What happened to sitcom theme songs???

[wamdue]

Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Scrubs all have short, but catchy tunes!

ill give you Big Bang Theory & Scrubs, but not HIMYM

 

[Dar70]

Heres a great site guys. They have tons of authentic tv themes. Many which can be used as ringtones.http://www.televisiontunes.com/

 

[Zulu Romeo]

In england, when I've watched some old stuff from the 60s/70s, the half-hour programmes would typically run for 29 minutes including decent length theme tune and end credits (about 1 -> 1.5 minutes each), thus allowing the station a 1 minute lead for the next programme. For the commercial-free BBC, this was the norm.

Although the BBC still don't interrupt programme to put adverts on, they do now have hefty blocks inbetween programmes for their own "here's what's ons"

On the commercial channels, advert space has increased. The sky channels were initially the worst for it, with over 25% airtime being commercials, but the other terrestrial channels are catching up, with 5 minute ad blocks every 15-20 minutes.

And to get to the point, yes, the title theme and end credits are being cut shorter to accommodate this.

The same is true on children's television. In the 60s/70s/80s, you got the full programme, often with a 2 minute "please wait while this programme starts" screen with a picture of a clown and a girl with some chalk.

In the early 90s, that was tightened up and programming was back to back. In the mid-late 90s, the presenters interrupted the credits to chat and engage in banter with edd the duck, and introduce the next programmes.

In the 00s, the credits have largely disappeared, and the presenters are only briefly visited before the next episode of "strobe lighting with cell shading at 1000mph" begins.

I've found with the BBC nowadays that their lengthy promos are in essence adverts by any other name. Even on radio they run their own promos as filler gaps in the programme at halfway points between the bookending news bulletins and things. They can be irritating at times.

Going back to sitcoms, sometimes to use the airtime wisely, instead of cutting down the opening titles and closing credits, they even go one step further by starting the action with overlying opening and closing credit sequences, usually with brief sketches during these sequences. Admittedly it's not a new practice, as fans of "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" will attest, but it's a practice seen in existing current sitcoms such as "The Green Green Grass" and "My Family" for instance (admittedly, not exactly the paragons of situation comedy, it has to be said).

On the subject of kids TV, gone were the days where we could sing along to the theme tunes (the likes of Andy Crane even "sung" along too ) or count down with the on-screen clock until the next Programme for Schools was about to start. Now the opening sequences are very often either cut down, or played in the background of the various shows while some young presenter with the latest glove puppet sidekick mouths off at the Yoof of Today™ about what's up next or something. (I can tell you, however, they still show the full opening titles for "LazyTown". )

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Family Matters

I liked this version much better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfcPaMa5yx4

 

[Trekker4747]

Family Matters

I liked this version much better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfcPaMa5yx4

Maybe I'm used to the usual version but that one doesn't do it for me. The song doesn't fit the tone of the series or the visuals on screen. It's... odd.

But, man, watching some of those old TGIF ones really brought back memories.

 

[nx1701g]

Changing viewer habits killed the good theme song. MASH, Barney Miller, Taxi, Cheers, Bob Newhart and Mary Tyler Moore all had amazing themes that were hooks in their own right to hold the viewer but these days we have no patience...sad, really.

It's actually a function of the fact that shows have a significantly shorter run-time now than they did in the 80's. I think they've cut out about 4 minutes of show time for more advertising, so many producers choose to forgo the theme song or severely shorten it in order to use that minute for actual show.

Under current rules the FCC authorizes about 17 - 18 minutes worth of commericals during a standard hour block of programming.

 

[Kryton]

Consider the opening and theme from "The Prisoner", clocking in at close to 3 minutes (mostly because they felt the premise needed to be repeated so a random NEW viewer would be up to speed with the show's offbeat concept).

 

[Zachary Smith]

Let's not forget this one . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eERm-UijdkA

"Meet Cathy who's lived most everywhere . . . . " Etc . . .


"Identical COUSINS?!?!?"

What HAS Patty's dad been up to?

 

[Velocity]

Not a sitcom, but as far as theme songs go, (and I'm definitely showing my age here) the theme for Peter Gunn is one of the best.

 

[Zachary Smith]

Not a sitcom, but as far as theme songs go, (and I'm definitely showing my age here) the theme for Peter Gunn is one of the best.

Remember this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCaCXXCM42Y

 

[John Picard]

Not a sitcom, but what the hell. A rehashed version of The Wild Wild West

 

[Jadzia]

On the subject of kids TV, gone were the days where we could sing along to the theme tunes (the likes of Andy Crane even "sung" along too ) or count down with the on-screen clock until the next Programme for Schools was about to start. Now the opening sequences are very often either cut down, or played in the background of the various shows while some young presenter with the latest glove puppet sidekick mouths off at the Yoof of Today™ about what's up next or something. (I can tell you, however, they still show the full opening titles for "LazyTown". )

It brings tears to my eyes.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

On the subject of kids TV, gone were the days where we could sing along to the theme tunes (the likes of Andy Crane even "sung" along too ) or count down with the on-screen clock until the next Programme for Schools was about to start. Now the opening sequences are very often either cut down, or played in the background of the various shows while some young presenter with the latest glove puppet sidekick mouths off at the Yoof of Today about what's up next or something. (I can tell you, however, they still show the full opening titles for "LazyTown". )

It brings tears to my eyes.

Oh my ears... I think I just went blind.

 

[wamdue]

[ (I can tell you, however, they still show the full opening titles for "LazyTown". )

I dont even want to think what that is like.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

(I can tell you, however, they still show the full opening titles for "LazyTown". )

I dont even want to think what that is like.

Personally, it's not a patch on the songs in the show itself.

 

[wamdue]

(I can tell you, however, they still show the full opening titles for "LazyTown". )

I dont even want to think what that is like.

Personally, it's not a patch on the songs in the show itself.

im guessing its some sort of brightly coloured horror fest which features the character bouncing around so much, it leaves you out of breath just watching it.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I dont even want to think what that is like.

Personally, it's not a patch on the songs in the show itself.

im guessing its some sort of brightly coloured horror fest which features the character bouncing around so much, it leaves you out of breath just watching it.

I see you've been watching too much Charlie Brooker and not enough Magnus Scheving.

 

[wamdue]

Personally, it's not a patch on the songs in the show itself.

im guessing its some sort of brightly coloured horror fest which features the character bouncing around so much, it leaves you out of breath just watching it.

I see you've been watching too much Charlie Brooker and not enough Magnus Scheving.

that may sound like Charlie Brooker, but it is all my own work.

 

[DeafPoet]

I should add that although it's instrumental, 30 Rock has smokin' awesome theme music.

 

[Jadzia]

Howard's Way.