Title sequences which don’t exist anymore possibly because of flow of channel and idents

[XIII]

I think some programmes suit a short snappy opening, and even a lack of title sequence. Fleabag comes to mind, just having the title card works fine for me, but at the same time, shows such as Game of Thrones wouldn't feel the same without one.

The mention of X Factor and BGT cutting down their opening credits for me is an interesting one. I haven't watched either for several years, but the last time I saw clips, it appeared the name had disappeared from the title shot as well, solely relying on the logo. Is that because they believe they are so well known they think everyone will know what programme it is?

I think if a show has had a title sequence then it’s cut then it can be jarring but some ITV dramas like Endeavour and Midsomer Murders are just a title card with some music and it works well.

I’ve always loved the Jonathan Creek titles which is just the actors names and then the title but it’s the build up with the music that makes it work

[Flux]

I’ve always loved the Jonathan Creek titles which is just the actors names and then the title but it’s the build up with the music that makes it work

The Jonathan Creek titles are brilliantly simple, obviously carried by the music. Interestingly, they didn’t actually become the regular opening until Series 2. They’re used in the very first episode, and then the rest of the early episodes vary how the cast names and logo are animated, often appearing over landscape shots setting up the main location. It doesn’t set the atmosphere half as well - an example of where producers understood the value of a hook or a familiar opening to draw people in and set a mood.

[Johnr]

Line Of Duty is clever in how it essentially merges the title sequence into the 'previously' segment, then has the dramatic music build up to the closing titles

Keeping Faith goes straight from 'previously' to a small part of the episode and the actual titles don't appear until about 3 minutes in

I noticed Epic Gameshow obviously has the Epic Gameshow titles but then for the individual gameshow a whole 10 seconds title sequence!

Something I never quite understood is the sudden change from the original Britain's Got Talent theme tune to the one where it sounded like it was buffering at points!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNTb234ujCE

[JAS84]

To be fair, look at the title sequences for the shows that Epic Gameshow features. Both Strike It Lucky and The Price is Right originally just had the logo on screen, as the theme song plays while introducing the host and contestants, so something short fits for them. I think Play Your Cards Right did as well - both it and Price only getting full title sequences in the 90s? Which leaves Bullseye and Take Your Pick, which did have full titles. Well, in the 90s for Pick anyway - I don't know about the earlier version from the 50s and 60s.

[Neil Jones]

To be fair, look at the title sequences for the shows that Epic Gameshow features. Both Strike It Lucky and The Price is Right originally just had the logo on screen, as the theme song plays while introducing the host and contestants, so something short fits for them. I think Play Your Cards Right did as well - both it and Price only getting full title sequences in the 90s? Which leaves Bullseye and Take Your Pick, which did have full titles. Well, in the 90s for Pick anyway - I don't know about the earlier version from the 50s and 60s.

PCYR had a "proper" title sequence in the 80s and the 90s (and the 2002 revival).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyWwBFUWND4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmLFoZDPyn8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyXvu4Z0PjQ

The Bruce years of Price is Right had its own titles too, though the Leslie Crowther years was just the program name. Joe Pasquale series condensed the "Joe Bloggs, come on down!" into the intro sequence like the original show, but the Bruce years didn't do this, giving him instead a moment to tell a joke before people were called down. As that was a complete transplant (near enough) of the rehashed format in the US, I believe it was the same there.

[Neil Jones]

Suddenly remembered this when I was browsing my Kodi listings and thought I'd put it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5V3gAC1Zyc

Classic example of what I call a short title sequence. Such fun!

[Andrew Wood]

At the risk of sounding like a middle-aged old git bemoaning "the youth of today" (which I am)...

The gradual diminishing of people's average attention spans since the advent of social media, YouTube, etc has inevitably influenced all media including television.

The prevelance of short "sting" title sequences or mere title cards, instead of the longer title sequences of the past, will surely only ever increase henceforth.

