this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2026

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193

What tv show has the best theme song? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by bizarroland@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

343 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Recently started watching old 90s and 80s shows just for the fun of it, because I'm bored with all of the new stuff that's coming out, and I fell into Knight Rider.

My review of the show so far aside, it's got straight up the most banger theme music I have heard in a TV show in a very long time.

https://youtu.be/lxhWxv_5bQ0

It got me wondering what other TV shows have really great theme songs?

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[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 2 points 25 minutes ago

Good question.

I suddenly couldn't remember what McGyver theme was but I remembered it's quite a banger.

And I wasn't mistaken.

https://youtu.be/yOEe1uzurKo

I think I had it on like my Nokia 3210 as a custom ringtone.

One that wasn't good but definitely an earworm:

But currently I've got the Voyager theme stuck in my head but it's somewhat boring, but all the Star Trek themes are good. Perhaps best is ofc It's been a long road from Enterprise.

Someone said "Buffy" and that was good, yeah. I don't think "Angel" is bad either. https://youtu.be/vpAol_17mO0 sounds a bit like Apocalyptica tbh

Now that I checked quite a few, seems like in the late 90's early 00's lots of openings had barely a theme song, 80% just the main character recapping the premise of the show

[–] BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 hour ago

Life is a hurricane...

[–] jaypatelani@lemmy.ml 3 points 5 hours ago

Series: "From" Que Sera Sera https://youtu.be/PDd-180FQ8U

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago

Air wolf. Never saw the show, player the NES game, but it slaaaaaps.

NES - https://youtu.be/U2MCKB-s90M

TV - https://youtu.be/pLFqeXm_5X4

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

These answers are a testament to how much better theme songs were before the 2000s, especially for kids shows. You used to get a minute and a half of hype music to introduce new viewers to the show or psych up returning viewers. Now, even the best ones, like Gravity Falls, are less then 40 seconds.

[–] Oggyb@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I honestly both agree and disagree. The tunes were absolute bangers but 30 seconds is quite long enough for opening titles.

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

You might be able to get the point of the show across in 30 seconds, but it's hard to set the vibe. Think about how much atmosphere Batman: TAS built in the minute-plus intro. Besides, it's not like that time is going towards the episode length; TV shows have gone from 24 minutes in the late 80s/early 90s to 21 minutes in the 2000s, and all that extra time went to commercials. It would be nice if they could at least give 30 seconds back towards a good theme song.

[–] machine2918@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

Rescue Me and the Norwegian 330 SAR Sea King theme.

[–] EponymousBosh@awful.systems 4 points 8 hours ago

Didn't see anyone mention the original Attack On Titan theme, which is surprising given how popular it was at the time

To nominate a show I actually watched beyond the first season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[–] Clbull@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

Gladiators.

[–] islandcoda42@lemmy.zip 5 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Simon & Simon theme was a banger

https://youtu.be/aClyUL_Amfw

[–] tronx4002@lemmy.world 8 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Cheers

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

This is probably the correct answer. I don't particularly like or dislike Cheers, and it went off the air when I was five, but even as a child, that theme song gave me a deep, nostalgic yearning for something I cannot articulate.

[–] tronx4002@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Totally. I never skip it.

[–] ITGuyLevi@programming.dev 2 points 8 hours ago

I know it's not a serious intro, but the theme to Aqua Teen Hunger Force has been rattling around in my head for nearly 25 years. Definitely a banger in my mind (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcd6wU86OgI).

[–] ZeDespo@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

Chalk Zone.

[–] Resonosity@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 8 hours ago

Pokemon

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 3 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

Battle of the Planets, original Battlestar Galactica, Space:1999, Sanford and son, The Jeffersons, Good Times

[–] flandish@lemmy.world 2 points 10 hours ago

Trailer Park Boys.

[–] SethTaylor@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Off the top of my head, Ted and Welcome to Derry are two I never skipped

The Ted one I've listened to tons of times, actually

[–] Son_of_Macha@lemmy.cafe 4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Hardcastle & McCormick Magnum PI The Fall Guy

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 1 points 10 hours ago

Good ones. Simon & Simon?

[–] eyesonthetoad@lemmy.zip 16 points 20 hours ago

Pink Panther!

[–] Schlemmy@lemmy.ml 3 points 15 hours ago

Blue Thunder

[–] Donebrach@lemmy.world 15 points 21 hours ago

Tank! by the Seatbelts for Cowboy Bebop is probably one of the best openers of all time for anything.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 11 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Enterprise. It's been a long time.

[–] Railing5132@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Hush you!

[–] MrRubik@lemmy.world 14 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

Easy. Firefly

[–] UPGRAYEDD@lemmy.world 1 points 15 hours ago

You cant take the sky from me.

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[–] mondomon@lemmy.world 13 points 22 hours ago

Cowboy Bebop. TANK! by The Seatbelts is peak.

[–] necrobius@lemmy.zip 6 points 20 hours ago

How I met your mother had a banger of an opening IMO. For anime it's Dan DA Dan season 1. But 321 Contact and the Fraggle Rock themes are the best.

[–] Squibbles@lemmy.ca 5 points 21 hours ago

The littlest hobo for sure

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