Are Opening Credits A Thing of the Past?
Whatever happened to opening credits? What used to be routine for every new show is now becoming a rarity. Apparently opening titles are totally five minutes ago, and anyone who’s anyone has one of those 3-5 second title cards instead. Studio 60 is one of these shows, and while watching last night’s episode, I kept wondering which characters I was supposed to be getting to know.I’m four episodes into the new series, and am still uncertain who the regulars are. Yeah, I could always just look at the text that runs across the bottom of the screen…but there is something stylish about opening titles that pulls me in. Sorkin got it right with The West Wing, and I’m thinking if there was any new show that could use them, Studio 60 would be it.
The Office benefits from its quirky opening and I’m definitely digging the new one Veronica Mars is sporting. Don’t get me wrong; a lot of shows are better off without them. I can’t imagine Lost having a title sequence featuring all 148 characters, and Ugly Betty’s snappy five-second title card was definitely the right way to go. Plus, who honestly doesn’t hit the fast-forward on their TiVo before that lengthy Desperate Housewives cartoon can get to Teri Hatcher’s name? Both Grey’s Anatomy and ER’s intros have been absent this season. The Grey’s opening just didn’t fit, but ER? It was classic! I can understand realizing it was too time-consuming ten years ago, but now? That’s just breaking tradition.
Designing an opening title sequence is most definitely an art. Brothers & Sisters is one that doesn’t feel in need of titles, although they worked well for Six Feet Under…and they are both shows about the father of a family dying, consequently bringing a family together, including an estranged sibling, a crazy mom, a gay brother, and Rachel Griffiths. Heroes on the other hand, could gain from a snazzy intro. It’s a series that needs a bit of explaining for first time viewers and there is a bundle of characters we have to know. If they did it in complete graphic novel style, it could really work well. It isn’t easy keeping up with so many new serial shows that maybe going back to the days of opening credits wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
By Intern Gordie Steiner
WWB commented:
The Wire and The Sopranos both have/had interesting credit sequences. The Wire changing it each year, The Sopranos just an awesome opening, and consistent -- except for removing the Twin Towers from the back window for Season 4.
TheDude commented:
I think it really depends on the show whether or not an open should be used. "Cheers" had a good one. "Seinfeld" and "Frasier" were better without them. "The Office" has a great open. I like the short opens used on "My Name Is Earl," "Desperate Housewives" and "How I Met Your Mother".
I'm still caught in the middle about a "Heroes" open. Part of me would like to see a really cool graphic novel look to an open. But the show doesn't really need one. Like "24" and "Lost" there really isn't a need for one. A show that doesn't need an open which has one is "What About Brian." Then again, that show shouldn't be on the air too.
Theme music is also important to any opener. Shows with good opens and good music: "The Family Guy," "Survivor," "The Amazing Race," "Murder One," "Monday Night Football," "Desperate Housewives," and "The West Wing." And who can forget "Baywatch."
I think shows make mistakes when they change their theme music. A new singer sand the theme song for "Mad About You," which was a mistake. I believe they went back to the original theme. The new remix theme for "Veronica Mars" has got to go. Visuals are great, but the new theme sucks the energy out of the room. The NFL Sunday Night Football theme is a blatant ripoff of MNF which is horribly done by Pink. Ugh.