Jersey Joe and his friends play a round of the hit TV game show, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Are these people smart enough to take the grand prize and win a round of the show?
This summer, FOX brought back their hit TV game show. Hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, the show gives adult contestants the chance to answer questions from elementary school for a chance at a top prize of $1,000,000. Contestants can use actual school children to guide them on their way to answering the 11 questions.
Players are also given 3 lifelines. PEEK, where they can take a look at their student classmate’s answer, COPY, where they can copy their student classmate’s answer, and SAVE where if the contestant answers incorrectly – the classmate’s correct answer could save them. Each can only be used once.
Once a contestant misses two questions, they FLUNK OUT of the game with $0.
Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader first premiered on February 27, 2007. Full hour episodes aired on FOX in prime time until 2009. A half hour condensed version was created for local stations that ran for two seasons from 2009-2011. This summer, the full hour version returned to FOX.
THE 411
Title: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?
What: TV game show
Network: FOX (2007-2009, 2015), Syndicated (2009-2011)
A great game show and I’m glad that FOX has brought it back. The ratings for the current prime time version are not as high as in the past. If viewers do keep tuning in, the show will be back. It’s up to you!
I think Krusty is one of the best characters ever created for The Simpsons. While he may be kid friendly on camera, he’s quite a sleazeball off screen. Between the women, the gambling, the drinking, the cigar smoking, and even run ins with the mob — Krusty has helped to keep the laughs coming, since The Simpsons went on the air 25 years ago.
We’re at the top 20 mark of my 100 favorite TV themes summer countdown. I hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as I! These top 20 opening themes are some of the best that ever appeared on television. Let’s check out 11-20 and see if you were a fan of these shows, too…
#20 THE JEFFERSONS
Airdates: 1975-1985 (CBS)
They’re movin’ on up!
What started out as a spin-off from All in the Family, The Jeffersons took on a life of its own. Anybody remember George Jefferson as on of Archie Bunker’s neighbors?
After hitting it big in dry cleaning, George and his wife Weezy purchase an apartment in New York City’s Upper East Side. The mismatch between not only the couple, but also their neighbors, and smart mouth maid kept this sit-com on the air for 11 seasons.
The first set of opening credits perfectly set the tone of the series. You see the Jeffersons leaving their Queens home, driving over the 59th St. Bridge to the Upper East Side and entering the front elevator door to their new life. Later versions of the credits kept the same song, but used hilarious b-roll shots of the series.
http://youtu.be/R8aSSqBRvZc
The Jefferson’s apartment building is a real life apartment building in the Upper East Side. I know, I work around the corner, and pass it all the time!
I also found this unusual version of their opening credits when the show was aired in Italy. I have no idea why it was edited this way, but the retro shot of Manhattan is kind of cool… the still shots of the actors are not!
You know a game show is good when it is still on the air after 35+ years! Originally developed as a spin-off to Match Game, Family Feud has kept the pulse of America since the 1970’s. You ask 100 people a question and contestants have to guess their top answers for cash. It’s a pretty simple concept.
The best part of Family Feud’s theme was the original opening where the families would pose behind the large yellow door. When the show returned in 1999, the producers got rid of the doors, but the families still had that freeze frame moment. Sadly, they have abandoned the big family intro in the past couple of seasons and they really need to bring it back.
Everybody knew Richard Dawson as the original and probably the greatest host ever for this series. He kissed every woman and even married one of the contestants!
When the series returned in 1988, it was with a new host Ray Combs, who was never as good as Dawson. After a few years of ratings decline, they brought Dawson back with a new version of the original theme and a new set. This only lasted one season, as the ratings took a major hit during the OJ Simpson trial that caused the show to routinely be preempted.
The show was brought back again in 1999, this time with Louie Anderson as host. He got the job after Dawson turned it down. Louie was hilarious during his first season, but during his second and third seasons, he seemed to lose interest. With Louie as host, the original theme song was abandoned and a cheesy new theme was created. The little riddles to introduce the family are absolutely embarrassing.
http://youtu.be/JQH99_421PQ
After three seasons with Louie, the producers hired Richard Karn (Al from Home Improvement.) He was terrible! I went to a taping once while he was hosting and he lost his place and they had to retape part of the round. He also made a ton of mistakes. For a brief time during his hosting, they brought back the original theme, but then returned to the Louie Anderson music. After three seasons of Karn, producers hired John O’Hurley (Mr. Peterman from Seinfeld) as host. I think O’Hurley was the best behind Dawson. He was funny, personable, and easy to understand. It was during his run that they finally brought back the classic music and had the families pose again!
