Reviewing Sitcom Openings

One thing I haven’t done enough is take some TV openings and review them. So far, I have only done this with The Cosby Show, the TGIF shows, the Disney anthologies, and an article where I discussed how theme songs evolve with the series. So I decided, it was time to try this again. (and yes, Nostalgia Critic did this idea once too).


This is just an experiment of sorts, but if I like it maybe I will do more. No order or common theme, just throwing out an opening and reviewing it. And I will stick with sitcoms this time around. Yes it’s true sitcom openings are hard to review because they are usually so generic. But let’s give it a shot anyway.



Night Court

Night Court is one of those themes that tries to trick you. It looks like its going for a gritty realistic cop show. Then the jazz music kicks in, and you can tell it’s not that. It’s amazing how well this music sets the tone for whole series. The visuals are limited. All we see is our actor smiling mixed with quick shots of New York at night. And yet, the tone is set perfectly!










Mr.Belvedere

This one follow the same idea as Night Court in the start. With that elegant and soft music–before the Leon Redbone cuts in with his awesome song. It’s one of these songs that isn’t specifically about the show, and yet it explains the idea beautifully. My only gripe in this theme is the presentation. The faces of the actors are crammed with clips of them in the show. But the clips go by so fast, as if they just didn’t have time for them all, so why bother at all?







Out of this world

Ok, so let’s say you have a silly little idea for a sitcom. You’re selling it into syndication which means that there isn’t going to be any network advertising to back it up. So in order to get noticed you need to do two things with your opening. First, you need to get people’s attention with a great song that will be stuck in their heads for years. Second, explain what the show is about in a way that makes sense. This way the audience is interested and wanted to check it out. My friends, that sums up this fantastic opening to one of the silliest sitcoms ever made. And it works! This opening is perfect.






Happy Days (season 1)

Here’s a great example about how to do a theme wrong. Hey, let’s take a song so famous no one will ever associate it with the show. Then we’ll show still shots of the actors so small you can barely see them. Because showing the record is more important? Oh and by the way, what the heck is this show about?? The clips we get make it look like the show is just going to be a knock off of “American Graffiti”. Of course this intro would not last and what we got in later seasons is one of the more iconic openings of any show. But man, it didn’t start that way! Did I mention the opening is ungodly long?





 
Alice

No offense to the singer here, but man is this song awful. There is just something about it which turns me off more than on. And I should point out here, this all just my opinion. Aside from the awful music the theme does it’s job giving us backstory and characters.




You know, I was hard on Happy Days before is there a worst theme out there?



Joanie Loves Chachi

Oh my god! It’s even longer! And what the heck is up with that awful song the two are singing? I get it, it’s a “love story” so the theme should reflect that. But man guys, was this the best you could come up with? Really?? One thing that might have helped was breaking up the visuals with clips, but nope! We get to look at these two staring in their eyes as if they were Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton! How can one intro have so much fail? Wonder the show tanked? The second season theme was a little better because they showed other people in the show..but not much. And yes I am surprised there was a second season too. I also love how the title comes up immediately with no buildup or anything. Yawn.





 
Fresh Prince of Bel Air

​This is one of those openings that has also become iconic. It appears on pretty much every “greatest TV openings list”. And the funny thing is, it doesn’t do that much. All it does is throw the backstory for how Will got to Bel Air. We don’t see any scenes from the show or even the faces of ant of the characters. It doesn’t even really establish the tone when you think about it. I mean would you think it was another show about a family just by the intro? So, what makes it work so well? I think it comes down to two things. It’s so 90’s, it’s instantly nostalgic. The other reason of course is Will Smith. His charm shines through and The song is one of those TV themes, like The Brady Bunch of Gilligan’s Island, everyone knows.







Everybody Loves Raymond

Then sometimes a show will do something so different that it’s just brilliant. One of the reasons this opening works is because it wasn’t used till season 3. So we knew who these characters were by now. But everything in this quick opening is great. From the music to the stunts to that surprise ending. I can watch this on a million times and still love it. The creators would try to top it later, but never did.





 

Small Wonder

Yeah I gave Out of this World a lot of credit for being a great opening that really got your attention. What can you say about this one? It takes those corny 80’s themes and dials it up 100%. I mean, wow. Usually these shows try make the actors smiling at the camera seem a little natural, not so much here. The song is dreadful and…I don’t think I need a third point. It is memorable and does give you a feel for what you’re in for with this show. So, give it that at least. It is better than Joanie Loves Chachi



The Ropers 

Im sorry, I really am. I know people love these character and even this show. But wow! How awful can you get? If this had been in the 50s I’d have said it was ridiculous. Was there any idea at all? They’re clearly no direction! This sequel to Threes Company sucked (how it managed a second season escapes me) and this opening shows ABC didn’t even care. Even Joey managed a decent opening! Awful. 

Let’s end today with one more.

Roseanne

Roseanne had one of the simplest and yet most effective openings of any sitcom. This was near perfect. The music fit beautifully. We get to see all the characters and their interactions give us a glimpse of who they are. And the show is perfectly summed up by our look at the house as it circles the table. The characters are acting naturally, no mugging for the camera, and it doesn’t go on forever. True they ruined the intro the last few years, but for the first five or six it was great. How else could you possibly introduce this show?









Well my friends that’s about it for today. There are plenty of other sitcoms, not to mention cartoons and other series, that I can cover so stay tuned for me. And yeah, maybe going over the Star Trek intro’s is overdue.