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4 | [[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/danny_phantom__expository_theme_tune_1.png]]]] |
5 | [[caption-width-right:350:♫ ''It was designed to view a world unseen\ |
6 | (He's gonna catch 'em all cause he's Danny Phantom)'' ♫]] |
7 | %% |
8 | %%Quote selected per General Quote Discussion Thread https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1327331003042025100&page=308#comment-7693 |
9 | %% Please do not change without creating a new discussion. |
10 | ->''Strong Bad is a wrestle-man\ |
11 | He's the email-checkin'-est guy in the land!\ |
12 | He checks real emails from the 'Net\ |
13 | He's got two brothers, and The Cheat, his pet!\ |
14 | (The Cheat, his pet!)\ |
15 | There's nobody dumber\ |
16 | Than Homestar Runner\ |
17 | On "The Strong Bad Email Show"!'' |
18 | -->-- ''WebAnimation/StrongBadEmail'' #155 [[Recap/StrongBadEmailE155ThemeSong "theme song"]] |
19 | |
20 | A ThemeTune which explains, fairly specifically, the premise of the show. An OpeningNarration in verse. It might also throw in an {{Introdump}} for the central characters during the middle 10 seconds. |
21 | |
22 | This was fairly standard for the early {{sitcom}}. Later sitcoms moved away from this form in favor of the ThematicThemeTune, and then toward the SurrealThemeTune. Today, the Expository Theme Tune is limited mostly to children's programs. ''Series/GilligansIsland'', the most famous, used it specifically due to ExecutiveMeddling, so that people who tuned in after the pilot wouldn't get lost. Many kids' shows that use it don't even ''have'' a pilot, or air episodes out of order. (''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'' are the big examples.) |
23 | |
24 | Some shows might use the Expository Theme Tune as an excuse to [[InMediasRes dump you into the action right away]], since you already know the premise. Conversely, if the Expository Theme Tune would spoil the premise of the premiere, you might not see it on the first episode. |
25 | |
26 | This style of ThemeTune is also the most common for a ShowWithinAShow, and is practically universal when the fictional show is meant to be mocked. |
27 | |
28 | A SuperTrope to BraggingThemeTune and ThemeTuneRollCall. Compare with AnimeThemeSong and ThemeTuneRap. Can overlap with JobSong if one or more characters' jobs are important to the plot. |
29 | ---- |
30 | !!Example subpages: |
31 | |
32 | [[index]] |
33 | * ExpositoryThemeTune/{{Anime}} |
34 | * ExpositoryThemeTune/FanWorks |
35 | * [[ExpositoryThemeTune/{{Film}} Films]] |
36 | * ExpositoryThemeTune/LiveActionTV |
37 | * ExpositoryThemeTune/VideoGames |
38 | * ExpositoryThemeTune/WesternAnimation |
39 | [[/index]] |
40 | |
41 | !!Other examples: |
42 | [[foldercontrol]] |
43 | |
44 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
45 | * ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'''s theme song lays out its premise: evil aliens come to Earth in search for cocoa and [=BoBoiBoy=] is the superhero who must save the Earth. |
46 | * The opening of ''Animation/{{Lamput}}'', as short as it is, still visually conveys the most important information about the show. You see an orange blob who shapeshifts to avoid being captured by two scientists. |
47 | * ''Animation/MotuPatlu'''s theme song, "Motu Aur Patlu Ki Jodi", explains who Motu and Patlu are, how they get along, and what they do. |
48 | * Downplayed in ''Animation/NoonboryAndTheSuper7''. The very first lyrics in the theme song ("In Toobalooba there's seven friends/Solving trouble with super senses") mentions the show's premise, while the remaining lyrics are mostly about the Super 7 themselves. |
49 | * ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'': The original theme song "Don't Think I'm Just a Little Goat" downplays this, as it explains that the singer is a goat who will make it into a game whenever the wolf tries to catch them, but otherwise doesn't sum up the series premise ''directly''. |
50 | [[/folder]] |
51 | |
52 | [[folder:Audio Play]] |
