Thursday Movie Picks - TV Edition: Opening Title Sequences
This week's TV theme from Wandering Through The Shelves is something I love talking about. TV opening title sequences. It's a weird thing to be obsessed about but I love it. I normally just stick with 3 picks every week but for once I'm going to bump it to 6 because I just can't narrow it down. Instead of the normal gifs I use, I'll link youtube videos to each title sequence.
1) Game of Thrones - This is the undisputed winner of opening title sequences. The wonderful music, the ever changing map, this is my all time favorite opening title sequence. I still listen to the music from this show often, it's just so perfect. Watch
2) Mad Men - This is another one where the music really elevates it. While it's just a drawing of a man falling from a building past so many advertisements, the music accompanying it makes it perfect. Watch
3) Daredevil - The blood red covering New York, his saints, everything. Of all the Marvel shows, this one definitely had the best opening title. Watch
4) The Night Of - This was a limited series and the opening titles showed bits of New York and various crimes the series would talk about. It's very underrated and HBO always has amazing opening title sequences. Watch.
5) His Dark Materials - A newer show, but I'm obsessed with the theme song and the imagery is beautiful. Watch
6) True Blood - These credits show no one that is actually in the show but they are so very Southern and it just fits the tone of the show perfectly. Watch
I completely agree with you on Mad Men, the music makes it so much better.
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteI do love the GoT credits, and the fact that they changed to show where the episode took place as well as changed to reflect the political reality of the show is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThe Mad Men credits work in large part because they are reflective of the classic Saul Bass movie posters, which also reflects that time--there's an undeniable cool to them.
I agree on Daredevil--I still think Jessica Jones was the best Marvel show, but Daredevil had the best opening.
The others I don't know, but the song for True Blood, as the kids say, slaps.
LOL. I love that. "as the kids say"
DeleteMad Men's credits are perfect for what the show is, and I always liked looking at the GoT map when it was updated. Braavos got me all excited when i saw the titan.
I've heard of all of these but only seen eps of the first two and the last.
ReplyDeleteI really tried with Game of Thrones, everyone told me I'd love it....and I didn't. Much too bloody for me. I even tried again when Diana Rigg (a huge favorite of mine) joined the cast but even with her expert assistance I couldn't get into it.
I came late to Mad Men, too late to really understand the characters at that point. But I do plan on watching from the beginning one day.
I was good with True Blood for about two seasons and then it lost me.
I did look at the other openers, all impressive but none made me want to watch the shows.
I went with the first three that came to me, all pretty iconic I think, that do a good job of encapsulating the premise of each in just about a minute or less. I included the link for each. :-)
Bewitched (1964-1972)-Clever animation of the lead couple-witch Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) and human Darrin (first Dick York, later Dick Sargent) plus troublesome mother-in-law Endora (Agnes Moorehead) represented by a cloud of black smoke set to zippy music that hints at the magical theme of the show all in under 40 seconds!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p2Q7vs4bQk
Gilligan’s Island (1964-1967)-Imagine a small boat, a storm-tossed sea, a spinning captain’s wheel and a lonely isle then sing along!
“Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
a tale of a fateful trip,
that started from this tropic port,
aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a mighty sailin' man,
the Skipper brave and sure,
five passengers set sail that day,
for a three-hour tour,
a three-hour tour. The weather started getting rough,
the tiny ship was tossed.
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
the Minnow would be lost.
The Minnow would be lost.
The ship's aground on the shore of this
uncharted desert isle
with Gilligan,
the Skipper too.
The millionaire and his wife,
the movie star,
the professor and Mary Ann,
here on Gilligan's Isle!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGahnlFEqY
The Brady Bunch (1969-1974)-Over the background of a tic-tac-toe board filled with the faces of the cast all mobile and smiling at each other we hear:
“Here's the story
Of a lovely lady
Who was bringing up three very lovely girls
All of them had hair of gold
Like their mother
The youngest one in curls
It's the story
Of a man named Brady
Who was busy with three boys of his own
They were four men
Living all together
Yet they were all alone
'Til the one day when the lady met this fellow
And they knew that it was much more than a hunch
That this group must somehow form a family
That's the way we all became the Brady bunch
The Brady bunch, the Brady bunch
That's the way we became the Brady bunch.”
And then Alice pops into the middle square!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZhhUdc_Vt0
Aww those are all classics! I watched all of the Brady Bunch episodes on Nick and Nite. Bewitched I didn't see a lot of because it was on later but I loved the Bradys.
DeleteHonestly, I haven't seen any of these shows (which is a shame since I really wanted to watch Daredevil). But, awesome list!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my Thursday Movie Picks!
Ronyell @ The Surreal Movies and TV Blog
They're great shows!
DeleteThe opening themes for True Blood and Game of Thrones are awesome. I haven't seen the rest of these themes though I think you'll like my picks as you'll be dancing like everyone else on the TikTok.
ReplyDeleteOh TikTok, something I'm entirely too old for. lol
DeleteI thought about The Night Of too.. I like that one and Daredevil too. Don't care much for Game of Thrones one though I know it's pretty great.
ReplyDeleteThe Night Of's theme is so great. I'm glad Riz is thriving.
DeleteGame of Thrones is one I still would like to watch. That opening theme is often played on the Classical station I listen to (96.3 in Toronto). It is an excellent piece. Mad Men is a great opening and I did enjoy the show but I didn't start at the beginning so I would like to see it from the start. I had no idea Daredevil was a TV Show...I only know the movie with Ben Afflack( I had to..the poor goose). I don't know the next 2 shows at all but they both appeal to me and that opening music for His Dark Materials is excellent!! One day I will watch True Blood...my hubby was never into watching it and we basically have just one TV.
ReplyDeleteDaredevil the show is SO much better than the movie. I'm glad you like his Dark Material's Theme! I think it's lovely.
DeleteNice picks! I'm not sure the Mad Men theme would've worked without that song to go with the graphics. They're pretty perfect. I can't believe I didn't think of Game of Thrones this week. True Blood is a great theme too.
ReplyDeleteYes, that Mad Men theme was perfect. I got so used to hearing at the Emmys I had it downloaded before I even watched the show.
DeleteI love the Daredevil one and yes I agree at least among the Netflix Marvel series it's the best sequence. Haven't seen the ones on Disney+.
ReplyDeleteTrue Blood is good too with a great song. The random images captures the essence of the backdrop the series is set against. The Animal Kingdom series opening sequence employs a similar style.