Opening Titles to Die For
by stephanieericsson | created - 23 Nov 2015 | updated - 19 Feb 2018 | PublicTV series with opening title sequences that are works of art in themselves. That tell the whole story of the series. That pull you in and make you watch them start to finish. That pump you up, make you shudder or make you cry. That are gaspingly spectacular.
List is in progress.
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1. Indian Summers (2015–2016)
TV-14 | 52 min | Drama
Drama set in 1932 during the final years of British colonial rule in India.
Stars: Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Jemima West, Julie Walters, Rick Warden
Votes: 4,547
Created by Peter Anderson Studios in London. http://www.peterandersonstudio.co.uk/the_html/
Watch them on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/120043370
2. Bankerot (2014–2015)
Comedy, Crime, Drama
Thomas (Martin Buch) and Dion (Esben Dalggård) are two old friends in dire straits trying to open a restaurant.
Stars: Martin Buch, Esben Dalgaard, Viktor Lykke Clausen, Rikke Louise Andersson
Votes: 332
Created by Peter Anderson Studios in London. (http://www.peterandersonstudio.co.uk/the_html/)
Watch them on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/110140226
3. American Horror Story (2011– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
An anthology series centering on different characters and locations, showcasing different aspects of horror.
Stars: Lady Gaga, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson
Votes: 343,471
Created by Kyle Cooper and his company Prologue.
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKuH0OUD6-o
4. Carnivàle (2003–2005)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
During the Great Depression, an Oklahoma farm boy and a charismatic minister learn that they are key players in a proxy war being fought between Heaven and Hell.
Stars: Michael J. Anderson, Adrienne Barbeau, Clancy Brown, Debra Christofferson
Votes: 46,853
Created by a52 (http://www.a52.com/)
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqdkDwOY9fw
5. Flesh and Bone (2015)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
A talented but emotionally troubled dancer runs away to New York City and quickly finds herself immersed in the cutthroat world of professional ballet.
Stars: Sarah Hay, Ben Daniels, Emily Tyra, Irina Dvorovenko
Votes: 11,244
Created by Elastic [US] who also did Game of Thrones & True Detective. (http://www.elastic.tv/)
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4n_VpzBQIA
Soundtrack by Varèse Sarabande (https://www.varesesarabande.com/pages/about-us)
6. Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
Stars: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey
Votes: 2,283,385
Created by Elastic [US] who also did Flesh & Bone & True Detective. (http://www.elastic.tv/)
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzTletpyuEE
7. Elementary (2012–2019)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD's most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London, eccentric Sherlock escapes to New York where his father forces him to live with his worst nightmare - a sober companion, Dr. Watson.
Stars: Jonny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu, Aidan Quinn, Jon Michael Hill
Votes: 119,009
Created by Prologue. A Rube Goldberg device is the metaphor for Sherlock’s unorthodox approach to solving crime. (http://www.prologue.com)
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KQMB3httVQ
8. Rome (2005–2007)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.
Stars: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kerry Condon
Votes: 185,278
Created by Bruno Heller, Music by Jeff Beal.
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BZmK3_IIZg
9. Masters of Sex (2013–2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Romance
Drama about the pioneers of the science of human sexuality whose research touched off the sexual revolution.
Stars: Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, Caitlin FitzGerald, Teddy Sears
Votes: 38,511
2014 Emmy Nominee. Created by Elastic.
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D3a60jn52k
10. Marco Polo (2014–2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In a world replete with greed, betrayal, sexual intrigue and rivalry, "Marco Polo" is based on the famed explorer's adventures in Kublai Khan's court in 13th century Mongolia.
Stars: Lorenzo Richelmy, Benedict Wong, Joan Chen, Remy Hii
Votes: 78,647
Created by Ben Smith and Bryce Wymer.
Watch it on Vimeo and see how it was done at http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/how-they-did-it-marco-polos-ink-drawn-title-sequence.
11. Justified (2010–2015)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Enforcing his own brand of justice, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a strong-willed, quiet law-man haunted by his past, returns to his native town to see that justice is served to those in need.
Stars: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts
Votes: 118,635
Song: "Long Hard Times To Come" Written by Gangstagrass, Rench & T.O.N.E-z Gangstagrass.
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR3CNEdoPJc
12. True Detective (2014– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Anthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.
Stars: Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch
Votes: 656,168
Song written & performed by Leonard Cohen "Nevermind" Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJfe1k9CeE
13. Bloodline (2015–2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Thriller
A family is forced to face their past secrets and scars when the black sheep returns home.
Stars: Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Sissy Spacek
Votes: 58,569
Created by?
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rfnz3J0DdI
14. Outlander (2014– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Claire Beauchamp Randall, a nurse in World War II, mysteriously goes back in time to Scotland in 1743. There, she meets a dashing Highland warrior and gets drawn into an epic rebellion.
Stars: Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin
Votes: 178,997
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrusSXEEv1M
15. Mad Men (2007–2015)
TV-MA | 45 min | Drama
A drama about one of New York's most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm's most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper.