53 | * Both themes of ''Come to Hoshizora Hall'' ("Hoshizora Melody" and the ''Second Night'' song "[[TitleDrop Come to Hoshizora Hall]]") are just songs that explain why the [=CDs=] are made, what the cast is planning to do, and what exactly they're giving their Master in thanks for their care and love. |
54 | [[/folder]] |
55 | |
56 | [[folder:Comics]] |
57 | * Despite appearing in a non-audio medium, the Comicbook/{{Blackhawk}}s gained their own theme tune, complete with sheet music, in a 1942 comic. A modern recording of "The Song of the Blackhawks" can be heard [[http://www.comictreadmill.com/CTMBlogarchives/2005/2005_Individual/2005_05/000789.php here]]. |
58 | [[/folder]] |
59 | |
60 | [[folder:Literature]] |
61 | * The children's horror series ''Literature/{{Vampirates}}'' has a theme tune of sorts. It's on the back of the book, and characters sing it in story. It describes the title creatures. |
62 | [[/folder]] |
63 | |
64 | [[folder:Music]] |
65 | * "Hey, Hey, we're Music/TheMonkees / and people say we monkey around / but we're too busy singing / to put anybody down..." ([[Series/TheMonkees also fits into the category above]]) |
66 | * Music/TheAquabats: |
67 | ** Technically this trope but with no actual show to expose [[Series/TheAquabatsSuperShow at the time]], "Theme Song" tells a rather intricate {{backstory}} for the band involving them being driven from their homeland of Aquabania by the evil Space Monster M. |
68 | ** "The Wild Sea!" is done in the style of one, about a fictional adventure show staring a young man, his father, and their Viking sidekick. |
69 | -->Sailing on and on and on and on\ |
70 | Into the ocean, into the sun\ |
71 | Our boat, a Viking, my dad, and me\ |
72 | On the Wild Sea! |
73 | * "Cartoon Heroes" by Music/{{Aqua}} is an expository theme of this type for a completely fictional TV show (the video does a good job of being the title sequence). |
74 | * Part of the lyrics of "WE ARE MILKCAN!" from ''Music/MakeItSweet'' somewhat describe the basic plot of ''VideoGame/UmJammerLammy'': |
75 | --> ''Suddenly another problem hits us in the face. \ |
76 | And we think that we can overcome this wacky race, but then someone in the band brings up another craze.'' |
77 | [[/folder]] |
78 | |
79 | [[folder:Pinball]] |
80 | * ''[[Pinball/TimeMachineDataEast Time Machine]]'' from Creator/DataEast plays one during the end-of-game karaoke mode. |
81 | -->"Time Machine, where you go back in time..." |
82 | [[/folder]] |
83 | |
84 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
85 | * "Whose that jumping out the sky? [[Wrestling/ReyMysterioJr R-E-Y Mysterio]], here we go! When the mask's out the girls they pass out, the boys just blackout, better tap out!" |
86 | * "Wrestling/{{Chris|Hero}} is awesome! He's as hot as it gets, the type to drop you quick, with a mafia kick!" |
87 | * "I've got long sideburns. I've got my hair slicked back. I'm comin' to your town in a pink Cadillac. I'm just a Wrestling/HonkyTonkMan (He's just a Honky Tonk Man)! I'm just a Honky Tonk Man (He's just a Honky Tonk Man)! I'm just a Honky Tonk Man! I'm cool, I'm cocky, I'm bad!" |
88 | * "[[Wrestling/DustyRhodes Ame...rican! DREAM!]] ''(cowbell)'' He's just a common man, workin' hard with his hands!..." |
89 | [[/folder]] |
90 | |
91 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
92 | * The theme tune for ''Podcast/MomCantCook sounds like an example, but actually mashes up the plots of 5 different [=DCOMs=][[note]]in order, ''Film/TheThirteenthYear'', ''Film/{{Brink}}'', ''Film/TheLuckOfTheIrish'', ''Film/SmartHouse'', and ''Film/StepsisterFromPlanetWeird''[[/note]]. It also doesn't explain the premise of the podcast itself. |
93 | -->''I'm a fish boy'' |
94 | -->''Who skates for Team [=XBladz=]'' |
95 | -->''With a leprechaun who plays basketball.'' |
96 | -->''Come to my smart house,'' |
97 | -->''Meet my alien sister;'' |
98 | -->''Don't come hungry'' |
99 | -->''Because I bet my mom can't cook.'' |
100 | [[/folder]] |
101 | |
102 | [[folder:Puppet Shows]] |
103 | * ''Series/CaptainScarletAndTheMysterons''. The opening titles have spoken narration. The original closing theme was instrumental, but a group was later recruited to record a vocal version: |
104 | -->''Captain Scarlet / He's the one who knows the Mysteron game / and things they plan'' |
