The TV-show theme song: dead and buried? First it was original movie soundtracks, now it’s TV-show theme songs that are getting an official belated Internet eulogy. The writer laments a world in which “modern TV producers fear flip-happy viewers” and cater to them by launching right into the plot with little or no musical opening. My guess is the writer doesn’t get HBO, because Oz, Deadwood, The Wire, The Sopranos and Entourage all have distinct theme songs that covered their opening credits (The Wire and Entourage are still active shows, as far as I know), as does Law & Order, a show popular enough to warrant its own channel. Not to mention, Strong Bad has already covered this topic. And maybe it’s a good thing that network-TV theme songs have gone the way of the minidisc. Modern shows may talk down to the viewer in every other conceivable way, but at least they assume we know what we’re watching. —Posted by David Kiefaber

January 4, 2008 in Kiefaber | Permalink

Comments

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Well, the theme song certainly provides more than a reminder about what show you're watching, right?

I like openings that set a tone for the show, put you in a headspace that helps the (all too temporary) suspension of disbelief... and when it's done right (a la The Sopranos) it becomes synonymous with the production and the tone of the show.

Great post, though.... I suspect theme songs will make a swing back on the pendulum. Like most things in life, everything has a season... it's the season of short-attention-spans right now - god forbid the networks lose viewers between shows or during the opening credits, so they jump right to the drama (as you mention).

I do miss the music.... got my fingers crossed that the tide shifts back in that direction!

Posted by: Burst Labs | Jan 4, 2008 1:39:27 PM

At least they assume we know what we’re watching.

Really? Then what are those intrusive banners, bullets and bugs at the bottom of the screen for?

Posted by: Daniel | Jan 4, 2008 1:53:42 PM

Maybe the trend of no-theme-songs applies more to the traditional networks. Since the viewers are already paying for HBO, flipping away is less of an issue. There's a perceived value there. To some extent that goes for expanded cable too. Nip/Tuck has one of the best theme songs ever.

I think I see a trend here. The better the show, the less the producers (or network execs -- whoever makes the final theme song call) fear that people will bail out at the first opportunity.

Posted by: Cheryl | Jan 4, 2008 6:05:51 PM

I don't know the specifics behind the Wire's or Sopranos' theme songs, but neither Law and Order nor Entourage follow the 1980s mold of lyrical themes written specifically for the show. Especially on network TV, but on Cable too, this trend seems to be dying if it's not already dead..

Posted by: Jesse | Jan 4, 2008 6:46:18 PM

It seems today, that all you see, is violence in movies and sex on tv. So where are those good old-fashioned values on which we used to rely?

Posted by: L3 | Jan 5, 2008 11:52:56 AM

one reason you left out is the shows running time being squeezed by more commercials. The Simpson writers talk about this often. they have had to shorten the opening theme because they have less time for the shows than they did even 5 years ago. Many shows have done away with the opening theme so they have a full 22min (or 42 for hour long shows) to tell the story. So blame the networks and their bottom line.

Posted by: jeffro the great | Jan 5, 2008 7:23:11 PM

For all of its musicality, Grey's Anatomy's adapted theme song has all but disappeared. A shame because it did help set the mood. And who could imagine "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" without that Nerf Herder tune? And not just the tune but the images. The much noted Sopranos "drive" from the Lincoln tunnel to West Caldwell or the vintage character "images" from "Where Everyone Knows Your Name."

Posted by: njp | Jan 5, 2008 8:29:59 PM

The writers' statement was dead on and you just proved his point. Shows on HBO - where there is no fear of channel flipping since those folks PAID for HBO so they Could watch those shows.... Law & Order has been on long enough that you young attention-span deficient persons would recognize it. They were talking about New shows and it is dead on. wow this article never should have been written. you said nothing accurately or intelligently. you said Nothing.

Posted by: Oh Please | Jan 5, 2008 11:50:40 PM

I think it may be that the Pimps...err...Producers don't want to shell out for the synchro...meaning...paying a composer.....

and besides, what on television needs a theme?

"Fat American Lawbreaker"?
"Fat White Americans with ZERO Black FRIENDS talk about Crap"?
"Fat American Washout star PImps his Kids to FOX"?

I wrote themes for all those shows and they were great...But the Pimp...err...Producer said they didn't have the budget...

Posted by: Johnno | Jan 6, 2008 6:53:39 PM

After watching for two seasons, I still enjoy the opening sequence to Dexter.

Posted by: welll | Jan 7, 2008 12:43:14 PM

I remember them talking about this back when Murphy Brown was on so the networks could cram in more commercials. Plot failed then - probably fail now too

Posted by: Rusty | Jan 7, 2008 5:07:13 PM

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