Stars: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones
Votes: 260,447
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRr-Fb5xQo
16. Luck (2011–2012)
TV-MA | 52 min | Drama, Sport
A television series centered around characters who are tied to the same horse-racing track.
Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Richard Kind
Votes: 6,210
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67X-m8W9pXs
17. Magic City (2012–2013)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
Centers on Miami mobsters and other characters from Miami Beach in the late 1950s.
Stars: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Olga Kurylenko, Steven Strait, Jessica Marais
Votes: 13,285
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa_V76H5D-k
18. Strike Back (2010–2020)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Follows the actions of Section 20, a secretive unit of British military intelligence. A team of special operations personnel conduct several high risk missions across the globe.
Stars: Philip Winchester, Sullivan Stapleton, Michelle Lukes, Daniel MacPherson
Votes: 33,484
Designer: Momoco (http://www.watchthetitles.com/articles/00268-Strike_Back)
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qATXa4_skXU
19. Rubicon (2010)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Will Travers is an analyst at a New York City-based federal intelligence agency who is thrown into a story where nothing is as it appears to be.
Stars: James Badge Dale, Jessica Ann Collins, Lauren Hodges, Dallas Roberts
Votes: 11,089
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZVPM88m-58&list=PLlGzAp3IX_CRFGfZL7MtyFWf87YeinLd-&index=14
20. The Last Panthers (2015–2016)
48 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Independent Claims Specialist Naomi (Samantha Morton) is given the job by her boss, Tom (Sir John Hurt), of recovering stolen diamonds, no matter what it takes. Also on the trail of the ... See full summary »
Stars: Samantha Morton, Tahar Rahim, Goran Bogdan, John Hurt
Votes: 2,463
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6J44zGDb6g
21. The Affair (2014–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
A struggling novelist and a young waitress strike up an extramarital relationship that promises to forever change the course of their lives.
Stars: Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney, Julia Goldani Telles
Votes: 49,142
Fionna Apple
Watch then on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6muh9kTlr88
22. The Man in the High Castle (2015–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
In a dystopian America dominated by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, a young woman discovers a mysterious film that may hold the key to toppling the totalitarian regimes.
Stars: Alexa Davalos, Luke Kleintank, Rufus Sewell, Rupert Evans
Votes: 110,905
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIDKPydxAFM
23. The Borgias (2011–2013)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama, History
In the fifteenth century, Pope Alexander VI tries to control all power in Italy with the help of his several sons, through murder, intrigue, war, and marriage alliances.
Stars: Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Peter Sullivan
Votes: 53,932
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPSGckN_vP0
24. Fortitude (2015–2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.
Stars: Richard Dormer, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Sienna Guillory, Mia Jexen
Votes: 23,592
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsKAJeUVOQc
25. Tyrant (2014–2016)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
An unassuming American family is drawn into the workings of a turbulent Middle Eastern nation.
Stars: Adam Rayner, Jennifer Finnigan, Ashraf Barhom, Moran Atias
Votes: 23,557
Watch them on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws9XLb8Rd9k
26. The Leftovers (2014–2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Three years after the disappearance of 2% of the global human population, a group of people in a small New York community try to continue their lives while coping with the tragedy of the unexplained nature of the event.
Stars: Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler
Votes: 112,275
27. Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
An Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era.
Stars: Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham
Votes: 203,096
28. Six Feet Under (2001–2005)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
A chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.
Stars: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose
Votes: 149,348
29. Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future.
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt
Votes: 2,135,143
30. Deadwood (2004–2006)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, History
A show set in the late 1800s, revolving around the characters of Deadwood, South Dakota; a town of deep corruption and crime.
Stars: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Brad Dourif
Votes: 117,586
31. True Blood (2008–2014)
TV-MA | 55 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse encounters a strange new supernatural world when she meets the mysterious Bill Compton, a southern Louisiana gentleman and vampire.
Stars: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten
Votes: 260,051
32. The Sopranos (1999–2007)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life that affect his mental state, leading him to seek professional psychiatric counseling.
Stars: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli
Votes: 470,857
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxSUKA--Dg
33. The Pacific (2010)
TV-MA | 53 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The Pacific Theatre of World War II, as seen through the eyes of several young Marines.
Stars: James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello, Jon Seda, Ashton Holmes
Votes: 129,940
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI-yTnIs404
34. Band of Brothers (2001)
TV-MA | 59 min | Drama, History, War
The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.
Stars: Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Shane Taylor
Votes: 526,935
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ah1PI-R24
35. The War (2007)
TV-14 | 124 min | Documentary, History, War
A seven-part series focusing on the many ways in which the Second World War impacted the lives of American families.
Stars: Keith David, Katharine Phillips, Tom Hanks, Paul Fussell
Votes: 5,663
Nora Jones: "American Anthem"
Makes me cry every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRv7PXU-l2E
36. The Civil War (1990)
TV-14 | 76 min | Documentary, History, War
A comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.
