Saturday, June 27, 2009

Intros


Dashiell Hammett reading.

















TRUE BLOOD has my favorite opening sequence at the moment. It perfectly captures what's coming afterward. Music, graphics, etc. What one do you like? Or did you like?-- Or do none of them do it for you?

19 comments:

Barbara Martin said...

Patti, Goggle isn't allowing me in on the sequence.

Michael Padgett said...

I'd have to agree that "True Blood" has the best current opening, but my all time favorite was the opening of Alan Ball's previous series, "Six Feet Under". Another one I like, even though I don't like the show itself, is the "Nip/Tuck" opening.

Iren said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Charles Gramlich said...

Hum, you know it's never occurred to me really to watch one. At least not since Star Trek. I usually use the intro time for shows to grab a snack and a drink and a last bathroom break.

Kieran Shea said...

Discontinued. But I always loved the opening credits to John From Cincinnati:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrWZlh7DnBE

Nathan Cain said...

I've always been a fan of Dexter's opening sequence, which goes a really good job of making a completely innocuous morning routine look sinister.

Iren said...

you know, I think I misunderstood the question with my first reply, go ahead and delete that one for me. You are talking intros for TV shows right? the Opening credits?

Dana King said...

THE SOPRANOS was a classic, maybe the best ever. THE WIRE a close second for me. HILL STREET BLUES and CHEERS also come to mind.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Barbara-this happens to me periodically. I wonder why?
Yes, Six Feet was great too. I did watch Nip/Tuck but can't remember the opening. Also can't remember John. I think I only saw it twice.
DEXter is the brilliant. It scares the hell of of me every time.
How about Seinfeld. No opening at all.
Yeah, Eric, opening for TV shows. But your topics sounds cool too.
SOPRANOS was just great too. I think it set the standard for much of it. ANd HILL STREET TOO

r2 said...

Mad Men and Dexter are my favorite openings.

Randy Johnson said...

If you're talking intros, the ONLY one for me is M*A*S*H. "Suicide is Painless"(no lyrics please) makes a nice overlay of the opening credits while the background scenes tells even an idiot what the show's about.

Gordon Harries said...

The credits sequence to 'Mad Men' is really good, simultaniously recalling Hitchcock and very contemporary.

Like others, I like 'The Wire's opening credits too (and 'Homicide's)

and 'Damages' has a good credits sequence, really informs you of how cold and brutal the show can be.

Todd Mason said...

Some of my favorites that come to mind run to IT'S GARRY SHANDLING'S SHOW, RHODA and PHYLLIS, NIGHT GALLERY and the original OUTER LIMITS, and the '70s and '80s big band charts employed by THE BOB NEWHART SHOW, LOU GRANT (also love the progress of a daily paper), and CAGNEY AND LACEY. Likewise THE PRISONER, and both the UK and US openings for its prequel, SECRET AGENT.

One television reviewer noted that TRUE BLOOD's opening sequence did a better job in its compass than the series as a whole does in its, which I tend to agree with...a rather more extreme version of the same sort of thing was true of the Japanese anime series SERIAL EXPERIMENTS: LAIN, which, set to the British band Boa's song "Duvet" ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0N5YblvT1c&feature=related --this is Boa's video, not the opening, which is visible here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_3Eu22xKnk), gets across rather well the concept of the series (an alienated girl is, through no fault of her own and against her will, is forced to become a sort of god) in a way the plodding narrative doesn't. (Boa vocalist Jasmine Rodgers also much more pleasant to watch than the series or its opening.)

pattinase (abbott) said...

Music is crucial, isn't it? In SAVING GRACE, all we have is a road with a tornado coming and the music. Yet it perfectly captures the show.
RHODA or Bob Newhart capture all the characters and the sequence of events. I think a single image can say as much for me now, but maybe not then.

Todd Mason said...

THE VENTURE BROTHERS, among its other charms, has a remarkably good score by J. G. Thirwell which draws on the best of the likes Lalo Schifrin's relevant work and the various Quinn Martin production themes.

While even excellent music and not-bad selection of images helped much for the excellent FRANK'S PLACE...the images unfortunately gave the impression of an earnest period-piece, and not a sly comedy.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Todd-New one for me.

Todd Mason said...

Which? Both? FRANK'S PLACE was the good to brilliant followup to WKRP IN CINCINNATI from Hugh Wilson and Tim Reid. CBS treated it about as shabbily as they had WKRP.

Todd Mason said...

FRANK'S PLACE used Louis Armstrong's "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?" as its theme...which led to its "rediscovery" by the general public.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Oh, I remember Frank's Place. Loved it.