I thought this would be an interesting topic. Now of course, variations on theme music/intros were common (especially for older shows from the 80's, etc). Most shows would have a new intro for every season perhaps just to mix it up, perhaps to show how cast members have aged and their current look or what have you.

But some intros I had never seen despite watching the entire run on syndication. A few examples off the top of my head:

Full House ~ After having recently bought the 1st season retail, I realized I had never seen the 1st season intro before. When one of my local channels ran reruns, they must have used season 2 as a replacement. My guess would be perhaps because the Oleson twins weren't in the 1st season intro (strangely). Perhaps the casting directors weren't entirely sure about the Oleson twins since they were so young and demoted them to the end credits in case they needed to recast them and didn't want viewers to get too comfortable with them. As it turns out the viewers (strangely) *did* get VERY fond of them and it also turns out they can't act (and still can't)

Golden Girls ~ Another instance where my local channels never aired the season 1 intro and again, must have used season 2 as a replacement. Season 1 is slightly different, with a different shot of Miami, the scene where Dorothy squeezes Blanche's hand until she falls down, and Rue McClanahan wearing fur as her name appears. If I had to hazard a guess why this intro was never shown locally was because 1985 (when this season originally aired) was probably one of the last years when fur was popular. It has since dwindled in popularity due to animal rights issues.

Can you think of any other intros that weren't used locally and/or in syndication?

It's been claimed that at least one season of The Rifleman had a totally different intro, yet in syndication it's been replaced by the common one always seen.

It's been claimed that at least one season of The Rifleman had a totally different intro, yet in syndication it's been replaced by the common one always seen.
that "lost" opening can be seen on You Tube.

@treky: I literally just watched that episode of Cheers.

Full House ~ After having recently bought the 1st season retail, I realized I had never seen the 1st season intro before. When one of my local channels ran reruns, they must have used season 2 as a replacement. My guess would be perhaps because the Oleson twins weren't in the 1st season intro (strangely). Perhaps the casting directors weren't entirely sure about the Oleson twins since they were so young and demoted them to the end credits in case they needed to recast them and didn't want viewers to get too comfortable with them. As it turns out the viewers (strangely) *did* get VERY fond of them and it also turns out they can't act (and still can't)


Full House does use the season one theme song, however it is shorter in syndication. It chops the very beginning and end of everyone's credit, they credit Michelle by using an alternate shot of her watching a soccer ball roll by. In the original intro that was part of a longer sequence with the family playing soccer and then they cut to Michelle watching the soccer ball go by, but she was not credited, as you said, originally. They also use a scene of the family running down a hill from the season two and three theme song.

The intros to Three's Company shown in syndication were shortened, the original version right after all the cast credits has clips of random episodes showing the trio doing wacky antics., these were removed in syndication.

The intros to Three's Company shown in syndication were shortened, the original version right after all the cast credits has clips of random episodes showing the trio doing wacky antics., these were removed in syndication.

Yes. Can't believe I forgot about that one as I'm watching season 2 right now.