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Name a decent theme tune

Posted on March 13, 2008 | 7 comments |

The nice lads at TV Today are wondering where all the good theme tunes have gone to these days. Any ideas? Off the top of my head, I could only think of some good US theme tunes and Torchwood's and The IT Crowd's (as well as the eternal Sky at Night's and Pobol Y Cwm's). Anyone got any better ones or know where the good themes have gone?

7 Comments

  1. Toby OB wrote:
    March 13, 2008 | Reply

    You mentioned the mandolin music earlier in your third-episode verdict of 'New Amsterdam' and it's because of its unique sound (as far as TV theme songs go) that I don't rush through the opening credits while watching that show on DVR delay the next morning.

    However, I can't "play" it back in my head, which I think might be a requirement for a really good TV theme.

    I've always thought the more interesting topic would be who has the best incidental music from within a show. I still remember riffs from 'Get Smart' and 'The Wild, Wild West' forty years on. 'Lost' is a current leader in this category as well.

  2. AnnaWaits wrote:
    March 13, 2008 | Reply

    *whispers* I like the Ashes To Ashes one ;)

  3. MediumRob MT replied to AnnaWaits's comment:
    March 13, 2008 | Reply

    It's okay. It's better than the "what the hell are they trying to achieve with that?" theme to Life on Mars. It's an obvious attempted pastiche of 80s themes, although it only ever gets close to Shoestring's. To me though, it's just a bit too timid: it doesn't go for a full on embrace of the rock guitar. It's – and how apt is this – half-hearted. But it's not bad.

  4. MediumRob MT replied to Toby OB's comment:
    March 13, 2008 | Reply

    The Get Smart theme is a classic, as is the incidental music, I agree.

    Still loving Touching Evil's theme and incidentals the most of the last five years though. Don't know why, but it's the only one I have on my iPod, even though it lasts all of 30 seconds.

  5. Mark H Wilkinson wrote:
    March 13, 2008 | Reply

    I rather like the opener for The Venture Bros., a reworking of J. G. Thirlwell's "Fighteous" -- though more as a mood-setter than something to listen to, as it's pitched just right for the series. And also from Adult Swim, Calamine's theme for Sealab 2021 is a straightforwardly hummable pop song -- the same can be said for Puffy Amiyumi's[1] tune for the otherwise dodgy anime version of Teen Titans.

    Oh, and the crazy jazz stylings of the Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law are also pretty cool.

    But I can't think of much on the live action front.

    [1] They're actually called "Puffy", but we're not allowed to say that within listening distance of Sean Combs.

  6. Cindylover1969 wrote:
    March 14, 2008 | Reply

    I still remember riffs from 'Get Smart' and 'The Wild, Wild West' forty years on. 'Lost' is a current leader in this category as well.

    When I started getting tapes of The Wild Wild West from eBay, I went "I remember this music!" not at its theme tune, but at a memorable fight cue (Toby OB will probably know the one I mean, by the late Richard Shores). That show had some great scoring... as does Lost. And anything carrying the credit "Music by Bruce Broughton" (if Sky ever repeats First Monday - and since they stripped it at 2:30 in the morning a couple of years back they probably won't - it's worth checking out for Broughton's stirring theme music. And because anything from Donald P. Bellisario and starring Joe Mantegna, Charles Durning and James Garner is watchable at the very least).

    Staying with themes, there's always Space Pirates and the Wondermints' terrific theme song for The Replacements - plus Joel Goldsmith's Stargate Atlantis. And Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman's first theme for Crossing Jordan has all the melody sadly lacking in Heroes.

  7. AnnaWaits wrote:
    March 16, 2008 | Reply

    "To me though, it's just a bit too timid: it doesn't go for a full on embrace of the rock guitar."]

    With you on that, actually :) x

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