It says a lot about a TV show when viewers can’t wait to see the intro each week just to get them pumped for a new episode. Call me crazy, but I even have a playlist dedicated just to TV show intro songs. If they’re good, they will hook you, and these definitely had me hooked by the first episode.
1. True Detective
HBO
As the main characters fade into the landscape of Louisiana it points to a struggle between relationships with the town and the people in it. You know an intro goes above and beyond when it can stand alone and tell its own story.
2. Breaking Bad
American Movie Classics
Some may think “Breaking Bad” is too short, but it’s to the point. And with a show that already holds so much anticipation each week, all I need to see are those two elements to pop up on the screen and I’m already drawn in.
3. Happy Days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W6y7YhHdVE
Henderson Productions
How can you not listen to this TV classic intro and not instantly want to belt out how happy you are 7 days a week?! Not only are the actors spinning on a record, but I just can’t resist anything Ron Howard…because he’s simply amazing, am I right?
4. Dexter
Showtime Networks
Dexter Morgan is a man of routine and rituals. What better way to showcase this than a montage of how he wakes up every morning, with an emphasis on blood because he is a blood splatter analyst after all. This mixed with the creepy carnival music sets the tone for a great intro and one hell of a show. (Lets not talk about the finale though).
5. Boy Meets World
Touchstone Television
The song is so simple, but the moment you hear it you can’t change the channel. And why would you want to? Wandering down this road that we call life…I’ll gladly take 30 minutes of my time and wander down that same road with Cory, Sean and Topanga too. Better yet, give me an all day marathon and I’m happy.
6. ER
Warner Brothers Television
ER is the original medical drama. And from the moment the intro begins, I feel like I’m about to walk straight into a hospital and watch all the chaos unfold. The creators tried to make the show as realistic as possible, even when it came to the medical terminology. No wonder I thought I could be a doctor when I was younger.
7. Pretty Little Liars
ABC Family
This whole entire show is based on secrets, and the intro song is dedicated to telling it’s viewers how secrets are kept. This along with the really cool Halloween intros we get to look forward to each season is the reason why Pretty Little Liars is amazing.
8. Parenthood
NBC Universal Television Distribution
They couldn’t have picked a better song to for the Parenthood intro. Bob Dylan’s “Forver Young” plays against a slideshow of family photos that include a young Dax Shepard and Lauren Graham. I immediately think of childhood memories and family, which is what this show is all about.
