What TV series has the best intro song or sequence? What TV series have the worst intro song or sequence?
What TV series has the best intro song or sequence? What TV series have the worst intro song or sequence?
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Absolutely top-tier opening theme, certainly in contention for best. Definitely all-time best soundtrack, taken as a whole, no contest.
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God dammit.
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The Cheers theme song encapsulates a whole region of my childhood brain. I still get chills of nostalgia whenever I hear it.
Also, the theme to Trailer Park Boys builds a particular ball of sadness and nostalgia in my stomach.
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I've never seen (or at least paid any attention to) a single second of Cheers.
But then, I was young when Dad watched it. At the time, if it wasn't a cartoon, I was completely uninterested by what passed as entertainment for adults.
But I definitely remember hearing the song and seeing the visuals of the old newspapers in that intro.
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Yeah the visuals of seeing those turn of the 19th century bar-goers was what got me most. I was just old enough to want to be interested in what the grown ups were into. I think I thought Ted Danson was a "cool guy" and I had a crush on Kirstie Alley. Other than being given studio audience ques, I'm not sure I followed any of the plot. In the same vein, I watched Moonlighting because I thought it would make me clever. Looking back I was probably the kind of kid that I would have found annoying.
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Knight Rider was a theme I always loved
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Doctor Who - lots of variants over the years but it's other worldly and really fits the show.
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Game of Thrones, hands down. Different every time and focused on where most of the episode would take place.
If we can't agree on that one, then it's Airwolf.
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Different every time and focused on where most of the episode would take place.
It took me an embarrassingly long amount of time to work this out. I really appreciated it once I realised.
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I had to read that fact online.
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Had the Airwolf game on commodore 64, that tune was an absolute banger
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Seconding Firefly
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' theme was groundbreaking comedy on TV for the time because it took an internet trend and did the thing
Gilligan's Island is cultural bedrock
So was Friends
Greatest American Hero, a song about a guy forced to have super powers that just wants to be boring. Best part of the show was the song.
The Muppet Show
Fresh Prince
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Believe it or not, I'm walking on air -- I never thought I could feel so free
Flying away on a wing and a prayer -- Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it's just meOn the most sensational inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational This is what we call the Muppet Show!
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X-Men, Batman and Gargoyles all have fantastic openings.
I always loved the fact the Game of Thrones opening showed the specific places we would visit in each episode.
Babylon 5 has a different intro each season, and the season three opening in particular hits really hard the first time you get to it.
Brisco County Jr had a theme that was so inspiring, NBC bought the rights to use it for the Olympics.
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The X-Files is iconic
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take my love, take my land -- Firefly
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🎶 It's been a long road.... 🎵
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You have to say whether it's for worst or best
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It's too controversial to state either way.
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🎵 Gettin' from here to there 🎶
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Definitely the worst intro song.
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Only surpassed as the worst theme song by the season 2 theme song which was then surpassed by the season 3 theme song. I couldn't believe I'd actually miss that original version.
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hands down and without a doubt; m.a.s.k.
runner up? ds9 specifically season 1 - especially the premiere pre wormhole reveal.
third runner up? adventures of little koala - especially the japanese version
fourth runner up is david the gnome
worst? TURBO TEEN
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Best: The Expanse Worst: Star Trek Enterprise
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FRIENDLY FACES EVERYWHERE
HUMBLE FOLKS WITHOUT TEMPTATION
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I don't know about best, but I will always watch the intro for the first season of Peacemaker. It is so absolutely ridiculous. The second season opening is good, too, but not quite as classic.
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The second season doesn't have the same "new experience" feel, but I love it.
Peacemaker season 1 is my favorite intro of all time. Everyone should watch the first ten minutes of the first episode leading into the intro.
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Are ya ready kids?!
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aye-aye, Captain!
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Ducktales is the best. I scrolled for a while and some how didn't see it posted
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WHOO-HOO!
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100%
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Babylon 5. I challenge anyone to listen to that intro and not get curious. Also, I think it was the first series to change the intro from season to season.
King of the Hill is a close second.
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141 comments and no one's said Futurama? That song slaps.
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When HBO wasn’t run by absolute imbeciles, I honestly believe they greenlit shows based on their intro sequence.
The Sopranos, The Wire, True Blood, True Detective, Game of Thrones, Westworld, Succession, White Lotus. All top tier
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True blood was a really well-matched song. Rural, twangy, sexy, dark. Excellent choice.
