What Was The Best Instrumental TV Theme Song?

Please Don't Eat The Daisies. Ghost And Mrs. Muir. Room 222. Space: 1999.

R1 for Space: 1999, season 1 or two, or both? In the Anderson genre, how about UFO?

Sanford and Son

The Persuaders

UFO theme ROCKED! Loved it. I liked SPACE: 1999 theme from either season, but...maybe Season 2 more. UFO's "Paul Foster" was HAWT, too---I whacked off to scenes with Michael Billington's hairy manliness more than once, I can tell you. 45 years ago...wow. I was 12.

1. Mission Impossible 2. Family 3. Another World 4. Generations 5. Guiding Light ('83) 6. Space: 1999 7. Falcon Crest 8. Dynasty

Hawaii 5-0

Masterpiece Theatre (the old one)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

The Rockford Files, hands down.

Of course Hawaii 5-0

Too Close for Comfort

I always liked Barnaby Jones

Scarecrow and Mrs King!

Stingray's Theme - blows everything else out of the water. Literally.

Twin Peaks

Stingray's closing song was also fabulous.

Trivia note- Troy Tempest's marionette was modeled after James Garner. Marina was modelled after Brigitte Bardot.

Night Court

Too Close for Comfort

Cosby Show seasons 1-2 and 6-7

Whose Line is it, Anyway? UK version

Bizarre

Young & the Restless

Taxi

Alf, both versions (not the best show in the world, but I like the themes).

I also the the disco- themed outro in some episodes of Sesame Street.

Peter Gunn

Dukes of Hazard

Greatest American Hero

This ATWT fans has to second the Guiding Light '83 theme. So poignant. Such longing. Everything a soap theme should be.

Henry Mancini was everywhere in the 50s - 70s. He even did the theme song to Little House on the Prairie.

Different Worlds (Theme From 'Angie')

Oops sorry, didn't see instrumental in thread title.

Peter Gunn, Mission: Impossible, and the first version of "Unsolved Mysteries."

I Love Lucy

Hill Street Blues

Sanford and Son

Star Trek

LOVED Space 1999

Room 222

St. Elsewhere

Family

One Life to Live

Family Affair

Bewitched

Miami Vice

Mission: Impossible

Lots of good choices here. I vote for the original Knight Rider theme.

Shame on you all...

Definitely the theme for the Rockford Files! Don't forget one of the most iconic themes ever- Route 6

Falcon Crest, Season 4 arrangement:

Hey R29, I guess you are also a fan of nelson Riddle's tune

Lost in Space (both Season 1-2 and Season 3) was cool, only found out recently they were both composed by John Williams. Something in the Season 3 theme now reminds me of the Simpsons...

Perry Mason

Bonanza

Not mentioned yet?

Wings had a beautiful opening.

One of the best.

Fucking awesome!

I'm amazed it took 30 replies before R30 came up with the Route 66 theme by Nelson Riddle. To this day I'll put the Route 66 theme on my MP3 player and listen to it while driving Highway 101 along the sea between Santa Barbara and Ventura. Sometimes I even fantasize what it would be like to have the 1960 version of George Maharis sitting next to me. *sigh*

^^ That should say alongSIDE the sea.

Hill Street Blues-- Mike Post got a Grammy for it

R36 yes, and in a similar style from a more recent composer, Newhart.

Hawaii 5-0

Hawaii Five-O ... no contest.

The theme from Barney Miller.

A pretty cool one few if any of you would have ever heard. Composed by RIchard Rodgers.

Plus one everybody has heard. Though not by Richard Rodgers I'm afraid.

thirtysomething

There's nothing like the "Dynasty" theme to bring you back to the early 80s

"My So Called Life" shared a lot of similarities with "thirtysomething" and I wouldn't be surprised if they shared the same theme composers.

Dallas

R50 Yup, W G Snuffy Walden composed both (also did West Wing and Felicity, quite the spread in genre).

