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: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
Armchair Thriller aired from 78 to 80, and had this memorably spooky opening sequence which used to scare my little sister no end. The music was by Andy McKay of Roxy Music and elsewhere.

Here's the brilliant opening from the peerless Man Men, surely the most brilliantly written, acted and art-directed drama series of the past decade (better even than The Wire, methinks).

I'm in agreement with JamieL - The World At War is perhaps the most powerful title sequence ever. Appropriate really, as it's sometimes considered the finest documentary series ever made. It's so searing that it's difficult to think about the War without hearing Carl Davies' superb and moving theme, and without thinking of the flames and haunting images, particularly the final one.
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
And you can't really beat this , can you? Pure genius from Auntie that sent millions of kids scampering behind the sofa.

And some kiddie genius from the late lamented Thames TV (another institution done away with by that toxic old witch Thatch) - here's the marvellous Magpie. The theme was by Spencer Davies.

Hawaii Five-0 - very cool. With Kam Fong as Chin Ho!

Here's Police Woman with the impossibly glamorous Angie Dickinson and great Mancini music.
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by Kevin-W:
A few of mine from my childhood

The Tomorrow People. Spooky!
Brilliant Choice - this is the work of England's greatest ever creator of electronic music: the late great Delia Derbyshire. It doesn't get any better.

ATB Rotf
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
Brilliant editing and fantastic music for the opening sequence for The Streets Of San Francisco. Oddly, all these Quinn Martin productions ( Cannon was another) had someone reading the credits.

Kojak was another classic 70s cop show with ace misic and graphics.

This one had probably the best theme tune of all the cop shows, and a thrilling title sequence - car chases, exotic dancers, jumping onto car bonnets - absolutely peerless.
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by FlyMe




Roll Eyes
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
You can't leave this one out.

Or indeed thispiece of silliness.
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
Batman - 1960s camp at its best with a great Nelson Riddle score and ace cartoon graphics.

More 60s cool in the form of The Saint. Simple is often best.

A version of The Big Match - incredibly evocative of a very different era. Cloughie!!! This version from the 69-70 season is even better.

I remember watching Joe 90 as a five-year-old and thinking how brilliant all that computer tape technology was. Great Barry Gray theme too, which was apparently a big mod favourite.

Car chases and wah wah guitar - it doesn't get much better than this. Or - equally thrilling - this. You're gaain dahn you slaaaag!
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
The Persuadersopening demonstrates that title sequencing is a minor art form. Wonderful storytelling with a few photos and some deeply evocative music.

More 60s cool from the peerless Lalo Schifrin.

From 1969 - the graphics are great. As they were on the follow-up series.

The Campions Wasn't Alexandra Bastedo gorgeous?

Oh the excitement
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
This is such fun - what a brilliant thread.

More brilliant storytelling from the 1970s - Survivors

Tales of the Unexpected was another great series with an eerie title sequence.


A Sunday evening stalwart, beloved of my mum, who thought Peter Gilmore "incredibly dishy"

Edward Woodward was another of mum's faves. Callan

Here's Mr Woodward again, as the hardest man on the planet, The Equalizer. Absolutely superb editing on this one, love the 80s-tastic synths on this one too.

Not Give Us A Clue, but Grange Hill. What could more more redolent of teatime (Birds Eye Beefburgers, crinkle cut chips and peas) circa 1978?
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Kevin-W
Who could forget The Fall & Rise Of Reginald Perrin?

Alan Partidge's favourite

What the hell was this one about?

HR Pufnstuf Just plain weird. As was this

Saturday mornings in Blighty in the late 60s Yes it's THE Brinsley Forde, later of Aswad.

The greatest kids' TV show of all time. Sally James (sigh) Big Grin

Great graphics for the opening of Mannix
Posted on: 14 May 2009 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
What the hell was this one about?
Albeit credited to Jacky on the label, it's Jackie Lee's White Horses theme tune, written by Michael Carr and Ben Nisbet, to a programme that was originally made in Yugoslavia (now Solvenia) and is about a girl from Belgrade called Julia who goes to live on her uncle's stud farm IIRC.

Jackie Lee had a hit with it and followed it up with the theme from Rupert the Bear, but IMHO, good as the WH theme was, it don't think it matched this.