By Ryan Heffernan
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Few things immediately identify a television series quite like a great intro. While characters, catchphrases, settings, and even costumes can leave a lasting impression, there is nothing like a tonally perfect opening beat and a montage of meaningful moments to send fans reeling as their favourite show begins. As such, these iconic TV intros have come to be not only representative of their respective series, but emblematic of different genres and eras of television entertainment.
The strength of these 10 intros is so great that sensational sitcom openings like The Office and Happy Days haven’t made the cut, while memorable intros from dramas like Game of Thrones and Mad Men have been overlooked. What remains is truly a collection of the most well-known intro sequences the medium has ever seen, from fun-loving and welcoming sitcom sing-alongs to eerie and unsettling plunges into the paranormal and unnatural.
10 'Law & Order' (1990-)
Music Composed by Mike Post

A common theme with many of the best and most iconic television intros is how instantly recognizable they are from their very first moments. No opening sequence epitomizes this quite like (and its many spin-offs). Voice actor and former politician Steven Zirnkilton kicks off proceedings with the famous “in the criminal justice system…” spiel—which is itself now universally known—before the intro truly kicks into gear with the famous “DUN DUN”.
A montage of cast and crew credits, sweeping skyline shots, and candid images of police in action then proceeds as Mike Post’s slick, jazzy tune rings out. However, it is truly that “DUN DUN” that makes the Law & Order intro so famous. Interestingly, it was in part based on the sample sound of a jail cell door slamming shut. It is also the key reason why the series’ intro is the most iconic of all the hit crime shows television has seen over the decades.

TV-14
Crime
Drama
Mystery
Where to Watch
- stream
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 13, 1990
- Cast
- George Dzundza, Chris Noth, Dann Florek, Michael Moriarty, Richard Brooks, Steven Hill, Paul Sorvino, Carolyn McCormick, Jerry Orbach, S. Epatha Merkerson, Jill Hennessy, Sam Waterston, Benjamin Bratt, Carey Lowell, Angie Harmon, Jesse L. Martin, Dianne Wiest, Elisabeth Rohm
- Seasons
- 23
- Creator(s)
- Dick Wolf
9 'The Jeffersons' (1975-1985)
Music Composed by Ja'Net DuBois & Jeff Barry

A great song goes a long way to defining the brilliance and pop-culture impact of any television series intro, but this seems to be especially true for the opening credits of sitcoms. In this regard, there are few shows in the history of the genre capable of surpassing The Jeffersons, a spin-off series of All in the Family following the titular African-American couple in their adventures as they move from Queens to Manhattan.
The opening credits embody the series' flawlessly, following the couple as they tail a removalist’s van in a taxi to their new apartment home while Ja’Net DuBois’ intoxicating vocals in “Movin’ On Up” ring out. The song, written by DuBois and Jeff Barry, and utilizing a gospel choir to tremendous effect, is as enduring and enjoyable an intro credit song as television has seen, and it is the defining factor behind The Jeffersons’ opening remaining such a glorious icon after all these years.

The Jeffersons
8 'The A-Team' (1983-1987)
Music Composed by Mike Post & Pete Carpenter

Interestingly, given the genre’s penchant for style and panache, action television has sometimes struggled to deliver on outstanding intro sequences that leave audiences in a captivated state of awe. One series that had no such issues was The A-Team, an 80’s action extravaganza following a squad of ex-military specialists who, after being accused of a war crime they didn’t commit, work as soldiers of fortune while striving to clear their names.
The opening monologue, succinctly delivered over a military drumbeat, highlights the soldiers’ ordeal before the burst of a machine gun lights up the title on screen before immediately giving way to a glorious medley of high-propane action magnificence and cheesy yet triumphant instrumentals; another tune penned by Mike Post who co-wrote it with Pete Carpenter. It is unashamedly fun in the way that only 80s action knew how to be, and is comfortably the most iconic opening credits sequence to have ever come from action television.
7 'M*A*S*H' (1972-1983)
Music Composed by Ahmad Jamal

As was previously mentioned, many of the greatest television intros aren’t just universally known, but they are universally known from just their first musical notes and their initial shots. While a comedy series at its core, M*A*S*H was still prone to moments of sublime drama, desperate urgency, and even devastating heartbreak. The intro accentuates these darker, more dramatic beats quite powerfully.
With its musical backdrop an instrumental version of “Suicide is Painless”, a song written for the 1970 film on which the series was based, and being accompanied by clips of helicopters arriving to deliver a new batch of wounded troops, M*A*S*H is brazen and bold with its intro more so than playful and welcoming. It is an intriguing decision, but one that has stood the test of time, making the opening sequence alone one of the most iconic snippets of 20th century television.