R38 nailed it. The second season with Diana Rigg as Emma Peel had the greatest opening and closing credit sequences EVER - and mostly because of Laurie Johnson's score.

But this was the version R38 should have posted

The theme from Barney Miller inspired me to take up bass guitar in 6th grade-band (after playing trumpet).

I would also nominate George Aliceson Tipton's short & simplistic theme-song for SOAP. Within 2-3 notes, you can name that as the theme song. And it just captures the spirit of the show, so perfectly!

Loved all the Mancini themes, R22. Especially, the theme to Remington Steele! But the one I was most surprised to learn about (didn't realize at the time)....What's Happening!

The Remington Steele theme was perfect in every way.......lush, elegant, classy.......Old Hollywood, in the best possible way.

My votes, FWIW:

"Hawaii 5-0"

"Peter Gunn" Actually the entire PG soundtrack by Henry Mancini is incredible. Smooth jazz, torchy blues....check it out.

"The Munsters"--2nd season onwards.

"Mission Impossible"

The Bill Conti triumvirate: Dynasty, Falcon Crest, and Cagney and Lacey.

The Bionic Woman

Six Feet Under.

The opening sequence and theme for Get Smart!

The Munsters, now and forever.

I Dream of Jeannie was pretty kicky.

Someone upthread mentioned Newhart. I assume they're referring to the show about the inn. I also dug the theme from The Bob Newhart Show.

Pasadena

The 2nd season of The Munsters, when they re-orchestrated it to show a heavy rock influence--I always especially loved how it would swing out when Marilyn appeared.

THIS!!! Before Peabo decided to caterwaul it.

Knight Rider. The absolute best of all time. No competition.

If we're talking soap themes, while this isn't a classic for the ages, it's still my favorite from the '00s.

Christ. Such idiots here.

Theme from Peter Gunn, Theme from Perry Mason, Theme from Star Trek (because of cultural longevity).

r70 is a lazy fat whore and has her panties in a twist because only her taste and preferences matter.

In terms of sophistication and sound quality I would have to say The Avengers theme at r38 is near perfection. Listen to the sound quality indicative of the unique capabilities of European recording studios. And the arrangement! Superb.

the adams family

Another Mancini composition "The Thorn Birds"

Didn't Dorothy's son pork Rose's daughter after attending Mr Henry Mancini's tribute to the pink panther?

If we're including daytime, this can't be left out.

Kind of surprised no one has mentioned THE NAME OF THE GAME!

Cagney and Lacey

The Bob Newhart Show

Cold Case. Nara by E.S. Posthumus

Nightingales

This one.

[quote]I Dream of Jeannie was pretty kicky.

The second theme sucked. The first one was more exotic and true to the series.

The Facts of Life Go To Australia

Definitely Dallas

I love Randall & Hopkirk...very typical British late 60s sound.

Beverly Hills Cop

That Henry Mancini Mystery movie theme scared the shit out of me when I was a kid.

Always liked this one. NBC Mystery Movie

Some classic mini-series themes. First up, Kane & Abel (1985):

The Winds of War (1983):

Queenie (1987):

North and South (1985):

Rich Man, Poor Man (1976):

Centennial (1978):

Murder, She Wrote

S.W.A.T. - the best disco theme song

Everyone who mentioned The Avengers is right, greatest opening ever, bar none.

But still, there are runner-ups. I've always loved Fred Karlin's The Man from Atlantis series theme, promising the urgency, poignancy, and sense of wonder the series itself couldn't deliver:

There's Joe Harnell's The Incredible Hulk theme, with the bathed in pathos David Banner "Lonely Man" theme contained therein:

Murder One

The slow-burn, "North by Northwest" resistance theme opening of the original V miniseries:

The Alien Nation theme - nothing else like it on television:

HUGE hit in its time

[quote]The Alien Nation theme - nothing else like it on television:

Unfortunately not an instrumental so it doesn't belong...

But Dave Grusin's epic It Takes a Thief theme does:

Thanks, R99.

Dream On. I love the visuals too.

