A fan emailed me saying how much she loves the theme songs to Drake & Josh and iCarly, and how she's sad that most TV shows today have (basically) no theme songs. I couldn't agree more. It's very sad and dumb.
You've probably noticed over the past 15 years that theme songs have slowly disappeared from TV shows. They're not completely gone yet, but they're fading into extinction.
Why has this happened, you ask? The reason...
The big networks feel that TV theme songs are a waste of air-time. They'd rather use the time for an extra commercial.
What these network executives don't understand is how a theme song is often the soul of a TV show. The magic.
Here's a little story...
One night in the early summer of 1994, Matthew Perry showed up at my house in Laurel Canyon. He had a VHS tape in his hand – the studio cut of a new pilot he'd just shot. Matt popped the tape into my VCR and we watched the pilot. It was called (at that time) Friends Like Us. I thought it was good. Not awesome, but good. I told Matt I thought the show had a real chance of making it.
CUT TO: September 1994.
I turned on NBC and watched the premiere of the pilot Matt had shown me. The name of the show had been changed from Friends Like Us to just Friends. But the huge difference was the newly added theme song (and the images that went along with it, which are called the "main titles").
When I'd watched the studio cut of the pilot, I thought it would probably be a hit. But when I saw the finished version on TV with those main titles and that awesome theme song, "So no one told you life was gonna be this way... CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP..." I thought, "Okay, this show's gonna be HUGE." It was just obvious. That theme song added POWER – a huge splash of magic to the show. It felt like a hit before the first scene started.
Think about eliminating the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Can you imagine that show without its theme song and main titles? I swear, I think that song is half the reason the show is so fondly remembered today.
I realize that some of you reading this are too young to remember some of the shows I'm about to mention, but...
Try to imagine Cheers without "Makin' your way in the world today takes everything you've got..."
Try to imagine Family Ties without "What would we do, baby, without us..."
Try to imagine The Mary Tyler Moore Show without "Who can turn the world on with her smile..."
Try to imagine All In The Family without "Boy the way Glenn Miller played..."
The Simpsons... Happy Days... M*A*S*H... The Rockford Files... Hill Street Blues... and even sillier shows like Gilligan's Island... The Brady Bunch... The Beverly Hillbillies...
All those shows were practically defined by their theme songs.
And can you imagine Drake & Josh without "Well I never knew it would be so simple but, I found a way, I found a way..."
Or iCarly without "I know, you see, somehow the world will change for me and be so wonderful..."
If you take away those shows' theme songs, you take away a lot of their magic. Their soul. They just wouldn't be the same or so fondly remembered. I think almost every fan would agree.
It sucks that most of today's network bigwigs don't get it.
Luckily, a few showrunners today fight the big networks and win approval to have a theme song – not a 60-second song (like the good old days), but sometimes they'll get approval for a 20 or 30 second theme song. An example is The Big Bang Theory – a great show with a perfect theme song that gives the show its soul. Once you fall in love with it, those first few bars, "Our whole universe was in a hot dense state..." make you smile and want to sit down and watch.
I'm glad that Nickelodeon is on my side. My shows will always begin with a great, 60-second kick-ass theme song.
'Cuz that's how television should be.
--Dan
Thursday, September 3, 2009
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69 comments:
HELL YEAH!!!
WELL said my friend. I couldn't agree more.
:) I agree
uh oh. you said ass. Nickelodeon is gonna can you now
I LOVE The Rockford Files!
:O You are a 8257845794572849578475472539579857 percent right :D
Aww, what compelling thoughts Dan, I completely agree! ^^ It stinks that the bigwigs are too dumb to see tv like you do but at least we still have you!
Miranda-A.K.A-- twitter.com/Yellowgrrl
"An example is The Big Bang Theory – a great show with a perfect theme song that gives the show its soul. Once you fall in love with it, those first few bars, "Our whole universe was in a hot dense state..." make you smile and want to sit down and watch."
This is just so amazingly right! The theme song is the perfect fit to the show and I just love to sing along when it comes on (even when I'm watching it on DVD). :D
And I really can't imagine iCarly without it's theme either...it really is sad that most shows are missing out now. :[
I completely agree with you Mr.Schneider and I cannot tolerate those retyped credits and the end of tv shows these days!!! I mean the ending redits sequence is just as much a part of the show as the rest of it like Leave it to Beaver isnt as much fun to watch without seeing Beaver and Wally walking home from school and I had to watch online to see the ending sequence of iCarly! Its like networks dont care at all who works behind the scenes anymore it feels like thedisclaimers at the end of the auto commercials! I could go on about this forever but u have things to do LOL
I couldn't agree more. If I ever turned on Friends and I didn't see them dancing in the fountain I'd cry.
