There are many things that makesitcomsso entertaining and memorable, and one of them is the opening credits, and some have become quite iconic for different reasons. To qualify as a sitcom, a TV show has to center on a group of characters as they go through humorous situations within a consistent setting – whether a house, office, school, or community. Sitcoms usually maintain plot continuity across episodes, thanks to which the characters and stories develop over time. While some TV comedies are sitcoms, not all of them follow the format that makes them qualify as such.
Many sitcoms have become part of TV history due to their stories, characters, techniques, humor, and behind-the-scenes achievements, as is the case withI Love Lucy,Friends, andThe Simpsons(because sitcoms can also be animated). Various sitcoms have become iconic for specific scenes, lines, characters, and/or stories, while others did for their memorable opening credits – whether thanks to their catchy theme, what’s shown in them about the characters and show, or for their originality.
20Married… With Children
Married… With Children Aired From 1987 To 1997
Married… With Childrenfollows the Bundy family, formed by shoe salesman Al (Ed O’Neill), lazy wife Peggy (Katey Sagal), beautiful but dim-witted daughter Kelly (Christina Applegate), and know-it-all son Bud (David Faustino). The opening credits ofMarried… With Childrenhave the typical sitcom intro format that has been endlessly mocked, butwhat makes it memorable is its theme song (“Love and Marriage”, performed by Frank Sinatra)and that it gives a brief but accurate idea of each character’s personality, role, and the family’s dynamic.
19Full House
Full House Aired From 1987 to 1995
Full Housecenters on widowed father Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), who, to help him raise his three daughters – D.J. (Candace Cameron), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) –, enlists his brother-in-law Jesse (John Stamos) and his best friend Joey (Dave Coulier), forming one big and unique family. The catchy theme song (Jesse Frederick’s “Everywhere You Look”), looks at everyone having fun as a family, and individual bits to show each character’s personalities make Full House’s intro memorable, catchy, and heartwarming.
18The Office
The Office Aired From 2005 To 2013
The American version ofThe Officefollows the employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The team is led by manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), who is accompanied by colleagues Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Jim (John Krasinski), Pam (Jenna Fischer), Ryan (B.J. Novak), and Kevin (Brian Baumgartner), among other colorful characters.The Office’s intro features a catchy, upbeat theme song and provides a quick context of the show’s setting, whileshowing the characters working in the office and showing their personalities, even if briefly.
17Parks & Recreation
Parks & Recreation Aired From 2009 To 2015
Parks & Recreationfollowed perky bureaucrat Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), who worked at the Parks Department in Pawnee, Indiana. Leslie was accompanied by her friends and colleagues, all of them with very different personalities, such as April (Aubrey Plaza), Tom (Aziz Ansari), Jerry (Jim O’Heir), Ron (Nick Offerman), Andy (Chris Pratt), and Leslie’s best friend Ann (Rashida Jones).Parks & Recreation’s intro is simple, but very catchy thanks to its upbeat theme music and fun editing, whichplays as a promotional video for the Parks Departmentwhile also introducing the cast.
16Community
Community Aired From 2009 To 2014
Communitytakes place at a community college in Greendale, Colorado, and follows the peculiar characters who attend this school, among them former lawyer Jeff (Joel McHale), activist Britta (Gillian Jacobs), film student Abed (Danny Pudi), divorced mother Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown), overachiever Annie (Alison Brie), and former high school quarterback Troy (Donald Glover). The intro ofCommunity, accompanied by The 88’s “At Least It Was Here”, showsa paper chatterbox that reveals the names of the cast, with doodles representing their personalities. It’s simple, but gets all the points for its creativity.
15All In The Family
All In The Family Aired From 1971 To 1979
All In The Familyfollows a working-class American family in Queens, New York, led by narrow-minded and outspoken Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) and his wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton), always sweet and understanding. The intro ofAll In The Familyis very simple, but perfectly encapsulates the dynamic between Archie and Edith, as well as the show’s tone.It’s Archie and Edith singing “Those Were the Days” together while Edith plays the piano, with some looks around the neighborhood, but Edith’s high-pitched and out-of-tune voice makes it quite memorable.
14Bewitched
Bewitched Aired From 1964 To 1972
Bewitchedfollows Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery), a beautiful witch who marries Darrin (Dick York and Dick Sargent), a mortal man. Samantha does her best to adjust to life as a normal, suburban housewife, but magic (and her magical family, too) often interferes in her and Darrin’s daily lives. For its intro,Bewitchedopted for an animated sequencethat became unforgettable and a classic. It shows the cartoon Samantha flying on her broom and showing her signature nose move, which transports her home with Darrin, where she keeps using her magic for some harmless tricks.
13The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show Aired From 1970 To 1977
The Mary Tyler Moore Showsees Moore playing Mary Richards, a single, independent woman focused on her career as associate producer of a news show.The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s introstands out for not having the classic format of a sitcom opening, which can be too cheesy sometimes. Instead,The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s intro shows Moore around the city, with a couple of scenes from the show, while Sonny Curtis’ “Love Is All Around” plays, making her character the center of the show from the very beginning.
12How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother Aired From 2005 To 2014
How I Met Your Mothercenters on a group of friends formed by Ted (Josh Radnor), Marshall (Jason Segel), Robin (Cobie Smulders), Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), and Lily (Alyson Hannigan), living in Manhattan. The show is told in flashbacks as present-day Ted tells his teenage children the story of how he met their mother – but he shares a bunch of stories about him and his friends.How I Met Your Mother’s intro follows the show’s concept of flashbacks, showing photos of the characters partying and in casual situations, which also serve to show their personalities and dynamics.
11New Girl
New Girl Aired From 2011 To 2018
New Girlfollows quirky teacher Jess (Zooey Deschanel), who, after finding her boyfriend cheating on her at their home, moves in with three strangers she found on the internet: Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Nick (Jake Johnson), and Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.), later replaced by Winston (Lamorne Morris). The intro ofNew Girlhas Jess singing the theme song (“Hey Girl”) whilethe background changes as if it were a school play, with Nick, Schmidt, and Winston moving the props around. It’s short, catchy, and fun, as even though they’re in it briefly, they all show their personalities.
