Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Ranking The Title Sequences


I love the Doctor Who title sequences. They're surreal, charming and utterly distinctive. So today, let's judge them all.


                                   

13. 2013 title sequence(used by the Eleventh Doctor in Series 7)
This one's honestly embarrassing. It's an incoherent mess of special effects, the 90-degree turn and subsequent tornado move(whilst the effects are frozen as if it was done on Windows Movie Maker) are unappealing. And to add insult to injury, it was only used in a few episodes before getting scrapped in favor of a fan-devised intro.

Really, the only positives I can give here is that it reintroduced the Doctor's face into the sequence after a 24-year break and I like the touch of having the TARDIS doors open to the episode.



12. 1996 title sequence(used by the Eighth Doctor in the TV Movie)
The orchestral score is great, but it's visually bland and goes on for too long. On its own, it's a great intro for a film, but compared to the other title sequences, it's just not that interesting.



11. 1970 - 1973 title sequence(used by the Third Doctor in Seasons 7-10)
I feel ambivalent towards this one. It's a good sequence, but apart from the noticeable fascination with color, there's nothing to say, really. I did notice that during this title sequence, they experimented a lot with the episode titles, such as using other footage for a backdrop(like in Inferno), or bringing them in after a 'mid-titles sequence' (like in The Ambassadors Of Death). Various fonts and text colors were also used.



10. 1981 - 1986 title sequence(used by the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Doctors in Seasons 18-23)
This title sequence sort of evolved over time, especially in the Sixth Doctor era. But I'm counting it all as one sequence, since it is in essence, the same. Personally, I like it. It's snazzy and the electronic tune is appropriately weird and catches your attention.



9. 1966 - 1969 title sequence(used by the Second Doctor in Seasons 4-6)
This is a very comfortable and cozy opening in my opinion. The square shape at the very beginning is extremely defined and clear, abandoning the shady feel of the Hartnell opening. Troughton's face is reassuring and kind. The only thing really letting it down is the lame font.
Also, as in the early Pertwee sequence, there was a lot of experimentation with the episode titles(some were in quotation marks for example, and others used footage as a backdrop).



8. 2010 - 2012 title sequence(used by the Eleventh Doctor in Series 5-7)
I really like the sense of mystery in this opening, with the music and the unstable vortex pummeling the TARDIS. The chaotic, fiery tunnel at the end is very cool as well. However, it loses points for being a bit of a rip-off of its immediate predecessor.
Also, I resent how they messed about with the colors and added those silly textures to the logo in Series 7.



7. 2005 - 2010 title sequence(used by the Ninth and Tenth Doctors in Series 1-4)
Basically a modern version of the Troughton opening in terms of atmosphere. It's spectacular, energetic and to the point. The rock theme introduced in Series 4 gets you pumped for the story as well.



6. 1974 - 1980 title sequence(used by the Fourth Doctor in Seasons 12-17)
A classic. TARDIS, vortex, head. All Doctor Who title sequences from this point forward owe something to this one. The diamond logo looks fantastic too.



5. 1974 title sequence(used by the Third Doctor in Season 11)
It is noticeably less refined than the Tom Baker sequence, but I adore the 2001: A Space Odyssey style tunnel of passing stars that opens it.



4. 1987 - 1989 title sequence(used by the Seventh Doctor in Seasons 24-26)
Okay, so it's a little goofy by today's standards, but I still think the purple galaxy looks incredible, and the inclusion of the middle eight into the theme gives it an adventurous feel. I can't imagine the Seventh Doctor and Ace without it.



3. 2014 - 2017 title sequence(used by the Twelfth Doctor in Series 8-10)
Obligatory joke about it not being in sync aside, this is a phenomenally good sequence! The TARDIS travelling through an oldfashioned Roman clockface is such an appropriate image for the show, and very suitable for this Doctor as well.
The theme tune is admittedly too tinny, but it doesn't bother me at all.

This intro was also notably the first one to be substantially altered for particular episodes, such as the Christmas-themed openings for Last Christmas and The Husbands Of River Song, the inclusion of Clara's eyes in Death In Heaven, and an electric guitar version of the theme(ostensibly played by Peter Capaldi himself) in Before The Flood.



2. 1963 - 1966 title sequence(used by the First and Second Doctors in Seasons 1-4, and by the Eleventh Doctor in the 50th anniversary special)
I love that you can't even tell what exactly you're seeing when you watch this. It's a thrilling opening, suggesting(as was Doctor Who's original purpose) entertainment and education in equilibrium(excuse me while I pat myself on the back for coming up with that line).

Ron Grainer came up with a great theme, Delia Delbyshire provided the stunning presentation and the bizarre fluctuations were created by Bernard Lodge using the howlaround effect(by pointing a camera at its monitor and introducing a beam of light to it) discovered by Norman Taylor.

Just talking about it makes me want to rewatch An Unearthly Child.



1. 2018 - present title sequence(used by the Thirteenth Doctor since Series 11)
The perfect modernisation of the original 60s whirlwind sequences, with a gorgeous, booming rendition of the theme tune by Segun Akinola. It blows me away every time, and I don't imagine I'll get tired of it anytime.

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