What’s happened with television??

Today, while starting an episode of Frasier, I started whistling the opening tune (along with the music in the show). After about 2 seconds…I realized that the show had started and I was just sitting there whistling to nothing. What the heck? The show’s opening theme lasted a whole 2 seconds. What’s happened with TV theme songs these days? Could it be that they want to squeeze another 30 seconds of commercial time out of shows these days? It’s amusing to see networks complain that viewers see all sitcoms as the same, while at the same time they take away a show’s signature feature.

For the shows I watch, the opening theme makes a big difference, even potentially setting the tone for a show. Cheers wasn’t just a bar, it was a place where everyone knows your name. If the office only had a shot of the doorsign and a 3 second jingle, would we get the message that the working at a paper company is somewhat mundane? The intro song sets the tone, and sometimes, even attracts people to the show in a way that nothing else could. Cleveland Rocks and Five O’clock World brought viewers to Drew Carey. *sigh* if only the show was that good. Themes like that can even become part of pop-culture. I’ll bet more Americans my age know the words to the Animaniacs than the Star Spangled Banner. Heck more people can probably sing the lyrics to Gunsmoke. By the time we’re 90 and can’t remember where we placed the dentures we’ll still be able to belt out the Friend’s theme. Seriously, that extra 30 seconds is definitely worth it, especially since it can define your show and give it that uniquely special character that nothing else can provide.

btw kudos to The Office for their theme song, which was actually written for the show…