MovieChat Forums > The Six Million Dollar Man (1974) Discussion > The Opening Title Sequence......

The Opening Title Sequence......

posted 12 years ago by 426HEMI
20 replies | jump to latest

...is simply the greatest show opening in television history. It introduces the new viewer to the main character and concisely describes the entire premise of the show- in what- three minutes ? I can remember how I would watch the opening "teaser" scene of the show each week right up until the moment when I would hear the "computer beeps" and begin to see S I X ..... start to work its way across the screen... The first time that I saw that, I thought that this had to be the coolest TV show of all time. I used to get knots in my stomach waiting for the show to get started. Has any other opening title sequence equalled The Six Million Dollar Man ? Is it just me ? Are there other shows that create this kind of excitement ? Forget about Bigfoot, action figures, and lunch pails, nothing sold TSMDM like that opening title sequence !!!!
Any other favorites ??

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TVholic 12 years ago

Opening titles were a lot better in decades past. Today's producers want to maximize ad time so title sequences are often skipped. There were a lot of good ones way back when that told the backstory. Gilligan's Island. Brady Bunch. Night Stalker was one that was brilliantly moody without actually showing any of the monsters. The Odd Couple intro of the first few seasons, with the narration. Nanny and the Professor. Green Acres. Mission: Impossible had good, pulse-pounding titles. UFO also had a great theme and exciting visuals in the titles. Didn't really care for the more scattershot Bionic Woman titles, though.

Not to mention the theme songs were mostly better back then.

[–] 426HEMI 12 years ago

I love it when a "reply" is better than the original post- even if the OP is MINE !! Excellent points, one and all. Title sequences are largely unnecessary in an age of reality television. While the level of WRITING has drastically improved over the decades, most scripted television shows these days have rather simple premises.

[–] tbirdman-1 11 years ago

Hello 426HEMI and I agree with both of your points about this classic
sci-fi TV series having such an awesomely and cool visually
opening sequence for each episode. Now here is my personal list of
TV shows in prime time which also had memorable opening scenes and
in random order:

1. The Six Million Dollar Man

2. The Man From UNCLE

3. Mission Impossible

4. Gilligan's Island

5. Hogan's Heroes

6. Hawaii Five-0 (classic series)

7. Chips

8. Magnum P.I.

9. Airwolf

10. Miami Vice

Lawrence Sunny California

Call me a sailor or a swabby just don't call me a squid!

[–] 141-OKG 11 years ago

you might add Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days, Alice, One Day at a Time, even Little House on the Prairie. Maybe Fantasy Island or Love boat? Mork& Mindy... Barney Miller?
were lots of great opening themes and sort of music videos, to set the stage

My favorites of the day were Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels and S.W.A.T - maybe more for the music. But ChiPs set the mood & 6m$M was maybe my first intro to tv addiction, as a kid.

Now, check out the Walking Dead intro. Just as intense, chilling and a great prep for what is to come... mystery and suspense

http://us.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=10088562
(some need to go up 1 or down 1)

[–] hariseldon59 11 years ago

Don't forget the opening sequence from "Get Smart".

[–] MovieKnut 12 years ago

This is the best opening title sequence of any tv series. Within the space of a minute or so any viewers new to the series were given all the information they needed to understand the premise.

You can't palm off a second-rater on me. You gotta remember I was in the pink!

[–] leon123 12 years ago

The Incredible Hulk's opening scene was also cool. My other favorite openings are The Wild Wild West and Mission: Impossible.

[–] alexthegreat88 11 years ago

5.4.3.2.1.0. Rocket crashes..........We can build him Stronger, Faster, ..........
Best opening sequence ever, send chills up my spine thinking of it!

[–] retepnhoj 11 years ago

And they even used real footage...the lifting body crash from circa 1966

[–] mactach 11 years ago

What do you mean?

[–] retepnhoj 11 years ago

The crash scene was from a test flight of a vehicle flown by NASA, I believe, called a lifting body. It had no wings but used the shape of the fuselage to generate some lift. They built at least 2 different ones I think the one in the footage was the HL 10. I believe the pilot in the footage was named Petersen and that he survived the crash. This research later helped with the design of the space shuttle.

[–] seldon913 11 years ago

From the trivia on the show's main page:

The aircraft seen crashing in the show's opening sequence was an M2-F2, a "flying body configuration" built by Northrop. The audio sound effects are from a crash that occurred on May 10, 1967, at Edwards Air Force base in California (although the dialog heard was recorded by Majors). The test pilot, Bruce Peterson, hit the ground at 250 mph, tumbling six times. He lost use of his right eye and had to stop flying, ending his career. Understandably, Peterson has said that he hated reliving his accident, week after week, courtesy of the show.

Apparently Peterson or members of his family were big enough fans of the show for him to continue tuning in to relive the accident even though he hated it.

[–] dlazarus6660 11 years ago

Your right about the M2-F2(?) crashing, but you first see the HL-10 being air dropped. It has a center rudder whereas the M2-F2(?)does not. That use to drive me crazy watching it then, I had ten year old copy of Air Progress (Feb/Mar 1965)which shows both Northrop models.

[–] jerseyboynorth 11 years ago

I always loved the opening sequence. I think most boys aged 5-12 wanted to be Steve Austin when the series was active.

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

[–] talisencrw 8 years ago

I loved it too, when I was growing up! As I became a jazz fan when I got older, I especially came to love Oliver Nelson's work. He died too soon. His masterpiece album, The Blues and the Abstract Truth, and his finest composition, Stolen Moments, are truly magnificent.

[–] tonyblayne 8 years ago

I realize we are talking mostly live action series, but honestly, no opening title sequence had more kids singing along than Speed Racer!