105 | * The theme song to ''Series/DonkeyHodie'' describes the main character's personality and how she never gives up with any challenge she faces. It also introduces us to her friends. |
106 | * ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' opens every episode by mentioning the special guest, then has the Muppets sing their famous song about how they're going to put on the ShowWithinAShow. |
107 | * ''Series/TheNoddyShop'''s theme song has the toys telling the viewers what they should expect to see when watching the show. |
108 | -->Welcome to our place, we've been waiting. Time for some fun and celebrating.\ |
109 | Something is always ready to "pop!", here at The Noddy Shop.\ |
110 | Music and magic. Hey, it's showtime!\ |
111 | Noddy and you will be friends in no time.\ |
112 | Silly 'ol Goblins are living there, too, the place where make believe comes true.\ |
113 | Believe it or not, here at The Noddy Shop! |
114 | * The second half of the theme song to ''Series/ThePuzzlePlace'' describes what the show is about, compared to the first, where the kids invite the viewer to visit the titular location. |
115 | [[/folder]] |
116 | |
117 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
118 | * ''Theatre/TheSoldiersTale'' begins each act with "The Soldier's March", which commences the rhyming narration before the curtain rises over a steady drumbeat. The reprise at the start of the second act has slightly different lyrics and a brief pause for extra narration. |
119 | [[/folder]] |
120 | |
121 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
122 | * ''WebAnimation/BamanPiderman'': ''"I'm Baman!" "I'm Piderman!" "I come over da house!" "WE'RE BEST FWIENDS!"'' |
123 | ** Actually, the theme song wasn't present in the first two episodes, and the third episode actually involves them creating the theme song. |
124 | * ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'''s closing theme: "Back in the 90s, I was in a very famous TV show...". |
125 | * ''WebAnimation/CampCamp'' has David singing the opening theme, which also doubles as their Camp anthem in-universe. |
126 | --> "Oh! There's a place I know that's tucked away! A place where you and I can stay! Where we can go to laugh and play, and have adventures everyday! I know it sounds hard ''to believe!'' But guys and gals it's true- Camp Campbell is the place for me and you! |
127 | * ''[[WebAnimation/WeeblAndBob Cat Face]]'': Cat Face, [[CaptainObvious he's got a big cat's face]], [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment he's got the body of a cat, and the face of a cat]], and he flies through the air, 'cause [[RunningGag he's got a cat face]], Cat Face! |
128 | * ''WebAnimation/HanazukiFullOfTreasures'': "''Out there, deep in space, grows a new Moonflower...''" |
129 | * ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': |
130 | ** In the ''WebAnimation/StrongBadEmail'' "best thing", there's the theme song from ''Limozeen: but they're in space!''. |
131 | --->''Remember those guys from that band Limozeen? / Well, they turned their tour bus into a space machine!'' |
132 | ** Strong Bad also demonstrates what it would be like if he had one of these in the [=SBEmail=] "theme song", describing it as "one of those songs that bludgeon you over the head with the blunt end of the show's premise". |
133 | ---> ''Strong Bad is a wrestle-man/ He's the email-checkin'-est guy in the land...'' |
134 | ** ''Music/StrongBadSingsAndOtherTypeHits'' features the theme song from [[ShowWithinAShow Dangeresque 2: This Time It's Not Dangeresque 1]] |
135 | --->''He works alone / Except when he works with Renaldo / Which is all the time / Dangeresque!'' |
136 | * Parodied with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5J9mmgwB0c Martian by Mistake]], a nonexistent kids cartoon that is clearly poking fun of this trope and the cliches that come along with it. |
137 | * ''WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers'' has one, a pastiche of ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'''s theme song, heard only in "Ssenmodnar 4". |
138 | -->''Oh, my God''\ |
139 | ''Here we go again''\ |
140 | ''Come on, watch this video 'till the very end''\ |
