I know we live in the era of the “skip opening credits” button, but I will tell you right now: I refuse to click it. It doesn’t matter if I have seen the opening credits sequence once or a hundred times; I usually watch it every single time. For me, it is part of the show and thus part of the experience of watching it. Maybe that’s stubbornness on my part, or maybe it’s not.
Because I have lived by this moral code, I’ve come across some truly excellent opening sequences. But, more than that, there are some that change between seasons or even episodes, giving you Easter eggs on what is to come or references to past episodes. Beyond even that, some are just so good that skipping the title sequence feels akin to committing a crime.
Game of Thrones
Watch Game of Thrones on HBO Max
Say what you will about the later seasons or the drop in quality, but when it comes to opening credits, Game of Thrones remains one of the best of all time. It’s something of a long opening that showcases a digitally rendered map of the world where Game of Thrones takes place, but more than that, it gives hints of where that particular episode will take place. It’s handy for viewers like me, who enjoy little hints like that.
Plus, the theme music by Ramin Djawadi is just incredibly epic and catchy. It’s not often that a theme song that plays throughout eight seasons remains such an earworm, but that is absolutely the case for Game of Thrones. It’s just too bad the show’s quality couldn’t remain that good throughout. Maybe the forthcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms can save the Game of Thrones universe, but that remains to be seen.
Peacemaker
Watch Peacemaker on HBO Max
Another HBO show, Peacemaker, is James Gunn’s brilliant spin-off series from The Suicide Squad, focusing on the eponymous character, portrayed by John Cena. The opening credits are further proof of Gunn’s love for music, but it’s the dance choreography that will pull you in at the start. But there’s something even more layered about these credits, because Gunn smartly injects foreshadowing into the Peacemaker credits, giving more discerning viewers a chance to guess what’s coming.
The opening sequence even changes between the show’s two available seasons, because each season focuses on a completely new story. When I recommend Peacemaker to new people, one of the first things I tell them is not to skip the opening credits. This is arguably even more important in the second season, which was a triumph in a lot of ways, even if the finale was slightly anticlimactic.
Severance
Watch Severance on Apple TV+
Yet another series with an opening sequence that implants clues into the narrative right from the start, Severance has some truly outstanding credits. The animation is weirdly gorgeous and perfectly matches the tone of the show. The music is hauntingly beautiful, like something you’d find in a David Lynch movie. Basically, it has everything I enjoy about opening credits. It also helps that the mystery box appeal of Severance is just so darn engaging and addictive.
This is a show that I actually did watch with some friends, and I refused to let them skip the opening sequence. Luckily, these friends didn’t put up too much of a fight, even though they are the type to usually skip credits. I think that’s a testament to how great Severance‘s opening is constructed. Or a testament to how much they’re willing to put up with me. Either way, I regret nothing.
The X-Files
Watch The X-Files on Hulu
This one is purely nostalgia for me, but The X-Files is just one of those opening sequences that lives forever rent-free in my brain like a parasite that won’t leave. Hey, there’s an episode about that! The synthesizer-heavy theme song is instantly catchy, and the creepy imagery immediately lets you know that you’re in for a creepy time. In fact, the theme is so good that it remained unchanged on the show until the eighth season, and that was only after star David Duchovny departed from the series. In the revival, they brought back the original opening sequence and imagery, completely unchanged.
I would argue that the theme from The X-Files is so iconic, you could show it to almost anyone who hasn’t seen the show, and they would probably be able to guess exactly where it’s from. It’s just one of those seminal pieces of pop culture that lives on even decades after it premiered. The X-Files, and its opening theme, are timeless.
I will forever be an opening title sequence defender
Wherever there is a show to be found, you can bet that I will be there, defending its opening credits from being skipped. Unfortunately, many shows have started eliminating opening credits, opting instead for a short musical burst and a title card with the series name. It’s an unfortunate shift, in my humble opinion, akin to movies completely eliminating drawn-out opening credits. But maybe that’s just my age showing.
Speaking of that, though, my old man brain can get pretty tired of the constant influx of prestige television, and these shows are perfect for when I need a break.