Theme songs are an amazing way to let producers and creaters express their message, what's in their hearts about the TV show they're airing. And I think everytime I watch one without one (Much as I love Gossip Girl), I'm irritated because it's different every week.
I think to have a TV show that's remembered long after it's run like Friends, or the Brady Bunch...oh god, and so many more...Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Growing Pains...you have to have that little piece of consistency for the viewers.
I mean, to be honest, it might even keep my dial on a show I'm getting sick of because it reminds me "Hey, I've been with this since the begin, I remember the episode that clip is from" and you have faith in it. It makes you feel closer to the characters.
EXACTLY DAN!!! I LOVE the theme songs in shows!! And let's not forget about the theme song for Three's Company! Also to add, if you ever have come across people on the web who complain about shows today being just silly, Three's Company was just like the shows today: never serious, always silly and STILL popular! Just like how iCarly is now and always will be!!!
Back to the theme song. I LOVE listening to a show's theme song! Don't you just HATE the commercials or when they add an extra commercial into the program or when they play possibly the same commercial again and (maybe) again? Theme songs rock!! They DO give the show its soul!! That's like if you got a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but no peanut butter. It's like when you're made a burger (whether, you barbeque or order it at McDonald's) and they give it to you but there's no burger. The sandwich is incomplete. Just like tv shows, they are NOT complete without their theme songs!
DANWARP: MAKING TV THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. ;P
Couldn't agree more. Especially the Big Bang and Friends thing. I LOVE those theme songs. In fact on of my favorite videos on YouTube is an iCarly opening credits to the Friends theme song. :)
Many of the TV Shows are remembered for the theme song. o_O
Amen.
None of those shows you mentioned would even be recognized if not for their awesome theme songs.
I STILL go around singing Cheers and M*A*S*H (the actual song part). It's because they're catchy and easy to remember..
And every time Drake & Josh or iCarly comes on I start dancing to the theme song because it just makes you wanna smile. :D Glad you're one of the few that stands firm on theme songs! You rock, Dan! (:
Totally true.
Even if it's a reality show that starts off with "This is the true story...of 7 strangers...picked to live in a house" it's not really a song, but it's SOMETHING memorable that people can hold onto. I can't believe people do not get that.
"All That" had an AWESOME theme :-)
I love theme songs. One of my favorite themes ever? Golden Girls. The show is awesome on its own but add a little "Thank you for being a friend.." and it's just magic.
My opinion is complex, so I'm just going to say:
You should see the fan videos of iCarly with the Friends theme song. Maybe you have.
This one is very good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGJo08uc0Dw
Not bad either:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqbfJYdd8C0
Note that these videos should be protected under copyright law due to being criticism and comment.
Three of my favorite TV shows today, are defined by their theme songs, iCarly, General Hospital (no words, but what would the show be without that great musical intro?), and Hannah Montana.
When I was a kid, all the TV shows I watched in the '50's & '60's were defined by their themes, Howdy Doody, The 3 Stooges, The Munsters, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Outer Limits, Lost In Space, The Addams Family, Green Acres, etc., etc.
Dan, great topic. Something most of us never think about, until it's brought up. Now, if the current shows of today would adopt putting 'star' credits AFTER the show, as well as before (as in most movies)...
yeah i agree its sad that shows do that just for more commercial time so they can get more money. ur so much more down to earth then at i dont know any other writers who take time out of their lives and write things for fans, most other tv show writers spend their time trying to get even more money. =]
You don't even want to get me STARTED on theme songs. I have about 250 of them on my iPod.
Favorites: Wonderfalls, Sanford and Son, The Partridge Family, The Big Bang Theory (yay Barenaked Ladies), Firefly...
My cell phone plays the 30 Rock theme song when I get a text message. (My old phone played the theme from Will and Grace.)
Also, LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY! Classic.
Yeah, the full M*A*S*H theme song is pretty awesome, but not as awesome as the scene in the movie where it originated. OMG. Sofa king funny.
I love theme songs that are instrumental, but have lyrics that aren't played when the show airs...Bewitched, Andy Griffith (I'm am not ashamed to say that I know all the words to the three minute full theme), and, again, M*A*S*H.
I love it even more when TV shows have themes that are also full songs. iCarly, Drake & Josh, Wonderfalls, How I Met Your Mother, House, and so on and so forth.
