TV Tunes: Community

Now I know the first time around I made this sound like this series of posts would mostly be positive in tone, but after watching last week's Community, I realized it didn't have to be. For this post I'll examine the issue with Community's theme song.

I love Community. it's been great to see the show grow over two season's from a mediocre sitcom that couldn't quite find its voice, to a consistently funny, if lowly rated, start to my Thursday nights. The cast is outstanding, the one liners superb, and story lines constantly inventive.

But if there is one thing that has always bugged me about this show, is its terribly theme song. My main problem is that  a good theme song should match the tone of the show it's representing. In the olden days this meant summarizing the major plot points of a TV show and turning them into a jingle (see Brady Bunch). Since that time the TV theme song has undergone several different forms, from simple orchestral music introducing large casts (ER) to popular classic rock songs (CSI's), but if there is one theme song that ever truly encapsulated the show it was a part of, it was "I'll Be There For You" by The Rembrandts for NBC's Friends.

This song not only was a good metaphor for what the show was about, but embodied the optimistic feel of the 90's that the early years of the show now represent. Contrast this with the Community which has this light breezy theme song, for what is often a dark, bitingly funny, and cynical show. Now I don't have any suggestions  for what would better represent the show, but this current song is just annoying, and it takes a lot of will for me not to turn the channel when it comes to that part of the show.

What do think expel this theme, or let it pass? (yeah how 'bout them college puns)

TV Tunes: Mr. Sunshine

In TV Tunes I will analyze either music that I have heard used in a TV show take a look at TV show's theme song. This Time we will analyze the theme for Matthew Perry's new ABC sitcom Mr. Sunshine.

Say what you will about Matthew Perry's new sitcom ( I personally am really enjoying it), but it has given one of the best TV theme songs in quite a while. While many shows have recently turned to the shortened theme format, no show has done it with quite as much charm as Mr. Sunshine. In six seconds the theme is able to be funny, while still instilling the audience with a tone of the show. What is it exactly about this them that makes it so appealing? The big sun with the so-so face, the acoustic backing, or perhaps the dopey monotone singing that accompanies it?  Who knows, but it's delightful.

If you haven't had a chance yet, check out Mr. Sunshine Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC or catch up with the first two episode on Hulu.