A Love Letter to Opening Credits

I adore opening credits. There's something about the familiar strum of a theme song beginning, and familiar images zooming by, that gives me the warm fuzzies and puts me in just the right mood for the show I'm about to watch. I'm sure that's the intention with most credits. But there has been a trend toward skipping credits in recent years, and although it may fit best with the mood of some shows ("Lost" is one example) I always miss that minute of singing along and getting geared up for watching a favorite show.

My favorite credits are ones that really set the mood for what's coming in the show. "Dexter" by far has one of the best credit sequences, turning what should be a normal morning routine into something threatening and sinister. A perfect match for a show about a likeable serial killer. In similar fashion, "True Blood"'s opening sequence sets a mood that is sexy, dark and very Southern, a perfect intro into the often campy and graphic supernatural show.





A more recent favorite are the opening titles for one of my guilty pleasures, "Pretty Little Liars." This is a brilliant opening, a spooky tone over what initially appears to be a girl getting made up. For a show about secrets surrounding the murder of a teenage girl, this sequence is perfect.



There are so many more I could name. "Firefly," with the original song and beautiful imagery that capture it so beautifully; the catchy beat of "Justified"'s opening theme song, set over flashes of mood-setting pictures; the original opening to "Grey's Anatomy," sadly no longer used, transitioning seamlessly between the sexy and the medical.

We often overlook these opening sequences, using them as an excuse to get a drink or take a bathroom break, or even fast-forwarding through them if possible. But they are one of my favorite parts of many of my favorite shows, and I always look forward to dancing and singing along to the familiar songs. Well-made credits enhance a show and set the tone for the viewer's entire experience. I hope that more and more shows follow the trend of those who pay particular attention to their opening sequences, and offer up more brilliant, show-enhancing credits.