(Turtles!) It’s very of its time, but awesome lives forever. One of the most instantly recognizable pieces of television music ever created, the Peter Gunn theme brought Henry Mancini an Emmy and two Grammys, including Album of the Year in 1959 for The Music of Peter Gunn. 20 in A Major, D. 959, Rondo: Allegretto, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_television_theme_music&oldid=1015805986, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with style issues from January 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 April 2021, at 17:34. version of ‘Hawaii 5-0’!! Ironside featured Burr’s wheelchair-bound crime solver and a theme by the legendary composer and producer Quincy Jones. But these are easily top five, in my opinion. I’ve a presentation next week, and Television theme songs set the tone for the entire series, and for the beginning of each episode. A single with both the instrumental and Cruise versions charted in over a dozen countries between 1990 and 1991. Five years after "Jimmy Neutron" aired on Nick, "Phineas And Ferb" debuted on rival network the Disney Channel, with Bowling for Soup adding another theme song to their repertoire. Both of those are in the Spoken Word List; the link is at the top of this story. Frequently covered and used as a musical cue in film, the song received a second life in the 1980s as the music for the enormously popular Spy Hunter video game. Veronica Mars ran three seasons, had a film continuation released in 2014, and will return for a multi-episode run on Hulu this year. Some really good lyrics maybe lacking. (Turtles!) Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Theme song and opening sequences. … It was performed by Sonny Rhodes, and remarkably infused the space theme into a traditional country tune. When the evil Shredder attacks These turtle boys don't cut him no slack Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Splinter taught them to be ninja teens (He's … This is the worst list of all time, this was probably made by some 90 year old. Not sure how/why the “Fresh Prince” theme was even chosen at all, but oh well. Subscribe now, Culture, Movies, Movies for the Rest of Us. Turtles! Much like the show, the theme had two distinct versions. One of the spin-offs from All in the Family featured the extremely popular neighbors, George and Louise Jefferson, played by Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford. From season 2 on, the theme was performed by co-writer Loring, known for her role on Days of Our Lives and her later hit song Friends and Lovers. SWAT, no Star Trek? I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists. I agree with the inclusion of ‘Twin Peaks’ and am sorry the 2017 version was SO horribly unwatchable. We revisited the history of The X-Files in September 2018 for the show’s 25th anniversary. Uploaded to YouTube by GreatestShowsOnEarth. The series takes its title from the song of the same name, which was originally released on a hit record by The Romantics in 1980; it was written by the group's members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill, Rich Cole, and Jimmy Marinos. At the time, we commented on the “famously spooky opening theme.” Mark Snow composed the theme; it was used in the nine original seasons, the two revival seasons, and in both theatrical films. A giant of educational programming and the generator of countless beloved characters (and the proving ground for The Muppet Show), the show has won an unbelievable 189 Emmy awards during its run. Country legend Waylon Jennings nailed the spirit of a show about car chases and misadventures with his plot-explaining anthem. The release was a massive hit around the world between 1995 and 1997, and notched No. Any list that does not include The Lone Ranger has absolutely no credibility. The production company, Mercury Zeitgeist Film Studios was hired to create the animated sequence for the opening theme. Song explains the plot? (Turtles!) The “I’ve been seen with Farrah” line was a reference to Majors’ then-marriage to Farrah Fawcett of Charlie’s Angels; she also appeared in The Fall Guy pilot. The J-pop theme “Just Communication” by pop duo Two-Mix is by turns propulsive and introspective, which are the two dominant moods of the series. Given the greenlight for a series after a TV movie, actress Cathy Lee Crosby was replaced with Lynda Carter. Largely whistled (by Hagen), actual musical instruments don’t come in until about halfway through the 30-second theme. Created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, Hill Street Blues changed television almost immediately. Missing from this list has to be Knight Rider, Party of Five, E.R., Blue Bloods, all the CSI’s even NCIS. 1 show in America from 1971 to 1976, and another of Norman Lear’s murderer’s row of monster CBS hits, All in the Family’s plots turned on the clashes between bigoted Archie Bunker (O’Connor); his ostensibly silly but deceptively wise wife, Edith (Stapleton); their liberal daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers); and her ever-more-liberal husband, Michael “Meathead” Stivic (Rob Reiner). Someone was a genius. (2!) This was, in part, because of controversy surrounding the level of violence on the show. Check. 