As, sadly, will the increasingly protracted opening sequences that often precede the blink-and-you-miss-it "titles", which essentially give you 3 minutes (or whatever) of "edited highlights" from the ensuing programme, thus negating the need to bother watching the full thing because you've basically already seen it in condensed form.

Mind you, you don't have to be a Millennial to be bemused by the duration of the Good Morning with Anne & Nick title sequence...

Shortest title sequence going?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vRr67YyfD7U

[Brekkie]

Although the axing of title sequences more an issue in the US than here was thinking last night actually whilst watching I'm a Celeb how along with Strictly two of our highest rated shows actually have the longest title sequences.

[JasonB]

Just imagine Neighbours with no theme song. Will totally strip it of its brand identity.

That did happen in 1990!
The titles were replaced with this until 1992.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQtEQRNQNKw

[Amber Avenger]

Although the axing of title sequences more an issue in the US than here was thinking last night actually whilst watching I'm a Celeb how along with Strictly two of our highest rated shows actually have the longest title sequences.

In both of those instances the opening credits feature all the celeb contestants for the full extent of the series, long after some have been eliminated so I do wonder if it's a contractual thing in part - as they have had the same long credits on It Takes Two, Extra Camp etc when you wouldn't think it as necessary on the spin offs

[JAS84]

That would make sense. You do get contracts which stipulate that actors must be credited for all episodes of a series even if they're in less than half of the episodes. Why wouldn't that also apply to reality shows?

[May_Dupname]

Mind you, you don't have to be a Millennial to be bemused by the duration of the Good Morning with Anne & Nick title sequence...

This just prompted me to fall into a black hole of watching Good Morning with Anne and Nick title sequences and I’d forgotten how much both the current This Morning and Morning Live sequences owe to them. Uncanny.

Blimey, I haven't seen those titles since I was a bunking 12 year old with a "sore throat". Major nostalgia. Considering the show only ran for 3 and a half years, I've counted at least 4 different variations and logos there! Quite impressive. This one reminds me the most of This Morning titles though:

https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bbc-motio...-nick-1996

Who was copying who? Also, am I mis-remembering, but didn't the death of John Smith, Labour Leader, break during one of their episodes? I thought he died walking up a hill and can hazily remember helicopter news shots of a hill, but Wikipedia says he had a heart attack at home in London and I can't find the newsflash on YouTube. I'm having a major Mandela effect moment!

[Neil Jones]

You might be thinking of Robin Cook, the former Foreign Secretary who died in 2005 on the side of a Scottish mountain after suffering a heart attack on the way down:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/200.../uk.labour

But that didn't get a newsflash AFAIK, not on the main network anyway.

[Brekkie]

That would make sense. You do get contracts which stipulate that actors must be credited for all episodes of a series even if they're in less than half of the episodes. Why wouldn't that also apply to reality shows?

I think it's quite unlikely to be the reason they do it - just a choice. On that theme though always annoys me the pros aren't credited in the Strictly titles.


Back on topic though and got round to watching the last episode of Angela Black yesterday (I started so I finished - won't be getting those six hours back!). Like many shows the title card is just a black screen with the logo, the same as the break stings. The last episode though didn't have the opener until 6 minutes in, which led me to think it was a break. It felt like ITV just hadn't taken the ads and run two parts back to back rather than it being the title sequence of the show. Quite annoying when you automatically skip forward 4 minutes at the sign of the break cap.

[Michael]

Also, am I mis-remembering, but didn't the death of John Smith, Labour Leader, break during one of their episodes? I thought he died walking up a hill and can hazily remember helicopter news shots of a hill, but Wikipedia says he had a heart attack at home in London and I can't find the newsflash on YouTube. I'm having a major Mandela effect moment!

Have you ever seen the telefilm "The Deal" about how Blair and Brown arranged who would be leader? Brown is watching TV *before* the news breaks/announced but after he's been told privately and the Anne & Nick programme is on. Mandelson arrives : "They're still saying it's a heart attack, there's no official statement".

[media]https://youtu.be/UHINP2UzLOU?t=2645[/media]

In case the time stamp doesn't work, go to 44:05 onwards