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.