Top 10 UNSKIPPABLE TV Show Intros

WatchMojo

Do we even need to watch the show? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for those unskippable, hypnotic and/or standout television intros and opening credits.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for those unskippable hypnotic

00:13and or standout television intros and opening credits.

00:17We won't be including catchy tunes or animated series.

00:31Number 10.

00:32Marvel's Daredevil.

00:44Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, the great Netflix Daredevil series that aired

00:49from 2015 to 2018 purposely takes on a darker tone than much of what the MCU was doing at

00:55the time.

00:56Importantly, audiences get a sense of that vibe right away via the all-important opening

01:03credits sequence.

01:05While the eerie, powerful instrumental plays, we watched New York's Hell's Kitchen be

01:09revealed via the dripping of a red substance over things like buildings and landmarks.

01:26Is it blood?

01:27Many people think so, though it may be mostly symbolic.

01:31The only thing we know for sure is that we can't skip this introduction.

01:45Number 9.

01:46The Twilight Zone.

01:52Few shows have intros prepare you for the experience ahead better than the Twilight

01:56Zone.

02:03Everything from the music to that classic Rod Serling narration about the mysterious

02:08other dimensions set up the uncertainty and mind bending that we're about to witness.

02:24That's already impressive enough, but the other thing that makes this sequence so unskippable

02:28is the fact that there are so many versions of it.

02:31Different visuals are used in different seasons with some appearing for only a few episodes.

02:36We feel compelled to watch, even if only to see if there's anything new each time.

02:41Number 8.

02:42Mission Impossible.

02:45From the moment that match is lit, there's no skipping this intro.

02:49Sure, the instrumental track is iconic and anyone who grew up watching the show or even

02:54the Tom Cruise movies knows it on command.

03:02But this list isn't about the music, it's about the visuals, and these ones have us

03:07totally hooked.

03:09Everyone loves a good movie trailer, right?

03:11Well, incorporating scenes from that week's show, the Mission Impossible intro feels like

03:15it's giving us a new trailer for every episode.

03:26Even the film franchise puts its own spin on the introductory format, proving just how

03:30worthwhile it is.

03:40Number 7.

03:41Six Feet Under.

03:47If we're going to talk about shows with hypnotic intros, then Six Feet Under simply has to

03:51be included.

03:53Everything about it, from Thomas Newman's score to the visuals, mainly taking us through

03:57the post-mortem processing of a body for burial, is wonderfully simple.

04:01It's a dark concept to be sure, yet the opening moments handle the difficult topic

04:05with a spiritual lightness that speaks to the sadness and beauty of both life and death.

04:18It's more than appropriate, since that's also something the show itself does incredibly

04:27well.

04:28It leads us into each episode flawlessly, so we wouldn't dream of looking away.

04:41Number 6.

04:42Mad Men.

04:48Steve Fuller, who co-created the Emmy-winning Mad Men intro, reportedly called it a dream

04:52sequence of a man lost and trapped in the American dream he is selling.

04:56We think he nailed that description.

04:58So perhaps it's no surprise it's also a sequence we have to watch whenever we watch

05:03the show.

05:04Sure, it's under 40 seconds long, so it barely gives you enough time to skip it even

05:08if you wanted to, but our question is, who would want to?

05:12The illustrative design of a falling man is really well executed.

05:16We can't overlook the irony of viewers probably trying to make out all of the advertising

05:21imagery he falls past either.

05:32Number 5.

05:33Breaking Bad.

05:34At roughly 15 seconds long, the Breaking Bad intro comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

05:39But make no mistake, its length isn't the reason it's unskippable.

05:47As the periodic table of elements floats through the air and the BR and the BA methodically

05:52separate to help spell out the title, our eyes find themselves hooked.

06:04It sets a high bar to say the least.

06:07Thankfully, the Better Call Saul prequel series does its predecessor proud in this department,

06:11providing variety and references galore.

06:20If you ask us, the viewing experience just isn't complete if you don't consume each

06:24second of these compelling segments.

06:29Number 4.

06:30Dexter.

06:34The only act of violence that takes place in the Dexter intro is the title character

06:38killing a bug sitting on his arm.

06:40Other than that, it's a montage of him going through his morning routine.

06:49However, the darkly comic way it's filmed hints at violence and murder at every turn.

07:02One need only look at things like the cutting of the eggs or the wrapping of dental floss

07:06around his fingers.

07:16It's fun to watch before we get to know Dexter, informing us that something deeper

07:19is going on here.

07:21It's also incredibly effective once we learn more about who he really is.

07:25It just works on every level.

07:35Number 3.

07:36Stranger Things.

07:41Yes, we know it's just a bunch of letters sliding into place to form the title.

07:47And yet, we have to let it play every time.

07:50The influence of films and pop culture of the 1980s is an important part of Stranger

07:54Things, and it starts at the very beginning.

08:05It might just be some instrumental music and some letters on the surface, but both

08:09of these elements could take any 80s kid right back to that time period.

08:13That's especially true if those kids read Stephen King novels, as it's the same font

08:18used for many of his book covers all those decades ago.

08:31Number 2.

08:32Succession.

08:39The four season saga of the Roy family was one of the best things TV has given us in

08:44the 21st century.

08:47The opening credits and theme are part of that greatness.

08:49The genre blending and instrumentation makes for, as one critic called it, an unmistakable

08:55earworm.

09:04We'd say that it's also an undeniable feast for the eyes, with visuals that hint at the

09:09family dynamic via old home movie style clips.

09:12While similar, the intros do also vary slightly every season.

09:17So not only is the viewing experience hypnotic, you can also play a fun game of spot the differences.

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09:45Number 1.

09:46Game of Thrones.

09:52We love Game of Thrones, but we aren't afraid to admit that keeping up with all the characters

09:57and storylines can be a bit confusing at times.

10:00Thankfully, we get a little recap of the world and its various important locations before

10:05each episode.

10:16Along with the awesome score, the Game of Thrones intro features what Entertainment

10:20Weekly called an all-inclusive cruise of westeros.

10:23Plus, things get switched up regularly in order to spotlight relevant locations.

10:33Variety is a tradition the House of the Dragon team have continued.

10:37Using the Game of Thrones music, the prequel series intro takes a different look at House

10:42Targaryen and the history at play each season.

10:50Which TV intros do you find unskippable?

10:53Let us know in the comments down below.

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