Finish this line for me…
“What ever happened to predictability …”
My guess is that if you are anywhere in your 20s or above, you can finish that. Not only can you finish the line, but you can sing it with the tune and everything.
Would you like some help?
Yes, that was the long version of the Full House theme and intro. It’s something that you don’t really see anymore — television show jingles. When I was growing up, it was part of the show. A minute or a minute and a half of the song and credits. But it was something that you grew used to seeing and hearing. When the theme came on, you knew you had a moment to grab a drink or a snack and get back for the show.
Now, they just start the show and run the credits in the opening moment.
Why?
The intro songs were a part of the show. I realize that the time on the show is important, but why take something so good away from the show.
Think of shows from the 1980s and 1990s. I’d be willing to bet if you were a fan of sitcoms, you could identify a show by its theme alone. Think Cheers. It’s one of the longest running shows of all times. The theme song goes with the show.
Don’t remember it? I’d be shocked if that was the fact. Here it is…
That theme is so popular that there have been off-shoots of it. Take Flaming Moe’s from The Simpsons.
Anyway, back to the TV theme song.
I’ve noticed recently the trend to totally avoid theme songs and it’s disheartening. As someone who grew up with the themes, I would love to see a resurgence of them. Even some of the more serious shows had the theme songs. I’m sure if I said some shows — Hawaii 5-0, Hill Street Blues, Perfect Strangers, Dallas, Different Strokes — I have a feeling many of you would easily be able to sing along or hum along the theme.
With that in mind, the reason for this post. I know I won’t be able to convince television executives to bring back these themes, but I can at least enjoy some of my favorites. Below, I give you 10 of my favorites (not including the ones up top), in no specific order. I’m sure I will miss a couple, but these are some of my favorites.
This is the first of several of these posts I will do over the coming weeks. This one are for shows that started or were fully in the 1980s and had words with the theme songs. Therefore, you won’t see themes such as WKRP in Cincinnati, Alice, Laverne and Shirley, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son etc.
In future editions of this subject I will do theme songs (with words) that ran in the 1990s. I will also do one that is for themes without words (haven’t decided if I will do an 80s/90s one or have one for each decade). Finally, I’ll likely do a post on older themes as well, which will mix themes with and without words.
Did I miss your favorite (with words) theme from the 80s? Post it in the comments below.
Enjoy!
10. Perfect Strangers
9. Webster
8. My Two Dads (I’m posting two videos here, one with the talk-in intro and one with the song intro only)
7. Charles in Charge
6. Punky Brewster
5. Growing Pains
4. Mr. Belvedere
3. Who’s the Boss?
2. Family Ties
1. Family Matters
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