Matthew Gilbert's TV-14: Top title sequences

Practically speaking, the title sequence of a TV series is like the maitre d’ at a restaurant. It should welcome you, establish the tone of what is to come, maybe offer some relevant information to newcomers. In a matter of seconds, a show opener needs to be able to provide essential backstory (“Green Acres”) and give the viewer a sense of location more realistic than a stage set.

But show openers also have the potential to be little gems of atmosphere (“The Wire”), iconography (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”), and, particularly in the age of music videos, artistic merit (“Six Feet Under”). They can embody the soul of a show and, eventually, define an era. Here are 14 of TV’s best title sequences, based not just on the songs, but on the total package -- sound, imagery, and tone.

—Matthew Gilbert, Globe Staff
Practically speaking, the title sequence of a TV series is like the maitre d’ at a restaurant. It should welcome you, establish the tone of what is to come, maybe offer some relevant information to newcomers. In a matter of seconds, a show opener needs to be able to provide essential backstory (“Green Acres”) and give the viewer a sense of location more realistic than a stage set. But show openers also have the potential to be little gems of atmosphere (“The Wire”), iconography (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”), and, particularly in the age of music videos, artistic merit (“Six Feet Under”). They can embody the soul of a show and, eventually, define an era. Here are 14 of TV’s best title sequences, based not just on the songs, but on the total package -- sound, imagery, and tone. —Matthew Gilbert, Globe Staff