Your top 3 TV series intro themes - Part I: Instrumentals

[LeBoyWondeur]

The reason for 3 choices is that everybody gets the chance to post his/her favourites rather than one person posting a list of 20 youtube videos.

I guess I may as well start with mine.

1. East Of Eden (1981)
https://youtu.be/hDnUxj_19YA
This also happens to be my all-time favourite American mini-series therefore it may affect the way I experience the music. Nevertheless, it's one of the few tunes (or maybe the only one) that almost makes my cry.

2. Oshin (1983)
https://youtu.be/gKrX9sBaXGk
A Japanese telenovela of sorts that my mother used to watch. It sounds slightly euro-flavoured and I think it's simply exquisite.

3. Kane & Abel (1985)
https://youtu.be/QsKMO4S2r3Q
Based on Jeffrey Archer's potboiler this theme encapsulates the pomposity and American faux-royalty in the most beautiful and exciting way possible.

[Mesmerized]

1. Mission Impossible (1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGSUjuSBt1A&pp=ygUZTWlzc2lvbiBpbiBwb3NzaWJsZSB0aGVtZQ%3D%3D

2. The Odd Couple (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDrfHj3j398&pp=ygUUVGhlIG9kZCBjb3VwbGUgdGhlbWU%3D

3. UFO (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2PoXfZdYVU&pp=ygUMdWZvIHR2IHRoZW1l

[Captain Quint]

Tough, there so many greats to consider.

1. Kolchak: The Night Stalker (couldn't find the original opening theme)
https://youtu.be/9lMI6AN-rV0?si=qVcbUDMrVOeuqSml

2. Checkmate
https://youtu.be/4ocUi15Nzww?si=TnJ9lXx2FrG4klEL

3. Perry Mason
https://youtu.be/SFiLqpPeNK0?si=RS0-b6xQnN-HJZT1

[gbgoodies]

It was hard to narrow it down to only three, but these are the three themes that came out on top for me:

Battlestar Galactica (1978)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzyHxYxc-Mo

Airwolf (1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfyhL-pFFMw

Quantum Leap (1989)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmMhij5dqdo

[Jeff]

The Rockford Files

https://youtu.be/W1zYNrsx9Pw?si=QL0ujXjPmf7UJlUM

Bojack Horseman is where u need the full version, and not the small portion used in the show

https://youtu.be/UkhHY7U3LwU?si=b3spERHqxNrDmsHO

i prefer classic Who, but the New Who's theme sounds better to me

https://youtu.be/QXRmKZ77wpY?si=uiJv0TIq2K_cwx2O

[LeBoyWondeur]

Very interesting choices.
The themes I'm familiar with: Mission Impossible, Airwolf, Doctor Who and The Rockford Files (and yet I expected to hear the tune of Hawaii Five-O, I don't know why).

The music from Bojack Horseman sounds wonderful, kinda AIR-esque.

[LeBoyWondeur]

Let's do a few more...

https://youtu.be/TqOqPbnxj9A
From the 1980 anthology series. Some episodes sucked but the theme always made me feel excited and nervous.

https://youtu.be/Wa2aCC-1JEs
I have yet to see the (short-lived) revival series but the classic one had some great water cooler moments.

https://youtu.be/24E61eZoTwg
One of Bill Conti's many great tunes and this one may as well have been the theme to a sci-fi series.
But then again, this short-lived prime time soap ended like this
https://youtu.be/0TP_07zq84s
Out-and-outrageous!

[Robert the List]

Is it because you like the tune, or because you know it means the programme's coming on?

[LeBoyWondeur]

In this thread it's about the music.

[AKA23]

The theme song from ER.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3KCM7ldK08