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This is an absolute banger, but the most shocking thing to me is that not only is it an actual song by an actual band - it is from 2010 and not the ‘80s!
It just hits that era’s vibe so well that I initially thought that James Gunn pulled out some obscure track he listened to while growing up..
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Oh shit I had no idea! It's like Steel Panther in that it nails the vibe
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Season 2 is dope as well. It's the deadpan faces that does it for me
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House
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As long as it’s the original Teardrop track by Massive Attack, and not whatever bastardisation it frequently gets replaced by (Angry Australian noises).
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Luther had a great one too
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Lol I'm rewatching House right now. The intro is alright I guess.
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If you're watching it on a modern streaming platform, you're getting the wrong soundtrack. The original is the incredible Teardrop by Massive Attack
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I don't think I've ever skipped the Expanse intro. The singing always draws me in!
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Twin Peaks must be the best one for me. I never got to see it when it was new (too young), but happened to hear the intro music and opening shots before my parents switched the channel. That minute stayed with me till I was in my late teens and bought the show on DVD.
The worst? Maybe Sex and the City, but that's also because I find the main characters self-centred and morally repulsive, which the intro communicates quite efficiently.
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Buck Roger’s & the original Battlestar Galactica had great orchestral theme songs. I have both as ringtones!
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I still enjoy watching them.
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Oh! I have another:
Battlestar Galactica the 2k4 remake.
Not the requiem for a dream one from the miniseries, but the vocal and drums episode intro; although both are good.
I had the drum riff as a ringtone for a while.
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Best: Avatar the Last Airbender (anime). They got across all the world building you’d need to come in at any point without overstaying their welcome or being cheesy.
Worst: Star Trek Enterprise. Obviously.
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Perfect and succinct work by Mae Whitman. And the music is AMAZING.
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It is a great song. It’s an awful choice for this context, though.
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Is that the "been a long road" one with the blonde Vulcan? It took a Long Time to grow on me; thinking back, though, it really works. You have to really watch the show and be into the lore it presents, etc.
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Oh, I’ve watched the hell of that show. Didn’t like it at first (not because of the song; because of Trip), but it grew on me, and now it’s amongst my favourite series (Strange New Worlds #1, Enterprise tied with TNG at #2, Prodigy #3).
That song is fine by itself, but it’s awful as a Star Trek theme. It’s cheesier than ENT’s painfully forced soft-core porn after every away mission.
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I love the theme song used for MAS*H.
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If you watch the 1970 MASH movie that the TV show is based on, they play the full song with vocals. It's actually a really dark song called "Suicide is Painless" and the lyrics are depressing and sad.
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That song is both the best and the worst. Best because of the style goes well with the theme. The worst when you know the lyrics of the song that weren't played.
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I knew it was bed time when that song started playing.
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Haven’t seen anyone mention True Detective: S1 yet. Far From Any Road by The Handsome Family
Dexter also had a pretty cool opening sequence. Makes me hungry every time lol
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Nanananananana Nananananananana BatMAN!!!!!!!!
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There's a LOT of great ones, Firefly, Fresh Prince, Scrubs, GOT, Simpsons etc.
One that I cannot stand for some reason is Dexter. I don't know if it's that I saw it too much but god, I hate it with a passion.
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The only good part is him walking away at the end.
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Dexter's good, though. It's sooo sociopathic. You cringe just a little, admit it.
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Best... The Peacemaker! It comes with a dance.
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Do musicals count?
Damn, beaten by 6 hours
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Since the obvious choice has already been mentioned (Firefly), I’ll add Top Gear to the list of best. I haven’t watched it since the Clarkson, Hammond, May days, so I’m not sure if it’s changed. But that intro was great.
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Oh, it's cancelled. I don't think they ever recovered from the awful stint with Chris Evans as host.
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So many comments for best, I feel like we need some more tip-ins for worst (mainly because you all stole my best choices, dang it).
One of the absolute worst has to be the weird John Tesh style piano-only intro to ALF. I have no idea how this show stayed on the air as long as it did, though I was absolutely part of the problem by watching it all the time.
Honorary mention to pretty much every ABC family sitcom sitcom from the late 80’s/early 90’s having the same awful formulaic intro with a saxophone and every character facing the camera with their hands on their hips.
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Darkwing Duck and Wonderfalls always get stuck in my head.
