Summary
One important aspect of an incredible TV show has always been having an effective theme song, but on certain occasions, the quality of the track can be so great that it overtakes the show itself. Whether it be in terms of cultural relevance, memorability, or just excellent musicianship, TV theme songs are an underappreciated art form that can have a long-lasting impact even beyond the series they were originally from. While it may not have been the creator’s intention to make the theme song the best thing about the show, sometimes songs can take on a life of their own.
The best theme songs set the tone for the entire series and give the audience the information they need to become invested and decide to continue watching. As themes are repeated with each episode, they can be a real source of nostalgia and, over the years, are often remembered more vividly than the show itself. Thebest TV show theme songshave truly stood the test of time, and the greatesttheme songs ever even managed to outdo the show they were introducing.
8F Is For Family (2015 - 2022)
“Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone
F is for Familywas Bill Burr’s enjoyable adult animated sitcom that ran for five seasons on Netflix and hilariously explored the lives of the dysfunctional Murphy family in 1970s Pennsylvania. Often heartfelt and always raunchy,F is for Familysatirized 1970s American sensibilities, explored the disillusion of the American dream, and powerfully tackled masculinity in crisis. However, it’s hard to deny that the show didn’t peak with its incredibly effective intro and theme song.
F is for Familyopened with the era-appropriate disco classic “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone as the recent graduate Frank Murphy threw his graduation cap and flew through the air as life’s difficulties smacked him in the face. Being drafted into war, gaining weight, losing his hair, and the excruciating challenges of fatherhood and marriage overloaded him until he came crashing back to Earth. In less than one minute,F is for Familyencapsulated the entire ethos of the show through a perfect summation of life’s woes and Frank’s difficult existence.
F Is for Family
Cast
Created by Bill Burr and Michael Price, Netflix’s 2D-animated sitcom F is For Family revolves around Frank, Susan, Kevin, William, and Maureen, the dysfunctional Murphy family who tries to survive the hardships of 1970s rural America in the fictional town of Rustvale, Pennsylvania. The series, inspired by Burr’s childhood, received five seasons from 2015 to 2021.
7It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (1986 - 1990)
“This Is the Theme to Garry’s Show” by Joey Carbone
The legendary stand-up comedian Gary Shandling played a version of himself who was aware he was on a television series inIt’s Gary Shandling’s Show. As Gary broke the fourth wall, interacted with the studio audience, and manipulated the storyline to his own ends, this was a highly self-referential series that acted as a precursor to much of the meta-styles of TV shows that have become popular in the modern era. With this in mind, the theme tune toIt’s Garry Shandling’s Showbrought all of these ideas together in one fell swoop.
The iconic intro toIt’s Garry Shandling’s Show, much like the series itself, was highly self-aware as Bill Lynch sang about how the song came into existence in the first place, singing, “Garry called me up and asked me to write his theme song.” This hilarious intro wasperhaps the most memorable aspect ofIt’s Garry Shandling’s Show,as his following series, The Larry Sanders Show,would expand on its ideas and find even greater success. A true forebearer to the modern television landscape, this theme song was entirely ahead of its time.
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show is a television sitcom created by and starring Garry Shandling, which originally aired from 1986 to 1990. The show features Shandling playing a fictionalized version of himself as a comedian navigating daily life. Known for breaking the fourth wall, the series invites the audience into Garry’s personal thoughts and humorous perspectives, blending reality with scripted comedy.
6Mission: Impossible (1966 - 1973)
“Theme from Mission: Impossible” by Lalo Schifrin
Nowadays, if viewers hear the phraseMission: Impossible, they immediately think of Tom Cruise as the skilled field agent and operative Ethan Hunt. However, this franchise goes back much further than that and originated as a popular television series in the 1960s. While much has changed since the earliest days of this espionage series, one thing that has remained constant throughout its entire run across film and television was its iconic theme song, which became instantly recognizable as it was updated with an electropop feel for the 1996 filmMission: Impossible.
The theme tune toMission: Impossiblewas composed by Lalo Schifrin, who was involved with the scores of everything fromEnter the Dragonto theRush Hourtrilogy. The theme has stood the test of time throughout all the franchise’s incarnations and has been an integral part of the series' long-lasting appeal. Amongthe best theme songs of the 1970s,Mission: Impossible’sintro was based on the rhythm of the M.I. in Morse code (viaSlash Film), which gave it extra spy credentials.
Mission: Impossible
An elite covert operations unit carries out highly sensitive missions subject to official denial in the event of failure, death or capture.
5The Monkees (1966 - 1968)
“(Theme From) The Monkees” by The Monkees
The Monkeeswas a highly popular American sitcom starring the rock group The Monkees as versions of themselves trying to make a name for themselves as a major band. This comic showtook influence from The Beatles movieA Hard Day’s Night, which was released during the height of Beatlemania and youth culture’s increased interest in rock ‘n’ roll and the transformative power of music. With this in mind, the theme song was central to the show’s success, as it best encapsulated the group as a whole.
Hearing the theme fromThe Monkees, composed by the songwriting duo Boyce and Hart, told audiences everything they needed to know about the light-hearted show as the group sang “Hey-hey, we’re The Monkees” and “We’re just trying to be friendly.” WatchingThe MonkeesTV series today feels like witnessing a relic from a bygone era, where the one thing that has endured was music. The adventures seen inThe Monkeesmay look tame by today’s standards, but the theme song still showcases one of the greatest eras in musical history.
