"Here's the Story"...of the Best TV Theme Songs: Comedy

Take the survey: what's your favorite comedy TV theme song past or present?

Anyone have a remedy for not falling down a YouTube rabbit hole of TV theme songs and opening credits? Well, keep it to yourself because I refuse to feel guilty about having spent much time looking at how classic shows, obscure shows and even current shows began every episode. Besides some of the great theme songs that are great on their own (which is why a lot of them ended up on the music charts), just watching opening credits has always been a kick to me. And if a show changes up their opening credits every season, it just makes me love them more.

So after putting a call on social media for people to share their favorites, I received a lot of comments and also emails with links to YouTube pages with a number of favorites. Some I shared, some surprised me and then some (based on what has happened since to the star of a certain show years after it went off the air) come with a disclaimer.

Once I started compiling the list and pulling URLs from YouTube, I realized that I needed (also wanted) to give comedy and drama shows their own posts. So below are some of the comedy favorites I picked and also heard from you about. And to make things more interesting, I’m also including a poll for you to pick (or write in) your favorite TV comedy theme song. Just click the button below this paragraph and let me know. I’ll share the results at a later date.

Thanks again for all the great responses. Many of them are right here so enjoy a trip down memory lane!

First up, Norman Lear sitcoms just had some of the best theme songs and opening title sequences so let’s get them out of the way first!

One of my personal favorites that I think has to be in the top 5 of all time. And I also offer a respectful nod to the reboot version (2017-20) with Gloria Estefan singing.

I know the following is an hour show but there’s no way you’d call it a drama!

I have a feeling I’d be crucified if I didn’t include the Friends theme song and this opening from season 5:

The 60s had their share of great opening titles but this one is hands down my favorite from that era:

Thumbs up on another 60s sitcom featuring the ghouliest sitcom family!

…and while we’re on sixties horror-ific sitcoms…

Okay, here’s the disclaimer. I know Bill Cosby is problematic in the present day but I had a hard time not including the opening titles of his 1984-92 sitcom, which is easily one of the most entertaining ever.

A case where the theme song was more memorable than the show itself…

Is there a more familiar and well-known TV theme song than The Brady Bunch? (Season 4’s opening has always been my favorite so here it is!)

On second thought, if there’s a sitcom theme song better known than The Brady Bunch, it’s The Facts of Life!

Here’s the first season’s opening credits for Laverne & Shirley, which included the characters’ last names on the title card. They would be dropped after season 1.

The 80s was probably the best decade for theme songs including this gem, The Golden Girls.

And if there’s an opening title sequence that just captures a show, it’s the opening title of Roseanne. The soulful music, the camera slowly moving from each character at the Conners’ kitchen table in their working class home is just perfection.

And even though theme songs started disappearing or being super short (think Abbott Elementary), this sitcom’s opening theme and titles not only encapsulates the show but also shows what can be done with a :20 opening.

Same goes for 30 Rock, also :20…

….and thanks to Mike Schneider for reminding me about the short-lived 80s sitcom, Double Trouble! Talk about a blast from the past! It starred twin sisters Jean and Liz Sagal (sisters to Katey Sagal) and was an NBC midseason replacement in the spring of 1984. It was renewed for a second season that fall but was retooled as you’ll see from both opening title sequences below.

Did I miss any shows that you think must be included? I’m sure I did (I personally wasn’t a big fan of ABC’s TGIF sitcoms but I know there were some pretty good theme songs —- come at me with your faves!) Don’t forget to submit them via the survey above (click the button at the top of this post) or leave your fave in the titles below.

Next post —- the drama entries!