Okay, classic TV title sequences...
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Okay, classic TV title sequences...
Yeh, the 30+ degree heat has actually meant I have to poll some of you on something... I'm banging together a list of the 5 best TV title sequences ever for me site, and I've hit a bit of a mental block. So far the list stands at: -
Doctor Who (Davison version)
Avengers (Colour Emma)
Return of the Saint
The Prisoner
Suggestions please? Bubbling under at the moment are Thunderbirds, Space 1999 and Dangermouse, but I'm sure there are a couple of fantastic ones I've blanked out...
Now, a couple of ground rules: -
- No Transformers. I've considered them all. They were all pretty poor.
- I'm really, really not keen on "clip" title sequences, which frankly rules out 95% of American shows.
- Actual quality of the series is utterly irrelevant (cf. Return of the Saint, as lovely as Ian is)
Thanks in advance, assuming any of your suggestions are good. Compliance will result in posting of Katie Fey pictures.
Doctor Who (Davison version)
Avengers (Colour Emma)
Return of the Saint
The Prisoner
Suggestions please? Bubbling under at the moment are Thunderbirds, Space 1999 and Dangermouse, but I'm sure there are a couple of fantastic ones I've blanked out...
Now, a couple of ground rules: -
- No Transformers. I've considered them all. They were all pretty poor.
- I'm really, really not keen on "clip" title sequences, which frankly rules out 95% of American shows.
- Actual quality of the series is utterly irrelevant (cf. Return of the Saint, as lovely as Ian is)
Thanks in advance, assuming any of your suggestions are good. Compliance will result in posting of Katie Fey pictures.
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Well, I can think of a few decent non-clip ones. There's probably a fair chance that you've seen about as many of these as I have of the ones on your list (Dangermouse LONG ago, and Doctor Who - though possibly just the Baker version)...
Homicide: Life on the Street (black and white version, I guess - though the later color is also good). Dramatic music, harsh light on some dirty street or alleyway, light sweeps over castmembers' faces, in more stark than flattering fashion.
MASH (the final, BJ-with-moustache version). Shows what the MASH was about, bringing casualties down to their mobile med unit.
Cheers (first version) Just paintings of bar scenes, with people vaguely reminiscent of the show's characters.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine? I'll admit, it feels a little long; but nice illustrations of cosmic splendor, and an establishing lookover of the station.
Thought of two more while writing this:
Miami Vice. Lots of footage of the exotic weirdness of the locale, with Jan Hammer's memorable theme playing over.
Mystery? As I recall, a painted opening, with some animation, and sound effects such as creaking doors and screams adding to the creepyish music.
Homicide: Life on the Street (black and white version, I guess - though the later color is also good). Dramatic music, harsh light on some dirty street or alleyway, light sweeps over castmembers' faces, in more stark than flattering fashion.
MASH (the final, BJ-with-moustache version). Shows what the MASH was about, bringing casualties down to their mobile med unit.
Cheers (first version) Just paintings of bar scenes, with people vaguely reminiscent of the show's characters.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine? I'll admit, it feels a little long; but nice illustrations of cosmic splendor, and an establishing lookover of the station.
Thought of two more while writing this:
Miami Vice. Lots of footage of the exotic weirdness of the locale, with Jan Hammer's memorable theme playing over.
Mystery? As I recall, a painted opening, with some animation, and sound effects such as creaking doors and screams adding to the creepyish music.
To name but a few...
Jayce And The Wheeled Warriors
Bucky O' Hare
Bertha
...Muppets!!!!
I'll add more later
Whoever mentions the bloody A-Team--------->You're a wanker
Jayce And The Wheeled Warriors
Bucky O' Hare
Bertha
...Muppets!!!!
I'll add more later
Whoever mentions the bloody A-Team--------->You're a wanker
-Alex???
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Good picks
I actually sat down and saw an episode of that thing the other day... Christ, I must have been a very patient, easy to amuse child... I bet if 95% of the students who go on about it being so great were made to sit down and watch the bloody thing, it'd change their tune...
Originally posted by Aardvark
Whoever mentions the bloody A-Team--------->You're a wanker
I actually sat down and saw an episode of that thing the other day... Christ, I must have been a very patient, easy to amuse child... I bet if 95% of the students who go on about it being so great were made to sit down and watch the bloody thing, it'd change their tune...
Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Good picks
I actually sat down and saw an episode of that thing the other day... Christ, I must have been a very patient, easy to amuse child... I bet if 95% of the students who go on about it being so great were made to sit down and watch the bloody thing, it'd change their tune...