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darkwing duck was good but everyone sleeps on bonkers
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daring duck of mystery.
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Firefly. It's not a great song, but its theme suits the show very well.
Also, although it eludes me now, the opening theme to the Sweden/Denmark Bridge TV series with Sofia Helin. Loved the show, loved the intro, but forget it now.
Edit: https://youtu.be/0A1r9Jk9UC8 'hollow talk'
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Best intro? Too Many Cooks. No questions.
Not sure about worst, though. Some are just… uninteresting, I guess
Related: The Lost Art of TV Theme Songs
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I can't not support Too Many Cooks
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🎵 It takes a lot to make a stew 🎵
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Best: Psych, The Adventures of Pete and Pete
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Best: The Sopranos
Worst: The Sopranos
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When they made Star Trek Enterprise, they kept the tradition of using award winning epic sci-fi orchestral music, then they played it over the closing credits. The intro music was that croaking, bland, boring pop song about faith of the heart or something. What a forgettable show.
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- The Leftovers
- Dandadan (both S1 and S2 are bangers)
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Dandadan S1 is great, but Creepy Nuts pièce de résistance of intro songs has to be Bling‐Bang‐Bang‐Born from Mashle: Magic and Muscles. That song slaps so hard.
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It's feels llegal that they're not a one hit wonder. It's so good that it's unfair the rest of their stuff is just as good.
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I LOVE Dandadan S1 intro song. I came here to post it. S2 is such a letdown in comparison. I skip most Anime intros because they're usually way too long and usually boring. DDD S1 gets me hype every damn time.
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I can't decide between Psych (especially the extended version), Knight Rider, and Airwolf.
Edit: Street Hawk is a banger too.
Edit 2: How could I forget Miami Vice?
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I enjoyed all of the variations of the main theme (especially the SUPER extended version in Viagra Falls), and the other thematic ones such as the fantastic rendition by Boys 2 Men and the Bollywood variant.
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For the song alone, the nostalgic side of me cannot not say The Golden Girls doesn't have the absolute best theme song. It's definitely a tie between that and Swat Kats, which would be my pick for best intro sequence, period.
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I saw darkwing duck and duck tales, count duckula completes the duck trilogy intro songs of greatness
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I have to agree.
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thank you for being a friend.
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travelled down the road and back again
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I get the impression that it's super-obscure these days, but the Perfect Strangers theme is great!
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If like me, you’re old enough to remember Cousin Balki - then it’s probably time to book in a prostate exam. 🥴
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Taskmaster's is one of the few intros I watch every time. Gets me pumped for every episode.
Curb Your Enthusiasm also may be the perfect fit for the show. Every time I see the HBO static come up before any other HBO show, I hear the CYE theme in my head.
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king of the hill is the best
i also like how fun the peacemaker intros are. protagonists, antagonists, and 1 line characters all dancing together. some you dont even meet until halfway through the season
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Someone mentioned peacemaker and I totally agree. But also gangster grass intro to Justified
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For me:
Babylon Berlin intro captures the art, the deco, the decadence and the fear of what the viewer knows is going to come of that time period.
Black Sails just perfect
Raised by Wolves I was hit and miss on this in many ways, but this intro is great - albeit I think slightly misleading as to its overall tone.
Pennyworth I thought S1 was a bit silly, but what an intro.
Happiness This is just fun, and fits the show brilliantly
See also isn't bad
Romulus Very vikings-esque
Song of the Bandits The song on the YT video isn't great here imo, but they actually mix it up in the show proper and use different songs. And some really fit the theme.
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Black Sails is so good
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The Goodies
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Kinda surprised no one here has mentioned the Barney Miller theme, even though it's pretty old. It's a banging jazz fusion tune.
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that makes me think of the krp outro.
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I loves the intro of "dead like me" also that show so perfectly captures the early 2000s soft/smooth aesthetic without even trying.
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I don't know about the worse but the best for me Star Trek Voyager. The intro song really makes you feel that you're lost far from home, will live various adventures and will eventually return home.
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Somehow Voyager does have the best "feeling" intro of the Trek series.
I'll counter that as much as I have learned to accept the reasonings for the theme for 'Enterprise', I still think it might be the worst theme of just about any show ever. And then they added the country twang around season 3...
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nothing beats the voiceover in my head to ds9!
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Many great classics already mentioned in this thread.