Also, since this fits in (kind of), there was totally a moment on iCarly where someone was playing with Sam's remote, and he pressed the "applause" button, and I SWEAR it played part of The Amanda Show theme song. Am I just hearing things? Seriously, this has been bugging me for MONTHS.
Couldn't have said it better myself, sir.
I love your examples, too. =]
One modern example I'll site is Bones. Its theme song is instrumental and only 30 seconds in length, but the show absolutely would not be the same without it. It's like you said: It sets a tone, and offers a peek into the essence of the show right off the bat. I really wish more American shows would embrace the wonders of the theme song.
Man... you are the reason why I want to be a TV producer... or just a producer...or whatever...You are AWESOME!!! :)
if you watch anime they're theme songs are usually 1:30. i wish shows out here could have openings that long. with cool music that captures the mood and stuff ya'know.
That's so funny that you should mention 'The Big Bang Theory' theme because that's my ringtone! And I always almost miss my calls because I want to sing along with it. :) A couple of girls at work and I were talking about theme songs today and the consensus was that we liked 'Golden Girls', 'Busom Buddies', and 'Perfect Strangers' the best. The last being the unanimous favorite.
I knew you were going to mention friends! Seriously "Nobody told you life was gonna be this waaaay CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP" has GOT to be the best opening line for a theme song.. EVER.
And also, FRASIER'S theme song! But it's not the opening though.. they have their theme in the ending. "hey baby i hear the blues are calling.. tossed salad and scraaaambled eggs! Mercy!..." and with the laugh somewhere in the middle and the "goodnight everybody!". It was a pretty awesome theme, even if it was at the end.
Imagine Dawson's Creek without: "I don't wanna wait for our lives to be over" lol.. theme songs are super important! It really does define a show.
I happen to LOVE the iCarly theme.. it's super catchy!
-ThriLLerQueen
I couldn't agree more Dan my Man!
Charmed without "I am the son. I am the heir..."
Or Smallville without "Somebody save me..."
Or even Full House without "Whatever happened to predictability.."
The shows just don't work without the theme songs!
I totally agree :D sure most of the time I skip the theme song if I'm watching a dvd, but it wouldn't be the same if it didn't have one. I love iCarly's theme song so it'd be weird and sad without one.
Family Guy has a good one, Bones has a good one as well.
Aw, Mary Tyler Moore's theme song makes me so happy.
Also, Laverne and Shirley had a great one!
You're so right!!
A great example for how the magic disappears without a theme song is Grey's Anatomy.
It actually has that theme song that just says:"Nobody knows where they might end up, nobody knows..." but to me that's a really important part of the show.After times they got that brilliant idea to just put a plenty white screen with "Grey's Anatomy" on it - it sucks. So everytime they still use the original theme you can feel that the magic's coming back again. :)
I totally agree with you. I love that your shows have always had theme songs, they stick with you, even ten years later and you're an adult [like myself]. My brothers and I still remember the All That theme song to this day.
Someone mentioned 'The Big Bang Theory' and I totally agree, their theme song makes me smile and bouncy in my seat as I try to sing along to it. It really is the soul of the show and makes you love it even more.
If more of the 'bigwigs' followed your way of running things there'd be some awesome shows on television right now.
You sir are amazing!
Keep giving us brilliant shows and theme songs to get stuck in our heads for many years!
-panda
Interesting thoughts. Even though TV show intros are getting shorter, theme songs don't need a lot of time to be catchy- SpongeBob's theme is less than a minute long and is probably as fabled as many cartoon theme songs of the past are. And besides "Big Bang Theory," "Two and a Half Men" also has a short-but-sweet theme. Seeing as Chuck Lorre, who created both "Bang" and "Men," wrote the immortal Ninja Turtles theme, he probably knows a thing or two about the importance of TV theme songs.
I agree with you Dan. Personally I'd like to hear a theme sung by Miranda Cosgrove and Jennette McCurdy since they both have such amazing voices. It's quite amazing that iCarly has not only the perfect synergy of personalities/talents, it also has some of the most amazing singing voices too!
Thank you Dan! The theme songs do add somthing special to a show... and all you're shows are great with them (Drake & Josh, Zoey 101 and now iCarly). Even Kenan & Kel is well remembered for it's theme song! :) And thanks to Nickelodeon for still caring about theme songs... and about letting showrunners do what they think is best for THEIR show! :)
I completely agree. A lot of shows (including several you mentioned) when I start to think about them, the first thing that comes to mind is the theme song.
