Quick, name your favorite TV show opening credit sequence. Uh... uh.. What? Yes, that 30 second musical montage showing the casts faces and names. Can't think of one, huh? I know, it's daunting. We tend to take them for granted. But think. Remember the Brady Bunch? That one made perfect sense. it introduced the characters, and we saw them all interacting with each other in that grid, along with the theme song, "Here's the story, of a lovely lady..."
Look at Dynasty's sweeping music as each cast member was shown doing what he/she did best. Fallon in a red dress putting on earrings, turning around with that, "who me?" look. Krystal walking down an opulent staircase being worthless, etc. All surrounded by champaigne bottles popping and oil wells drilling. It all made sense. We knew who these people were.
What happened to those opening sequences? What About Brian has a new one that I find so addicting, I rewind it a few times every Monday night. And that made me notice that we don't have many cool opening sequences anymore. In fact, we're lucky to get opening sequences at all. Look at Lost, Grey's Anatomy, 6 Degrees, Men In Trees, Brothers & Sisters, Ugly Betty, and Studio 60, who just play the names over the opening scene. I can complain about Veronica Mars' new opening, but at least it has one. And it fits the characters, so perhaps I should nip my complaining in the bud.
Who's in charge of this, and when did they get lazy? Opening sequences are fun. I want to know who plays who. I like getting goosebumps when an expression or gesture exactly fits he music. Bring back opening sequences!
Karen Woodward - Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, I've lived in Los Angeles since 1994. A communications major at University of Colorado, ...