Since 2010, Steve Harvey has been the host of the show with Joey Fatone as announcer (although he only reads one line that they use over and over again at the opening, so that kind of doesn’t count as announcing.) Production of the show moved first to Orlando and now to Atlanta, where Harvey lives and hosts his radio show. The latest version keeps scoring high ratings, but many of the questions are now quite sexual in nature. I’m not sure I would let my kids watch the latest version of the show.
But, no matter what… Family Feud is still an awesome game show and I hope to see this one on the air for many more years to come.
#18 LAW AND ORDER
Airdates: 1990-2010 (NBC)
Dun… dun…
While the awesome theme and the style of the opening credits to this show haven’t changed during the 20 seasons, the cast sure did. None of the cast from season 1 made it all the way through to the end.
Law & Order detectives take on the hardest criminals in New York City’s mean streets. The series has also spawned four spin-offs including, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Trial By Jury, and Law & Order: LA. The latter was an attempt to continue the series, but it was a massive ratings flop. Each version of the show used an opening credit theme similar to the original, except for the LA version, which then changed to the classic style credits once the ratings were already in trouble.
http://youtu.be/kP85px_tZ10
Law & Order takes full advantage of the NYC streetscape and really can’t work anywhere else (see LA flop version). There’s always crime and there’s always a story on the streets of the Big Apple. You also get to see the gentrification of the city as each season passes.
I love the theme song, I love the color palette, and I love the editing style of every version of the credits. There’s still lots more stories to tell. Even though SVU is still on the air, I think they could bring back the original with a new cast.
#17 ROSEANNE
Airdates: 1988-1997 (ABC)
Roseanne was the working class family that everyone could relate to. At least they did until the weird last season where the family hit the lottery. Anyhow, this show was a ratings blockbuster that I’ll still watch if I catch it flipping through the channels.
Roseanne’s opening credits were also quite original. For the first few years, it featured the cast sitting around the kitchen table and would be reshot every season as the kids got older.
In the later years, they switched to morphing headshots in a photo frame, but kept the sax. The kitchen table shots were still the best.
For the final season, most of the cast and producers wanted to end the show, but ABC threw a boatload of money at them, so they pressed on for one more. This was where we got all the fantasy episodes… remember Roseanne as a super hero saving a train that was taken over by terrorists? The last season’s intro was pretty cool and that’s where we finally get words to the theme song! Thanks John Popper!
#16 THE BIG BANG THEORY
Airdates: 2007-present (CBS)
Four geeks trying to make their way in the world is the theme behind one of TV’s current ratings leader. The Big Bang Theory has been renewed for several more seasons and can give anyone hope that they can make it in the real world, no matter if you have common sense or not. While these guys may be geniuses, they have very little life skills… and that’s where the comedy comes from. I would love to challenge them to a round of rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock!
The original pilot for the show had a much different set of opening credits and featured the 80’s rock song “She Blinded Me with Science.” I like how the song and the look of the credits take us quickly forward from the Big Bang to the present.
#15 THE SIMPSONS
Airdates: 1989-present (FOX)
I thought for sure there would be a zillion different Simpsons opening credits uploaded to YouTube, but it turns out that’s incorrect. They too, most police for their videos.
The Simpsons has broken just about every TV milestone and can be considered America’s favorite family since they made their debut on The Tracy Ullman Show back in 1987. Remember those shorts?
I love the opening credits and they really haven’t changed much over the years. The biggest was when the show finally went to HD a few seasons ago. With the upgrade, the credits were reorganized with more sight gags added.
The best part has been Bart’s funny lines he’s writing on the chalk board and the couch gag, which are reworked for each and every episode. It’s not every show that does something unique for their credits each time!
