MovieChat Forums > Painkiller Jane (2007) Discussion > What is the deal with shows with NO TITL...

What is the deal with shows with NO TITLE CREDITS?

posted 17 years ago by StoneGriffin
19 replies | jump to latest

Painkiller Jane has no title credits, neither does the other syndicated show SCI FI Channel "shares" with other channel "The Dresden Files".

What is up with this crappy new 'trend' to not have any title credits. I don't know who ANY of the 'stars' of the show are. Other than Kristanna, I don't have a clue who the other actors are, other than 'researching it on IMDB'. What brain surgeon thought it was a good idea to shave some seconds off the running time of a TV show so that they can Cram even MORE COMMERCIALS into our faces?

Thanks guys. You're catering to the 'short attention span theatre' of morons who don't like title credits. I, on the other hand, like well done title credits. It serves as an introduction to the show and also lets me know who is a regular on the show.......

[–] bbsy 17 years ago

they do it to have more advertising time. They did it for a short while on the stargate shows, but people complained about it and the montage was brought back. If a significant number of people did the same for PKJ they probably would give it titles too.

veni,vidi,vici(I Came, I Saw,I Conquered)
I came, I saw, and thats about it. sounds more like it

[–] StoneGriffin 17 years ago

Yes, The opening credit sequence (and great music!) was one of the nicest things about Stargate Atlantis. I knew about the MORE commercials being crammed in our faces (thus my comment ;) ) I just hate it.

Also, I wonder if SAG or AFTRA has an opinion about this? The actors are getting NO Screen credit. Sure it's quickly flashed on the bottom of the screen when the episode already starts, but no one has time to read it. For an actor, it sucks to have millions of people know your face, but not your name.

BTW: a show which was though of as (at times) mediocre in the beginning was Star Trek Voyager. It's beautiful title sequence was one of the best on television. I've heard fans say they stuck with the show during the first rocky years, in part, because the title sequence was just so damned beautiful to watch ;)

[–] bbsy 17 years ago

lol! I never liked star trek. really, the only sci-fi I like deals with action or things that could happen now with a better understanding of science or that isn't two far fetched. If it actually is educational in some way that's cool too, lol!

veni,vidi,vici(I Came, I Saw,I Conquered)
I came, I saw, and thats about it. sounds more like it

[–] redkeno 17 years ago

lol! I never liked star trek. really, the only sci-fi I like deals with action or things that could happen now with a better understanding of science or that isn't two far fetched. If it actually is educational in some way that's cool too, lol!

I hate to tell you, but most of the stuff on the original Star Trek was far fetched at the time, and a good portion of that is a reality now. So don't let your limited view of present technology hamper your fondness of a sci-fi show. Give it a few years and it will no longer be far fetched. The only far fetched thing I am detecting here, is your grasp of reality. That IS the point of sci-fi!!! Dream big and make it happen!

[–] bbsy 17 years ago

lol! The only thing that's a reality from Star Trek is people from different races can work together.

veni,vidi,vici(I Came, I Saw,I Conquered)
I came, I saw, and thats about it. sounds more like it

[–] gohmifune 17 years ago

lol! The only thing that's a reality from Star Trek is people from different races can work together.

Cybornetics, hyposprays, teleportation, electronic books, long distance minature communicators, universal translators, relatively easy spaceflight, computer databases without the use of optical media, artifical hearts, cloning, a near complete lack of technical boudaries to the cures of most diseases, I could go on forever.

In fact, no Star Trek has depicted the Internet nor any real equivalent to tv or radio, nor personal computers or PDAs. And people of different races don't work well together on Star Trek, every is very poor at cooperation, luckily genetic differentiation is so minute on earth or we'd be in trouble.

[–] bbsy 17 years ago

lol! the caat themselves said that about Star Trek. I was joking anyways. Wow, people take Star Trek to seriously! I bet the next nerd is going to threaten to vaporize me.

veni,vidi,vici(I Came, I Saw,I Conquered)
I came, I saw, and thats about it. sounds more like it

[–] StoneGriffin 17 years ago

Actually I SPOKE to a network exec and the reason why they do this annoying trend is ... you guessed it ... TIVO! The amount of "impressions" generated during a show's running time is drastically reduced due to people 'skipping' the commercials automatically. Thus the execs are trying to make as MUCH advertising as possible. This also explains the annoying trend of 'crunching the end credits roll' and pushing even MORE previews for other shows on the RIGHT side of the screen. This also explains the annoying BANNERS at the bottom of the screen that advertise other television shows ... and many time cutting off the lower third of the screen. It's yet ANOTHER commercial, but now it's running DURING the show.

Folks, it's gonna get worse before it gets better, if it ever GETS better... :(

I'm expecting the 45 minute commercial/15 minute episode sometime in the next 20 years.....

[–] egger-1 17 years ago

...I'm expecting the 45 minute commercial/15 minute episode sometime in the next 20 years.....

