The 10 Most Delightfully Goofy Television Opening Credit Sequences Of All-Time
Spencer (1984)
Here's all you need to know about this one: Chad Lowe played the title character of Spencer. Every episode started with a cold open that always involved Spencer in some sort of wacky hijinks at school that -- every time -- got him sent to see an authority figure. The opening credits were always Spencer walking to his punishment, which -- in those days -- was probably some sort of corporal punishment. Poor guy?
Perfect Strangers (1986)
When Perfect Strangers premiered in 1986, as the opening credits showed, I thought it was perfectly normal that Balki Bartokomous arrived in the U.S. by boat from Meepos. As if it were 1886. America or bust! But how did he get from New York to Chicago? The greatest part of this title sequence is how hardcore Mark Linn-Baker looks as he's driving his Mustang. That delight starts after 17 seconds.
Amen (1986)
Ernest Frye arrives for another day of work, but not before a little Double Dutch! All done in one shot. Which probably explains why Sherman Hemsley looks so pissed off as the intro opens since this is most likely the 80th take he's had to endure.
The Fall Guy (1981)
It has to be handed to the producers of The Fall Guy: They somehow convinced Lee Majors -- who is not a terribly good singer -- to sing the opening theme song. Perhaps this should be a rule: The star of the show also has to sing the theme. The theme alone gets The Fall Guy onto this list, without even mentioning Colt Seaver's tendency to ogle at passing women.
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Comments
Man, this list could be a 100 items long! All good choices, but i would have found a way to squeeze the opening from 'Sledge Hammer' onto this list!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF6HIiWCh7k
Oh, c'mon, The Fall Guy theme was brilliant!
"Well, I'm not the kind to kiss and tell, / But I've been seen with Farrah."
How is that not all full of awesome?
What? I think everything on this list is full of awesome! Though, I prefer:
"I've never spent much time in school / but I've taught ladies plenty"
How could you miss this?
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/12/matt_houston_dvd.php
Because I am a moron. Yes, that is fantastic. I remember watching Matt Houston as a little kid and thinking that I wanted to be a Matt Houston.
Not even *CLOSE*:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNMJRFGuXL0
Oh Mighty ISIS!
Disappointing to see that a certain band of scientific outcasts are even too much of misfits for this list.
YES!! That immediately came to mind when I saw the subject line of this article.
Even my hyperlink didn't fit! (Probably because I typed it incorrectly.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRZWKfeN1u4
jesus, now that took me back. (i drew the line at '90210' and 'Blossom', though. hey, some things are just better left in the past where they belong.)
Loved those early seasons of 90210. The early 1990s... *sigh*
Put The Fall Guy down as the most awesome opening for me. As a boy in the early 1980s, seeing all those stunts was amazing... and still looks cool to this 36-year-old 🙂
Dear, Cargo-
If you're sarcastically referring to any one of the drunken sexual escapades I had in college with someone who was either: too fat, too drunk or too stupid...
Kudos to you for calling me on it.
Hands down "The Electric Company" had one of the best openings (and opening lines) ever. "HEY YOU GUUUUUUUUUYSS!!!!"
Hey everybody it's J.T. Lancer!!! / "The Big Chill"
The Fall Guy is one of the greatest tv openings ever!
Weird parallel shot Wrigley Field & Cubs tix joy for Punky Brewster and Perfect Strangers...
Ew.