Some shows change the main titles in some way in every other season just to keep things fresh. Some change them in almost every season (Cosby Show), some make little if any changes (Cheers' only changes concern cast changes I believe). But which show went the longest without changing the titles visually or musically. I think My Three Sons has one up on Cheers in that I don't believe it ever had an opening other than the tapping shoes and the hands cartoon in all 12 years it was on. The only thing that would have changed would have been the names of the players and the switch to color in 1965.

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Some shows change the main titles in some way in every other season just to keep things fresh. Some change them in almost every season (Cosby Show), some make little if any changes (Cheers' only changes concern cast changes I believe). But which show went the longest without changing the titles visually or musically. I think My Three Sons has one up on Cheers in that I don't believe it ever had an opening other than the tapping shoes and the hands cartoon in all 12 years it was on. The only thing that would have changed would have been the names of the players and the switch to color in 1965.

I know it isn't a sitcom, but did Bonanza ever change from the opening credits with the cast riding in on horses? After Pernell Roberts left his character would have been dropped, but I don't think it changed other than that. And M*A*S*H more or less stayed the same for its run, with the helicopters. They just added the different cast members and such.

Originally posted by tvobscurities
And M*A*S*H more or less stayed the same for its run, with the helicopters. They just added the different cast members and such.

Well, they did take Wayne Rogers out and replaced him with various shots of Mike Farrell (a total of three, I think). They also eventually took Radar out of the beginning of the sequence.

The "Bonanza" titles changed pretty radically for season 12, with a new theme song and the elimination of the shots of the cast on horses. It changed again for the 14th (and last) season, with the old theme returning (in a new arrangement) and yet another new set of shots. You may not have seen these episodes; they have never played in broadcast syndication, although in recent years they have turned up on various cable networks.

Anyone know if the "Ozzie and Harriet" titles ever changed? I'm sure it was reshot from time to time as the boys got older, and it was reshot for the final color season. But I thought that the basic format stayed the same.

Originally posted by TV Guy
The "Bonanza" titles changed pretty radically for season 12, with a new theme song and the elimination of the shots of the cast on horses. It changed again for the 14th (and last) season, with the old theme returning (in a new arrangement) and yet another new set of shots. You may not have seen these episodes; they have never played in broadcast syndication, although in recent years they have turned up on various cable networks.

Anyone know if the "Ozzie and Harriet" titles ever changed? I'm sure it was reshot from time to time as the boys got older, and it was reshot for the final color season. But I thought that the basic format stayed the same. The Bonanza shows from 1965-1967 and 1970-1973 seasons were brought back back in the mid 90's on the Family Channel(now ABC Family) and they were called Bonanza: The Lost Episodes because of the fact that they weren't shown in syndication at all and the first time that they have shown them since they originally aired. Hallmark has the episodes now,whether or not Hallmark is still calling them Bonanza: The Lost Episodes which they probably are since TV Land is airing the 1959-1965 and 1967-1970 episodes of the show.

GoodLife had those unsyndicated "Bonanza" episodes a few years ago, and they didn't use "The Lost Episodes" on the titles, probably because the Family Channel had been running them previously and they didn't consider them to be "lost" any more. :)

60 Minutes still has the stopwatch and the tick, tick tick...

The Price is Right has used the same theme song and logo since it debuted in 1972 BC.

Hawaii Five-O (of course) had the same cool theme song and opening credits with the waves, airplanes and hula dancer for its 12 year run.

Originally posted by AKA
Well, they did take Wayne Rogers out and replaced him with various shots of Mike Farrell (a total of three, I think). They also eventually took Radar out of the beginning of the sequence.

True, but I think that's not enough of a difference to really be considered a "change" because, really, it was the same opening, just a few switched shots.

And thanks for the replys about Bonanza. I was aware that many of the episodes haven't been seen much since their initial broadcast. But I didn't know about the opening credits changing. Neat.

I have one-

The Nanny- NEVER changed its main opeing. It was always that delightful little cartoon.

Originally posted by hawaii five-o

Hawaii Five-O (of course) had the same cool theme song and opening credits with the waves, airplanes and hula dancer for its 12 year run.

Hawaii Five O did have changes in it. Dan Williams had 2 different cast shots (one when he is running and one where he is looking through a broken glass). I believe Kam Fong has more than one shot also and both players were gone in season 12. I think Jack Lord's shot was the same in all 12 years?

I was thinking more of shows where when you watch the show in reruns you can't tell from the opening which season it is. This would not include shows that have the same opening tacked on to the syndicated episodes but had actually different main titles in their broadcast runs.

