Question of the week: what’s your favourite TV theme tune?

6th February 2012 Rob Buckley Music 13 Comments

Moved from Wednesday to the slight more logical date of Monday, it’s ‘Question of the Week’, in which I ask a question and hopefully you give me your insightful opinions in return. This week, a simple question, I hope:

What’s your favourite TV theme tune and why?

There’s a lot to be working with and you’re all bound to have many favourites, but what’s your favourite favourite?

Mine is… The Persuaders!, written by none other than John Barry, composer of so many James Bond soundtracks.

He also went on to write the similar but slightly inferior theme to the very inferior The Adventurer, with Gene Barry.

But what’s your favourite?




  • The Sandbaggers:


  • Mark Carroll

    It’s hard to say favourites as I’m probably forgetting many and I’m trying to avoid the “which season’s Doctor Who theme is best?” chestnut. I also can’t actually remember the music behind some overall-good title sequences like Carnivale’s. I liked Firefly’s music; it fits the show well, is well-performed, and isn’t overlong. I still seem to have a clear memory of the Van der Valk music which may or may not be a bad thing. Out of the CSIs’ Who numbers I think I prefer the NY one. I’ve liked some of the BBC sports stuff, like that Ski Sunday one and some of the Scott Joplin snooker stuff. I feel like I must be forgetting a bunch of things though if the Firefly music is the best original one coming to mind. It would help if I could get the Casualty music out of my head, perhaps that’s displacing other things. Oh, ha: the Tiny Planets song is okay.

  • Mark Carroll

    I knew something else would come to mind the moment I hit the submit button: the Button Moon song is quite agreeable, being gentle and melodic with lyrics that fit the show.

  • Mark Carroll

    While I still can’t think of anything I like more than the Firefly music, I should confess that I like the Friends music, my kids like The Big Bang Theory’s music, I’m sure I’ve liked at least one of the songs they’ve used for The Drew Carey Show, probably a couple of them, my cellphone’s ring tone is a penny whistle solo version of the theme from Bod, and I do like the Community music. Though maybe I’m coming up a bit short on the “why” part of your question.

  • bob

    I really hate the Firefly theme… It’s second only to the Enterprise one in terms of cheesiness and inappropriateness for scifi.
    I have to go for Red Dwarf, Third Rock from the Sun and Buffy. All of which make me grin wildly and air-guitar along (or sing along in the case of the RD credits music sung by Jenna Russell). I also have a fondness for old cartoon greats like Buck O’Hare and Captain Planet.
    There is also a lot to be said for TOS Star Trek which makes my spine tingle. Its might and legacy will never end.

  • SK

    I think my favourite out of the ones I cam remember right now off the top of my head is Waking the Dead, actually. Van der Valk cheats by using an already-existing bit of music.
    Bucky O’Hare was great too, and you have to admire the commitment with which the Gummi Bears theme tune is belted out: no chart power ballad has ever sounded so sincere.
    There are some American programmes I only know from the rather good themes that were on a tape my Dad had: The Greatest American Hero, Car 54, WKRP In Cincinnati. I fear the programmes themselves could never have lived up to the tunes…
    Oh no — hang on. Scratch all that. Just remembered. Really, there is only one contender:
    I wish I was a spaceman, the fastest guy alive…

  • Mark Carroll

    Heh, I liked the Enterprise one too. I’m shameless. (-:
    I do have to agree, though, the Red Dwarf one was good. (I worry about if series X will turn out to have been a good idea, though.)

  • TemplarJ

    I’m not trying to appear ‘clever’ (perish the impossible thought) but I would say Lost, even though it’s more of a sound than a tune. Still sends tingles down the spine though.
    Otherwise its Hawaii 5-0 obviously.

  • bob

    Dammit, SK. Now I have the Gummi Bears stuck in my head! Make it stop!

  • Not sure I have a favourite, but I love the Persuaders too.
    AAAGHH!! Gummi Bears. There was a period when my children were obsessed with it. And (true story) having spent the day my father in law died, in his flat with my mil and two small children, one of whom watched Gummi Bears incessantly, I cannot even THINK of that tune without feeling queezy!
    Let me think of happier things – actually watched old Dr Who with sprogs the other day, and I do love the original version…

  • I’m a big fan of ‘The Peruaders’ theme as well, but my heart belongs to ‘The Prisoner’. ‘Quantum Leap’ always hits me emotionally, but that’s also due to the great combination of historical images and what I connect to them. And ‘St. Elsewhere’ was a wonderful theme as well.
    I always wanted Mike Post to write my personal TV theme song…..

  • Julie paradox

    I like Red Dwarf (which we’ve been watching through recently), but the first thing I thought of was QI. Not sure why… it just has a “well now here’s a thing” air to it. Pretty fond of HIGNFY, too.

  • Watching the repeat of the Inbetweeners last night, I do like that theme tune – is it ok to choose one with a pop song?