see MacGyver figure his way out and beat the bad guy.  Too bad he never came up with a how to book!

 

#87 THE PEOPLE’S COURT

Airdates: 1981 – 1993 & 1997 – present (Syndicated)

 

What you are about to witness is real.  These are not actors; they are actual litigants with a case pending in Civil Court.  Both parties have agreed to drop their claims and have their cases settled here, in our forum, The People’s Court.

 

 

The People’s Court is television’s first ever dive into bringing court cases to the airwaves.  While a similar show aired briefly in the 1960’s, the latest version helped spawn all the court show wannabe’s the dot daytime TV.

 

The original series was hosted by Judge Wapner and taped in Los Angeles.  The latest series was first overseen by Judge Ed Koch, who passed away last year.  The second judge was Judge Judy’s husband, Judge Jerry Sheindlin.  He was too busy trying to copy the angry attitude of his wife and was replaced by the current judge, Judge Milian.

 

The latest version was taped in New York City, but last year production moved to Stamford, Connecticut.

 

http://youtu.be/DEvm4gN26pE

 

Even over all these years, that da-da-dah three note theme is one of the best.  You know it’s time for court when you hear that music and the bongos kick in!  It’s also great that the set has remained basically the same for over 30 years!  Why mess with a winning formula?

 

#86 OUT OF THIS WORLD

Airdates: 1987-1991 (Syndicated)

 

How would you like to freeze time by just pressing your two index fingers together?  Who wouldn’t, right?

 

 

This show was one of a package of sit-coms that were available for local stations to air, usually on the weekends in the late 80’s.  This series dealt with a woman, who unknowingly marries a space alien and has a daughter who inherits her father’s alien powers.  She is also able to talk to him, once per episode, by a diamond shaped device voiced by Burt Reynolds.  The sit-com dealt with her growing up without a father and maturing into a woman, all while trying to hide her special powers to fit-in their California neighborhood.

 

#85 ANIMANIACS

Airdates: 1993-1995 (FOX) 1996-1998 (WB)

 

They just don’t make cartoons like this, anymore.  The Animaniacs were both for kids and parents, alike.  Many of the jokes were either topical, political, or classic TV satire that was way over some kid’s heads!

 

 

This series was basically a spin-off of Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes and Tiny Toon Adventures.  These three characters had been created decades ago; then locked up in the studio water tower for being so hilariously out of control.  Although, we’re still not sure if they are cats, dogs, or just weird.

 

Most of the episodes where three short stories, just like the old Looney Tunes did.  This may be the funniest cartoon show ever created!  My favorite was their running gag that mocked William Shatner.  That was pure gold!

 

One of their greatest bits was when Wakko sang every nation of the world!  Pure genius!

 

 

This show should have run for a long, long time.  But instead, the network wanted to take two of the genius mice characters, Pinky & the Brain and give them their own show.

 

#84 IT’S GARRY SHANDLING’S SHOW

Airdates: 1986-1990 (SHOWTIME)

 

If I ever had an intro to my own TV show – I would want a song like this!

 

 

The premise of this series was great.  Garry was the host of a late night talk show.  This series gave viewers a behind the scenes look at this home life and setting up for the show.  He would also frequently break TV’s fourth wall by talking directly to the audience.

 

#83 EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND

Airdates: 1996-2005 (CBS)

 

The simple piano theme really didn’t fit in with the show’s material, but somehow it did work.

 

 

The early seasons of the show would have some kind of set up intro like this, but sadly as the seasons went on, they would drop any opening songs and roll the credits during the first few minutes of the show.  It was another victim of shows ditching their opening credits for more ad time.  I don’t know, maybe I’m a sucker for that soft jazz piano?

 

#82 FALCON CREST

Airdates: 1981-1990 (CBS)

 

I have to admit… I never watched this show.  I remember the opening credits from when my grandmother would watch this every Friday night.  It came on right after Dallas and we only had a couple of channels to choose from.  (Who remembers having to turn the antenna and actually tune in a station?)

 

 

The show dealt with a rich family that owned a California winery.  It was part of CBS’s Friday night soap operas full of money, crime, and power.  Even after all these years, that powerful orchestral opening still stands out to me.

 

#81 BEVERLY HILLS 90210

Airdates: 1990-2000 (FOX)

 

Here’s another show that I never really watched, but everyone recognizes that opening theme!

 

 

A show about a bunch of rich kids in California ended up as a ratings blockbuster for FOX and just about every teen in the country was watching.  As the series went on there were a few cast changes, but they always kept the theme generally the same.  Every season they would do a new shoot with the cast laughing and carrying on in front of a white cyc.  We all do that with our friends, too… Right?

 

 

In later seasons, the parents would be dropped from the series and from the opening credits.

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 81 – 90

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

I hope you enjoyed the look at these second nine themes.  Sorry that I wasn’t a fan of all the shows, but I am a fan of all the themes!