I vote for "Hawaii Five-0"

Hard to choose the best, there's so many great ones: Hawaii 5-O, Peter Gunn, Miami Vice, X-Files, The Munsters, The Saint, Mission Impossible, Charlie's Angels, L.A. Law, Dynasty, Magnum P.I., Beverly Hills 90210.

The first tv theme I remember really liking as a kid was Airwolf.

Star Trek and The Twilight Zone were great, but I'm not sure if the opening voice over disqualifies them. Batman and M*A*S*H had great tunes as well.

Day of the Triffids (the original series)

Survivors (the original series)

Tenko (opening and closing music)

All great British shows from the 70's and 80's.

What was mine? Chopped avocados?

This one is memorable less for the melody than the 180 degree shift in tone. From jaunty to menacing.

One hundred and eleven replies and no Dark Shadows...?

ARE YOU ALL INSANE!? I know I am.

[quote]All great British shows from the 70's and 80's.

I guess you thought you'd narrow it down.

No one's mentioned Ironside yet?

Theme song composed by Quincy Jones, no less.

Has this not been posted yet?

The world's gone mad!!

"Peter Gunn" and "Route 66" are the Gold Standard.

"The Avengers" is great too, supported by fabulously sophisticated imagery.

Along with them I'd add the theme to "Twighlight Zone".

It's opening bars are probably the most iconic of any.

And : It was a BRILLIANT idea to use "Funeral March of a Marionette " for the opening of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."

It became one the best opening themes of all time and perfect for Hitchcock.

[italic]Emmerdale[/italic]

If we are including mini-series, this one wins.

But I don't really think you can beat this.

The Mod Squad!!

St. freakin' Elsewhere

Yoko Kanno and Seat Belts, do your thing...

Thanks, R122. St. Elsewhere was the first good TV show.

The Match Game

And thank you R124. I totally agree.

St. Elsewhere was one of my favorites.

The Match Game intro is "Swinging' Safari"by Bert Kaempfert, the guy who wrote the music for "Strangers in the Night".

............

I really wonder about the taste some of you have.

Stuff like "St Elsewhere" and "Remington Steele" (even if is by Mancini) sound like the generic, totally undistinguished 1980s TV music that was everywhere at that time.

Perry Mason, with DL Fave Holland Taylor

Totally forgot about Perry Mason. Another all time great theme.

Check R75, R112. You fat whore! Hitchcock's theme, wonderful as it is, should be disqualified since it wasn't written for the show. We must have rules or we will descend into anarchy!

Oh fuck you.

And I'm going to post the theme to the 1960s soap opera "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" as soon as I find it....

[quote]Stuff like "St Elsewhere" and "Remington Steele" (even if is by Mancini) sound like the generic, totally undistinguished 1980s TV music that was everywhere at that time.

But when you finished listening to the "St Elsewhere" theme, R131, you got to watch "St Elsewhere."

I'll save you the trouble, R131. One of my all-time favorite movie themes.

All the intros and opening credits used to be so long.

Rockford Files

Hawaii Five-O

Magnum PI

The Big Valley

MIssion Impossible

Star Trek TNG

Star Trek DS9

Star Trek Voyager

Ahhhh..sorry, R130 The new, improved DL endless scroll makes it difficult to use the browser's "find" function. Which means I was guilty of skimming. Cuppa Mayo, I search fat.

DL could only ascend into order-it's ALWAYS a (insert ethnicity) fire drill roun' nyah.

Nope, sorry, not Roots. It may be the greatest mini-series of all time, but its theme is pretty forgettable.

[italic]As the World Turns,[/italic]1985–88

[italic]Flamingo Road[/italic] 🦩

R15 Yes. Twin Peaks was beautiful.

Mannix:

What, no Streets of San Francisco?

Adam-12:

Thanks random person from 2016 for posting "And Mother Makes Three" - it looks like something I'd really like and I love Wendy Craig! I'd never heard of it before.

Oh it has to be Trapper John, MD, no? Those trombones dropping a perfect fifth?