Opening Credits Bonanza: Original Themes

These shows not only had cool credits, they also had kickass theme songs with original lyrics to accompany them. Makes the folks over at Lost look like a bunch of slackers, am I right?

Opening Credits Bonanza: My Childhood

No matter where I was in the house, the first chords of these themes would send me running for the den.

Opening Credits Bonanza: How I Met Your Mother

See? The opener doesn't have to be long in order to completely capture the tone of the show.

Opening Credits Bonanza: Buffy

A good opening credit sequence is like sorbet. It cleanses the viewer's palate and primes their appetite for the main course. Following the lead of Lost, more shows are forgoing the sorbet and just diving into the prime rib (or greasy burger). In the inaugural post of Opening Credits Bonanza, I’d like to celebrate Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The hard-driving score by Nerf Herder combined with rat-a-tat editing perfectly reflects the tongue-and-cheek thrill ride that is guaranteed to follow.

In the Season 4 episode "Superstar," recurring character Jonathan uses dark magic to insert himself into the lives of the Scoobies. In a stroke of surreal brilliance, the show incorporated this development into the episode's opening.

And in the realm of fanmade vids, the Buffy theme served as inspiration for an alternate opening sequence for fellow teen girl superstud Veronica Mars.

What ever happened to Nerf Herder?