Retro Credits Mania

Posted by Maggie November 28th, 2007 at 10:51am In Veronica Mars Vintage

After the great comments on my credits post of yesterday, I thought it would be interesting to talk about credit sequences of yore. In that post, I had tried to stick to shows currently on the air. But the greatness of the Freaks and Geeks credit sequence just can’t be denied.

I’m also quite fond of the original Veronica Mars credits, mostly for the awesome song. I didn’t even mind too much when they changed it for the third season, though I know that was a controversial move. Arrested Development, too, packed backstory and narration into a fun and funny little bit.

Before the aughts, credits were not nearly as diverse and creative as they are now. They were often too long, full of standard, cheesy montages, and mostly tedious. For fun, and to see what I mean, check out the credits to LA Law. A lot like Full House. And Perfect Strangers. And many, many other shows. Even ER — and, by the way, I was horrified to hear that they’d changed the theme song recently — doesn’t exactly rock the world of credit sequences.

Of course, I have a lot less personal experience with older shows, so I probably have no idea what I’m talking about. Older people, what am I missing? Was there a notoriously great/bad credit sequence that rocked/sucked in the 70s or 80s?

Though not groundbreaking compared to newer shows, I find that I’m kind of enjoying the Miami Vice credits. See if you agree.

  1. wojtek posted the following on November 28, 2007 at 11:30 am.

    The Miami Vice credits are a study in awesome. I didn’t realize how deeply those images were burned into my psyche, until I watched it just now. And suddenly I remember it all: the flamingoes, the boobs, the rolls…es. Just great. And I still think Crockett’s Theme by Jan Hammer (not the credits music - I think they usually played it whileDon Johnson stared at the moonlit sea, towards the end of a given episode) is a piece of really good music.

    As for other credits - Dead Like Me had really nice ones, and I was blown away by Dexter’s opening sequence. Still like to watch it, even though I gave up on the series. But they’re both the “narrative” credits type.

    Oh! Mad Men - really cool graphics and retro feel.

    The only credits I never get tired of are Veronica Mars (1st and 2nd season) - can’t argue with that song.

    And even though I’m really tired of the Buffy theme, I still watch the credits just for the shot with speedy SMG entering a curve in slow motion, wearing some absurd pastel-colored coat. That image is just priceless.

    (I’m sorry I’m not older people)

  2. Lee posted the following on November 28, 2007 at 11:40 am.

    My So Called Life theme was pretty powerful.

    The cartoons credits was where it was at in the 80s.
    http://www.ifilm.com/video/2826074
    My friends and I recently huddled over a computer post party morning watching this absurd montage (and others).

  3. sara posted the following on November 28, 2007 at 11:43 am.

    I have a deep and childish love for the M*A*S*H credits. The song, the washed-out images, the anachronistic hairstyles all bring up my childhood whenever I see that sequence.

    On a completely different tack, Roommate once said she wished Las Vegas were as good a show as its credits would indicate. I concur. Although I will keep TiFauxing it because on Friday nights, after Friday Night Lights (awesome credit sequence, incredible song, makes me tear up) has ripped my heart out and danced upon it, I need to stare at Josh Duhamel’s pretty, motionless face for forty minutes.

    Old shows…Cheers was pretty good, I guess. Ooh, and The Cosby Show! Great. If only because Bill Cosby was once kind of groovy before he got all pedantic and in love with puddin’ pops.

  4. Kyle posted the following on November 28, 2007 at 12:29 pm.

    Not the most exciting visually, but as far as setting a mood goes, nothing beats the Twin Peaks theme music

    and I love the exceedingly goofy Magnum P.I. opening (sorry it’s French)

  5. ekrobi posted the following on November 28, 2007 at 4:43 pm.

    “Jeeves and Wooster” is another great one. The animation and the music are fantastic.

  6. maggie's dad posted the following on November 30, 2007 at 7:44 am.

    I used to love the way AS used to build the opening sequence of “West Wing’ into the wordless opening theme, usually punctuating the crescendo with a timpani roll at the end of the scene as a simple but effective transition to the music. By the way, the theme was rerecorded after 3 or 4 episodes. The first version was far less stirring, using a smaller more band-like group of instruments and a martial snare drum cadence, rather than the familiar lush orchestral treatment we all remember.

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