A memorable TV opening credits sequence it can hook the viewer within minutes, suggest future settings and plot points, and make the introduction stick in viewers’ minds for years to come. The opening credits act as the viewer’s first impression of a program and, along with the TV show’s theme song, are typically the first mental association formed with a series. At some point or another, everyone has experienced the theme of their favorite show getting stuck in their head, which is not only due to the music but also the visual sequence.
Although the introduction is intended to convey important information such as the names of the show’s writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, and actors, it also serves to create visual interest. What makes a memorable opening TV credits sequence includes beautiful cinematography, a catchy opening soundtrack, thematic relevance to the show, and some sort of unique gimmick that highlights key elements. Among the notable series are a handful of fan-favorite TV shows that have mastered the art of brilliant and unique opening credits sequences.
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Dexter (2006-2013)
A Morning Routine TV Intro
James Manos Jr. Dexter follows the life of Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metropolitan Police Department. However, things are not what they seem: Although he catches criminals during the day, Dexter also works as a vigilante serial killer, Bring to justice the predators that the Miami Police Department cannot capture or convict without your special set of skills. The show’s soundtrack (composed by Daniel Licht) uses a Greek instrument known as bouzouki, which sounds similar to a mandolin or Spanish guitar – perfect for the Miami scene.
THE Dexter the introduction may be thematically innocuous on paper – just a man getting ready for work – but its brilliance lies, somewhat surprisingly, at first glance. The creators manage to use harmless, everyday images – a knife cutting through a ham steak, a blood orange being peeled – to create a sense of something slightly sinister. This was achieved with extremely tight shots, sound effects excellent enough to rival ASMR, and Michael C. Hall’s vaguely unnerving smile. Furthermore, the Dexter spin-off series New blood pays homage to this original title sequence.
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Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
An elementary introduction to TV
Vince Gilligan’s critically acclaimed crime drama Breaking Bad revolves around high school chemistry professor Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Concerned about his family’s financial future, Walter enlists former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), a known addict and drug dealer, to become his partner in cooking and meth trafficking. The series spawned a franchise, including a new Bryan Cranston Breaking Bad catch up now on Netflix.
While perhaps not the most memorable title sequence of all time, the creators of Breaking Bad got an interesting introduction. The chemical components of the show are uniquely highlighted by using the periodic table of elements to spell out the names of the main actors (actors, writers, directors and more). Additionally, the soundtrack (composed by Dave Porter) uses drums, bells, and a blues resonator (doubled) guitar, pointing to the concert scene in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
An introduction to Undead TV
Frank Darabont’s hit zombie TV series UndeadBased on the comics of the same name, it was surprisingly successful after its debut in 2010 and has since branched out into several equally beloved spin-off series. The show follows sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) as he leads a small community of survivors through a zombie apocalypse.
Featuring a haunting orchestral score (composed by Bear McCreary) and cinematography with a warm vintage tone, UndeadThe opening credits sequence changed a few times during the series’ extensive run. The intro to the first six seasons, however, is arguably the best, especially the scene of a metal doorknob turning ominously back and forth. This image is a direct reference to the season 1 scene in which a character who was transformed into “walker” tries to open the front door of his house – a last remnant of muscle memory from his humanity.
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Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
A Topographical Introduction to TV
It’s impossible to discuss impactful opening credit sequences without naming Game of Thrones. David Benioff and DB Weiss’s fantasy drama (based on the book by George R.R. Martin A Song of Ice and Fire) took the world by storm in 2011 and still enjoys widespread popularity today with a critically acclaimed prequel series, Dragon House. This series boasts an all-star cast and follows many arcs, but mainly revolves around claiming the Iron Throne, which rules the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Game of Thrones’ epic orchestral score (composed by Ramin Djawadi) is without a doubt one of the best theme songs of all time. It is combined with an opening credits sequence that features an animated three-dimensional map, which is updated each season to reflect a topographical view of the plot. The animation style and score remain consistent. In truth, Dragon House reuses the main theme and introduction with a light touch: here, the map is drawn in flowing streams of blood.
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American Horror Story (2011-present)
A new horror for every season intro
American horror storycreated by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck, is a groundbreaking horror anthology series for cable TV. Each season is self-contained and loosely follows some element of real events (like the Axeman of New Orleans in American Horror Story: Coven). The show has a large rotating cast, but generally stars Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Lily Rabe. He has enjoyed 12 of his 13 seasons so far.
The shine of American horror story opening credits sequence is that it changes drastically every season, its only consistent elements are highly disturbing, season-specific themed images and an unnerving theme song (composed by Charlie Clouser of Nine inch nails and César Davilla-Irizarry). THE AHS the intro also spoiled the ending on several occasions. While it’s not necessarily a humble soundtrack, the static drones and strange clicking noises of this theme’s instrumentation certainly set the tone for the unsettling series.