10. Extremely popular, the single reached No. No Star Trek?! M*A*S*H Intro by Johnny Mandel, “Suicide Is Painless” M*A*S*H was unique in that it was a tragedy with a laugh track. Are you kidding me? After a decent run on CBS, the show became enormously popular in syndication. The show had five definitive spin-offs (a couple of which spun off their own shows). Along with writer Mark Frost, he created a TV series for a major broadcast network. The difficult part is holding this level of intensity during 3 or 4 minutes. what happened to “Bonanza”? The show also had the distinction of being one of the few hour-long American series to employ a laugh track. If all else fails, then it's time to kick butt! Thanks for putting these together. Required fields are marked *. Producer Glen A. Larson wanted to develop a show featuring a stunt man. The Wire? Lear didn’t shy away from controversial topics or blue-collar characters, and Good Times was an exemplar of that. Some readers might recognize the song from Fall Out Boy’s 2015 song “Uma Thurman,” which used the theme as the source for its primary sample. The ’68-’80 episodes otherwise were great, of course. However, it earned a cult following and is fondly remembered by TV critics. Cowboy Bebop is frequently held up as one of the great anime series. Martin, HBO’s Game of Thrones became a worldwide fantasy phenomenon. Lynch, Frost, and much of the cast revived the series on Showtime in 2017. The Love Boat was part of ABC’s hugely successful Saturday night lineup, airing ahead of fellow hit Fantasy Island. Glad to see “Cheers” was included, but “The Facts of Life”? Law and Order (original)? The song's demo version was available at Ingram's SoundCloud site. “Friday Night Lights” seems to be overlooked on all of these lists…. The association between the show and its theme song can bring back memories. The No. Endlessly covered, a staple of marching bands (it’s the unofficial “fight song” for the University of Hawaii), and awesome enough to be used again for a series remake 20 years later (the original was re-recorded with some of the same musicians), we’re confident in saying that “Theme from Hawaii Five-0” is the greatest. Consider that, in 2016, more than 1,400 shows ran on prime-time television in the United States — that doesn’t include streaming — and most of those shows had some kind of opening sequence with music. Both Incredible theme songs with the latter having an unexpected sexy ending! 21 on the pop chart and hit the top of the Hot 100 Country chart in 1980. Sometimes the best is just the best. Co-written by a show creator? Visionary film director David Lynch did the unthinkable in 1990. Cheers 2. The theme featured leads O’Connor and Stapleton opining on better days (at least as how Archie saw them). Lynch, Frost, and much of the cast revived the series on Showtime in 2017. Every episode has a different dance move forMr. All three of these shows were great too, and not just because I say so. The fantastic one was the harder rock, jazzy, sexed-up version found under Del Shannon-Runaway (Crime Story) where the lyrics were altered and updated. The song describes the set-up of the Yakko, Wakko and Dot's zany adventures and also introduces several of the other major characters on the show. The 40 Greatest Animated TV Series Theme Songs, When TV Shows Completely Changed 50 Years Ago, Review: Concrete Cowboy — Movies for the Rest of Us with Bill Newcott, Contrariwise: Let’s De-escalate Video Calling, https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2019/09/the-25-greatest-tv-themes-of-all-time-part-2-spoken-word/, https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2020/03/the-40-greatest-animated-tv-series-theme-songs/. I could go on and on but you get the idea. Thanks Troy! One of the most memorable themes ever is one of the simplest. Turtles count it off: 1! Why just 50? Six movies (and counting). Accordingly, the iconic theme song, with its World War II references, was retooled as an instrumental. The theme’s lyrics reference the hardships that the Evans family faced in the projects, notably the hard-to-hear-unless-you-know-the-words “hangin’ in a chow line.”