Not the greatest sitcom in TV history, but the opening credits set up the plot perfectly: American kid leaves family in Wisconsin, hits the road...European kid leaves family on Mypos, sails to Ellis Island...they arrive at their common destination...and the rest is comedy.

I second "Cowboy Bebop," even though it's not an American show.

I would also argue that "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" has a really excellent OP. And the first two seasons of "Veronica Mars."

Big Love has a great opening credits sequence.

BAH-dum BAH-dum BAH-dum ba-da-da

At the risk of geeking out an already geeky discussion, the intro theme to the Japanese Anime "Cowboy Bebop" is probably my favorite intro sequence of any show in the last 10 years or so. The kinetic intro animation full of guns and cigarrettes is perfectly paired with the percussive brass jazz of "Tank!" by Yoko Kanno, performed by The Seatbelts. Sets the stage perfectly for this western/sci-fi/kung fu/noir/dystopic fusion series.

You're all mentioning your favorite TV series. You're descending into trivia. Better you should ask, why are so few modern TV series doing this?

For the last ten years or so TV networks and syndicators have been trying to squeeze more and more money out of the shows, adding more commercial time. This also includes promos on networks for their other shows. "Setting a mood" has been replaced by "getting the gelt."

As a result, instead of setting a comfortable mood for whatever show you're watching, the TV show is shoved into your lap almost immediately, like a dog or a baby about to crap. It's like being forced to watch auditions of performers; no set-up, no life story like they did in A Chorus Line, just the raw "do your thing." In effect, show producers have made us suffer the same kind of hell they go through when creating a show, and the same pain of performers having to audition.

It's not the main reason, but it's one of the contributing factors about why television has become really uncomfortable to watch in the 21st Century.

Oh...by the way, have you heard the music inside TV shows? Long way from "Johnny" Williams and Henry Mancini. Or even Billy Joel's contributed songs on Moonlighting. There's always some sandy-haired, underpaid female wailing a lament in the background every time someone dies on Grey's Anatomy and some awful hippie folksinger dude speaking lyrics you can't understand over the love scenes on Smallville. And I bet these poor performers did these songs on specs because "your song will be on TV where millions of people will hear it." Yeah, if you can hear it behind the gushing blood and the sucking sound of people kissing.

Haha - for a minute there I was afraid Pfizer had its own series now. (Not totally impossible, the way things are going.)

btw, where's Six Feet Under?

Big Love's opening sequence is not only the best current one, but, ranks right up there with some of the best of all time!

How 'bout Deadwood?

Surely, I'm not alone in considering the Deadwood opening sequence to be superb. Art and reality combined.

-- Robert Simms

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The opening credits for DEADWOOD are pretty average, but the way they cut to the closing credits and the songs they use are outstanding.

Another vote for The Six Million Dollar Man: gripping, innovative, and brilliantly edited. You can't be a guy and not think it's cool. The (original) Bionic Woman successfully echoed that sequence while adding warmth: you instantly like Jamie Sommers just from the main titles. I'll be amazed if the 2007 Bionic Woman can pull off the same trick.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century's main titles are far more memorable than the show itself, as a recent South Park two-parter showcased.

The first season of Space: 1999 was a neat mix of shock and awe, cutting from a 70s guitar riff to an orchestra and back, and its rapid-fire preview of each episode, just a few frames of several scenes in succession, inspired similar teases in the credits of Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica.

(Yikes, posted this in the wrong thread - about best TV shows! Folks will have a cow;-/

WKRP, Frasier and... 30 Rock!

What a wonderful topic - one my brothers and I have enjoyed for a long time as our own generation's parlor game.

The only unmentioned one that pops to mind that is a great old-style theme is "WKRP from Cincinnati":

"Got kinda tired of packing and unpacking ... town to town, up and down the dial..."

As for new-era understatedness, "Frasier" is hard to top. Stylish, a hint of pretentiousness...fits the man at the center of the show. Which reminds me, I need to go look for the pilot of Kelsey Grammer's new Fox sitcom I have high hopes for, "Back to You," that offers a LOT of opportunities opening-theme wise.

Oh, and here's another new-era favorite: "30 Rock"! Just a great throwback theme!

I haven't Googled this yet, but curious - what's the best one-stop shop for TV themes? It sounds like YouTube, but not sure I need the video- just the full audio clip would be great!

I propose that the boring and unengaging opening to John from Cincinnati be stricken from the list and replaced by the incredibly hot Jonny Quest.

And Dead Like Me with its hilarious use of the reapers (in a laundromat--OMG) deserves honorable mention at least.

Given the diminution of every individual into a faceless consumer category, combined with the seemingly unstoppable losses of privacy and civil liberties, who doesn't mutter, "I am not a number, I am a free (wo)man," and wait for an affirming crack of thunder in response?

#1 Star Trek (the original, please)

#2 Sopranos

#3 Hawaii 5-0

#4 Hill Street Blues

#5 X-Files

#6 Gilligan's Island

#7 The Avengers

#8 I Love Lucy

#9 Reno 911 (first season)

#10 What Not to Wear (later seasons)

Gilligan's Island!

Reno 911

Surely, I'm not alone in considering the Deadwood opening sequence to be superb. Art and reality combined.

Seconding bwaage's shout-out for Dexter. Best. Opening. Ever. Dexter should totally come after you guys, because you know he only goes after those who deserve it... :o)