It's slightly better than Airwolf.
You know the X-Men intro was rather good. Wouldn't make it into my top 5 but it was pretty nifty.
-Alex???
And this comes as news?Originally posted by Aardvark
Whoever mentions the bloody A-Team--------->You're a wanker
The title sequence will long outlive the rest of the show.
A-Team, Duckula, Thundercats (again better than the show), Fraggle Rock, MOTU/She-Ra, Bucky (was it start or end credits with the song?), D&D, The Raccoons -- soundtrack to my head rather a lot, Inspector Gadget, DOTE, and a whole bunch of other nostalgia. Come to think of it most of those intros were better than the shows themselves.
Anyone remember the first time they saw the Fresh Prince intro, before it made you want to commit battery towards BBC2 execs?
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Thanks for all your suggestions... I'm trying to avoid any mediocre title sequences made good by a cracking theme tune, or I would have had 10 already (The Persuaders, The Protectors, Sapce 1999 would be a cert, Angel would be there, etc., etc. and so on)...
I'm very much leaning towards Dangermouse, because it's so damn subversive, actually seeming like the title sequence to a straight-forward silly cartoon...
I'm very much leaning towards Dangermouse, because it's so damn subversive, actually seeming like the title sequence to a straight-forward silly cartoon...
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Re: Okay, classic TV title sequences...
Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Avengers (Colour Emma)
That is most certainly the greatest TV title sequence ever- With a special mention to The Forget Me Not for it's cunning way of marking the change over between leading ladies.
Whilst The Prisoner title sequence is very good, it looses points for being so bloody long. There's about twice where it looks like it's ended but then carries on. The entire reason nothing is ever explained in the show is they kept having to cut things to get the credits in...
Surrviors and the beaker, The A-Team one where Face meets a Cylon (Yes Aardy, I am a wanker), the cheap and cheerful original X-Files credits, and The New Adventure os Superman one with that shot of Terri Hatcher. Though the "Faster than a..." George Reeves title sequence is cool as well.
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Somebody mentioned MASH? Wasn't that essentially clips, though? Just an edited down version of the opening scene in the pilot?
Clips credits are disqualified.
I was living out of the UK when Turtles was first on... my exposure to it came mainly from pirated video tapes (which, due to Cypriot copyright laws, were perfectly legal and a pound a pop) - I could never quite wrap my head around why some of them had this really slow mo chopped down slo mo sequence that had blatantly been edited, whilst other tapes had The Coolest Credits of All Time and a much funkier theme. And a different program name...
Clips credits are disqualified.
Originally posted by DrSpengler
You guys in the UK only got an edited version of the show and opening, right (Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles)? Where they cut out all of Mike's nunchakus?
I was living out of the UK when Turtles was first on... my exposure to it came mainly from pirated video tapes (which, due to Cypriot copyright laws, were perfectly legal and a pound a pop) - I could never quite wrap my head around why some of them had this really slow mo chopped down slo mo sequence that had blatantly been edited, whilst other tapes had The Coolest Credits of All Time and a much funkier theme. And a different program name...
Originally posted by Brendocon
Somebody mentioned MASH? Wasn't that essentially clips, though? Just an edited down version of the opening scene in the pilot?
Clips credits are disqualified.
I don't think I've ever seen the pilot episode. (I have a low tolerance for the first three seasons of that show, especially the all-"comedy" eps.) I did know about the clips rule; if MASH is a clipfest, my bad.
While I'm here - I'll change my vote for Homicide's credit sequence to the LATER one. I re-watched my copy of "Homicide: the Movie" - the two hour sequel/final episode - last night; it had a title sequence, similar to the later episodes of the series, reminding me that that was the superior sequence. Footage of streets, crime scenes, a barking dog, followed by the casts' names against a speedy/blurry background. (Excellent series, if you haven't seen it, by the way. Not all self-contained episodes, not all the crimes get solved, memorable, human characters.)
Duckula - opening of course, and can I include the really brill end sequence? Terribly, terribly insane. Gotta have DM, too.
Then it has to be the original Captain Scarlet. That was made for children and it's still creepy today.
Fraggles and Muppets, definitely. I also rather liked the somewhat grim opening for The Storyteller.
Then it has to be the original Captain Scarlet. That was made for children and it's still creepy today.
Fraggles and Muppets, definitely. I also rather liked the somewhat grim opening for The Storyteller.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I forgot to mention Trap Door!!!