Some newer ones for me…
White Lotus Season 1 (2 & 3 are also good, but I just love the first theme tune): https://youtu.be/l2wj6lJtg_8
Severance: https://youtu.be/NmS3m0OG-Ug
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The S1 intro of White Lotus is so good that I did not like the S3 intro because it was so different. But it really grew on me and now it's my favorite. I'm incredibly bummed that Cristobal won't be back for next season. Apparently Mike White is not a fan of the music and they fought a lot.
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Damn, didn’t know about the falling out. That’s a massive shame for S4!
Know what you mean about the S3 theme tune, it really does grow on you.
Also caught this ad (I think it was actually another version but for the same car) on tv recently & it threw me a bit: https://youtu.be/-N5Kn4-ml8Y
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Best intro song is The Littlest Hobo.
Worst is the Young Sheldon intro.
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Wow that’s a blast from the past that briefly made me feel like a little kid again, thanks!
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https://youtube.com/watch?v=bebgBmf14TE
https://youtube.com/watch?v=DouX9Ubw-Xw
https://youtube.com/watch?v=UKTNWI0eYJ4
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mrERtikdPus
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gHSFV5IkM5c
https://youtube.com/watch?v=eWQBruXPSBs (fuck kevin sorbo)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=giTNQ1Q9j74 (fuck dean cain)
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Littlest hobo.
I'm not saying it because it's good - it's okay - but just to implant the song in your head.
You're already singing it now.
I got implanted one Friday as I was leaving work: I walked past a peer's desk and he sang the words, "There's a voice...", and I was earwormed for 3 months.
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The Courtship of Eddie’s Father
He's a one boy cuddly toy, my up, my down, my pride and joyYeah. we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot, Welcome back
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I hate openers. The shorter the better.
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Breaking Bad and it's ~5 second intro is easily the best.
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Exactly. Just a still frame title card and some interesting sound is all that necessary.
Will Trent is the best. They just insert an interesting CGI title into the moving shot, and keep going. No interruption at all.
That 3 minute opener for Game of Thrones was abusive.
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I really like the theme song to ALF
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I feel like this question is invalid with anime not being explicitly included or excluded.
Included, it's simply not fair to anything not anime. I could take the ten, hell, the 25 best anime openings, exclude them, and still be able to post examples that utterly destroy any TV series you could name. It's not hard.
Excluded, it's a lot more fair.
Say what you want about anime animation, but the animators put their best work into the opening. And the music? Anime is to Japanese pop and rock what MTV was to American pop and rock in the 1980s, the hit maker. These songs are reaching international audiences and getting people to check out the rest of their music. Some Japanese bands refuse to use anime for exposure, but a lot of them live and die from it. I think ONE OK ROCK finally relented just to shut people up (and they went with a children's programme, Beyblade X), but a lot of other bands are known because of the anime series people first heard them in.
It's been 16 years, but one of anime's top-rated series still has an outstanding first opening. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood OP 1 "Again" by YUI
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I've always been a massive Hologram fan. I NEVER skipped it when watching it even for the 4th time.
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Invincible intro sequence, it's short, but they do so much with it and really use it in meta ways
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For the best I submit 1990 Bezerker intro: https://youtu.be/evQd6TVa8H4 And outro: https://youtu.be/8MlYBcRr-dU The worst: Most other anime
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Ba-dah ba-dah ba-dah baaaahhh-daaaah!
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Best: Logan's Run
Worst: Anything else
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For best I'd say daily dose of sunshine. It's so simple, yet so effective for me..
For worst...? Ehhh, not sure rlly
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All of Crazy Ex Girlfriend's were great
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Guuummibäääärn
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Nobody mentioned the absolute banger of Sabre Rider and the Star Sheriffs. You're welcome.
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His dark materials has a great visual and song that I think is very underrated.
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Best? Pachinko season 1 Worst? Twilight Zone
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oh man so disagree on OG twilight zone.
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Oh it’s so bad 🤣
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Gachiakuta's intro is sick AF.
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WUN PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN...
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Interspecies reviewers: best intro
Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care cause I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me
I don't think I've ever skipped it in my life.
Our local Browncoats chapter rents out a theater once a year to watch Serenity, and everyone singing along with the song is so glorious
For those curious it's from firefly
https://youtu.be/osPsUFrvrSQ
This was going to be my answer. I’m so glad it’s the top comment.