Four on the Floor #15: TV's Best Theme Songs

The Situation: We’re doing TV theme songs. The catchier, the better. Simple.

The Criteria: These might be the most arbitrary criteria I’ve ever cooked up for a Four on the Floor list. I’m looking at “theme songs” , that means music and lyrics. Sure, that means that I’ll have to ignore instrumental gems like MacGuyver, Magnum PI, and Simon and Simon; I’ll also be ignoring themes that only include narration–sorry Babylon 5, A-Team, Twilight Zone, and Star Trek (well, Enterprise had a theme song…but, really?). I’m also going to stick with non-animated shows. I could probably pick about ten really kick-ass cartoon theme songs ( “Ten on the Table” anyone?). Finally, I’m disqualifying certain “classic” theme songs, like Gilligan’s Island and The Addams Family. Saying you like the theme to Gilligan’s Island is like saying you like Bugs Bunny…duh!

1. The Greatest American Hero

A theme song so hip, so edgy that Jerry Seinfeld–the Nineties poster child for hip and edgy–stole it.

2. Jack of All Trades

If you don’t love the theme song to this show starring Bruce Campbell as a Jeffersonian secret agent, then you hate Jeffersonian America…and the French win.

3. Firefly

Hey look! A Joss Whedon show. I wonder whose blog this is….

4. Psych

What? Don’t you judge me! This song is as catchy, up-beat and harmlessly infectious as the show it introduces. You knew I was going to say that, didn’t you?

All Whedon, All the Time

The good folks over at whedonesque.com have posted a transcript of an interview with The Master himself regarding his new series Dollhouse (although I suspect the entire thing was written by Joss).

Read it, it’s hy-larious.