 

Check back next week when we take a look at numbers 71-89.  We’ve got a talking horse, a pen that sings, and the king of late night!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Top 100 TV Themes (91-100)

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : June 5, 2014
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Quentin Tarantino once said in an interview that opening credits in movies are the only mood time a film really gives itself.  That can also be said for the opening credits to TV series.  Along with the actors’ names, you also get a feel for the show thanks to the visuals and the theme song.  Sadly, as TV continues to look for more ways to jam in more ad time, TV themes have mostly gone by the wayside.  I long for the days, when you would watch a show and after many weeks, you would have that theme song stuck in your head.

 

This summer, I’ve decided to list my top 100 favorite TV themes.  This started off as a great idea, but turned out to be a much harder task.  In fact, I had more than 100 on the list.  There were lots that I had to leave behind.

 

To make my top 100, the show opens had to meet several factors.  First, the theme song: if it’s not a catchy tune, then it’s no good.  It doesn’t necessarily something you sing along to, but it has to be something that sets the mood of the series.  Second, it would have to be the visuals.  There’s no sense having an awesome song if you’re going to play it over a black background.  I need to know what the show is about and the theme is the perfect fit.  Lastly, the theme has to accurately reflect the show.  If the show is a comedy, then it needs to have a light and happy theme.

 

Hopefully, you will enjoy this look back at some of your favorite shows and a few that you’ve probably forgotten about.  Along with the showing you the show open, I’ll discuss why I liked the theme, and offer my own insights into the show.  In some cases, I will also present alternate versions as well.  For better or worse, some shows would change up their themes during the series run.

 

So, like Casey Casem’s old radio show, here are my top 100 themes.  This week, we’re counting down numbers 100 to 91.

 

#100 MAMA’S FAMILY

Airdates: 1983-1984 (NBC) & 1986-1990 (Syndicated)

 

 

That was a look at the season 1 opening when the show aired on NBC.  When the series was canceled, a year later in entered syndication, where some of the best episodes took place.  When the brought the show back, they dropped the two kids and introduced Bubba, Thelma’s juvenile delinquent grandson.

 

 

I had no idea this is a thing, but apparently there’s a Mama’s Family challenge that was going on YouTube.  The object is to stare directly at the screen while the Mama’s Family theme played and try not to smile.  I don’t know – did this guy succeed?

 

 

#99 MAUDE

Airdates: 1972-1978 (CBS)

 

 

A spin off of All in the Family, Maude gave America our first look at Bea Arthur.  Her priceless facial reactions made her the perfect choice to lead her next, more successful show The Golden Girls less than a decade later.

 

I love how this open give you a look at a 1970’s New York City.  You get to see the now demolished West Side Highway, which I am ever so thankful that I never had to drive on!

 

One of the craziest things I’ve ever done was to memorize this song after my friend Mike’s 30th birthday party.  It seemed like a good idea at the time and I stayed up for hours doing so… in full disclosure, I got talked into it after a few too many libations in a Hoboken bar.  Hey, I blew his mind when I came to work the following Monday and sang it word for word!  Still, that story’s not as funny as what The Family Guy did to the Maude credits…

 

http://youtu.be/fjWhDLbr3MA

 

#98 THE HOGAN FAMILY

Airdates: 1986-1990 (NBC) 1990-1991 (CBS)

 

http://youtu.be/kjtGXztRJuc

 

It’s the show that had three different titles and the main star walk off the show.

 

When it first aired on NBC, the series was known as Valerie starring Valerie Harper.  Yes, Rhoda from Mary Tyler Moore.  She got into a dispute with the producers and walked off the show at the end of season two.  She obviously ticked off the NBC executives as well, so they killed her off!

 

For season three, they brought in Sandy Duncan to take care of her mourning family and re-titled the show first as Valerie’s Family: The Hogans and then simply to The Hogan Family.

 

The expression on Sandy Duncan’s face after she catches that ball in the second shot drives me nuts.  What would she have looked like if it had bounced off of her head?

 

Here’s a look at the same show open during the first season Valerie Harper year.  Enjoy the bonus commercial for Chic jeans!

 

 

#97 AMERICAN GLADIATORS

Airdates: 1989-1996 (Syndicated)

 

 

How about those original American Gladiators?  I would have given anything to sit in the audience of this show back in the day.  I’m sure I would have died running around in those giant spheres or the final Eliminator, but it would have been fun to shoot Nerf balls at the Gladiator for points.

 

NBC tried to bring this show back in 2008 during the WGA Writer’s Strike, because there’s no script to write.  That version, with Hulk Hogan, had very little resemblance of this fun original and flat out stunk.  It was only on the air for a few disappointing episodes.

