10 Bad TV Shows With Great Opening Title Sequences
It's all downhill from there.
The opening title sequence has been a staple of Television for as long as many of us can remember. And unlike films, which mostly throw their credits at the end these days, most TV shows still feel the need to put together an elaborate opening sequence wordlessly summarizing the appeal of their series.
While some of the most loved shows of all time have foregone an opening sequence in favor of longer episodes (Breaking Bad springs to mind), it remains standard practice to warm up the audience with a sound and light show while the audience is recovering from the cold open. And many of these sequences have produced some of the most iconic images in television - such as the silhouette of Don Draper falling off a building, or the clockwork map of Westeros.
But there are some shows that, despite having incredible title sequences, don't quite measure up to their own hype. These are eye popping opening sequences that, at the end of the day, exist to prop up bland or forgettable television.
10. Marco Polo
Marco Polo was Netflix's first attempt to capture the Game of Thrones audience and for all the unique aesthetics that the silk road setting can bring, the show just didn't have the budget to convincingly render the time period it wanted to. The result ended up feeling strangely cheap, with no really compelling characters to anchor the whole affair.
But the sheer amount of effort that went into these credits is astounding. The creative team researched calligraphy, inking, and classic eastern artwork to incorporate those aesthetics into the opening. Shot as if on a blank canvas, the images slowly unfold as ink spills across the page. It is a spectacular sequence to watch, so much so that you'll not even notice both Harvey AND Bob Weinstein's names in the credits.
The music starts off like a fairly traditional theme, but swells to become a lovely Ennio Morricone homage in time with the images.