Hi, everyone! Thank you for the many wonderful responses to my lists of the best action TV themes of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The reactions to those articles were overwhelmingly positive, and I am truly grateful to everyone who read them. Your comments made it clear that many agree with my selections while others feel their favorites were slighted, and I want to address the latter.

In creating my "Best Action TV Themes" lists, the issue I faced was not one of exclusion, but of extensiveness. That is, no matter how long I made each list, there was always something more to add. So, while I limited each "Best Action TV Themes" article to my top eight picks, there were at least five other themes I had to leave off each list. Accordingly, to help address the concerns of several readers, I decided to create this list of 15 honorable mentions spanning the years 1960 through 1989.

In keeping with the earlier lists, the music presented below must set the viewer's anticipation of both the pace and overall feel of the production. However, this article differs from the others in that songs are only given for the decade they were first used. For those themes that spanned decades, each would be found just once in the list below. 

Finally, I must apologize for the absence of animated shows on the lists. To my thinking, "action" meant live-action, period. It just never dawned on me to include cartoon themes! So, I have to own that error and state that the fault was mine. To help clarify the matter, I retitled all my lists to denote that only live-action shows are provided.

The Wild Wild West Theme
Before the word "steampunk" was coined, there was this CBS show about Treasury Agents combatting mad scientists and other evildoers. Starring Robert Conrad and Ross Martin, The Wild Wild West is the show Will Smith's failed 1999 movie of the same name was based on. Imagine a spy thriller set in the old West featuring a smart, acrobatic hero (Conrad) prone to alternating between womanizing and engaging in extreme fist-to-face action; his equally smart, scientifically gifted partner (Martin) who was a master of disguise; and villainous, frequently outlandish fiends who often used bleeding edge technology (for the time) to enact their nefarious schemes. Not surprisingly, its theme is initially a mixture of playful sounds that swell triumphantly with a strong Western flair, thus matching the offbeat nature of the program.

Cinema facts: The Wild Wild West may have been the first steampunk television show, but it was not the only production of that nature. Many of Jules Verne's works had steampunk elements, and his fiction has appeared on film since 1902 when A Trip to the Moon was adapted for the silver screen.

Cancellation facts: The Wild Wild West remained a huge draw on television, but it met its end when CBS-TV caved to activists who sought to eliminate what they decried as extreme violence on TV following the major political assassinations of 1968. Some eight years later, activists targeted another popular series, ABC-TV's S.W.A.T., forcing that show's unfortunate cancellation as well.

The Saint Theme
Before Sir Roger Moore preceded Timothy Dalton on film as James Bond, he played Simon Templar, "The Saint." Despite its title and the halo-topped fourth wall break that began every intro, the show had no supernatural elements. Instead, Templar would go from scenario to scenario, helping people in need using means that often bordered on illegality. Surprisingly, the theme for the series is highly upbeat, yet subtly haunting. I found it to be a relatively simple song that was also a great one.

Hawaii Five-O Theme
"Book 'em, Danno!" There is no need to engage in an extended description of the classic show. It was actor Jack Lord as hard-nosed Detective Steve McGarrett in a Hawaii-set series that was a visual feast due to its exotic location. As for the theme, it just screams, "The good guys take center stage here!" Its amazing use of horns, drums, then more horns and more drums set the theme to a fast pace that it largely maintains throughout. It turns softer toward the middle, with guitars largely taking the lead before the horns and drums make their inevitable return. And you know what? It works.

Fun fact: Although Hawaii Five-O went off the air during the same year Magnum, P.I. premiered, the links between the shows were strong. "Magnum" used many of the sets used by Hawaii Five-O, and Thomas Magnum would sometimes mention Steve McGarrett, thus making it clear that "Five-O" was an unseen part of the same universe as Magnum, P.I.; Murder, She Wrote; Diagnosis: Murder; and Simon & Simon even though Jack Lord never reprised his most famous role on any of the shows that followed.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Theme
Before "Voyage" became a show about aliens, killer puppets, monsters, and other outlandish villains, it was largely, but not exclusively, a well-written Cold War spy drama during its first two seasons. Accordingly, composer Paul Sawtell's theme works in conjunction with the first two seasons because it strikes notes commonly associated with marine adventures, not sentient blowtorches on the attack. Yes, that was a "thing" in a later season.

