Best TV Show Theme Songs
April 22, 2008Generally speaking, a theme song is written for a particular show. It’s purpose is to set the mood for the show and provide an auditory cue that the show is beginning. In some cases, the songs provide short exposition for viewers new to a particular show.
In any case, my ten faves. Seriously, these are the best
Pinky and the Brain
The best part of Animaniacs. Of course, the theme song to the overall show is just as easily recognizable. However, none of the other segments made as much of an impact on me as two scheming mice.
Batman: The Animated Series
I can’t even remember the hours I spent watching this show on TV growing up. Talk about spawning an interest in super heroes. This is my image of Batman as a cartoon.
Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers
Okay okay. Shut up.
The Muppet Show
Just try and tell me you don’t love this.
Fresh Prince of Belair
Yes, I’m serious. No really, find me someone born in the 80’s who doesn’t know this freaking song.
M*A*S*H
It might just be that my mother loves this show and I’ve seen it more than the average bear. I think it’s just an iconic show with an easily recognizable theme.
Star Trek the Next Generation
My mother is a TV-holic. You can’t watch television at my parent’s house without watching what my mother wants to watch. These include daytime murder mystery shows, Star Trek, the sci-fi channel, and MASH. Hence my hatred and knowledge of all the Star Trek series.
Firefly
It’s brilliant. So is the show. Taken by itself, the Firefly theme in particular seems like a masturbatory homage to cheesy ideals. As an intro for the show, it’s perfect.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Man, this song was the theme for the show itself and every single commercial marketing merchandise for the show. Way overplayed and way way way awesome. I can distinctly remember singing this song on the playground. While swinging. And wearing a Donatello mask.
Tale Spin
Actually, you know what? This is just an awesome song.
Honorable Mentions:
Worst theme song? Enterprise, hands down:
While I was googling around, I found this website for downloading TV theme songs. There are some ridiculously iconic shows here.
What? The beginning of the song, “It’s been a long road…” is clearly about the history of aviation in the human race. Between the advent of flight and the advent of warp the human race went through three world wars, the last of which left pretty much everybody in a third world situation. After that, the Vulcans pretty much held the human advancement at bay because they thought humans were moving to quickly, make that road even longer.
The rest of the song, having “faith of the heart” is the human race’s belief in themselves that the launch of Enterprise represents. Don’t get me wrong, the series pretty much blew. The song is an excellent song, and fits the show pretty well, without yelling the name of the show over and over.
This song is like the Reading Rainbow intro sung by Creed with an acoustic guitar! It doesn’t fit the tone of the series!
If I’m going to watch a show about space (or even space cowboys,) a melancholy easy-listening tune isn’t going to cut it.
I smell lies! I’ve seen quite a few significantly crappier intro themes than Enterprise. And Creed woulda sounded much different and you know it. There woulda been more “yeaaaah”’s and other fun noises.
I call mild shenanigans until you name the so-called “crappier” themes. Until you prove me wrong with a valid example, I stand by my point.
Also, I mean, just because something isn’t -as bad- as something else doesn’t mean it’s not terrible. The Enterprise theme was horrible.
Actually, if you can find intros that are more horrible than Enterprise, I probably don’t want to know. My ears would detach themselves from my skull in protest. Hell, I might even have an aneurysm.
TMNT hands down