Over Thanksgiving, PBS showed some new Pledge Specials and they’ve been rerun this weekend. There were a few financial ones like Retire Rich or something like that plus a new one by Suze Orman. It may not have been new actually because I can’t tell the difference between her shows. Whereas Wayne Dyer gradually loses his hair throughout the years, Suze’s style doesn’t change one iota. Same haircut, same shoulder pads. But I don’t have to watch it to know that Suze wants me to invest, pay off debt and have eight months of an emergency fund. Although considering the trend with the nutrition-based Pledge Specials, I wouldn’t put it past Suze to include Stop Eating Wheat in her money advice.
Yep, I watched three food-based Specials and they all dissed wheat. Wheat Belly Total Health also threw shade on rye, barley and corn, too. Two of the Specials even bad-mouthed Gluten-free products: “the gluten is replaced with sugar!” “It’s not just gluten that’s bad in grains!” “Wheat is replaced with junk carbs like tapioca flour and rice flour.” To which I said, “Damn, Gluten-Free Movement, your fifteen minutes of fame are over.”
Yes, there was a show called Wheat Belly Total Health with Dr. William Davis. He’s a cardiologist who started talking about his prescription that didn’t require a co-pay. If you haven’t guessed yet that “prescription” is “Eliminate Wheat”.
According to Davis there are 3 Grain Myths:
1. Grains Have Always Been Apart Of Our Diet. (Not true. Only the last 10,000 years and it was out of desperation when they didn’t have enough meat and wild mushrooms. Davis then goes into a whole thing about how we are not cows and can’t digest grasses because we don’t have:
Continuously growing teeth (Egads)
Lots of saliva (Except when I have sour gummy worms.)
A four compartment stomach where one has a “grinding substance” and that whole nasty chewing cud thing
Spiral colon
And lots of appropriate micro-organisms
I want to briefly return to “Spiral colon”. I’m kind of jealous. Ours are so haphazard. “Just stuff them in there!”
2. Grains Are Essential To Our Health
Nope!
3. We Have Full Control Over Our Impulses And Appetites
Ha ha, he says.
Davis goes on to talk about how there’s something in wheat called gliadin that acts like an opiate and how when we quit wheat, 40% of us will have withdrawal symptoms.
So next time you say, “I’m jonsesin’ for a sandwich”, you will literally be jonsesin’. Then you will see a dead baby crawling across your ceiling like in Trainspotting. I assume.
Earlier in the week, I watched JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Secret, which I wrote about in more detail at my site. But to give you a quick idea of what she is all about then I give you this: Sugar is the #1 thing that is taking down your health. Aha! you say. This conflicts with Davis and his Wheat Demon! Well, not really. Because Virgin says that one of the biggest sugar impacts is the hidden sugar in products as well as the carbs that turn into sugar…like grains.
GGGRRRRAAAAAAAAIIIIIINNNNNNNNNSSSSS!
(Side note: I made fun of JJ’s name when I wrote about her first special. That post was also the one with the most comments on it ever. Most people commenting were distraught and wanted to know what to do to lose weight. I had to politely say, “Um, I’m not her. Maybe you should read her book?” So this is where I say I’m not a nutritionist or doctor so take what I write here with a grain of salt. Which we can all agree upon is the only grain that you are now allowed.)
The third Special was Skinny Gut, Vibrant You With Brenda Watson. Watson has also had a few Specials under her belt or should I say, “Gut!” Haaaahaaaa! If you had seen all her shows like I have then you would be laughing at that, I’m sure. For those of you not in the know, Watson is obsessed with gut bacteria. (I truly wish I could phonetically spell out how she says “gut”. She’s got a bit of a Southern accent if that gives you any idea. Just remember she says it a lot.)
Watson spends most of the special talking about good and bad gut bacteria. (We are 90% bacteria apparently. That’s creepy, right?) It’s important, she says, to get more of the good than the bad. The Good Bac thrives on Fiber. The Bad Bac produce waste and toxins that trigger inflammation and stores fat. She calls the Bad Bac by-product “the poop of bacteria”. She really does.
Where do grains come into all of this? Well, “grains can upset gut balance and cause health problems” like inflammation and high blood sugar.
In short: grains make your Bad Bacteria poo.
I hate you, Grains. I hate you so much.
You can see these specials in full on your local PBS station. Now, PUT DOWN THAT PASTA.
It’s been a great summer counting down my top 100 TV themes. It was a task that was harder than it looked! I chose my top 100 based on theme, style, and if the credits properly demonstrated to viewers what the series was about. There were many more than 100 that I wanted to feature, so here’s a few honorable mentions that came close to making my list.
ENTOURAGE
The Entourage opening credits featured a great theme and cool shots of the actor’s names as neon store front signs in LA. The final overhead car shot was pretty neat, too!
WILL & GRACE
Will & Grace get bonus points for having one of the most unique opening credits sequences I’ve ever seen. Whoever designed this did a great job of interspersing a few funny clips inside layers of the show’s logo, something no one else has really done. The piano theme is pretty cool, too!
MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD
http://youtu.be/nDjU-BTUY1Q
Everyone who was a kid in the 70s – 90s can probably sing this theme song! When I was a kid, I always wanted that traffic light in Mr. Rogers’ house!
Only people from Western Pennsylvania have probably ridden the Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood trolley at Idlewild Park in Ligonier, PA. Sadly, that ride has closed and will be re-themed as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and will reopen in 2015.
SESAME STREET
Sesame Street is really much more hi-tech now then when we were all kids, right?
ER
Man this was a big show back in the day… and George Clooney, wonder whatever happened to him?
