Blast from the Past: Best TV Themes of All Time (Part 1)

This is a Blast from the Past that needs very little exposition. These are my very favorite TV theme songs, and they rather speak for themselves. Either they are very catchy tunes, very meaningful lyrics, particularly good editing-with-music, or iconic pop culture confections. I'll insert a couple comments, but they mostly stand on their own. So, without further ado. . .



1. Laverne & Shirley: A spunky duo of 50s/60s gals face life on their own. Togetherness and determination all the way.
2. One Day at a Time: A divorcee strikes out on her own with two daughters in tow. And the theme song encourages others to strike their own path no matter what.



3. Simon and Simon: A detective team made of brothers who are like night and day. The theme song is cooler than the premise.

4. Knots Landing: A suburban cul-de-sac, loosely connected to the drama of Dallas. Soapy (but fun) show with an amazing theme song that changed from season to season. But season 5's was the best.

5. Gimme a Break: Fun theme song to a borderline racistly premised show.
6. Gimme a Break: Revised theme song to a borderline racistly premised show.



7. Dynasty: Glitzy soap opera, based in Denver, Colorado.
8. Dallas: Glitzy soap opera, based in Dallas, Texas.



9. Beverly Hills, 90210: superficial teen drama.
10. Melrose Place: superficial adult drama.

And that will do it for this edition of Blast from the Past. If I continue this series (and I very likely will), my "Best TV Themes of All Time" will very likely run to about 10 segments. And it's only that short, because some of my favorite shows have had no--or very nearly no--theme songs at all. Count this as batch #1, and have a great week, everybody!

Guilty Pleasures: Laverne & Shirley

As a child of the 70s, I was of the perfect age to experience an explosion of silliness on TV, ranging from the superhero shows like The Bionic Woman, and Wonder Woman, to the "jiggle" shows, Three's Company and Charlie's Angels, to my favorite, Laverne & Shirley.

I was not quite 10 when the phenomenally successful Happy Days spun off this unsung gem, and I was hooked from the first episode. Mom, previously worried about my fascination with record players, soon started to worry about my new addiction to ABC TV, which was experiencing a boom in the ratings. I could name every time slot, every theme song, and every star. She soon imposed strict "after 7, only two hours, and only if your chores and homework are done" rules.

I managed. Laverne & Shirley never got any respect from reviewers or the Emmys, but it got viewers in droves. That is why it surprises me that the show is getting something of a short-shrift on DVD from Paramount. Only two seasons have been released so far, and those two were released years apart. Allegedly, season three will be available in September. Meanwhile, you can get the lamest of lame series (What's Happening!! and What's Happening Now!!) in their entirety. Criminal.

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams were truly inspired in their timing, physical comedy and chemistry. David L. Lander and Michael McKean were just as inspired, and quite demented--even subversive--as Lenny and Squiggy. And, sigh, Eddie Mekka as Carmine. Great fun all around. I can't wait for season three.

Here's the famous opening credit sequence. Just try not to sing along. . .



And, because the Other Half wouldn't have it any other way, a clip from the 2nd Season episode, "Guinea Pigs," where Laverne & Shirley have participated in a scientific expirement in order to get enough money to go to a society function. Laverne was in a sleep deprivation test, and Shirley in a food deprivation test. Genius.