Firefly is probably the best.
I like the mix done for House, not so much the original song.

I generally do, but there are a few exceptions. Firefly & DuckTales are two that come to mind, Wonderfalls was another catchy one that I watched during every episode.

I agree, the new ER opening is atrocious. I blame Frasier for the now popular 10 second intros. I believe it was one of the firsts if not first to have the minimalist intro making room for more "content." That was a hugely successful show that got away with, and then Lost blew that out of the water, so the networks feel they can do that with any of them.

On the other side of the coin, I'm sure ER is not cheap to produce and it is no longer a top 10 show, so I'm sure they probably benefit from the extra commercial time.

The Mannix theme song has been stuck in my head for nearly 40 years.

Mannix Theme Song (Direct Link)

Theme Songs I never skip -

Battlestar Galactica (New Series)
Firefly
Pinky and the Brain
Azumanga Daioh
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
X-Files

Just rented JACK OF ALL TRADES and can't get the theme song out of my head.

The Shield

Because it only lasts 2 seconds. I HATE long intros on TV.

My fav's:
Different Strokes
Golden Girls
Fall Guy - I used to watch the theme song when I was little and that was it.
Futurama - I like the one that Zoidberg raps over the song
All in the Family

I'll enjoy and sit through :

Angel
How I Met Your Mother
Futurama
Veronica Mars (Seasons 1 and 2)
Scrubs

Nothing beats the Angel opening credits and theme, nothing...

Over three minutes is an eternity for a TV theme, but I watch The Prisoner opening every time (and the end credits too). When I come across an online discussion about TV themes, I usually go for my mp3 of The Prisoner theme.
I like how the first Tom Baker Doctor Who title goes visually with the theme, more so than any of the others.
Jonny Quest and along the same lines, The Venture Bros.

I agree with those of Gummi Bears and Duck Tales.

I also remember a Koala show on nickelodeon when I was a kid and I remember liking it I think. I remember liking the music for Saved by the Bell: College Years and MacGyver when I was a little older as well.

Now overall I like Monk, House, Law & Order (the regular, SVU/CI, and Trial By Jury), Without a Trace, and I especially like Cold Case even though I don't watch the show. It's from E.S. Posthumus who also does the music for NFL on CBS, Spiderman trailer, and lots of other trailer/movie music.

Another resurrection, because I wanted to comment on this...

I just started watching Friday Night Lights and I did some research and I think the theme is by the band Explosions in the Sky, who have a new album out this year. Check 'em out, you may like what you hear.
-ringding-

No show will ever top Mr. Belvadeer's theme song.
wooo!

I absolutely love the Star Trek: The Next Generation intro (Season 3+)

Roseanne's theme song from the later seasons sung by John Popper.

The "Boomtown" opening credits music was one of the greatest.

I can't believe I didn't reply to this thread the first time around!!!

I LOVE TV themes!!!!

I bought the Television's Greatest Hits collections from TVT records way back when and listen to them all the time.

It's a shame now that many shows have no opening theme...

Favs of mine (in no particular order)

Gidget
The Green Hornet
The Muppet Show
Inspector Gadget
The Greatest American Hero
The Facts Of Life
Gumby
Chico and the Man
Diff'rent Strokes
Mr. Belvedere
Charles In Charge
Webster
CHiPs
Knight Rider
Blossom
Full House
Punky Brewster
Small Wonder

That's just Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek movie theme stitched together in a different arrangement. Any of the movies with that theme feature it in longer, vastly superior versions. I hated that TNG theme because it was so poorly handled in comparison.

Now if producers kept Dennis McCarthy's original TNG theme instead of making him re-record the Goldsmith theme, it would have been great, but too 'epic' for a TV series.

Agree with a bunch of the ones already mentioned... Did anyone mention The Wire? I listen to that everytime.

Which season? The first two seasons are the best, with Tom Waits' original being the best of those two (imo).

I'm hoping that in season 3 we get an actual opening sequence with more of the full song ("Hey Beautiful" by the Solids) with the actors names.

I really hate the whole quick 10 second tv themes they do now. Even when Friends would need more time for the episode, they still had the actors names up there.

I love the opening of Medium. Cool visuals and the creepy, Hitchcockian music.

Twin Peaks is my favorite... and I don't like the Firefly theme.

favorites of mine:

Melrose Place - I love that guitar bit. I can't believe no one mentioned this one.

Beverly Hills 90210 - didn't quite like the show since I was 6 at the time but it's a part of my childhood

X-Files - the last season messed it up though

old ER

L&O SVU - the little flute bit is depressing, like if there will be no justice done

Alias - season 4 and 5 made it actually good to sit through

old Roseanne

Tales From The Crypt

Millennium

Roswell - I know Dido is thankful

Twin Peaks - there's something about seeing a saw blade being made and that ominous tone the music has. It's borderline hopeful and depressing

Conviction - for the little time it lasted the song actually was kinda catchy.


The ones I hate are:

The L Word - Season 2 girls with tight dresses who drag with moustaches...

Entourage

Scrubs - that short bit at the season 2 beginning

One Tree Hill

Dawson's Creek - I don't wanna wait...

Felicity - that weird humming especially since before they premiered the stupid show they advertised it with Madonna's Power of Goodbye.

L&O Trial By Jury - incredibly loud and "NEWSFLASH!"-sounding

Weeds - if I wanted to hear an old lady sing little boxes I'd hire my crazy neighbor

I posted a couple years ago, but since then I want to add:

Veronica Mars ("We Used to be Friends" by the Dandy Warhols)

Ghost in the Shell:Stand Alone Complex ("Inner Universe" by Yoko Kanno who is just amazing) <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xtOksXq8yEI"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xtOksXq8yEI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
ending theme to Oban Star Racers (also written by Yoko Kanno)
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