I’m a huge Simpsons fan, but the comedy has gone down hill in the last few seasons. I’m not sure if we’ve done all that we can do with the characters, but the writing and jokes just aren’t on par with the earlier seasons of the show. It almost feels like they’re trying to be too much like The Family Guy. The show did better when they focused on one character and went for the little sight gags. I hope they can do something to boost the creativity and keep this show on the air for many more years. The movie was hilarious, but the weekly series is now lacking.
#14 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Airdates: 1970-2005 (ABC), 2006-present (ESPN)
http://youtu.be/4A_oBNPeHIo
So, what ABC affiliate general manager is not kicking himself in the butt for letting this big money show go to cable?
This selection in my countdown may shock a few people, but it earned its place for two reasons. It has kept the same general opening theme music for decades and also has featured the Monday Night Party intro as well, which is changed each week and reshot each season.
While I love the FOX Sports theme music, ABC’s football theme was first, and I’m glad that they still use it on the ESPN broadcasts.
When Monday Night Football was on regular broadcast television, local stations earned big bucks by selling their share of commercial ad time that was provided by the network. However, many affiliates complained that the long length of the games would delay their 11pm newscasts and cause a drop in ratings. After hearing so many complaints, ABC moved the series to ESPN, where it’s been airing ever since. Sadly, the ratings these stations got back for their 11pm news was short lived. Ratings for all 11pm newscasts are down, now that people get their info off the internet and none of ABC Monday night programs have earned the same ratings. This really was a horrible move on the part of ABC affiliates, who have no one to blame but themselves.
I’m not sure of the exact year ABC started using their now iconic football theme, but check out the game open from 1970 – that’s brought to you by CIGARETTES!
http://youtu.be/8Ldg292epdg
While football on Sunday is awesome and the occasional Monday night matchup is great, both the league and network TV are doing themselves a disservice by adding games on Thursday and Saturday nights. It’s too much football, spread out during the week. NFL games should be more of an event. I, like most people, have to get up for work on Friday… (even some Sunday night games can be painful!) Let’s keep the party where it should be… to two nights a week.
But, let’s check out on more ABC themed MNF open… this one from Halloween 1994!
#13 PARTY OF FIVE
Airdates: 1994-2000 (FOX)
I have to admit, I was not a major fan of this series – but I thought the short opening credits sequence rocked!
Party of Five was a teen drama, which focused on five siblings who had to find a way to live together after their parents are killed by a drunk driver. The show barely escaped cancellation due to low ratings after the first season, but FOX kept it on, and it eventually found an audience.
They must not have been able to secure the rights to use “Closer to Free” internationally. Check out the overdubbed opening credits as seen in Mexico!
#12 DIFF’RENT STROKES
Airdates: 1978-1985 (NBC) 1985-1986 (ABC)
http://youtu.be/iAwagCwJj-g
Does anybody have any real idea what the lyrics to these opening credits mean? I get it’s the story of two orphans from Harlem who go to live with a rich guy in a New York City penthouse… but is the word Strokes a metaphor for a painting on a canvas and that no two are alike? I guess so, because everybody’s got a special kind of story.
Does the voice behind the song sound familiar? That’s actor Alan Thicke, the eventual star of Growing Pains. Thicke actually created the theme song for a number of sit-coms and game shows.
The video shoot from the first season, is similar to The Jeffersons, as it shows their journey from poor to rich in about one verse.
As the series went on, the opening would change to feature new cast shots and b-roll. The kids grew up after each season, Mrs. Garett the original housekeeper left for The Facts of Life, and finally Mr. Drummond gets married and a new woman and her son move in.
Here’s a look at the last NBC season opening:
http://youtu.be/ct5qf3yQHWo
After NBC cancelled the show, ABC picked it up for one more season. Dixie Carter left after fighting with Gary Coleman on the set, so they brought in a lookalike. Since the show changed networks, a new remixed version of the theme was required. Since there are only a handful of episodes of this version of the music, you could say it’s a little rare. It was a cool idea to use all the picture frames, which was high tech at the time!
http://youtu.be/Ubgx8WH84jw
And I found this awesome clip of a Diff’rent Strokes / Knight Rider crossover! I don’t ever remember this… it was clearly a very special two part episode!
http://youtu.be/l3ykuBTVNWo
#11 FRIENDS
Airdates: 1994-2004 (NBC)
http://youtu.be/sLisEEwYZvw
Another show that I wasn’t a big fan of, but I clearly get they’re a group of friends, trying to figure out life in New York City.