Stars: David McCullough, Sam Waterston, Julie Harris, Jason Robards
Votes: 18,455
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN2huQB-DmE
37. Narcos (2015–2017)
TV-MA | 50 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as well as the many other drug kingpins who plagued the country through the years.
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann
Votes: 470,136
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtJ6yAGjsIs
38. MI-5 (2015)
R | 104 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
When a terrorist escapes custody during a routine handover, Will Holloway must team with disgraced MI5 Intelligence Chief Harry Pearce to track him down before an imminent terrorist attack on London.
Director: Bharat Nalluri | Stars: Kit Harington, Peter Firth, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Wildman
Votes: 23,890
39. Bosch (2014–2021)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama
An L.A.P.D. homicide detective works to solve the murder of a 13-year-old boy while standing trial in federal court for the murder of a serial killer.
Stars: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick
Votes: 83,401
Nice visual metaphor of mirroring top of screen with the bottom... visual clue -- "As above, so below."
Watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2I0ODXa82s
40. The Night Manager (2016–2024)
TV-14 | 346 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The night manager of a Cairo hotel is recruited to infiltrate an arms dealer's inner circle.
Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Elizabeth Debicki, Olivia Colman
Votes: 103,068
Executive producer Simon Cornwell, who's also the son of le Carré, worked with creative director Patrick Clair (Marvel's Daredevil, The Man in the High Castle) on creating the main title sequence. To create it, Cornwell and Clair's team worked on combining "two themes—the conspicuous beauty of luxury and the destructive threat of weaponry—into a single, beautiful sequence that would draw the audience into the world that we were creating," says Cornwell.
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU2cCqA0HJI
41. The Honorable Woman (2014)
58 min | Drama, Thriller
Centers on Nessa Stein, a woman who inherits her father's arms business and finds herself in an international maelstrom as she continues to promote the reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
Stars: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen Rea, Lubna Azabal, Katherine Parkinson
Votes: 11,550
Watch them at https://vimeo.com/103366201
42. Vikings (2013–2020)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Vikings transports us to the brutal and mysterious world of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore--and raid--the distant shores across the ocean.
Stars: Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander Ludwig, Georgia Hirst
Votes: 582,340
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umgco_YoGuw
43. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
R | 120 min | Drama, Western
A gambler and a prostitute become business partners in a remote Old West mining town, and their enterprise thrives until a large corporation arrives on the scene.
Director: Robert Altman | Stars: Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Rene Auberjonois, William Devane
Votes: 27,634 | Gross: $8.20M
One long scene set entirely to Leonard Cohen's song, The Stranger. Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt-r3QcegnU
44. Lucky Man (2016–2018)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
From the mind of comic book legend Stan Lee comes a bold new action crime series about a brilliant but flawed police officer with the power to control luck.
Stars: James Nesbitt, Sienna Guillory, Darren Boyd, Amara Karan
Votes: 6,338
Watch then at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj7z3P3bydQ
45. Animal Kingdom (2016–2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
Centers on a Southern California family, whose excessive lifestyle is fueled by their criminal activities.
Stars: Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole
Votes: 43,617
Watch them at: https://vimeo.com/168837557
46. Outcast (2016–2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Horror
A young man searches for answers as to why he's been suffering from supernatural possessions his entire life.
Stars: Patrick Fugit, Philip Glenister, Wrenn Schmidt, Reg E. Cathey
Votes: 19,046
Watch them at https://vimeo.com/170335794
47. Se7en (1995)
R | 127 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Andrew Kevin Walker
Votes: 1,798,438 | Gross: $100.13M
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEq-4fua3lM
48. Vertigo (1958)
PG | 128 min | Mystery, Romance, Thriller
A former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore
Votes: 426,786 | Gross: $3.20M
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CZfSc6nJ8U
49. Rake (2010–2018)
Not Rated | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
Cleaver Greene is a drug addict who has a massive gambling debt with some very shady characters and is in love with a prostitute. He's also a very good criminal lawyer, capable of winning unwinnable cases.
Stars: Richard Roxburgh, Matt Day, Kate Box, Caroline Brazier
Votes: 8,667
Watch them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlfjJO3sbSQ
50. Abstract: The Art of Design (2017– )
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary
A look beyond blueprints and computers into the art and science of design, showcasing great designers from every discipline whose work shapes our world.
Stars: Platon, Tinker Hatfield, Ian Spalter, Cas Holman
Votes: 5,906
51. Chef's Table (2015–2019)
TV-MA | 50 min | Documentary, Biography
Chef's Table goes inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned international chefs. Each episode focuses on a single chef and their unique look at their lives, talents and passion from their piece of culinary heaven.
Stars: Massimo Bottura, Ruth Reichl, Francis Mallmann, Bill Buford
Votes: 17,019
From Season 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgTScNCgYCk
The other seasons are equally gorgeous.
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