This explains the Canadian comedy show called "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" lol

My peeve is that for money saving purposes they film in Vancouver, BC CANADA (I can pick out my province's biggest city in any show/movie), but you don't get better writers/plots in the deal.
No offense to Rob Stewart, but he was more engaging as Nick Slaughter on "Sweating Bullets" also a co-Canada production.
I'll watch regardless.

Why am I drawn to Canadian filmed shows? "First Wave", "Code Name: Eternity", "Star-gate", "MacGuyver", "Doc", "Katts & Dog", "My Secret Identity", "E.N.G.", "The City", "Paradise Falls", "Corner Gas", "Mosquito Lake", "Material World", "4400", "Beachcombers", "Da Vinci's Inquest", "Danger Bay", "Degrassi (JR High & High)", "This Is Wonderland", ... Some are downright cheesy.

"Doc", filmed in Toronto as the big apple had good scripts.

[–] bbsy 17 years ago

I like both sgs and jane

veni,vidi,vici(I Came, I Saw,I Conquered)
I came, I saw, and thats about it. sounds more like it

[–] yawretho 17 years ago

I'm sure you're making a joke, but i feel i have to elucidate: 'this hour has 22 minutes' is a play on 'this hour has seven days' as well as the fact that halfhour shows only have 22 minutes of content, though that does seem to be dropping rapidly.

aaand i've gotta say that i love how they film everything up here, at least when the dollar's low anyway. makes for fun times ;)

[–] troopersimlar 17 years ago

I don't like the trend at all. This show is worthy of a great intro at least 30 to 40 seconds long. The small graphic they have at the beginning is nice but is way to short....

Sci-fi shows have 3 main elements that CANT be skipped...

Intro- shows the main characters, or at least the actors names, and introduces the main elements of the show.

Music- a regular defined theme, with one or two particular riffs that repeat at least once an episode.

Lead in- Before the main credits, a 1 to 2 minute scene introducing the episode...

Every sucessful US scifi show has had these elements...

battlestar, 4400, star trek, star gate, X-files, Firefly (successful on dvd at least)

[–] fester268 15 years ago

T.V. show themes suck balls. They generally are the most ditracting, pointless part of a show. Mind you though, themes from the '60's, '70's, & the early '80's, especially the ones by Lalo Schifrin & Henry Mancini, were really cool, when music in general actually meant something,because all it means now is $£$£$£$£$£$£$££$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$ well you get the idea.

Star Trek Voyager music was so boring I could feel myself aging as I listened, and Enterprise, some Eighties throwback rock ballad, Aaahhhgggg! Eighties rock ballads were bad enough in the Eighties, I do not want to be reminded of that fact 20 years later.

Still, not having any title credits/music didn't do LOST any harm, five seasons down and still going strong.

[–] Mex5150 14 years ago

Hi,

I never watched Painkiller Jane on TV, but I have the DVD Box Set

There is an opening credit sequence on each episode there. In fact most have two, Jane doing a voice over of who and how she is, a bit of the main story, the normal opening credits, then on with he episode.

~Mex

--

Did you ever notice that people who believe in creationism look really un-evolved?

[–] StoneGriffin 14 years ago

When the show was broadcast on the Sci Fi Channel there was NO title sequence. I too have the DVD box set and was surprised that the show actually MADE a title sequence. Apparently the Sci Fi Channel edited it to just show the title and the show's creators. So yes, I was aware that one was made, but was mystified as to why the NETWORK insisted on cutting it out for broadcast.

Dr. Kila Marr was right. Kill the Crystalline Entity.

[–] bbsy 14 years ago

That year they did it to every show and then stops when the fans got pissed because they did it to increase advertising time.

Prepare For The Flood BITCHES

[–] StoneGriffin 14 years ago

I remember that. Shows like STARGATE ATLANTIS had an EPIC title sequence and the stupid Sci Fi Channel ruined it. But after fan outcry, they restored the title credits. The network really SCREWED UP in the case of Painkiller Jane (well the show wasn't all that good, but...) in that no one KNEW who any of the other characters were. A title sequence helps the audience quickly get wrapped up in the 'world created by the show' and get 'familiar' with the lead cast. It get people excited about watching the show (if it is a good title sequence, with interesting clips and cool shots from various episodes).

Yea, gotta love that "Let's cut the run time of all our shows to slam even MORE commercials down the viewer's throats" mentality of the Flippin BEAN COUNTERS. Accountants are a necessary evil, but they really SUCK at ART.

Dr. Kila Marr was right. Kill the Crystalline Entity.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Isopod 13 years ago

I wish "Star Trek: Enterprise" hadn't had any opening credits, would have improved the show 100 fold.
The third season of Babylon 5 also had an extremely irritating opening theme....

But really, I don't see how it matters. If it's a catchy opening theme while the credits role it's a good thing. But the good ones are rare.

I prefer a show with a good opening sequence/credits, but if you can't get one to work the way you want it to, you're better off just not having it.

I don't think Painkiller Janes opening was bad at all. I quite liked it actually....It wasn't non-existent...