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Your favorite eerie television themes/music

posted 11 years ago by siukong
18 replies | jump to latest

Rewatching some old episodes got me thinking about which shows had the best eerie/creepy/spooky music (either as the main theme or general incidental music). A good opening theme can chill you before the episode even starts! A good way to set the mood. Here are some notable ones I could think of (in no particular order):

Opening themes:

The Outer Limits - while I love the theme, I actually like the main background/end credits music more. Haunting. (it turns out I was thinking of the music in 'Valerie 23' - I seem to remember it being used more often throughout the series) ... the Control Voice helped too!
The X-Files - classic.
Unsolved Mysteries - bonus points for Robert Stack's gravitas.
Are You Afraid of the Dark? - nice imagery in the opening as well.
Buffy - just the first 5-10 seconds.
Babylon 5 - maybe.
Gargoyles
Batman (the slower parts)
The Tomorrow People - cheating a bit here since I've never actually watched this show

Incidental/background music only:

The Twilight Zone - although the theme is notable in its own right, I'm on the fence about classifying it as "eerie".
Tales from the Crypt (sometimes, depending on the episode) - again, the opening theme is nice, but a little too upbeat to qualify as eerie.
Lost (often overdid it)

So what do you think? What would you add/change on my list? What music/intro chills you the most?

[–] tbonesays 11 years ago

Twilight Zone is the only one I'd call eerie.

Original Dr Who for wonder.

CSI for attention getting, of course they had a good band behind them.

[–] LucusNon 11 years ago

The Twilight Zone - although the theme is notable in its
own right, I'm on the fence about classifying it as "eerie".

A Wikipedia writer has (perhaps a bit harshly) called Marius Constant's TZ theme "jarring and dissonant." But Bernard Herrmann's original TZ theme (now often forgotten?) was very different.

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[–] siukong 11 years ago

Yes, the theme I was talking about is the one with guitar and bongos. It's too bad the Herrmann theme is not remembered as much as the Constant one - I myself had forgotten it when I wrote my post. I'd certainly qualify it as eerie.

I also remember really liking the score in the episode "A Hundred Yards over the Rim". I think it was by Fred Steiner.

[–] duckofprey 11 years ago

I have to go with Dark Shadows from the 60s/70s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqo-bLgmbSU

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[–] Gfh100 11 years ago

I think The Walking Dead theme music was great and eerie at first. Since the first season the series itself just haven't been that good anymore..

[–] rwsmith29456 11 years ago

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour "Funeral March of the Marionettes.

[–] DD-931 11 years ago

Have you never heard Dominic Frontiere's music for the original THE OUTER LIMITS? It is unmatched in it's brilliance.

[–] domester82 10 years ago

The X Files, Dr Who (the 60s and 70s versions of the theme particularly), The Twilight Zone (Constant's season 2-onwards theme), Alfred Hitchcock Presents, I would all call eerie

[–] Erik-Bloodaxe 10 years ago

Journey To The Unknown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ecwd_Ww8tHQ

Thriller (UK TV series)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCIDwPs34Ns

Both these were by Brian Clemens who always had great music in his shows (he did The Avengers too).

As an earlier poster said "The Invaders" is probably top of the list.

'Knowledge is cheap at any price'

[–] tbonesays 10 years ago

Twilights Zone is the only one that fits how I use the word "eerie" which is a bit hard to define.

Check out the theme for the first two seasons of Sanctuary. I would describe it as: mysterious, melancholy, feminine, noble.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I14p86Vm2w

[–] lowsonpearse 10 years ago

I like this post.. Mine has to be the theme music for Midsomer Murders!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sv6TO11TNg

:)

[–] DD-931 10 years ago

The theme for THE INVADERS is taken directly from an episode of the original THE OUTER LIMITS, composed by Dominic Frontiere.