In a comment thread earlier this week, M-Dashes and I were waxing poetical about the lasting impact of the opening credits of the great Peter Scolari vehicle Bosom Buddies. It got me thinking about the lost art of great show openings and trying to put some order to the best, most memorable show openings of all time.
First, some guidelines. There is a difference between "best show themes" and "best show openings." A good show opening is the perfect marriage of music and image. Second, it's pretty clear that the Golden Age of show openings started with MASH in 1972 and ended when Miami Vice went off the air in 1989.
With that in mind, here are the 10 best show openings of all time:
10) Crime Story -- Despite earning a coveted spot immediately following Miami Vice and starring the incomparable Dennis Farina, Crime Story never really got the credit it deserved. But this is about openings and Crime Story had one of the best. Great 1950's imagery married with Del Shannon's classic "Runaway."
9) The Jeffersons - To be fair, this one really rides heavily on a perfect theme song. In fact, the opening images changed over the course of the show from a drive into Manhattan to a montage of clips. Still, driven by the powerful opening track and Sherman Helmsley's distinctive hamming, it never failed to deliver.
8) The Six Million Dollar Man - If the Jeffersons intro succeeds on the basis of its theme song, the Six Million Dollar Man intro succeeds in spite of its relatively uninspiring theme. Lines like "we can rebuild him" and "we have the technology" remain in our cultural lexicon decades later.
7) Cheers - Here's a perfect example of an intro that sets a perfect table for an excellent show. The melancholy theme played over the montage of old drawings and photos establishes a perfect mood.
6) Dukes of Hazzard - This opening features a giant, orange Dodge Charger jumping a river. I think that's all that needs to be said.
5) Bosom Buddies - Billy Joel finally finds a perfect outlet for his talents (even if it is a cover). The sprinkler moment endures.
4) Hawaii 5-0 - Ok, so it falls a little bit outside the early 70s - early 80s sweet spot, but its still probably the most instantly recognizable non-lyrical theme that's ever been recorded.
3) CHIPS - I STILL sing the CHIPS theme song when I'm driving. It as everything: motorcycles, guns, Eric Estrada's teeth. Enduring. Epic. A solid #3.
2) Miami Vice - This is perhaps the perfect marriage of music and image. It doesn't hurt that Miami is so visually striking, or that the Jan Hammer theme is a perfect encapsulation of everything great and terrible about the 1980s. This actually makes a pretty convincing argument for the number one spot except...
1) M*A*S*H - Has there ever been a more iconic setup for a show? The view from he helicopter set to the maudlin strains of the theme. It only gets better when you watch the movie and hear the song with the actual lyrics "Suicide is Painless."
[this is good]
M*A*S*H and Hawaii Five-0 are two of my favorites. Also the Munsters, Get Smart, the Jetsons, Mary Tyler Moore, the Odd Couple, Laverne & Shirley, Northern Exposure, and Mad Men.
Posted by: homebody | 01/29/2010 at 09:32 PM
I'd have to eliminate CHiPs and add Fall Guy (for its overwhelming meta-ness), Greatest American Hero, and Magnum (not the tune they used on the first season, it sucked), with an honorable mention for Laverne and MTM.
Posted by: Lurkertype | 02/01/2010 at 07:07 PM
Ooooh. Get Smart. That's one fantastic opening.
Posted by: hotrod | 02/01/2010 at 07:13 PM
The more I look at it, the more I realize that CHiPs was largely an emotional choice on my part. I loved that show, and that opening always signaled the beginning of an excellent hour of television.
I'm still not able to get fully on board with Fall Guy, because I really don't like the song, but Magnum is a strong contender for this list, as is Laverne and Shirley.
Posted by: Dabysan | 02/02/2010 at 11:14 AM
That CHiPs intro suuuuuuhuuuucks.
Posted by: hotrod | 02/02/2010 at 01:03 PM