This was such a stupid idea for a post. As soon as I started it, my brain began to buzz with far, far more than a measly ten candidates.
~Evil [Seasons 3-5]. David Buckley composed the theme for Robert and Michelle King’s Evil Season 1 and 2, as well, of course, and it was very good, but then Almighty God emptied a vat of inspiration over his head or SOMETHING, because for Season 3 he debuted a re-booted version of the theme, and it is EPIC. Buckley re-worked it into something sinewy, rich, and intense, with disturbingly intimate, creepy cellos and other bowed strings, a perfect blend of darkness and whimsicality that builds to one of the most satisfying climaxes in a theme that I’ve ever heard. I cheer every time I hear it. EVERY TIME.
~Penny Dreadful (aka Demimonde) by Abel Korzeniowski.
~The Andy Griffith Show by Earle Hagen…perfect retro happiness from an American culture that came, shone brightly over the fruited plains, and then died in agony. But that theme song will Iive FOREVER.
~The Rockford Files by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter. The show didn’t age very well, in my opinion, as charming as James Garner was, but I’ll never not watch the title sequence, because of that theme.
~Barney Miller by Allyn Ferguson and Jack Elliott. That BASS LINE…and the bass tone…and that Wizard Boss of a perfectly-funky-just-behind-the-beat player, of whose name I am sadly ignorant…that’s edible audio gold right there, people.
~S.W.A.T. by Barry De Vorzon – pure 1970’s small TV orchestra EXCITEMENT. Such a BIG sound!
~The Mandalorian by Ludwig Göransson.
~Only Murders In the Building by Siddhartha Kosla.
~Bojack Horseman by Patrick and Ralph Carney. I love the twisty, fluid percussion, and the way this track rolls out during the opening credits, going from one micro-movement* to the next, is so beautifully calibrated and satisfying. Bravo! *(I just invented the term “micro-movement” and from now on I want a quarter every time someone says it, cf. J. Jonah Jameson from Sam Raimi’s Spiderman trilogy)
~The Simpsons by Danny Elfman. This almost doesn’t make the “instrumentals only” list because a choir does sing “…the Simmmpsonnnss…” at the beginning, but I’ll let that slide. Catchy, hummable Danny Elfman magic.
Alts:
Peter Gunn Theme by Henry Mancini.
The Pink Panther Show. The cartoon series spin-off that debuted in 1969 (I believe?), also by the inimitable Henry Mancini.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. by Jerry Goldsmith.
Speaking of Jerry Goldsmith, a hat tip is due to him for Star Trek: The Next Generation, which —if you didn’t know—was actually the same theme he created for the very 1st Star Trek movie back in 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Aghhhhh! See? There’s no end to the “alts”…trying to create a Top 10 List was a doomed, unattainable idea. Sorry, everybody.