I watch a lot of Japanese shows as well and they have a full 1 minute 30 second theme show and it's awesome. They have no issues with Sponsors, no issues with funding... It's a shame people have to be greedy and kill such a nice part of a show. Sure, not all shows need a theme that long (30 seconds and 1 minute work well for a lot of shows :D), but cutting them completely is just...stupid.
I awsomely agree with you! And i loved how you put 'Ass' there. Cause it's so true! Although, I have to say, (it wasn't brought up) "Two and a Half Men" Has a very catchy theme song, even though it's not long. I sing it in school and my friend sings along too. That song defines "Two and a Half Men". What i'm saying is, some shows have exceptions.
Oh, Dan, you just got about a dozen theme songs running through my head with this post, and at LEAST a dozen dozen (if not more) fond memories. :D
And I just want to say (sorry for spamming) that I was standing in the hall back when I was in high school, waiting to be let in to French class, with all the other French 4/5 girls (so, junior year for me, 2005) and someone came by whistling the beginning to Green Acres, and without thinking the six of us (high school junior/senior girls, 2005!!) just burst out singing, "Green Acres is the place for me..."
It was grand, I tell you. :D
Once again Dan, you are so right.
I can't even count how many times I sat down on the couch and stayed to watch a show just because of the theme song. Every time I watch Drake & Josh, or even the Amanda Show I would find myself singing along to what ever lyric there is.
Some of my favourite theme songs come from Drake & Josh, Zoey 101, That 70s' Show, Friends, even children shows like Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto! (which I suggest ANYONE to search on youtube). Also, personally, I really like what about most anime shows is their theme songs, shows like Bleach & Naruto to name a few use a different song for every season, I'd say. And others have signature themes, like many memorable shows.
The theme song becomes a character on their shows and become loved by their viewers.
I think my favorite is, of course, Three's Company. :D
Agreed! I mean, the theme song, in general, is the thing that really CAPTURES your attention when you first watch a show. You don't know any of the characters when the show first starts, or what the show is really about. You don't know any of that, so something has to capture your attention. Theme songs are the things that do that.
A few of my favourite theme songs are: Gilligan's Island, Green Acres, Bewitched (I watched the show all the time when I was a little girl... and I'm only 15 right now!), I Dream Of Jeannie, Happy Days (both theme songs, cause I remember it got changed sometime during the series), That 70's Show, and even little children's shows that I used to watch like Elliot Moose, Bananas In Pyjamas and Ducktales.
The 70's, 70's, even 90's all had awesome theme song, and now, the theme songs are slowly dwindling away, except for on Nickelodeon. I mean, ok, Disney has theme songs too now, but other channels just don't... (Gossip Girl and Grey's Anatomy anyone?) A theme song really defines if you will continue watching the show or not. No theme song/theme titles, especially not catchy ones, most likely you won't be interested in the show.
In the UK, theme songs are slightly higher pitched.
the USA uses NTSC, 23.976 frames per second, and the UK uses PAL, 25fps.
so in the UK things are SLIGHTLY sped up, and episodes are a little shorter ;)
Theme songs to TV shows hold so many memories! Like you said one line from a theme song can remind us of great TV shows! But Dan...You forgot The Amanda Show!!!! I miss that show soooooo much! :(
I agree completely. Well said, Dan :)
Also, to rubber- face, I miss the Amanda Show too!!!!
I agree :)
Theme songs add more... magic.
The network bigwigs should also consider a show like Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Its a long running show, it's about to start airing it's 9th season and because of the nature of it (it takes place at a high school) most of the older characters are only on these days for brief appearances and there are lots of new kids on the show. Not to mention, even in the first few seasons there have always been fifteen or more characters to follow, not one specific star. It's like a soap opera that way. (Only not totally, the situations are believable, and we aren't going to be watching the same dinner party six months from now).
This show is a great example of why there needs to be a theme song! The theme song itself has changed over the years: new singer for the song, one season they did away with the vocals and just used an instrumental version of it, and the producer of the show announced on Twitter that there may be a male voice in the upcoming season's incarnation. Which is great, because as the characters change and new things start going on, you can easily discern, just from the sound of the theme song, in the case of this show, what season it is.
Either way, when I hear "Whatever it takes, I know I can make it through" I know not to change the channel because one of my favorite shows is on!
Theme songs are very important, and the network bigwigs would do good to realize this.