One fun thing for me is when I see a show in reruns I can often tell which season it is by looking at the changes in the main titles. For example Taxi has the same basic opening but if you look at who is billed in the opening you can tell which season it is (except for years 2 and 3 ehich have the same cast)

year 1: Randall Carver
year2 and 3: Christopher Lloyd
year 4: Christopher Lloyd but no Jeff Conaway
year 5: Carol Kane

Originally posted by jamesanthony

I was thinking more of shows where when you watch the show in reruns you can't tell from the opening which season it is. This would not include shows that have the same opening tacked on to the syndicated episodes but had actually different main titles in their broadcast runs.

Then I would nominate "Cheers", which has five seasons (6-9,11) that have the exact same opening and exact same cast members listed. (Bebe Neuwirth was only in the season 10 opening, as well as four episodes for season 11).

I believe "The Golden Girls" had the exact same opening for at least five of its seven seasons. The opening for the first and possibly second seasons was slightly different (the opening shot of Miami is different, and the actors names don't fade in), but it is never used in syndication, so I can't remember how long it was used for.

Originally posted by TV Guy
Then I would nominate "Cheers", which has five seasons (6-9,11) that have the exact same opening and exact same cast members listed. (Bebe Neuwirth was only in the season 10 opening, as well as four episodes for season 11).

.

A bit off-topic but I always wondered why Bebe Newirth lasted so long in this show without being an official regular. Then not long after she gets promoted she quit and wasn't even in the finale.

I was going to say facts of life but i just remembered that they changed openings often. Season 1 had the horrid opening w/ Charolett Rea singing, yuck! then season 2 had another opening which stuck for the next 6-7 years (only the cast pictuers were updated as they aged), then in years 8 they updated the music and logo to make it more funky! they added an electric beat and cooler graphics!

Originally posted by factsoflife
I have one-

The Nanny- NEVER changed its main opeing. It was always that delightful little cartoon.

This is a nitpick, but you can identify the last season from the opening credits, because the "created by" and "developed by" credits are moved into the animated opening (previously, those credits were listed at the beginning of the episode, along with the writer and director credits). But the other five seasons are identical.

Good one, I had completely forgotten about "The Nanny".

Newhart is another show that never changed its opening scenes.

if not for two minor changes made after 9-11 (episodes 1-60 have a shot of the World Trade Center in a distant pic of NYC when the "Sex And The City" titlecard shows, and also once more when the "Sarah Jessica Parker" card shows.... episodes 61-94 show the same shot of NYC, but digitally removing the WTC, and a different shot when SJP's name shows up), Sex And The City had the same opening sequence/same credits for it's entire run

Originally posted by factsoflife
I was going to say facts of life but i just remembered that they changed openings often. Season 1 had the horrid opening w/ Charolett Rea singing, yuck! then season 2 had another opening which stuck for the next 6-7 years (only the cast pictuers were updated as they aged), then in years 8 they updated the music and logo to make it more funky! they added an electric beat and cooler graphics!

The opening credits for Facts changed every 2 - 3 years. The first one they had was with Charlotte singing and the first seven girls. Then they had Charlotte plus the four main girls. Their pictures changed every season. It was used for seasons 2 - 4. Then season 5 and 6 they had Edna's Edibles, and seasons 7 - 9 Over Our Heads. Charlotte was in season 7 and Cloris seasons 8 - 9.

i have couple

sanford and son never changed their opening credits.


and this dont count as sitcom but oh well.

the Incredible Hulk never changed their either.

Originally posted by BravesFan2004
Newhart is another show that never changed its opening scenes.

Good one - I think we have a new winner.

Season one is indentifiable because Julia Duffy isn't in the cast, and season two is identifiable because Peter Scolari isn't in the cast. The other six seasons are identical, though (this is slightly longer than "Sanford & Son"'s five and a half seasons).

Originally posted by MichaelLutton
i have couple

sanford and son never changed their opening credits.


and this dont count as sitcom but oh well.

the Incredible Hulk never changed their either.

I asked a question about My Three Sons on that board and Geoff was kind enough to answer that the visuals never changed in all 12 years, only the actors' names as the cast changes.

Sanford and Son has two openings though they are very similar. This was discussed on that show's board awhile ago. and I think it is still up there.

Originally posted by jamesanthony
I asked a question about My Three Sons on that board and Geoff was kind enough to answer that the visuals never changed in all 12 years, only the actors' names as the cast changes.


True, but didn't you say earlier that you were thinking of shows where when you watch the show in reruns and you can't tell from the opening which season it is? With MTS, you definitely can, especially in the later years, with all the cast changes. MTS only had 4 1/2 years where the opening didn't change at all.

Or maybe I'm being way too nitpicky -- I didn't start the thread, after all.

Originally posted by TV Guy
This is a nitpick, but you can identify the last season from the opening credits, because the "created by" and "developed by" credits are moved into the animated opening (previously, those credits were listed at the beginning of the episode, along with the writer and director credits). But the other five seasons are identical.

Good one, I had completely forgotten about "The Nanny".

I suppose but thats doesn't really count, considering that everything else is the same and that most people wouldn't even notice that.