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Aníbal (2013-2015)
A silhouette of a TV intro
Bryan Fuller HannibalBased on the four-book series by Thomas Harris and subsequent film adaptations by Anthony Hopkins, it follows criminal profiler Will Graham’s (Hugh Dancy) relationship with covert serial killer and cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) as they work together for the FBI. The show was unexpectedly canceled by NBC, but fans still have hope for a Hannibal season 4. While it is perhaps one of the briefest introductions ever (a quick 20 seconds), there is something to be said for its brevity.
Even in this short window, the Hannibal The intro hooks the viewer with stunning animation, contrasting colors, and a monotonous soundtrack (composed by Brian Reitzell). The Rorschach inkblot-style bloody silhouettes are those of Will Graham (Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mikkelsen), as well as Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne). The opening sequence also subtly hints at important plot elements, as the names of the two stars (Dancy and Mikkelsen) swap places each episode.
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Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)
Lack of introduction on TV
British period drama Peaky Blinders revolves around the Shelby crime family, a street gang in 1920s Birmingham, England. This Steven Knight series, starring Cillian Murphy, has a dark mood that is reflected in the cool-toned cinematography and blues. Peaky Blinders theme song (“Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds). However, the surprise of Peaky Blinders’ The opening credits sequence turns out there isn’t one.
Instead, the series intersperses its credits – and even the theme song – into the opening scenes of each episode. Using the theme song as an undercurrent to each episode’s exposition and having it crescendo at the end of the introductory scenes (just before a brief cut to the title screen) is a new take on the art of the opening credits sequence. Later in the series, even this amount of introduction is absent from the opening episodes of each season.
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Turn: Washington’s Spies (2014-2017)
An animated TV intro
Craig Silverstein Turn: Washington’s spies is a historical fiction period drama that follows the exploits of the Culper Ring during the Revolutionary War. The story revolves around Abraham “Samuel Culper” Woodhull (Jamie Bell), Anna Strong (Heather Lind), Benjamin Tallmadge (Seth Numrich), and Caleb Brewster (Daniel Henshall) as they smuggle information into the American government in hopes of defeating the war. both on the battlefield and at home.
Few live-action series make use of an animated title sequence but Turn: Washington’s spies knew exactly how to do that. THE The papercraft animation style pays homage to the show’s espionage themes, using a cipher key and a Caesar cipher medallion to “decode” the names of the main actors. The introduction also portrays several key plot points (such as the use of “the Turtle” – a submersible invented by Nathaniel Sackett). The soundtrack (“Hush”) was composed by Joy Williams of The Civil Wars and Matt Berninger.
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Stranger Things (2016-2025)
A retro TV intro
The supernatural coming-of-age drama Stranger Things became an immediate cultural phenomenon after its debut in 2016. This fan-favorite sci-fi McDuff Brothers quickly launched its child actors to stardom, but it also features some more established actors, including Winona Ryder, David Harbor, and Cary Elwes. The series focuses on a young group of friends whose lives are changed forever when government experimentation leads hostile supernatural forces to attack their small town of Hawkins, Indiana.
THE Stranger Things the opening credits sequence keeps things streamlined and simple, but it’s impressive with visual interest and a mesmerizing soundtrack. This intro is a dose of pure 80s nostalgia: neon lights, Stephen King novel cover font, and funky synth pads with heavy reverb. The opening theme was composed by Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon of the synth band SURVIV E. As far as Stranger Things is concerned, less is definitely more, something Stranger Things Season 5 will hopefully air in 2025.
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Cracked (2020)
A TV Intro Unveiled
Ratchedan Evan Romansky and Ryan Murphy show starring Sarah Paulson, is a prequel to the 1975 film One flew over the cuckoo’s nestoriginally a classic novel by Ken Kesey. The show focuses on the life of Mildred Ratched as she works as a nurse at Lucia State Hospital, a state-of-the-art psychiatric facility. Although the show was scheduled to continue, Netflix canceled it Ratched Season 2, leading to frustration from fans and writers alike.
The title score of Ratched and the Danse Macabre Op. 40 put French composer of the Romantic era Camille Saint-Saëns. The strident violin introduction and the frenetic tempo of the piece are an excellent allusion to the mental instability seen throughout this series. THE Ratched title sequence, however, also has a lot of symbolism: just like his work on American horror story, Murphy uses the red string in the intro of Ratched to convey the show’s thematic elements and hint at the ending. The intro also uses unbalanced angles and disordered images to create a sense of chaos.