Posts Tagged ‘The Muppets’


The Muppets was wonderful perfect. And, if like me you are a child of the late 1970s/early 80s bring lots and lots of tissues. I was choked up, teary, smiling and clapping through the whole darling thing.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to interview Karen Falk, head archivist at The Henson Company, about the Jim Henson Retrospective touring the country through SITES. We chatted at length about Kermit’s inception in 1955 as a glorified sock puppet, Henson’s experimental film work, and how Fraggle Rock was meant to inspire world peace.

“Jim always said that Kermit was the character he felt closest to,” says Falk. “Kermit was very much the center of things – the way Jim was – but not necessarily in control of all these people. Jim was an amazing gatherer of talent and he recognized talent in people and brought them into the fold and let them do their own thing—and Kermit of course does that very much in The Muppet Show.”

I was pretty stoked to meet the people at Digital Kitchen yesterday, as they produced the opening credits for True Blood, as well as the series’ Season Two Buzz Campaign.

Talking with a producer on the project reminded me of a meme from a while ago about favorite opening credits.

So in no particular order, and only from shows I’ve watched, here are my top ten favorite title sequences.

True Blood
“I wanna do bad things . . .”

HBO: True Blood Main Title from DIGITALKITCHEN on Vimeo.

The Twilight Zone
“You unlock this door with the key of imagination . . .”

The Tudors
Ribaldry! Heaving Bosoms. Beautiful Naked people having drrrty sex! A wine glass spilled. The shadow of a beheading. Religious Symbolism. Coquettry! How you appeal to my baser instincts!

The Avengers
Mrs. Emma Peel. John Steed. Champagne. ‘Nuff said.

Twin Peaks
Quintessentially Northwest

The Venture Brothers
“Go Team Venture!”

LOST
Twilight Zone-esque and brilliant in its simplicity.

The Muppet Show
Sets the stage for a high-energy variety show. With Puppets!

Rome
“Thirteen!!!”

Mad Men
Saul Bass Homage

Mad Men Title Sequence from Caleb Woods on Vimeo.

Honorable Mentions go to shows with an opening narration (which I seem to really enjoy):
The Incredible Hulk
Charlie’s Angels
Battlestar Galactica (original – Love that Patrick Macnee narrative.)
Alias
Star Trek: The Next Generation (the change from “no man” to “no one” was phenomenal)

And though it’s not spoken narration, the opening sequence to Space 1999 also deserves note.

What are your favorites?