 

At one point, they tried to bring this as a live show to the Las Vegas Strip, but it got tied up in legal matters.  There was a dinner show, similar to Medieval Times, featuring many of the original Gladiators that ran for less than a year in Orlando, Florida during 1996.

 

#96 HOME IMPROVEMENT

Airdates: 1991-1999 (ABC)

 

 

This was a look at the season two and three opening credits for Home Improvement.  This was the longest version, before they started cutting back as well to shove more ad time in.

 

The open changed several times over the years as the kids got older, but generally kept the same basic theme.

 

Remember when Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson got her start at Tim’s first assistant on Tool Time?  No wonder he grunted!

 

#95 SEAQUEST DSV

Airdates: 1993-1996 (NBC)

 

 

It was Star Trek under the sea and NBC was looking to cash in.  This show had a ton of potential, but sadly was a victim of constant network tinkering.  Like why did they blow up the ship at the end of the first season?

 

For the third and final season, they picked the whole ship up and put it on an alien planet to add even more sci-fi adventure that just didn’t work.  The show got so bad, that the captain Roy Scheider quit after season 2.

 

#94 NEW GIRL

Airdates: 2011-present (FOX)

 

 

This second version of the New Girl theme is 100% better than the first.  While the song is still sung by Zooey Deschanel, the original opening had the cast sitting on a coach over a white cyc, while Zooey just kind of danced around.

 

This is one of the few sit-coms on TV right now that still has a show open.  Occasionally, they will cut it short or not use it at all, when an episode runs a little long.

 

The original working title for the show was Chicks & Dicks.  I can see why that didn’t clear the FOX censors.

 

#93 THE OC

Airdates: 2003-2007 (FOX)

 

 

While I was not a regular viewer of this show, I really liked the opening credits.  The show used a great deal of indie rock songs and did the same for the opening.  Phantom Planet’s California, still gets an occasional play on the radio and at sporting events regarding California teams.

 

The graphics, cast shots, and b-roll almost make you feel as though you are sitting on a West Coast beach!

 

The credits changed only very slightly throughout the four seasons.

 

#92 PUNKY BREWESTER

Airdates: 1984-1986 (NBC) 1986-1987 (Syndication)

 

 

As a kid, a remember watching this show, and thinking how cool Punky was with all of her adventures.  Now, as an adult, I realize some of the episodes have some very dark tones such as the fight over adoption, drug use, and even sex!

 

I haven’t seen an episode of this series in decades, but that theme song is still stuck in my head.  At least this song does the trick.  By the time you get to the end, you completely understand that an old single guy adopts a rag tag orphan girl.  That’s a sure recipe for 80’s sitcom success!

 

#91 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

Airdates: 1987 (pilot only, Syndication) 1998-1993 (Syndication) 1990-1996 (CBS)

 

 

Heroes in a half shell – turtle power!

 

They were actually singing this theme one night last year on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and it instantly brought back memories.  As a kid, this show was on weekday afternoons and also Saturday mornings!  That’s a lot of turtle power!

 

Another great theme song with another great show open.  You knew exactly what you were getting into seeing the start of this show.

 

I always wanted to dress up as one of the turtles for Halloween, but sadly never have.

 

I did learn in doing research for this blog that when the show aired in Europe, it had to be retitled Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles due to controversy over some of the weapons used on the show.  Check out the altered open and really bad editing.

 

http://youtu.be/iaNc-fLwXhQ

 

But, with all of their fighting skills, why couldn’t they ever defeat Shredder?

 

A new version of this series showed up on FOX, CW, and Nickelodeon a decade later and was only vaguely related to this series.

 

THE 411

 

What: TV Theme Songs

 

Use: themes used to open a TV series or cartoon

 

Purpose: introduce main cast and introduce audience to the theme of the series

 

Numbers reviewed: 91 – 100

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

I hope you enjoyed the look at these first nine themes.  I had to disqualify one of my original picks, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  It seems copies of this open have been taken down from YouTube over a copyright issue with the composer.  I’ve found many episodes uploaded to the site, but without the opening credits.

 

Kick back again with me next week when we take a look at numbers 81-99.  We’ll have girls in bikinis, a guy who can do anything with duct tape, and the theme song for a judge!

 

I don’t own any of the rights to these, nor did I upload them to YouTube.  This blog is presented for educational and informational purposes.

Image credit – James Vaughn

[Kicking Back with Jersey Joe] Jersey Joe’s Year Four Rewind

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Posted by :Jersey Joe On : May 29, 2014
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Category: Been, Columns, Going, Kickin' Back with Jersey Joe, Topics, Travel

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Here it is – my fourth official season finale!  True, I’ve only been writing on Been and Going since it launched about a year ago, but this blog has now been online for four complete years.  It all started 182 editions ago on fierceandnerdy.com.  As my season wraps, I always go back and update what I’ve written about.  So, get ready as we take a quick look back…

You can click on the title of each blog to check out the original post.