The Monkees
The Monkees follows Micky, Mike, Peter, and Davy, four young musicians in 1960s Los Angeles, as they navigate the challenges of their struggling country-folk-rock band. Their story involves whimsical encounters with a vibrant cast of characters, all while being aware of their role in a weekly television series.
4X-Men: The Animated Series (1992 - 1997)
“X-Men Theme” by Ron Wasserman
The iconic theme song fromX-Men: The Animated Serieswas sure to induce incredible nostalgia in any superhero-loving child of the 1990s. Driven by dramatic synths and a sharp guitar that introduced the show’s mutant heroes and sinister villains, it stood among the greatest superhero themes ever composed. WhileX-Men: The Animated Serieswas an acclaimed program in its own right, it’s hard to argue against the theme being one of its greatest strengths, which is still remembered fondly more than 30 years after the show first aired.
While theX-Mentheme was marred in controversydue to accusations of plagiarism, that did not take away from its reputation as a beloved classic that has been carried forward into the recent revival seriesX-Men ’97,which reimagined it for a modern audience. While many modern shows have replaced iconic theme songs such as this with shorter intros that were easily skipped on streaming platforms,the X-Mentheme begged to be listened to. With a mix of nostalgia and just great musicianship, this theme song managed to outdo the show itself.
X-Men: The Animated Series
X-Men: The Animated Series is a television show based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The series, which aired from 1992 to 1997, follows the adventures of a team of mutant superheroes, led by Professor Charles Xavier, as they fight for peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants in a world filled with prejudice and fear.
3Cheers (1982 - 1992)
“Where Everybody Knows Your Name” by Gary Portnoy
As perhaps thegreatest theme song of the 1980s, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” by Gary Portnoy perfectly encapsulated the feeling of the sitcomCheers. With an instantly recognizable piano, profoundly poignant lyrics, and a message about the importance of comradery, friendship, and having a place to belong,theCheerstheme song was a testament to the incredible potential of a TV intro. As an immediate sing-along song, theCheerstheme had an upbeat and feel-good energy.
Of course,Cheerswas one of the most acclaimed sitcoms ever produced, but a big part of its appeal was how right it got things from the very first second. By drawing viewers in right from the start, the quality of this intro meant this was a show that audiences would stick around for as they invested in the characters’ lives and relationships over 11 seasons. With serious resonance in popular culture, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” was a timeless classic.
Cheers
One of the most well-known American sitcoms of the 1980s and 90s, Cheers is primarily set in Boston at the Cheers bar, and features and ensemble cast that includes Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Pearlman, Kelsey Grammer, and George Wendt. Danson’s Sam Malone acts as the bar’s proprietor, and episodes depict the lives of Cheers' staff and patrons during the bar’s operating hours. The series ran for 11 seasons and gave rise to popular spin-off shows such as Frasier.
2Happy Days (1974 - 1984)
“Happy Days” by The Ron Hicklin Singers
As a love letter to the modern teenager,Happy Dayswas one of the most popular series of the 1970s and 1980s, as it presented an idolized version of America’s past and culture. From iconic characters like Fonzie to monumental TV moments such as when it literally “jumped the shark,”Happy Dayswas a fantastic series with an even better theme song. The theme ofHappy Dayshelped sum up the entire ethos of the show and presented a feel-good introduction that laid the foundations for all to come in each subsequent episode.
“Happy Days” was written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox and sung by Jan Haas with the Ron Hicklin Singers and Pratt & McClain in later seasons. With an infectious mix of 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, doo-wop backup singers, and catchy sing-along lyrics, “Happy Days” perfectly captured the show’s ethos in just over one short minute. As an optimistic, danceable, and overall upbeat theme song, it does not get much better thanHappy Days.
Happy Days
The Cunningham family live through the 1950s with help and guidance from lovable and almost superhuman greaser Fonzie.
1The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990 - 1996)
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
The impact that the theme fromThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Airhas had on popular culturecan truly not be overstated, as its recognizability has superseded the sitcom it came from by a long shot. With lyrics that countless TV lovers can recite in their entirety, this theme has been endlessly parodied and referenced across different media. The theme tune was sung by its star, Will Smith, and immediately signaled the series' unique sense of humor while quickly setting up the entire story for new viewers to catch up.
By introducing the entire show in its lyrics, the theme ofThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Airwas even better than the show itself in its effective storytelling. Whilethe saddestFresh Princeepisodewhere Will spoke about his absent father still hurts more than 30 years later, moments like this were not nearly as impactful as the theme song itself. A beloved classic across generations, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” was a catchy rap song that helped bring the genre into the mainstream during the 1990s.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air follows Will Smith (Will Smith) after he gets himself sent away from the mean streets of his native West Philadelphia to the affluent Bel Air neighborhood. Living with his wealthy Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian, Will befriends his cousins and adjusts to a life that’s the polar opposite of everything he’s accustomed to. Even with a butler and an expensive education, Will finds that growing up isn’t easy, regardless of circumstance.
