What are your favourite TV titles sequences?

Posted by: JamieL on 08 May 2009

I have just been watching 'Dexter' and it really has an amazing title sequence. It made me think about what other TV shows have had exceptional title sequences.

I don't want to ask people for a top five or ten, as that implies competition, and different titles sequences appeal to different people, as they should.

I would love to know which title sequences have struck people as being very good, here are a few of my favorites:

The World at War - sad, powerful, makes you realise that events effecting millions still affect individuals like you and me. If I had to pick one, this would be it.


Dad's Army - Another war titles, but using the style of military graphics, the little twists make it just right for such a tongue in cheek series. Brilliant music too.


Dexter - takes a wonderfully sinister view on everyday actions.

The Simpsons - just hard not to put this in there.

Survivors - I just remember the 1970's image of a falling lab beaker all these years later, and it is still scary. (I don't recall the remake titles, or the remake in any way at all).

BBC news
- in the style of the 1930's graphics. Some people said they were reminiscent of Nazi imagery, but I do not think they were, I think it just that we tend to associate 1930's graphics with that style as we see Nazi propaganda films from that period a lot these days.

Anyway, I must be missing lots of wonderful titles. 'Brass Eye' I am sure will be in many peoples favorites.I am sure Dr Who (1960/70's versions) would be there for some.

So what other TV tiles have impressed you? (If you want to do film titles, that might be for another thread, there are so many).
Posted on: 08 May 2009 by BigH47
Dexter titles make me want to vomit, I always skip them, the show's good though.

I always enjoyed the Star Trek off-springs STNG, Voyager and DS9, got a bit tedious after a while though.

Simpsons always worth watching.
Posted on: 08 May 2009 by Mark Dunn
For me it's:

The original Dr. Who
The long (first episode) start to The Prisoner
Pee Wee's Playhouse (U.S. only I think)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (another U.S.)
Fireball XL5
Joe 90

I wonder if my tastes will change if I grow up...

Best Regards,
Mark Dunn
Posted on: 09 May 2009 by fatcat
Get Smart
Posted on: 09 May 2009 by Huwge
Captain Scarlet:

"This is the voice of the Mysterons..."
Posted on: 09 May 2009 by Officer DBL
CSI Vegas, Miami and New York - impressive images and fantastic music.

Quite like the title sequence for Enterprise.
Posted on: 09 May 2009 by Musicmad
The Persuaders! ... a brilliant montage showing the two characters' backgrounds & the (then) current lifestyles in the space of about 90 seconds ... accompanied by the best (IMHO) TV theme music of all time.

Nearly 40 years on ... it's still perfect.
Posted on: 09 May 2009 by BigH47
quote:
Quite like the title sequence for Enterprise.


Apart from the theme song!
Posted on: 09 May 2009 by Sloop John B



particularly the closing titles.



SJB
Posted on: 10 May 2009 by Guinnless
quote:
Originally posted by Sloop John B:



particularly the closing titles.



SJB


That was my choice too but I prefer the opening titles.

That reminds me, I must wash my Mk1 Granada today. Providing it doesn't rain!
Smile

Cheers
Steve
Posted on: 10 May 2009 by JWM
Geoff Hamilton era "Gardeners' World"
Posted on: 10 May 2009 by David Leedham
[QUOTE]

The World at War - sad, powerful, makes you realise that events effecting millions still affect individuals like you and me. If I had to pick one, this would be it.


Have to agree, was watching the other night and wondered why it was having such an emotional effect on me, guess I`m not alone Frown
Posted on: 11 May 2009 by Richard S


Always felt this to be a very powerful start to a superb series. End titles with a view of the Bodlean Library were effective too.

Agree with all the other selections.
Posted on: 11 May 2009 by Officer DBL
Stingray!
Posted on: 11 May 2009 by JamieL
'Monty Python's Flying Circus', how could I forget that. I love Gilliam's film titles too, but I did say TV only.

Thanks for the other suggestions, I remember 'The Sweeney' titles being excellent, and the end stills.

I do like the various 'Star Trek' titles, especially Voyager and the original 60's series. I think I only ever heard the title music for 'Enterprise' once, and that was one time too many.
Posted on: 11 May 2009 by BigH47
quote:
I think I only ever heard the title music for 'Enterprise' once, and that was one time too many.



That's what the mute button is for then?
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by JohanR
My favourite would be 'The Rockford Files' with the answering machine message that new in every episode.

quote:
Survivors - I just remember the 1970's image of a falling lab beaker all these years later, and it is still scary. (I don't recall the remake titles, or the remake in any way at all).


I have it on DVD. The series as such is still very good, but the title part actually feels a bit dated.

JohanR
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by JamieL
quote:
Originally posted by JohanR:
My favourite would be 'The Rockford Files' with the answering machine message that new in every episode.


I remember a discussion on 'Nationwide' about 'The Rockford Files' titles, I think in the fast edited bit there is one shot/still of a topless young lady on a beach, or at least quite a revealing image. The discussion was about how people can isolate images they are interested in even if they are only visible for a very few frames. Nearly thirty years on, we are probably far more used to picking out images from fast edited sequences. If you have that on DVD, have fun with the frame advance.

Regardless of how revealing a certain shot was, I do remember it as being a very good title sequence, and the answer phone being a great device to introduce the plots.
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by rupert bear
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Dunn:
Fireball XL5
Mark Dunn


That's funny, I was going to say Fireball XL5 too - and you're from (?) the USA...
Me, always get fed up when the only Gerry Anderson people mention is Blunderbirds. F XL5 was a masterpiece!

I guess we shouldn't forget the Fawlty Towers signage anagrams either.
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by BigH47
Gerry Anderson's earlier works , Twizzle, Torchy, Four feather Falls and Supercar, the later 2 in Supermarionation, were genre leaders.


"watery fowls".
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by Guido Fawkes
Four feather Falls without question the best western series every made. Though I did prefer Supercar

However, my favourite piece of supermarination was Space Patrol

Space Patrol was made by Frank Goulding, Roberta Leigh and other defectors from the Anderson empire. It was all together darker and more sinister. The creatures from Uranus were particularly unpleasant.
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by Guido Fawkes
The intro and the outro to Fireball XL5
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by Guido Fawkes
the late great Harry Worth
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by JamieWednesday
Arena Eno
Posted on: 12 May 2009 by Mark Dunn
Hi rupert bear,

quote:
Originally posted by Mark Dunn:
Fireball XL5
Mark Dunn



That's funny, I was going to say Fireball XL5 too - and you're from (?) the USA...


I'm a transplant from Saturn London.

Best Regards,
Mark Dunn
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
A few of mine from my childhood

The Tomorrow People. Spooky!

UFO Apparently in 1980 men would wear jumpsuits or string vests and women on the moon all had purple hair. Why didn't happen? We got Thatcher instead Frown

Still on a Gerry & Sylvia Anderson trip, the incomparable Thunderbirds

Ace of Wands, a little-remembered series from the early 70s about a guy called Tarot, who solved cases by the power of magic. Great theme song, which you can hear here. Fantastic stuff!

The 70s were as close to a golden age of telly you can get. Here's the fab opening sequence to Man About The House. Typical Alan Hawksworth genius! And Paula Wilcox was such a fox, the subject of many a schoolboy fantasy...