The theme song became so popular, it was rewritten with extra verses added, so it could be played on radio. The show lasted for 11 seasons, but the credits were shortened to just the main verse in the later years. Sad, the playing in the fountain opening was kind of unique to this show.
Another big ratings show for NBC, but the time had come to say goodbye. The network was eager to keep some form on this show alive, so they spun-off Joey and sent him to LA to become an actor in his self titled series, Joey.
The show was awful, but yet somehow got renewed for a second season. It was so bad, Family Guy made fun of their character Cleveland when he was spun-off into his own show, wishing him better luck than this. I think we can all say we learned something from this blog this week. It’s not a good idea to send shows from NYC to LA. Just ask Law & Order, that’s a tough change for audiences to handle!
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: 11 – 20
JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:
Well, some unusual choices for my top 20, don’t you think? Next week, I finally reveal my top ten. No spoilers this time, though. See if you can guess who I picked for my number one theme!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
My new pastime is diving into the U-verse and finding random shows to watch. Like one day last week when I found ESPN Classic showing old Battle Of the Network Stars. Don’t know BOTNS? It was a special where teams of actors from the big three networks competed in sporting events like three-on-three football, swimming relays, etc. Did you catch that I said “big three”? Yeah, that’s how long ago these shows aired: it was before FOX was a network. Just think, there are people who can legally drink alcohol who were not alive when FOX wasn’t a broadcast network. Sad for them because Battle Of the Network Stars was awesome. I believe I saw it listed, said, “Oh shit! Battle Of the Network Stars!” and turned the channel then proceeded to describe to my mother on the phone that Barbara Mandrell just passed the baton to Randi Oakes during the relay race.
So you guys thought that star competition shows were a recent thing? Oh no, my children. Instead of competing in the foxtrot and samba for a trophy, Battle Of the Network Stars was a competition for points that lead to cash and bragging rights. And they got into it, too. Someone like Erin Gray from Buck Rogers would interview them about their strategies and they would tell her! Scott Baio would explain why he started his kayak relay with Charlene Tilton and not be sarcastic. Yes, each network team had a captain. For instance, one of the episodes I saw had Gabe Kaplan heading up NBC, Scott Baio leading ABC and Pernell Roberts captaining CBS. Pernell Roberts? Yeah, of Trapper John, MD, the drama spin-off of MASH. I didn’t have to look that up either. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the stuff that lives in my head.
Side note about Pernell Roberts: when I was a little, little kid, I made up a new Peanuts character named Pernell Roberts. She was a girl. I had no idea that there was an actor with that name. I must have heard it on tv and subconsciously stored it away. For the record, Pernell was going to be Charlie Brown’s girlfriend.
That’s one of the joys of seeing Battle Of the Network Stars again: it’s an endless parade of “Oh yeah! That person!” And a sprinkling of people that I don’t have any recollection of who they are. Sorry guy from Flamingo Road!
But I haven’t told you the truly amazing part of BOTNS yet. My friends, Howard Cosell hosted it! He also took it seriously. With all his gravitas, he would do play-by-plays of each event. “And it’s Ann Jillian up next for N. B. C. Ann has selected James B. Sikking to be the dunkee in the Base. Ball. Dunk. Oh! And it’s a dunk! James. B. Sikking. Is in the water. Ann Jillian is one. For. One.” So, so wonderful.
A little history about BOTNS: it ran from regularly from 1976 to 1985 (there apparently was one in 1988 as well), resulting in 19 two-hour(!) episodes. Each competition culminated in a Tug-o-War between the top two teams. Lots of headbands, feathered hair and short shorts ferociously battling for Number One. Can’t get any better than that. I encourage you all to check out the Wikipedia page about it. It lists ALL of the teams and captains for each episode. It will get you reacquainted with people like Danielle Brisbois.
But be aware that it may lead you down the dark path of looking up Circus Of the Stars.
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