Although the pilot episode of "Voyage" was filmed in color, it was broadcast in black-and-white. For its second season premiere, however, the show was finally broadcast in color and an alternate theme was employed for the occasion. That theme, composed by Jerry Goldsmith, is deeper, slower, and far more dramatic than Paul Sawtell's more balanced nautical tune. Goldsmith's theme, as different and striking as it is, would never again be used in its entirety on the show. Please note that re-issues of "Voyage" often replace Goldsmith's theme with Sawtell's in a possible attempt at standardizing the sound of the show's opening.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was first an action-filled science fiction film produced and directed by cinema's "master of disaster," Irwin Allen. Released in 1961, the movie featured heavyweight actors such as Walter Pidgeon, Robert Sterling, Peter Lorre, and Joan Fontaine. The remaining cast included Barbara Eden of I Dream of Jeannie fame; her husband, Michael Ansara; and singing sensation Frankie Avalon, who sang the movie's curiously sedate theme song. Below is something many of you have probably never heard: The Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea movie theme, as sung by Frankie Avalon. Do you prefer one of the TV themes or the movie theme?

As a special treat for anyone who really wanted to see a blowtorch double as an especially preposterous monster-of-the-week on "Voyage," I present the following season 3 episode in all its mind-numbing glory:

Adam-12 Theme
Like all shows about first responders in which Jack Webb had a producer credit, Adam-12 had a fast-paced, electrifying instrumental theme. Like the theme for Webb's production of Dragnet, the Adam-12 theme is also quite short once the opening voiceover ends, though not as short as Dragnet's. It fit the show perfectly, because Adam-12, like Webb's Dragnet, was a no-frills, "just the facts, ma'am" type of police procedural about two men on patrol, one a senior partner and the other a junior one, just trying their best to make a difference for the people of Los Angeles.

The Incredible Hulk Theme
The theme to this show perfectly encapsulated the dual nature of the protagonists. It is complex, layered, and has more tonal shifts than most, if not all, the themes I've listed thus far. It is an utterly brilliant composition that was largely buried under the legendary narration of actor Ted Cassidy, who famously played Lurch on The Adams Family. When Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno were selected to play Dr. David Bruce Banner (Bixby) and his radioactive alter-ego (Ferrigno), producers struck casting gold. 

Confusing fact: Why the show's producers chose to rename Dr. Robert Bruce Banner (as he is known in the comics) to Dr. David Bruce Banner remains one of the great what the [heck]? decisions on television.

The Streets of San Francisco Theme
In this series, a cynical, higher-ranking, older detective (Karl Malden) was partnered with a young, wisecracking partner (Michael Douglas), effectively setting the precedent for every future pairing of polar opposites from Lethal Weapon's Murtagh and Riggs to Law and Order's Briscoe and Green. The theme is a dynamic, jazz-infused instrumental piece composed by Patrick Moody Williams, and to be 100% transparent, that name is new to me. Regardless, it is clear that he was a master of his craft.

S.W.A.T. Theme
This series had everything. A team of professional shooters, a grizzled commander with features seemingly torn from a 1950s Hollywood Western, and a van loaded with utterly fantastic amounts of firepower. That was S.W.A.T., a police procedural that did not glorify the use of weaponry despite complaints about the level of violence used to depict the actions of a SWAT team. From the onset, the show was about the lives of officers, duty, and the responsible use of weaponry, but certain groups decided to target it much as The Wild Wild West was targeted about 8 years prior. Just as CBS-TV crumbled in the face of activism before, so did ABC-TV bow to the pressure and take S.W.A.T. off the air after just one season. Despite the short lifespan of the show, however, its disco infused theme became wildly successful, reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1976. A rearranged version of the theme was employed for the S.W.A.T. series that ran from 2017 to 2025.

The Bionic Woman Theme
This series was, in all ways, quite different from its parent, The Six Million Dollar Man. Lindsay Wagner played Jaime Sommers, and yes, the character had bionics. And yes, she moved in slow-motion when using her super speed or strength. And as a final "yes," she had the same boss as Steve Austin, the "Six Million Dollar Man." However, her adventures were largely her own, although Steve Austin played a role in a few. In one memorable pairing, it was left to Jamie Sommers to defy authority, prove a dying Steve Austin innocent of serious charges pressed against him, and seek a cure to the radiation poisoning that was killing him. In that particular team-up, she did the heavy lifting. 

Despite the above, ABC-TV canceled the show after just a year, then NBC-TV picked it up but without any direct ties to its parent other than Sommers' boss and the scientist, and that is when the show fully came into its own. Its narratives then reflected a greater departure from the originating show, and I remain shocked that NBC-TV canned the revised show after giving it just one season to catch on.

As for the theme, it remained unchanged despite the change in networks. It beautifully reflects Jaime Sommers' journey from life to near-death to her transformation and finally to the acceptance of her new normal. If rebirth had a song, then the theme to this show would be it.

Leftover fact: After being picked up by NBC-TV, the only bit of Steve Austin's former existence on the show to survive the network switchover would be the footage of Jaime's transformative accident. That footage came from The Six Million Dollar Man, complete with markings from the zoom lens in Steve Austin's bionic eye.