I can't agree with you more. Themesongs are the basics of the show, they show you what the show is like, give it more life, and make up the soul of the show.
~ Arnoud
I don't think that anyone's mentioned my all time favorite theme. There's only a few words in it, but it really sets the tone. What is this show?
Why, it's Beetlejuice! Run from 89 to 91, I do believe. It would not be complete without the high pitched "La La Lala Lala La" and Lydia's "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, BEETLEJUICE!"
No show should go without a a theme song. It's not right.
-Jess aka Killer_Queen_17 on twitter
it is my goal to remember all good theme songs.
how can i remember sumthing thats not there?!
You took the words right out of my mouth, Dan. I can't picture my favorite TV shows without their theme songs. I always love hearing the theme songs to "Total Drama Island/Action, 6Teen, Stoked, and iCarly".
I have to agree, Especially with the Fresh prince of Bel Air......Sadly I miss shows having theme songs. but at least some shows still have theme songs!
Up Top, Dan!! *throws hand up in air*
No...?
*puts hand back down to side*
Anyway,
Did you know that the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air CUT the lyrics to the theme song? Its just the instrumental for about 20 seconds and it skips a lot of parts of the theme song. It just makes me so frustrated sometimes.
They also did that with Malcom in the Middle, they just put the "Life is unfairrrrr...." in it, which is about 5 seconds.
If iCarly, Drake & Josh, All That, or The Amanda Show didn't have their theme songs, gosh, I wouldn't know what to do. It just gives the show it's spirit.
Commercials are crap, lemme say, it just takes up the time for watching the actual show.
"No wonder they are losing teens to the internet..."
And it's true!
In short, I TOTALLY agree.
i know what you mean. try watching malcom in the middle with out "life is unfair"
haha i just never could get into drake and josh but i freakin LOVE iCarly
I hate to say it, but it's Americanised excess commercialism striking again. Take a look at the BBC - a network without commercials - and it's hard to think of a new show which doesn't have a lengthy and memorable theme tune. Their use of breakbumpers, on the other hand, is completely inexplicable.
Hey Dan, nice post. I think we absolutely have to add one more theme tune to the list: "Knight Rider" 8-).
I remember the Theme to "My Mother The Car".
I am the Older Than Dirt Fan (OTDF) of all things sitcom.
Lol, I had the "I know, you see" part of the iCarly theme as my ringtone.. :)
i definatly agree completly because nearly everyone loves to sing along to the theme song while watching the opening credits it the thing that makes you want to watch on in the programme to see all the events in the start unfold later on in the series. icarly for example the spencer and ostrich part i bet everyone wanted to see why spencer was there with the ostrich andf why he was doing such a stupid face
I'm in complete agreement about theme songs! The words and tunes will stay in people's memories long after the shows have gone to TV-Valhalla. Glad Nickelodeon is backing you on keeping theme songs on your shows. I just wish they'd stop cutting the end credits, like when the out-takes from Drake and Josh used to be shown instead of extra commercials.
I'm struggling to think of a TV show without a theme song...
a TV show without a theme song: Supernatural.
But It doesn't NEED one. There's already so much music in the show.
Plus it always comes on a certain way, with the supernatural logo and some strange noise; it's epic.
If it had a theme song, I might be a little weirded out. It wouldn't been the same, haha.
Although I do LOVE singing along to theme songs, Supernatural is okay without one :)
i totally agree. i mean, imagine full house, which is my fav tv show that is no longer made, without everywhere u look. i always sing it, and it adds a lot 2 the show. and the icarly theme is so catchy, and personally i would not b into the show if there wasn't a theme song. u r soooo right.
i've watched iCarly hundreds of times but i never seem to get tired of singing the opening song. maybe our neighbors are tired of hearing me now but i bet they'd even join me once they start watching the show too. it's just so captivating!
LOL, my best friend knows that iCarly's my favorite show. When we were filling out our "Year in Review" with our other friends one of the questions was "What song will always remind you of 2009?" He said on his "The iCarly theme song...because of Athena." I LOL'd so hard when I saw that!
I told him later, that although I don't go skipping out of bed and around the house sing ing "Leave It All to Me" like he pictured (WOW, LOL) when I hear it played on t.v. it gives me such a warm and fuzzy feeling. I can't wait to watch it even if I've seen that ep. a million times because the song drew me in.
I never thought about it the way you just explained, but you're right. They're all part of the magic.
Yeah Nickelodeon and theme songs being 60 seconds exactly what would SpongeBob be without Who lives in a pineapple under the sea...
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