5 Theme Songs I Can't Skip

I watch almost all of my television on DVDs or Netflix. The only shows I've watched as they aired in the past year have been The Clone Wars and Game of Thrones. When you knock out entire seasons of television in a weekend, listening to the theme song over and over can get old. Fast. Some of them have me poised and ready to hit the next chapter button on the remote. I don't want to risk them getting stuck in my head. A select few never get skipped. Yes, even after I've listened to the same song or music dozens of times. I've limited my list to geeky sorts of shows, otherwise Mad About You would be included (hey - don't judge).


Angel Season 5 Opening by finash
Angel - This one is all about the music. The visuals are the standard character portraits from the current season, nothing flashy. But the sound, oh those violins. They tug at me every time. Note: I think the statute of limitations on spoilers for this show is expired, but I will caution that this video is from the season five opening. If you don't want to see what characters are around then just close your eyes and listen.

Dexter - Do you remember the first time you saw the opening theme for Dexter? Wasn't it the most brilliant frakking opening you'd ever scene? I still feel that way. They made the everyday morning routine into a parade of subtle nods to homicide. The lighting, the nuance, the shapes - it's just beautiful work. If you don't watch the show, you can still enjoy this trailer. It's not gory, and there aren't any spoilers.

Firefly - I want a line from this song tattooed on my person. I don't think I need to say anything else.


Doctor Who Series 4 - I don't skip any of the Doctor Who openings, but series 4 is my favorite arrangement. It's also short, and it's hard to time fast forwarding through it without cutting into the episode. I spend time trying these things out, you know.  For science. The Doctor would approve.


Game of Thrones - This one grew on me. The music grabbed me from the first time I watched (you can pre-order the soundtrack  now).  The visuals - not so much. It felt a little steampunk-y, and as a friend put it, a little too Tim Burton for the medieval setting of the story. The more I see it and watch it repeatedly on YouTube, the more I see the loveliness of the design. From the storytelling on the spokes of the clockwork orrery to the way the theme changes to include new locations - it's impeccable.

What are your favorite television theme songs?