McCloud Theme
This television movie series starred Dennis Weaver as Sam McCloud, a Marshal from New Mexico assigned to a New York City police precinct in the 1970s. McCloud was but one of 14 series that were part of The NBC Mystery Movie, and along with Columbo, MacMillan & Wife, and Quincy, M.E., it remains one of the most fondly remembered. More than simply being a stranger in a strange land, Marshal Sam McCloud was both affable and a strong believer in humanity's inherent decency despite his experiences in dealing with the aftermath of highly indecent behavior. His positivity stood in stark contrast to the stereotypically negative attitudes Hollywood often assumes New York City residents to possess. Accordingly, the theme for McCloud is unquestionably upbeat and heavily tinged with Western notes as a nod to the character's origins.

V: The Original Miniseries Theme
This program jump-started the phenomenon that was the "V" franchise in the 1980s. It was quickly followed by other "V" properties, none of which were as consistently engaging as creator and producer Kenneth Johnson's original.

At first, some viewers believed the letter "V" was used as a reference to the benevolent humanoid alien "Visitors" (as they were called) who were core to the show's fictional universe. As time progressed, however, the smiling, sunglasses-wearing spacefarers were exposed as rat-eating alien reptiles disguised as humans, and they had a clear, genocidal agenda. Their goals included the further division of Earth's societies through the peddling of power and influence to lessen resistance; the theft of Earth's resources; and fostering wholesale mediocrity through the persecution of scientists and other intellectuals. And yes, it was also discovered that humans were definitely on the alien's menu.

Thematically, the Visitors were an analogue for Fascists, and at least one Jewish character related the human resistance against the Visitors to the struggles waged by the Allies and captive nations against German and Italian Fascists during World War II. As he spoke, he helped deface an alien propaganda billboard with a huge letter "V" in a clear reference to the WWII phrase, "V for Victory." Despite presenting such powerful storytelling and visuals that would inspire the film Independence Day, the original "V" and its follow-ups are somewhat forgotten today.

Regarding the theme music, it has notes of struggle, success, failure, and resurgence in a tightly woven composition that ranks among the best ever leveraged for sci-fi television. To me, it is a clear ancestor of the battle-oriented themes used in the Battlestar Galactica universe that was rebooted in 2003.

Fightin' facts: Cartoons produced during World War II not only featured caricatures and racist depictions of Axis leaders (among others, occasionally), the marquee characters (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc.) would perform various exhibition of patriotism such as saying "V for Victory," flashing the letter "V" with their index and middle fingers extended and apart with their palms facing to the rear, or showing three successive dots and a hyphen (Morse Code for "V for Victory"). Below is an example from Canada of such messaging during WWII:

The Equalizer Theme
This is the show that answered a question nobody thought to ask: How does an extraordinarily dangerous, well-connected, former intelligence operative spend his time after he retires? Why, he becomes a detective and problem solver for desperate people who are out of viable options, of course! Filmed on location in New York City and nearby locations, The Equalizer arrived in time to reflect a city that was beset with crime, graffiti, and racial tensions long past the boiling point. The theme is gritty, with strong "Terminator" vibes driving it, then it slowly rises in pitch before ending in a triumphant swell. Its message clearly matched that of the show in that hope had finally arrived for the hopeless.

The A-Team Theme
In the 1960s, Star Trek had the best opening monologue. In the 70s, that title went to The Six Million Dollar Man. In the 80s, the narration for The A-Team literally blew the competition away. It summarized the nature of the show in the following four sentences that will live forever:

"In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum-security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them … maybe you can hire the A-Team."

The theme for The A-Team ranks among the most recognizable television music of the 1980s. It is unquestionably military in nature, but its strong rhythm later gained dominant electric guitars as the tone shot upwards before returning to its military roots.

Call to Glory Theme
This was a short-lived show that focused on patriotic U2 spy plane pilots and their families during the early 1960s, and it incorporated many real-world events into its all-too-brief narrative. The theme for Call to Glory is a rousing song that reflects the show's blend of drama, military history, and emotion. Although the show and its theme gained little notice at the time, I always felt that both deserved far more time on-air and far more recognition from viewers.

Scarecrow and Mrs. King Theme
He was a spy, played by Bruce Boxleitner. She was a divorced housewife, played by Kate Jackson. Welcome to a show about two radically different people and how they met, worked together, and secretly married. Think of this show as 007's ally Felix Leiter working with Mary Richards of The Mary Tyler Moore Show fame if Richards had kids. The show's theme is a playful mix of patriotic notes blended with trumpeted heroic ones that pivot sharply to incorporate alternate uses of lighter and deeper tones before resuming and finally ending with strong, uplifting notes. The use of contrasting notes makes it the perfect music for the show.

-TR