40 Of The Best TV Show Intros To Hook You In

The theme song for The Addams Family can be compared to the protagonist’s family: quirky, spooky, and absolutely indestructible. In the early ’90s, there were attempts to rewrite it for the remakes, but it is the 1964 classic that we all remember and love.

Imagine criticizing someone’s song… and then asking them to write a song for your show. That’s exactly how the cooperation between Matt Groening and Danny Elfman started. Fortunately for all of us, they never brought up the past, but instead created the timeless classic that is The Simpsons’ theme song.

You might be an adult with a very serious career, but if there’s anything that gives you the childhood level of positive energy and happiness, it is the opening theme from the DuckTales animated series. Be honest, you looked forward to it every Saturday as much as you did to the series itself.

Working on the theme song for Sanford and Son fell in a period when Quincy Jones was swarmed with so many other deadlines. So he wrote it in 20 minutes, then proceeded to record it with his team. The sound they went for was like the jingle of a junk shop, which was the show’s main premise.

What better way to describe the life of a brilliant kid stuck between family members that do not understand him or do him justice than writing a song titled “Boss of Me”? They Might Be Giants penned the song and got their first Grammy for this track.

It plays in your head as you read these lines, doesn’t it? With a nod to the psychedelic flower rock of the decade when the show premiered, its lyrics also worked around the overall plot of the series.

It takes enough effort to write a brilliant show full of witty humor and smart dialogue. But when just as much effort goes into writing the theme song and opening sequence, you know that show is bound to become an audience favorite, and that’s exactly what happened to Futurama.

Writing music for the horror genre can be twice as challenging because you have to create a sense of haunting trouble coming this way, but at the same time not scare the audience away. The Twilight Zone completes this task perfectly with Maurice Constant’s theme that would play at the beginning of each episode starting from season two.

Cheers is often called one of the funniest TV shows, yet the creators opted for a somber opening theme with lyrics that speak about the soothing experience of being accepted and acknowledged for who you are. Whether it is the contrasting effect or the soft wisdom of it, the song has always been liked by fans.

The X-Files is not just a show, it’s an era. In many ways, they set the standard for sci-fi shows coming after them. The instrumental score that opens every episode is probably one of the most recognizable TV scores. It perfectly sets the tone for all the unexplained phenomena you are about to encounter.

Before Mission Impossible became a movie franchise, it was a spy series that debuted in 1966. A lot of things were altered when it got remade into a feature film, but one thing the filmmakers knew to keep intact was the hook from Lalo Schifrin’s theme song he composed for the show. Back in the day, it became a trendsetter for other similar shows to come.   

Your theme song doesn’t have to be a complex musical masterpiece or have an impeccable performance. Instead of all this, Fred Rogers’ singing taught the kids for whom the show was intended that it’s absolutely okay to not be perfect and still pursue things you love.

Phineas & Ferb take all their music numbers very seriously; that’s why songs are one of the major things this show is known for, and the theme song is no exception. Whimsical and clever in its structure, it will leave you with a smile and a nostalgic longing for the summer.

The ’80s were all about synth sound and neon lights, and Stranger Things is all about the ’80s. As the opening theme sends us back in time, it also keeps increasing the uneasy feeling of the horror that awaits the characters and the audience.

You must have done something really right if the theme song of your show that was on air between 1974 and 1980 is still remembered. It perfectly captured the nature of its main character, Jim Rockford, and also incorporated a message he had on his answering machine.

It’s not easy to balance your life between your family and your mobster “family” but it is definitely interesting to watch. The creators of The Sopranos took “Woke Up This Morning,” performed by the British band Alabama 3, and turned it into one of the most memorable theme songs on TV.

If any show should have had a surf rock theme song, it’s undoubtedly Hawaii Five-O. Between fighting crime and presenting the breathtaking beauty of the island state, this show is remembered for many things, and the opening song is one of them. 

If there is one theme song that makes you wanna dance, it’s “Movin’ On Up” from The Jeffersons. But beyond being just an infectious gospel number, its lyrics contributed to the story of George and Louise moving from working-class Queens to the luxury of Manhattan, with a touch on the American dream and class differences.

Seinfeld went against the grain of the sitcom structure, so naturally, they tried to do the same with the theme song too. Designed to work around Jerry Seinfeld’s opening stand-up, instead of using conventional instruments, the composer went for various sounds like finger snapping and the hustle of NYC that would go with Seinfeld’s voice.