. This weird western starring Bruce Campbell ran for only 27 episodes in the mid-1990s. Your support helps us preserve a great American legacy. It’s by far the most unique and immediately recognisable of the list. Your email address will not be published. We’re breaking our own rule by including an entry from the forthcoming Greatest Spoken-Word Themes list here, but we have to do it. I love bein' a Turtle! A spin-off of the hit show The Rookies, S.W.A.T. The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Happy Days generated a remarkable seven spin-offs (two of which were animated). Check it out on Youtube. Besides, there may be a contract that prevents this musician to expand this short song. Check. Space 1999 made the list but not Star Trek? However, Season 2 only aired on Netflix. It was revived for a short run in the early 1990s, and retained the theme (albeit updated a bit, musically). The music of the show has inspired orchestral concerts and tours. It ended up being the 11th biggest hit song of 1981 in the States. Incredibly, the theme lives on, having been appropriated by NBC for its Olympics coverage since 1996. The theme song from “Route 66” should be on the list. Troy, Troy, Troy…. 3! Dallas is way to low, it should be in the top five at least if not number one. Oy, vey! Kruppwhen it comes to the line of "And first they made him dance!". As of August 16, 2014, the series aired on Netflix when it was originally on Sprout/Universal Kids. No Wild, Wild West or Mannix or The Real McCoys? An action-comedy about a high school teacher who gets a superhero suit from aliens (but loses the instructions), The Greatest American Hero had a decent three-season run in the early 1980s. The song wasn’t added to the series until Season 3, but it became so popular that it later replaced the original instrumental theme for Seasons 1 and 2 once the show hit syndication. Space: 1999 didn’t have a long run, but it left behind several generations of fans. Widower Sheriff Andy Taylor, and his son Opie, live with Andy's Aunt Bee in Mayberry, North Carolina. This short segment is so powerful, the arrangements, the voice, the whistling, everything works perfectly. 10 on the Hot 100 in 1981. One of the great statement-of-purpose themes, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” received an Emmy nomination in 1983. 1 on the Billboard Album Chart. The tune is absolutely unmistakable. Saturday night live? Morton himself passed away in 1991, but we have a feeling that this tune is never going away. Theme Song (TV series) is the opening theme song for The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants. CBS picked up the show for the next two seasons, but moved the setting to the 1970s. Two TV series. 2 on the Hot 100 in America and charting in five other countries. The first one he did for ‘Crime Story’ was too close to the 1961 version. At the end of the final season, McGoohan left and launched the unofficial sequel, cult classic sci-fi show The Prisoner. British electronic act Alabama 3 (called A3 in the U.S. to avoid confusion with country band Alabama) blended their modern approach with the mood of a bluesy murder ballad. 4! The theme song from "Laverne and Shirley" ranks as one of the most recognizable of all time. However, difficulties with the network, a loss of momentum after the revelation of Laura Palmer’s killer, and constant time-slot disruptions (due, in part, to the Gulf War) led to the show not being renewed after the second season. The tune, set against a spare opening of mafia underboss Tony Soprano driving home through New Jersey, evokes the dark tone of the series. We’ve covered the origin of The Monkees more than once in this magazine. 1 positions on the U.S. The Facts of Life actually spun off from Diff’rent Strokes, so it was logical to have Burton, Thicke, and Loring write both themes. I think sing-along ability should count for something. The premise turned on the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha, who have to try to survive when the moon is knocked out of Earth’s orbit. Of course the same can be said for the even more awful 2010-20?? He would go on to write the theme for Dallas and score 55 episodes of the show. Ninjutsu action! “Goodbye” is also known for being the intro theme to the Netflix’s series Dark. 2! The Rembrandts co-wrote the original minute-long version of the tune with Friends producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman, Kaufman’s husband Michael Skloff, and musician Allee Willis. 25 on the Hot 100 in 1978. There have been a lot of shows. Mutant chain reaction. Sherwood Schwartz again? The theme from The Brady Bunch serves as a microcosm of our bigger list. CSI? Packed to bursting with synth, electric guitars, and Cuban rhythms, the piece aimed to evoke the titular city, action, and fashion all at the same time. Then there are the dissonant piano chords, the 808s and dramatic strings. It was first used in the opening series in 2015. In one of the theme songs that actually states the show’s premise, “The Ballad” explains how the S.S. Minnow got lost in a storm with seven very different people aboard. A piece that’s destined to live forever on Halloween compilations and in sports arenas, The Addams Family theme might contain the most famous double-snaps of