Fade to black? For a time it looked like the TV title sequence was in danger of being cancelled.
Dramas like Lost and Alias stripped their opening intros to the minimum while Seinfeld and 24 jettisoned them altogether.
But more recently this decades-long small-screen staple has been making a comeback -- and in doing so has moved beyond just being a montage of cast, credits and best-of moments. Consider Game of Thrones, Mad Men or Dexter -- some of which even made this entirely subjective list of TV's coolest title sequences, based on recognizability, catchiness, effectiveness and artistry.
20) The Andy Griffith Show
Casual whistling as we head down to the ol' fishin' hole. Instantly instigates nostalgia for a simpler time.
19) M*A*S*H
Suicide is painless. The choppers -- carrying wounded -- coming in over the mountains juxtaposes nicely with the serene music.
Once Mel Brooks began to "make a noise," thankfully he never shut up There’s an apt evaluation in the first minute of the documentary Mel Brooks: Make a Noise. "Mel was not interested in the little laugh," observes writer/director Barry Levinson. "He literally wanted you to collapse and fall on the ground and can’t ... Read more
'SNL' season finale full of goodbyes As Stefon would say: This Saturday Night Live had everything. Kanye West, Jennifer Garner, Anderson Cooper, a musical super group, a surprise guest appearance from Amy Poehler and what looks like the departure of not one, but three cast members. Bill ... Read more
Reporter congratulates Matthew Perry on sitcom axe In what could be one of the biggest live celebrity interview fails of all time, a Fox sports reporter congratulated Matthew Perry on the cancellation of his show “Go On” (which lasted one season) during an NHL game. The impromptu interview ... Read more