THE JUDGE JUDY SLOT MACHINE

Blogumn #134 – April 12, 2013

 

This blogumn looked at the new Judge Judy slot machines that had just hit casino floors.  At the time, the machines were highly popular and can still be found in most major casinos.

 

The popularity of this slot machine continues today.  During a recent visit to Atlantic City, there was always somebody playing them and still had a line of spectators watching at both banks of machines I found at Bally’s and the Golden Nugget.

burgertime2-225x300

BURGER TIME: THE ORIGINAL HELL’S KITCHEN

Blogumn #139 – May 17, 2013

 

This blogumn took a look at one of my favorite video games of all time, Burger Time.  The game is simple, you are the chef and your job is to assemble hamburgers in a crazy kitchen where the ingredients have come to life and are after you!

 

I love to play this game at Barcade, in Jersey City, New Jersey.  Barcade is a cross between a bar and arcade that thankfully, is for adults only.

 

Sadly, the machine has gone missing from this location.  Barcade is in the process of opening a new location in Manhattan and I can only hope that it will end up there.  Both locations will only be a PATH train ride away.

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BURGER KING RIB SANDWICH

Blogumn #140 – May 21, 2013

 

In this special edition, I discussed the new Burger King Rib Sandwich that the fast food chain had added to their menu.  It was their first big jab at McDonald’s by creating their own version of McDonald’s legendary McRib.

 

The Burger King Rib Sandwich was added to last summer’s menu and I judged it to be far superior to the McRib.  While it did sell well, the sandwich finished its summer run and was removed from BK’s menu early last fall.  Sadly, it has not returned and there have been no plans announced to bring it back.  I hope that Burger King reconsiders and makes this a permanent addition to their menu.

borgatacasinoonline2

NEW JERSEY ANTES UP TO ONLINE GAMBLING

Blog #157 – December 5, 2013

 

In a little over a week after online gambling was legalized and officially launched in New Jersey, I tested out a few sites to see what all the hype was about.

 

Like it or hate it, online gambling has generated extra revenue for both the state and the Atlantic City casinos who took part in it.  Sadly, the state overestimated how much revenue would be brought in.

 

The state was estimating that $10.6 million would be earned in just six weeks.  The total earned was $7.3 million, which is still a success.  The revenue earned from legal online gambling has saw steady growth from January – March, with April being the first to see a slight decline in the amount wagered.  The state still expects continued growth moving forward.

acsands26

THE FINAL MOMENTS OF THE SANDS ATLANTIC CITY

Blog #162 – January 9, 2014

 

This blog took a look back at the night I was there for the final moments of the Sands casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  With my old camera phone, I captured the final blackjack hand and security ushering everyone out, while the slots were being turned off.  The casino was closed for a project, that was to build a mega casino and hotel in it’s place.  Sadly, the economy went bust and the project never happened.

 

The Madison House, a hotel that is located across the street from the site, was once used as an additional hotel tower for the Sands.  It closed when the casino did, but finally reopened this past January.  Sadly, Tripadvisor reviews of the initial opening were terrible.  Guests complained of slow elevators, filthy and outdated rooms, and a strong cigarette smoke smell.  Many guests have commented that a renovation has begun and hopefully this will be a step in the right direction for the historic property.  I plan to check it out as some point in the future.

 

The Sands site still sits unused, outside of a light up artist installation.

judgejoetipsy

JUDGE JOE BROWN DRUNK

Blog #169 – February 27, 2014

 

In this hilarious video I found online, we get to see TV’s Judge Joe Brown all liquored up and hitting on a group of women at some kind of resort.  Joe even makes fun of his old TV show.

 

Since then, Judge Joe has gone back to being a lawyer in Memphis, Tennessee.  Back in March, during a court child support preceding, he went on a tirade against the judge and it got him thrown in jail.  (You can hear TMZ’s copy of the court room audio here.) He was sentenced to five days, but was released in a couple of hours.  He is also running for District Attorney in Shelby County.  Could it have all been a publicity stunt?

kickingbackwithjerseyjoe

THE 411

 

Name: Kicking Back with Jersey Joe

 

What: weekly blog on beenandgoing.com

 

Time: new editions post Thursday at Noon Eastern / 9am Pacific

 

JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:

 

Thanks again for all your support and for checking out my blog.  I love how we get to chat like this each week.  As always, feel free to comment below each post or reach out to me on twitter @jerseyjoe50.

 

This summer, I have a quite a treat for all of you TV fans.  Starting with next week’s blog, I am going to post 10 at a time, my 100 favorite TV show theme songs.  You’ll get to see show opens from some of your favorite series and a few that I’m sure you’ve forgotten.  Don’t miss it – starting next week!

 

Image credits – Chris Marquardt, Kathrina Birkenbach,