all time. The theme was composed by Grainer, but the studio wizardry of Delia Derbyshire and Dick Mills incorporated the electronic sounds that made it legendary. Rotten Tomatoes ranks Mad Men, Game of Thrones, The Simpsons, and more of the best TV theme songs from the past two decades. Speed Racer, aka Mach GoGoGo, is a series that lives vividly in the hearts and minds of millions of anime fans across generations, and it’s in no small part to this incredible song. In 2017, a CBS television reboot starring Shemar Moore debuted; it uses an updated version of De Vorzon’s theme by Robert Duncan. Covers by members of U2. It certainly would have made a Top 100 by me, possibly Top 60. From the second season to the tenth season, the Happy Days theme was moved to the front; the 11th season featured an updated version with Bobby Arvon on lead vocals. Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Presidents of the United States of America, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free, Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not), Are My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night. TV Themes - 50s, 60s, & 70s Lyrics; TV Themes - 80s & 90s Lyrics Though certain parts of the song changed over the course of the five seasons, the core of “The Muppet Show Theme” remained the same. The first version was used for season 1 and featured star Charlotte Rae and a number of the seven featured young ladies trading lines. The majestic main theme is by composer Ramin Djawadi, whose body of work includes creating additional music for Hans Zimmer scores for movies like Iron Man, Batman Begins, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Stars: Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts, Frances Bavier. Played today by Jodie Whittaker, the official 13th doctor (and first female), the character continues to command a devoted international following. NYPD Blue? So, no love for the theme from Soul Train? Laverne herself, Penny Marshall (Garry’s sister), contributed the hopscotch chant that comes before the song in the opening credits. Despite that, the original ’68 opening sequence of music, photography and editing cant’t be beat. From its diverse cast to its multi-episode stories to its handheld cameras and innovative editing, the show broke ground in different levels of writing and production, earning 98 Emmys during its run. The Sonny Curtis theme became an empowering anthem, and Mary’s hat toss at the end of the opening is an iconic TV moment. How do you determine the greatest TV show theme songs of all time? The following list contains scores or songs which are the primary theme music of a television series or miniseries. Published on 9/7/2016 at 7:09 PM. Innumerable references in popular culture. Mainstream, Adult Contemporary, and Airplay charts. Incorporating electric guitar and some very 1970s keys, “The Rockford Files” had a four-month chart run in 1975, eventually hitting No. Livin' underground! The TV series spun out of the successful 1970 film by Robert Altman; that movie featured a version of Suicide Is Painless complete with lyrics. ER? (3!) Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Do they realize that that is the only television theme song to reach #1 on the Billboard Top 100…to the creators of this list…up your nose with a rubber hose. Again, it goes very well with the flavour of the series. Turtles count it off: 1! Never fight unless someone else starts. Those lyrics were written by the director’s son, who was only 14 at the time. (4!) However, on this earlier program, Thicke sang lead. Howe… The effortless cool of James Garner as P.I. Wonder Woman had an unusual production history. What about the mod squad and Barney miller those were also great tunes. In fact you ignore every theme song from the early TV years. Coincidentally, his friend (and frontman of The Diamonds) Dave Somerville had written a song about a stunt man for a show that never went forward. The short first season was a critically praised, must-watch hit. It starts with a nod to the old Universal horror days with a fugue on organ. While season one did contain Rod Serling’s immortal speechifying in the intro, it had fairly standard music by Bernard Herrmann. Were was the AIRWOLF Theme that one is really good. 3. Thank you for another excellent article. It’s been 56 years since the first Doctor stole the TARDIS and began his adventures through space and time. What exactly do you want from a tv theme song if that’s not good enough to get on these lists? Votes: 12,306. Thanks to the guitar and bass tones on the track, it’s considered an entry in the surf rock genre; it’s been covered by acts like Jan & Dean, The Who, The Kinks, The Jam, and Eddie Vedder (with his daughter, Harper). This is another theme that switched between seasons. We begin with Part 1: Theme songs for live-action shows. Shredder: Watch ou… I didn’t include Soul Train, American Bandstand, The Tonight Show Theme, the SNL Theme, Solid Gold, etc. Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street? It’s hard to overestimate the impact of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. 2! They get stuck in our head, we sing them without noticing, and we remember them fondly after a series has ended. The surf-inspired theme for monster comedy The Munsters received a Grammy nomination in 1965. The theme song was written by Haim Saban. It's a shell of a town! It's like you're always stuck in second gear, It won two Grammys in 1986. Friends Theme Song Lyrics. Inspired by the song, Larson created the character of Colt Seavers, a stunt man and bounty hunter. Although we can't say if they were originally intended to do so, a show's theme song has the power to take you back to a (hopefully) simpler, happier time. Two weeks at number one in the US, making it the first TV theme song to hit the top of the chart—yes, it beat Welcome Back Kotter by over a year. It’s also one of the few lasting themes to prominently feature harpsichord. With subtle variations, it was used in the original series, the 1988 revival, and at varying points in each film of the Tom Cruise franchise. No Star Trek or Hart to Hart is criminal. The words and music were by George Wyle and show creator Sherwood Schwartz. In 2004, it won an … Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end? What can you say about Sesame Street? What about Van Der Valk? © Copyright 2021 Saturday Evening Post Society. 3 hit on the Hot 100. It had a short U.K. run but became an unexpected hit in the U.S. during summer reruns under the name Secret Agent. It is a great challenge. Piano Sonata No. But, yeah, Bonanza should probably be on the list! The song became so popular, with DJs playing it on the radio, that the group recorded an extended version for a single, and a companion video was produced featuring the six leads of the show. (Turtles!) Music was an integral element of the show, with classic and current hits splashed across every episode of its run. Re-recorded for the series by Fee (and re-recorded again for later spin-off, The Golden Palace), the tune is now indelibly associated with Dorothy, Sophia, Rose, and Blanche. The theme music for the HBO critical darling Succession has already become a classic of the form. The theme opens with portentous classical sounds, and then kicks into full-on sci-fi disco. They Might Be Giants might be considered the MVPs of the TV theme song genre, having also written the themes to kids cartoons “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Higglytown Heroes.” Plus, it … The two series even had a crossover episode; another episode guest-starred Charlie’s Angels. The Animaniacs Theme Song is, as its title suggests, the song that opens every episode of Animaniacs. Great song, should definitely be on the list. Jim Rockford was conveyed in this terrific number by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter. Theme song to “Prisoner Cell Block H” is VASTLY better than any other TV theme music. The memorable track with a single lyric (“Batman!”) paired wonderfully with the animated intro, evoking the campy and comedic tone of the show. Mauldo, you’re right about ‘Dallas’ being too low, but at least it was included. Singer Jack Jones performed the title tune that was used for the first eight seasons of the show; Dionne Warwick did the version used in the final season. We all have a special connection to what we think are the best TV themes. It goes on a bit too long however at the end, as much as I love the saxophone. The album itself hit No. Though most people associate this song with the TV series, Gold’s original recording of Thank You for Being a Friend hit No. The instrumental theme by veteran TV composter Mike Post hit No. Lalo Schifrin’s Mission: Impossible is one of the gold standards for theme music. I’m not sure why but this website is loading incredibly slow for me. Also, Dr. Who should be much higher IMHO. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Heroes in the half shell Turtle Power! Chart; surely that deserves a high place on this list? It pretty much invented a whole genre (electronic) and was very popular on thee continents. Danger Man was a British TV series featuring Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Jennings also served as narrator for the series. The show was a huge hit and launched Smith into an even more successful film career. In Season 2, the man who sings the song is replaced by a child. With the second season, the theme gave way to the familiar, unsettling theme by Marius Constant. Though the song never charted, Jones nevertheless included it in his Greatest Hits collection. Apart from composing film and television music, Morton Stevens was Sammy Davis Jr.’s arranger and occasional conductor from the 1950s until Davis’s death in 1990. TV Theme Lyrics. one Tree hill theme song for season 1 is amazing. These were overwhelmingly themes from dramas and comedies, many of which were ranked higher because of how they expressed their relationship to the show (Buffy, for example, mixed punky energy with classic horror organs) or were just awesome (Ironside, S.W.A.T., etc.). 