M*A*S*H
Drama
Comedy
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 17, 1972
- Cast
- Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, William Christopher, Jamie Farr, Harry Morgan, Mike Farrell, Gary Burghoff, Larry Linville, David Ogden Stiers, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Jeff Maxwell, Kellye Nakahara, Odessa Cleveland, Johnny Haymer, Patricia Stevens
- Seasons
- 11
- Network
- CBS
6 'Cheers' (1982-1993)
Music Composed by Judy Hart Angelo & Gary Portnoy

Has there ever been a warmer and more welcoming intro than the one that so famously opens each episode of Cheers? The song—“Where Everybody Knows Your Name”, written by Judy Hart Angelo and Gary Portnoy—is the perfect encapsulation of the essence of the series’ allure, a melodic soft rock bop that defines the comfort and familiarity of the local bar, populated by friendly faces and loved ones where everybody knows your name.
Further enhanced by the enticing still imagery on display—a series of edited illustrations of old barroom antics that hearken back to the titular tavern’s establishment in 1895, highlighting how much of a cultural safe haven bars have been for decades—and Cheers could easily be considered the best sitcom opening of all time. It certainly has one of the catchiest and most iconic intro songs ever to have graced the small screen and, like the series itself, it has aged surprisingly well for a sitcom from the 80s.

Cheers
TV-PG
Sitcom
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 30, 1982
- Cast
- Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Nicholas Colasanto, Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer, Woody Harrelson, Kirstie Alley, Bebe Neuwirth
- Seasons
- 11
- Network
- NBC
5 'Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!' (1969-1978)
Music Composed by David Mook & Ben Raleigh

From the closing sequence of the Looney Tunes cartoons to the bellowing sing-along of SpongeBob SquarePants, the annals of children’s animation certainly have their fair share of credit sequences that have cemented themselves as staples of pop-culture. Few, however, have matched the iconic standing of the intro to Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! or, indeed, some of the ensuing iterations of the ongoing Scooby-Doo franchise’s newer opening sequences.
Meshing classical horror imagery with the inviting appeal of cartoon fun in the form of a montage of Mystery Inc.’s mischief and mayhem, all while David Mook and Ben Raleigh’s composition rings out, the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! intro is comfortably among the most timeless of all time. Interestingly, while Larry Marks performed the vocals of the song in the first season, a version by George A. Robertson, Jr. was used for Season 2, with both becoming iconic. An honorable mention should also be extended to Simple Plan, whose intro to What’s New, Scooby-Doo, which ran from 2002 to 2006, has become similarly revered in its own right.

The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries
TV-G
Animation
Family
Comedy
Kids
Mystery
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 8, 1984
- Cast
- Casey Kasem, Frank Welker, Heather North, Marla Frumkin, Don Messick
4 'The X-Files' (1993-2018)
Music Composed by Mike Snow

Plenty of series have created memorable and attention-grabbing intros off the back of elaborate original songs with catchy choruses and lyrics that appeal directly to the core themes of the series. Then there is The X-Files, a mystery sci-fi thriller series that runs a lot like a horrific police procedural drama that just so happened to conjure up the single most eerie and unnerving introductory sequence television has seen with a whistle melody and an echo effect.
Hilariously, composer Mike Snow allegedly created the harrowing sound by mistake when he placed his hand and forearm on the keyboard out of frustration, implementing the echo in the process. Couple the instantly recognizable theme tune with the grainy stock imagery and brief though piercing sights like the distorted face of the screaming man and the white silhouette of a person falling into the hand print, and The X-Files spawned an opening sequence of minimalist presentation yet maximum impact. So perfect is the sequence, it was hardly altered over the course of nine initial seasons, two feature-length films, and a brief reboot in the 2010s.

