My friend Ben has finally decided to get a real blog.  He’s been sort of blogging on Facebook, but he decided that it was time for him to branch.  Good for him, bad for me.  Unfortunately, Ben writes on THE topics and in THE way that I would love to and he does it much better than I could. ¹  As I scanned his blog for the second time this evening, I saw he has delivered yet another terrific post.  This one was about the sudden disappearance of the TV credits over the last few years.  Personally, I would have just said “Blame Lost” and be done with it, but that’s why he’s better at blogging than me.  I am just as sad as he to see the credits disappear from our television screens.  I remember being physically depressed every time I watched Lost and saw the incredibly boring type float across the screen into abyss because it meant no real credit sequence, but ultimately, I got it, and it worked on some levels.  Lost is about a group of people who are quite literally lost and are floating in what seems to be nothingness — it might as well be anyway.  It’s a theme thing.  My heart sank when this seemed to be an “Aha!” moment for TV Execs who thought this would be an excellent way to squeeze in yet a few more ads. Perhaps I am wrong on this though, and this is merely showrunners last attempt to regain a little bit of their ever-dwindling hour² of entertainment by chucking the credits and adding 43 more seconds of awesome TV.   Who knows.

While I completely echo Ben’s disappointment, I wonder if perhaps there is a light in the tunnel.  The way people watch TV has changed over the last decade and will continue to in the near future.  This is largely due to box sets and internet downloading (legal or otherwise).  Now hours and hours of a series can be consumed in one go, ad free, for as long as the viewer can stand it.   It’s like watching an insanely epic movie that just keeps going.  You watch a season and when it runs out, you just run down to Blockbuster and get the next one.  I often talk to people who have spent the last weekend marathoning or catching up on a show (or two).  It’s easy to spend days on a show that’s a masterpiece.  I know I’m guilty of this, and surely you are too.  

Now, let me ask a question.  You have the entire series of 7th Heaven in front of you to get through — what you don’t like it?  It’s a perfect example because it has eleven seasons of deliciously boring episodes to get through, but fine, you pick the series of your choice.  Depending on the show, you can have 80 – 100 episodes to get through.  So here it is… How many episodes in are you before skip the title sequence? 10? 5? 2?  Whether it is because the viewer is so engrossed in the show that they want to get to the action as soon as possible or it’s just due to the credits’ repetitive nature, spending that 45 seconds watching characters do the same dance to a song you will have in your head for days now is an absolute chore.  I know I skip them, especially now that credits are less common, and I come to a show that still has them (usually a cable network) I just want to claw my eyes out.  This goes double, triple even, for Showtime’s Dexter, who’s credit sequence goes on for almost a full two minutes. 

As someone who’s ultimate goal in life is to get their own successful television series, I would love nothing more than to have an awesome credit sequence leading into my equally as awesome episode.  I even have the tone and music and shots picked out in my head.  It would be easy to blame commercials and the ever decreasing hour, but I wonder, even if we were given back the lost time, with the current trend of viewing, would we want to bring back credit sequences?

In the spirit of Ben’s post, I have decided to post a few fave sequences myself.  Enjoy.

Full House

By todays standards, the series and credits were God-awful, but there’s still something about these credits delightful.  It’s possibly that thought that these characters would take the time out of their busy days to turn and smile at the camera.  How nice is Danny Tanner? Though I have long grown out of the show, and others of it’s calibre, there is something about the early nineties opener that really knew how to get your toes tappin’ and put in you in a good mood going into the episode.  Step by Step, Family Matters and many more are all guilty of it and have equally entertaining opening counterparts.

Growing Pains

In a similar vein, there was Growing Pains. I loved this show and I still know every word to it’s theme song.  I remember loving watching all of them grow up — though the young Jason and Maggie pictures that have been technicolored is a bit off putting. Oh look! They’ve left silly Jason out by the fence again!  Silly man. 

Edit: I just noticed in this particular version of the credits it was Mike who was left abandoned on the curb.  Oh, those Seavers, always mixing things up!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Pardon me, but I can only link to this one. For some reason it’s near impossible to get the actual credits of the show off of youtube and once I actually found said actual credits, the embedding rights have been removed. Such is life.  However, if you are in the mood for Buffy credits Alias Style, Charmed Style, Season 8 comic style or in still photos you are absolutely in luck.

Buffy Season 7 Credits

Buffy had a great title sequence.  It quickly set the mood for the show and introduced the characters in a way that showed off their individual personalities.  I may be bias about this, but I think if you’re able to find them, it’s worth checking out.

 

And just so you’ll feel my pain.

Dexter

These credits are a beautiful work of art and damn near perfect.  They are visceral and confronting while maintaining an mundanely domestic quality, in other words, these credits ARE the show.  Well done, Showtime… but really, two minutes?

 

Since this post took so damn long to put together, no Wii Fit for me tonight.  I’m taking my flabby self to bed.

Also, a link to Ben’s blog has been added to my links.

Tags: 7th Heaven, ads, Ben Stephens, Buffy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, commercials, Credit Sequences, Dexter, evolution of TV, Full House, Growing Pains, Lost, Television, TV, watching TV