Great opening sequence

Discussion in 'TV & Media' started by magarity, Nov 6, 2012.

  1. magarity

    magarity Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

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    So over in the forum for Enterprise the opening sequence is regularly bashed and defended so I'm curious in general, what's your favorite TV opening sequence? The one that best captures the essense of, and sets the mood for the show? And I mean the whole of it; not "the song was great but the imagery was dumb" or vice versa.

    I have to say "Sledge Hammer" or "Stargate Atlantis" get my vote for most appropriate opening to show relationship.
     
  2. Gary Mitchell

    Gary Mitchell Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I always liked the openings for the different seasons of Babylon 5.
     
  3. auntiehill

    auntiehill The Blooness Premium Member

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    Stargate: SG1, Magnum, PI, PBS' Mystery, Deadwood, Dexter, Robot Chicken and The Simpsons are some to come immediately to mind.
     
  4. Kirkman1987

    Kirkman1987 Commodore Commodore

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    M*A*S*H has a very powerful intro, and it sets the mood very effectively. It's not entirely Representative of the show (at least in the earlier more comedic seasons) but I don't think it was inappropriate.

    I also think those Mission Impossible montage intros were really slick.
     
  5. inflatabledalek

    inflatabledalek Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Best original: The colour Emma Peel credits for The Avengers.

    Best Lots-of-clips: The A-Team.
     
  6. Claudia

    Claudia Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Currently: Game of Thrones. I love that intro to bits.

    Also: I liked the Enterprise-intro, B5 of course (esp seasons 3 and 4), Beauty and the Beast (the 1980's version), SG-1 (the syndication-version with the clips), MacGyver
     
  7. CmdrAJD

    CmdrAJD Commodore Commodore

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    I agree on the Sledge Hammer opening. The X-Files was another one where I thought the music and visuals went together perfectly with the tone of the show.
     
  8. Balrog

    Balrog Commodore Commodore

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    Loved the nuBSG opening credits that included clips from the upcoming episode.
     
  9. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    B5, seasons 3 and 5
    Buffy
    Angel
    Firefly
    Space: 1999
    Mission: Impossible
    Hawaii 5-0
    Cowboy Bebop
    Ghost in the Shell (both seasons)
    The Addams Family
    Gilligan's Island
    The Jetsons
    The Avengers (Steed and Emma)
    Mannix

    Lots more I can't think of right now.
     
  10. DonIago

    DonIago Vice Admiral Admiral

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    "Six Feet Under" and "True Blood" both have very artistic opening credit sequences, and they're great on their own terms, but I'm not entirely sure whether I'd call them representative of their series.
     
  11. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    Lost. Not!
     
  12. Admiral2

    Admiral2 Admiral Admiral

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    Jonny Quest
    Mighty Max
    G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero
    Stargate SG1
    Battlestar Galactica TOS
    Twilight Zone
    Wonder Woman
    The Six Million Dollar Man
    Seven Days
    Police Squad! (IN COLOR)
    JAG
    Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
    DALLAS
     
  13. Mister Fandango

    Mister Fandango Fleet Captain

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    I really love the opening for Dexter. It's a great demonstration of how twisted ordinary things can look if you simply choose to see them that way, and how someone like Dexter sees the world all the time.
     
  14. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    I always thought the intro to The Equalizer set the stage very well.
     
  15. Gaith

    Gaith Vice Admiral Admiral

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    In the City of Angels, under cover of Night
    People are drowning in a sea of light...
    The devil's holding your life on the line -
    Angels are calling, praying for time!
    Something's got to give - something's got to break -
    Before it's too late - before it's too late!
    AFTER THE SUN GOES DOWN...


    [​IMG]


    Awesomeness. :techman:


    Can't forget Walker, Texas Ranger or Early Edition (particularly Gary's narration, though "Time Has Come Today" was excellent also)... I love how the Boston Legal intro bleeds in and out of the episodes' reality... Louie is great... TNG is classic (just recently discovered you can actually see people walking inside the ship during the final fly-by)... The Pacific's theme is heartbreaking, with beautiful visuals... Sledge Hammer! is indeed topping...
     
  16. EnderAKH

    EnderAKH Commodore Premium Member

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    I love the ballad of Firefly. It sets the tone of the show, blends sci-fi and western, and is catchy as hell.
     
  17. Warp Coil

    Warp Coil Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Top 10 opening credit sequences:

    Battlestar Galactica
    Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    Dexter
    ER
    Fringe
    Game of Thrones
    House, M.D.
    Star Trek: Voyager
    Stargate Atlantis
    The Walking Dead
     
  18. auntiehill

    auntiehill The Blooness Premium Member

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    ^I agree with Walking Dead. The opening sequence, especially this season, is very good.
     
  19. Kegg

    Kegg Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Since nobody's mentioned it yet:

    Rome had a spectacular opening. Ancient graffiti come to garish life. Set the tone for the series rather well.
     
  20. Gaith

    Gaith Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Agreed, but I find the visuals annoying as heck - way too much cutesy super-shiny names! animation and garish colors. I grayscaled the sequence just for kicks once, and found the resulting subtler visuals a big improvement.



    A great concept, yes, but every time I see it I can't help but be irked at how darn dramped the visuals are. I assume that's intentional; to box you in for two minutes at the start so that the actual outside scenes are all the more impressive.