CAGNEY & LACEY
The saxophone solos in the second version of the Cagney & Lacey credits was the best! Much better than the jazzy theme from the forgetful first season with Meg Foster!
TJ HOOKER
I am so glad they are rerunning this on Universal HD… William Shatner jumping over the hood of cars, YES PLEASE!
THE BRADY BUNCH
Here’s another song that everybody knows. This was taken from an early second season episode. They would have to reshoot the opening each season as the kids grew older.
STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
The second version of the opening credits to this series was the best! I love how they added all the little ships and activity going on around the space station.
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: Honorable mentions
JERSEY JOE RECOMMENDS:
So, here are a few that I wish I could have squeezed into my top 100 list. There are loads more that we could have gone over and everybody has their opinion, but these few really needed to be added to the list.
I hope through my top 100 and these bonus additions, that I was able to help you take a walk down TV memory lane. I also hope that I got a few of your favorites on my list! If there’s any you think I missed – I’d love to hear about it!
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.
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.
In his new PBS special, Deepak Chopra would periodically ask the audience, “What are you hungry for?” My answer back to the TV was not what he was looking for. He was saying that we gain weight because we eat to fill a void. So when I said, “Microwave popcorn!” I guess I really should have said, “Confidence!” This isn’t a new concept but Chopra puts his spin on it. A spin that includes lots of bullet points in his presentation. In the age of the Buzzfeed listicle, we need things in bite-size bits. So what are you hungry for? Distilled information!
Chopra begins the program by stating the “outside in” approach to weight loss doesn’t work and you need to observe yourself without judgment to see what is empty inside you. “Observe without judgment.” That’s a tough one. It’s usually the judgment part that says, “Damn. Go on a diet.” He then goes on to say that the power of your emotions can change your body chemistry. Yeah, he even cites some research studies, which I was not expecting. Apparently according to some study that was briefly footnoted at the bottom of the screen, rabbits that were on a high fat diet and were cuddled did not get sick like the non-cuddled ones. Good to know. Next time there are cupcakes at the office, I’ll ask for a red velvet and a hug.
He does give some practical tips for losing weight. First of all, he says awareness is key. Bullet points!
Stop and feel your body (I’m assuming not literally.)
Ask: What are you hungry for? (Take a drink!)
If you are physically hungry, what is your hunger level?
1 Famished
2-3 Hungry
4-6 Satisfied
7-9 Uncomfortably full
10 Stuffed
(My appetite gauge would look more like this:
1 SO HUNGRY
2 SO FULL)
Besides asking “What Are You Hungry For?” Chopra also emphasized “Going away from the Yucky and towards the Yummy” both in emotion and in food. Yucky emotions are things like fear, depression, hostility, etc. Yummy emotions are things like love, compassion, joy and other things you feel when you look at pictures of baby animals.
As for food, the Yummy ones:
Have been recently harvested
Have natural or organic ingredients
Are freshly prepared
Are conventionally prepared
Are fresh
Are whole foods with minimal processing
Do not have GMOs
Are easily bullet pointed
Yucky foods are “dead foods” according to Chopra:
Frozen
Leftover
Unnatural
Nuked
Canned
Otherwise known as FLUNC foods. I can’t help but think that “Leftover” was only put in there to make a good acronym. I fear I’ve become a jaded Pledge Special watcher.
So to go towards the Yummy, Chopra suggests all meals include all of the tastes (Sweet [non-sugar], Sour, Salt [in moderation], Bitter, Pungent and Astringent) and the colors of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue/Purple, White [I know White isn’t officially in the rainbow but you could argue that it surrounds rainbows. Or not argue it because that would be a weird argument.]). His reason for including all of these at each meal is so that you receive a variety of nutrients and have a satisfying repast. His book, I’m sure, goes into detail on what foods represent which category and how big of a plate you will need.
The third part of the special was more about soul nourishing. You know, the real hunger. Not the eating-peanut-butter-with-a-spoon-out-of-the-jar hunger. Well, actually we learned those are the same. Anyway, bullet point lists included Mindfulness, Qualities Of the Soul and Getting In Touch With the Source. Lots of food for thought. Get it?!
What else did I learn from What Are You Hungry For? I learned that this is the first special about weight loss and healthy eating that did not mention Omega 3 Fatty Acids or moderate exercise.
I’m in Vegas this week playing roulette. Yes, I realize that game has terrible odds, but all the same I do like the spinning wheel. So while I hypnotize myself and lose money, enjoy this article that was originally posted on www.mandyratliff.com.
Loading...
Orman. It may not have been new actually because I can’t tell the difference between her shows. Whereas Wayne Dyer gradually loses his hair throughout the years, Suze’s style doesn’t change one iota. Same haircut, same shoulder pads. But I don’t have to watch it to know that Suze wants me to invest, pay off debt and have eight months of an emergency fund. Although considering the trend with the nutrition-based Pledge Specials, I wouldn’t put it past Suze to include Stop Eating Wheat in her money advice.
out of desperation when they didn’t have enough meat and wild mushrooms. Davis then goes into a whole thing about how we are not cows and can’t digest grasses because we don’t have:
Earlier in the week, I watched JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Secret, which I wrote about in more detail at my site. But to give you a quick idea of what she is all about then I give you this: Sugar is the #1 thing that is taking down your health. Aha! you say. This conflicts with Davis and his Wheat Demon! Well, not really. Because Virgin says that one of the biggest sugar impacts is the hidden sugar in products as well as the carbs that turn into sugar…like grains.
have then you would be laughing at that, I’m sure. For those of you not in the know, Watson is obsessed with gut bacteria. (I truly wish I could phonetically spell out how she says “gut”. She’s got a bit of a Southern accent if that gives you any idea. Just remember she says it a lot.)