The calm and soothing theme of the TV classic Twin Peaks gives you a false feeling that you are about to step into an ordinary sleepy town where people lead ordinary lives. This makes the shock of what you are about to witness greater. One of the best decisions the producers made was to hire the same composer to write the music for both the 1990 and 2017 shows as well as the 1992 film. 

Back in the day, Will Smith went under the stage name of The Fresh Prince. He sang the opening song to the show that told the story of the fictional version of himself living in Bel-Air with his aunt and uncle. And even an entire career later, this opening track remains one of his most recognized songs.

The opening song “Tank!” combines jazz with saxophone solos with Latin-inspired bop and addictive rhythm. As a widely acclaimed anime, this story of bounty hunters traveling from planet to planet on a spaceship has a huge following, and even those who haven’t seen the series yet often recognize the song.

Lost has a number of memorable scores to fit every moment in the narrative, but the one that probably stayed with you the most is the 15-second-long ambient noise composed by the show’s creator JJ Abrams himself. Even if you don’t know what the show is about, this piece of melody will create the right mood before you start watching.

When your show turns science into sitcom material everyone can enjoy, your theme song has to keep up. Barenaked Ladies delivered on this requirement in the most fabulous way possible. The acoustic demo of the song even played in the finale.

Not only does the Gravity Falls opening sequence lure you in with a boppy song, but it also sets up the universe, with all its over-the-top mystic adventures, discoveries, and letting the summers of your childhood come back with tons of fun memories.

Better Call Saul became a fan favorite shortly after its pilot was launched, and the opening credits have always been among the things fans would name as their preferences about the show. Short and sweet, they would change the sequence ever so often, which meant fans never got tired of them.

The instrumental theme composed by Ron Wasserman is played against the opening sequence where the X-Men display their skills. If you are a ’90s kid, this melody will surely give rise to a strong nostalgia.

Not only does Bojack Horseman have an interesting and rather fresh premise, but its title song has also been praised multiple times for being so smooth and captivating. 

It is not easy to capture the tone of your show to a T in the opening song, but Parks and Recreation does exactly that. Also, if you can sing “Jabba the Hutt” over your theme song, as the viral video showed us, that’s a definite win.

Who said over-the-top can’t be good? Peacemaker does exactly that with their opening sequence, what with the song by the Norwegian glam rock band Wig Wam or the dance show the cast stages.

Very fitting to the genre, the amazingly detailed figures of the opening credits capture pirates and skeletons in their centuries-long battle. The haunting music is there to enhance the eerie feeling of mystery and adventure in the story of Captain Flint before the events of the well-known Treasure Island. 

Succession has been commended for a lot of things, and the opening score is one of them. Its strong melody that instantly grows on you perfectly captures the vibe of the show about wealth, industry power, and the fight for all of the above.

Not only is the Game of Thrones theme song one of the most compelling melodies in modern TV history, but the accompanying visuals are also as stunning as can be, to the point where you tend to forgive them for being on the lengthy side.

Prior to The O.C. era, indie rock was not a usual occurrence in TV shows. Its theme song was initially planned to be used during the introduction of the characters in the pilot. But everyone liked it so much that the creators ended up using it for the intro, paving the road for other indie rock tracks to be used in TV series.

Some may call the concept of Too Many Cooks crazy, and some might call it genius, but everyone will agree on one thing: once you’ve heard it, it’s impossible to forget it. The theme song changes genres so quickly, you will have to make an effort to keep up with it, and you definitely won’t want to skip it.

“Way Down in the Hole” by Tom Waits was not the creator David Simon’s first choice, but he realized that this song fitted the concept of The Wire perfectly, not only lyrically but even in sound.

If you needed to explain the ’90s to someone with one piece of media, the theme song for Friends would be all you’d need. Recognized universally, it is still one of the most beloved theme songs, and you immediately picture six people plopping on a sofa as soon as you hear the first chords.

Dark got lots of praise for its premise and execution, but audiences also often mention the moody theme and stunning visuals that absolutely set the tone for what was about to come on screen.

The creators of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend took the genre of the musical comedy/drama very seriously and dished out not only some fantastic songs for the episodes but also gave each season an opening theme in a specific music style, with the lyrics and visuals to match it.

Full House was developed to fit every family’s story, no matter what they were going through. And though this might seem like an impossible task, they pulled it off not only with the plot but even with the opening song.