I’m going to spare y’all a long preamble and only reiterate the fact that my earliest television memories begin in the 1970’s, my formative years were mostly in the 1980’s, and by the time the 1990’s rolled around I segued from college to the “real” world. Entertainment after the turn of the century has been a mostly prosaic blur, with my tastes firmly focused on particular areas that don’t include many prime time dramas or comedies, and no stupid “reality” shows. Take that information however you want, with the knowledge that it shapes this project significantly. If you haven’t already, please check out parts 1, 2, and 3.
70 Bewitched (Bewitched)
Chances are, if I’ve enjoyed a television show even a little bit and its theme song is a lively big band tune, I’m going to hold it in high regard. Bewitched ended its eight season run a few months before I was born, but it’s one of those older programs that was available in syndication well into the 1980’s, and with all the entertainment platforms at our disposal nowadays I’m sure it remains accessible to those who seek it out.
69 A Different World (A Different World)
Here’s our chance to make it
If we focus on our goal
You can dish it, we can take it
Just remember that you’ve been told
It’s a different world than where you come from
Remember what I said about In Living Color?? Well, I didn’t feel the same about A Different World. Perhaps, because it not only was a traditional half hour sitcom, but also a spinoff of the beloved Cosby Show, I felt it was relatable. It also premiered when I was still in high school so I didn’t have the collegiate distractions yet. Sure, there was a distinct point of view and heavier subjects were addressed in that special way that situation comedies have of weaving such topics into the narrative, but it was well written, funny, and offered great performances. Bill Cosby himself, as well as cast member Dawnn Lewis, contributed to the writing process of the theme song, which evolved thru the years from a bluesy tune to more hip-hop infused. The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin actually sang it for a few seasons.
68 Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood)
It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood
A beautiful day for a neighbor
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Anyone who grew up in the 70’s, 80’s, or even the 90’s was blessed to have Fred Rogers imprint our childhood. It sure as hell was far superior to the twisted indoctrination children receive nowadays. At any rate, Mr. Rogers himself wrote & performed the theme, which still creates warm fuzzies all these years later. We’d all do well to emulate its message.
67 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Heroes in a half-shell
Turtle Power!
I’m going to blame this one on my elder nephew, who was born in the early 1990’s, right around the time TMNT surged in popularity. I think I may have watched the first movie, but otherwise lost interest rather quickly. The TV show was cooler anyway. The idea of badass turtles trained in martial arts & named after Renaissance artists is undeniably quirky in the best possible way. They loved pizza too!!
66 Star Trek: TOS / Star Trek: TNG
Space…the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.
Shoutout to an old friend who made me a Trekkie in college. Well, okay, I think I was more of a Trekker. Actually, my fandom is rather odd. TOS came & went before I was born, but I LOVE the six movies with the original crew that were produced from 1979-91. Alright alright…some of those films were way better than others, but that’s a debate for another day. Conversely, I adore TNG, but the four big screen offerings we got between 1994 & 2002 just don’t frost my cupcake. Contrary to what some may assume, the shows had two distinct themes. TOS’ opening was composed by Alexander Courage (what a fantastic name), while TNG’s theme was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, who had done the music for several Trek films.
65 Scooby-Doo Where Are You? (Scooby-Doo)
Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?
We got some work to do now
Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?
We need some help from you now
Scooby-Do was always one of my favorite cartoons. I laugh now, looking at it thru the prism of adulthood and wondering what exactly Shaggy & Scooby were doing in their spare time.
64 As Long As We Got Each Other (Growing Pains)
As long as we got each other
We got the world spinnin’ right in our hands
Baby, you and me, we gotta be
The luckiest dreamers who never quit dreamin’
Family sitcoms were much more strait-laced and far less sardonic four decades ago. Dr. Jason Seaver is a laid back Long Island psychiatrist, while his wife Maggie is a news reporter. Their three children are boilerplate sitcom kids: uptight & scholarly Carol, wiseass Mike, and slacker Ben. A fourth child was added at some point, and in the final season the Seavers took in a homeless teen portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio. You may have heard of him. At any rate, the show’s theme was a duet featuring BJ Thomas, known for hit songs Hooked on a Feeling, Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, and Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, and Jennifer Warnes, probably best remembered for two fantastic film duets…Up Where We Belong with Joe Cocker (for the 1983 movie An Officer & A Gentleman) and I’ve Had The Time of My Life with Bill Medley (for the 1987 classic Dirty Dancing).
63 The Jetsons (The Jetsons)
Meet George Jetson
His boy, Elroy
Daughter Judy
Jane, his wife
In retrospect it’s kind of cool how The Jetsons, in the 1960s, portrayed the future 2062, which is now less than four decades away. While we haven’t yet achieved George’s work week of two hours two days per week, video calls, flat-screen TVs, smartwatches, and robot assistants are a few things that have moved from science fiction to reality. The theme song is a peppy, upbeat “spacey”, big band/lounge number that introduces each character by name, and it became a Top Ten hit in 1986 when new episodes of the show were produced.
62 The Pink Panther (The Pink Panther)
If you’re a Boomer then you probably remember the 1960’s Pink Panther film series featuring bumbling French detective Inspector Clousseau. If you’re a Gen-Xer you might remember the Pink Panther starring in commercials for fiberglass insulation. The character has also been in over 100 theatrical shorts and multiple cartoon shows. No matter where you know it from, we’re all familiar with the jazzy theme composed by the legendary Henry Mancini.
61 Bandstand Boogie (American Bandstand)
We’re goin’ hoppin’
We’re goin’ hoppin’ today
Where things are poppin’
The Philadelphia way
We’re gonna drop in
On all the music they play
On the Bandstand (Bandstand)
Dick Clark was an American treasure. From hosting the $10k Pyramid game show to co-hosting TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes with Ed McMahon to creating so many holiday memories with New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Clark was a radio & television icon. He might be most remembered for hosting the coolest of all song & dance programs for the vast majority of its 37 year run. Bandstand Boogie had been recorded by various artists, but the version we all know & love was performed by Barry Manilow starting in 1977.
Part 5 will be heading your way soon!!
The Manofesto 