Some shows opening sequences are enchanting enough that you watch them every time, even when you are watching a recorded episode. They usually involve great music and set a perfect tone for the episode that follows. A few of the ones that always do it for me:
Dexter – it starts with that bloody mosquito slap, and goes on to document all the perfectly normal violence in this fresh-faced serial killer’s morning.
Game of Thrones – area of the map shown is different each time to reflect current action on the show.
The Sopranos – the intro primes you for the show to follow with its taut, ominous tone.
Mystery – Growing up, I was always afraid of the Edward Gorey cartoon opening, but I came in to see it every single time my parents watched the show.
Wild, Wild West – Another classic opener. The proto-steam punk show’s cartoon opener is humorous, inventive and exciting.
True Blood – the intro is, in small, what you are looking for when you watch an episode of True Blood: a bit of sex, some violence, and a good dose of Southern weirdness. It also gets points for featuring the sexiest song of any television opener ever.
The Simpsons – Sometimes the inventive intros yield the biggest laughs of the episode. For over twenty years, they’ve been adding clever variations to every week.
Doctor Who – It's all about the music. It gives me the chills every time, particularly when they debut a new arrangement of the theme song.
SpongeBob SquarePants – My kids outgrew this show before I did. The verse “absorbent and yellow and porous is he!” always cracks me up.
The Wire – each season features a different artist performing “Way Down in the Hole” over images from that season’s storyline.
What are some of your favorite openers?
Photo: Wikipedia