The X-Files
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 10, 1993
- Cast
- Gillian Flynn, David Duchovny, Robert Patrick, Annabeth Gish, Mitch Pileggi
- Seasons
- 11
- Network
- FOX
3 'The Twilight Zone' (1959-1963)
Music Composed by Marius Constant

From one icon of television title eeriness to another, The Twilight Zone marks one of the oldest classics in television history. Starting in 1959 and created by Rod Serling, the original series ran for five seasons, utilizing an anthology format with each episode following new characters as they find themselves entangled in disturbing and inexplicable events that point to the existence of the paranormal.
The series’ overwhelming tone of paranoia, eeriness, and awe of the unknown is perfectly exemplified in its opening sequence. Marius Constant’s creeping score has a way of transfixing and almost petrifying audiences from its first notes, a four-note eclectic guitar tune that gives way to Serling’s matter-of-fact narration introducing viewers to the Twilight Zone while drums and flutes begin to thunder in chaotic fashion. Accompanied by a simplistic yet hypnotic display of objects scrolling along a black screen in different directions, The Twilight Zone’s intro sequence has stood the test of time for over 75 years, and it will remain one of television’s most iconic openings for many decades to come.

The Twilight Zone
TV-MA
Drama
Fantasy
Horror
Sci-Fi
Anthology
Where to Watch
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 2, 1959
- Cast
- Jordan Peele, David Epstein, Kelly Ann Woods, Mark Silverman, Amanda Burke, Jacob Machin, Simon Chin, Paolo Maiolo
- Seasons
- 5
- Creator(s)
- Simon Kinberg, Jordan Peele, Marco Ramirez, Rod Serling
- Network
- CBS
2 'Friends' (1994-2004)
Music Composed by The Rembrandts

Not too dissimilar to the series itself, the intro sequence to Friends may not be the absolute best of all time, and it won’t be to everyone’s liking, but it is undeniably iconic. Given the series simply focuses on the lives of six young New Yorkers and the friendship they share, the opening sequence is appropriately focused. While ironically filmed in California, the sequence depicts the sextet of friends dancing playfully around a water fountain at night.
Of course, what makes the sequence so universal and iconic is the incorporation of “I’ll Be There For You” by The Rembrandts, a catchy and upbeat tune that evokes the series’ spirit of dependability, connection, and good fun. There is perhaps no greater testament to the iconic standing of Friends’ intro than the fact that so many people, even those who don’t necessarily enjoy the series, can’t help but clap along to the music every time it plays.

Friends
Comedy
Drama
Sitcom
Where to Watch
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Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 22, 1994
- Cast
- Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer
- Seasons
- 10
- Network
- NBC
1 'The Simpsons' (1989-)
Music Composed by Danny Elfman

It is quite fitting that the most iconic television show intro of all time comes from what is widely considered to be the most iconic television show of all time. An animated satire that has been going strong since the late 1980s, The Simpsons has endured for decades as a fun and vibrant skewering of American culture through the lens of the working-class family, the Simpsons, and the extended community of Springfield.
The intro sequence established the series' tone flawlessly, opening with an upbeat and quirky jazz track from Danny Elfman that beautifully complements Bart’s detention antics, Marge and Maggie’s shopping adventure, Lisa’s saxophone solo, and Homer’s return from work. With little tidbits like Bart’s lines on the blackboard and the sequence’s climactic couch gag always providing fresh laughs, The Simpsons intro is always worth watching. Couple that with the fact that virtually everyone in the western world can mimic the theme tune, and the opening credits sequence can only be considered the most iconic television has ever seen.

The Simpsons
Animation
Comedy
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
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Not available
Not available
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- December 17, 1989
- Cast
- Tress MacNeille, Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Nancy Cartwright, Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith
- Seasons
- 36
- Network
- FOX
NEXT: The 50 Best Sitcoms of All Time, Ranked
- TV
- Friends
- The X-Files
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