5. “Wings” had a great instrumental lead-in. It’s a daunting task. A No. If Norman Lear was the king of 1970s sitcoms on CBS, his counterpart at ABC was Garry Marshall. That’s where you find Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Hart to Hart, and others. Another reason why the theme song works is because of the visuals and the way the names of the cast and crew appear in Hindi. I kept waiting for two of them….obviously The Rockford Files Which came in at number 2…and Welcome Back , Kotter …and that is a disgrace that it is not on the list at all never mind top 5. They're heroes in a half shell and they're green (Hey - get a grip!) Veronica Mars but not Star Trek? Both fantastic lists, yet I think I like the ‘Spoken-Word’ list better. 4! Sanford & Son Intro by Quincy Jones Forget Thriller, “We Are the World” or his work with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles,... 4. Prisoner Cell Block H DID have a great theme and it’s an underrated show in the States. What Is the Dreamy 'Narcos' Theme Song Really About? The theme song was an even bigger hit, going to No. Joe Perry, the lead guitarist of Aerosmith, was then hired to perform the theme song that would be used in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Friends Theme Lyrics I'll Be There for You Lyrics by the Rembrandts. The Saturday Evening Post is a nonprofit organization funded primarily by our members. Meet the Press? When the show was retooled for season 2 (which included replacing four of the girls — one of whom was a young Molly Ringwald — with Nancy McKeon’s Jo), portions of the lyrics were rewritten, including the addition of the more famous “You take the good, you take the bad” opening line. The indisputably awesome funk-driven theme song, however, was a No. The theme itself was written by Boyce and Hart, the songwriting team that also composed other Monkees tunes, like “Last Train to Clarksville” and “(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone,” as well as other 1960s hits like “Come a Little Bit Closer” for Jay and The Americans. The theme, Falling, was derived from a song that Lynch and his frequent collaborator Angelo Badalamenti wrote for singer Julee Cruise. Based on the hugely successful A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Season 1 did not air on Netflix for an unknown reason. The theme was also used for Sanford, a brief revival that Wilson declined to join. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_theme_music Your job's a joke, you're broke, you're love life's DOA. TC, you’ll notice that none of the themes are from shows that are expressly music and variety shows (except mayyybee The Muppet Show). Raymond Burr headlined two much-loved dramas with highly regarded theme songs. His first hit, based on the film that he wrote, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, came packed with a great theme. John Semper Jr. originally wanted to use the theme song from the 1967 Spider-Man series. It was the first TV theme to have its sound rooted in synthesizer. Widely praised by a variety of publications and websites, it’s generally considered among the best of TV show theme music throughout the history of the medium. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! A few that were missed, Rawhide by frankie lane, Bonanza theme,and my top pick Runaway 1986, Del Shannon redid his original 1961 hit Runaway. The ZOOM theme song is a staple of each season. Jazz composer Neal Hefti was nominated for three Grammys and won one for his work on Batman. The first season, set during World War II, ran on ABC. For Part 3, read The 40 Greatest Animated TV Series Theme Songs. Your email address will not be published. " It's a Jungle Out There " is a song written by Randy Newman and used as the theme song for the TV series Monk starting in its second season. This prompted a resurrection of the show that ran from 1964 to 1968. The theme charts the Jefferson’s move from their old neighborhood to their new high-rise thanks to the success of George’s dry-cleaning chain. The first, and most successful, was Laverne & Shirley, which followed two single gals who first appeared on Days as friends of the Fonz. Then it rips into four-on-the-floor post-punk surf-rock, turning the old themes on their heads in the same way that the show stretched horror tropes. Both Sanford and Son and Good Times, along with a couple of upcoming entries on our list, were developed by super-producer Norman Lear. only lasted two seasons. Part of the new success was owed to the rocking U.S. theme song, which became a No.