Top Five TV Show Intros That Went Way Too Hard

There was a time—not so long ago—when TV intros weren’t just filler before the plot kicked in. They were events. Whether you were sat cross-legged in front of the telly after school or watching late-night reruns, these theme tunes and opening sequences went so hard, they still live rent-free in our brains decades later.

Here are five TV show intros that had no business being this epic—but thank goodness they were.

5. Thundercats (1985)

What it was: Animated sword-wielding cat people in space.

Why it went so hard: From the first frame, it’s a rapid-fire assault of energy: lightning strikes, epic battles, flaming logos, and one of the slickest animation styles of the '80s. The soundtrack is all electric guitars and dramatic choral backing—basically a rock opera about cats.

Lasting power: Say "Thunder... Thunder... Thundercats—HOOOO!" in a pub, and someone will join in.

4. Airwolf (1984)

What it was: A high-tech helicopter used for secret missions.

Why it went so hard: The intro is basically an airborne symphony. Slow pans of the chopper, dramatic desert backdrops, and a synth-driven theme that slaps way harder than a show about helicopter espionage has any right to.

Vibes: Feels like you're about to launch a missile at the moon while wearing aviators and a leather jacket. In other words, 10/10.

3. Knight Rider (1982)

What it was: A man and his talking car fighting crime.

Why it went so hard: The synth bass line. That red scanner light on KITT. The voiceover that sounds like it’s describing the future of mankind. It’s part cyberpunk, part spaghetti western, and totally unforgettable.

Power move: The theme song is still sampled in electronic music to this day. And yes, it makes you feel like you can outrun the law in a 1982 Pontiac.

2. X-Men: The Animated Series (1992)

What it was: A Saturday morning cartoon that treated comic book fans like grown-ups.

Why it went so hard: No lyrics, just a blistering guitar riff and a visual roll call of every hero and villain. The intro builds like an arena rock anthem, with each character flexing their powers in slo-mo glory.

Still iconic? Try watching it and not humming the theme for three hours afterward. Impossible.

1. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)

What it was: A sitcom about a West Philly kid moving in with his rich relatives in Bel-Air.

Why it went so hard: You already know. The beat, the lyrics, the storytelling—it’s the only theme song where every single person in the UK over 25 knows all the words by heart.

Fun fact: Some broadcasts cut out the second verse. Justice for the airport scene.

“If you didn’t rap along to this in front of the mirror at least once as a kid, were you even alive in the '90s?”