141 | ''With Mario the Retard and [=SMG4=] the Idiot''\ |
142 | ''Come on everybody it's Mario Bloopers!'' |
143 | * ''WebAnimation/WackyGameJokez4Kidz'' "Mickey was a small time crook on the streets of NYC, he was stolen from the streets by an evil corporation called VGV, he is forced to write direct and star in a video game comedy show broadcasted in the net.." |
144 | [[/folder]] |
145 | |
146 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
147 | * ''WebVideo/LeeAndDena'' has a theme song that explains the premise of Lee's series ''Still Gaming.'' |
148 | -->''"Lee likes playing video games\ |
149 | And when you really think about it, that's not really so strange\ |
150 | But you would wonder if it's why the man was put on this Earth\ |
151 | It's time to reevaluate how much a picture is worth\ |
152 | You can be informed and entertained\ |
153 | No need to explain, watch the review of a game\ |
154 | Lee is Still Gaming!\ |
155 | And I'm pretty sure that is something that won't ever change\ |
156 | Lee is Still Gaming\ |
157 | And it won't just as long as he lives\ |
158 | As long as there are games."'' |
159 | * WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd: "''He's gonna take you back to the past/To play the shitty games that suck ass...''" |
160 | * The [[http://www.thestream.tv/watch.php?v=1898 Doc Mock's Movie Mausoleum]] theme starts out this way, before switching over to heavy metal screaming of the title halfway through; "''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Doc! Mock's! Movie Mausoleum!]]''" |
161 | * ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'' has a theme song that lists off [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara's]] name, possessions, and mission, along with some of the stuff he reviews. For his anniversary show, the extended version of the theme appeared, including a verse which focuses on Linkara's pet peeves ("''They made ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' without the slimy squid''") and [=At4W=]'s supporting characters ("''He'll have you know that's pretty low / But not like the standards of the 90's Kid''") |
162 | * WebVideo/MarzGurl counted down [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/ir/marzgurl/reviews/8784-top10redu 10 of them]] from various studios. |
163 | * WebVideo/NecroCritic: ''"We watch crap movies, we play crap games/There's too much out there, causing us pain/The actors are rancid, the plot is stale/Necro is here to put an end to the fail."'' |
164 | * WebVideo/TheLegendOfNeil's theme song explains exactly how Neil ended up inside the game, then has a very hurried follow-up summarising events up to the beginning of the episode. |
165 | * "HE BOUGHT TOO MANY GAMES!/Now we gotta play them all.../SO ALL ABOARD THE ''WebVideo/{{STEAM TRAIN}}!''" ("Choo-choo!") |
166 | * Several segments of the ''Podcast/TheThrillingAdventureHour'' feature these. Specifically the intro songs for "Sparks Nevada Marshall on Mars", "The Adventures of Captain Laserbeam", "Amelia Earhart Fearless Flyer", and "Down on Moonshine Holler." |
167 | * ''Podcast/WhoBackWhen'' has a theme song describing the fact that they review all of ''Series/DoctorWho'' there is. The song lyrics vary based on whether a given episode is reviewing Classic ''Who'', New ''Who'', or ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho''. |
168 | * ''WebVideo/SharkJumping'', as an {{homage}} to the cheesy older TV shows that they riff on. |
169 | -->"There comes a time when life gets you down, when UsefulNotes/{{ratings}} are low. You've got to do what it takes, got to [[RatingsStunt up the stakes]], 'til there's [[JumpingTheShark nowhere left to go]]! Shark Jumping! Making some friends on the way together! Shark Jumping! Tomorrow's a brand new day! You might [[TonightSomeoneDies lose some friends along the way]], but if you hold your chin up, it'll all be okay! Shark Jumping! That's what friends are, that's what friends are, making our dreams come true!" |
170 | * ''Website/TheOnion'': [[https://www.theonion.com/nation-calls-for-return-of-theme-songs-that-explain-sho-1845074836 Nation Calls For Return of Theme Songs That Explain Show's Whole Deal]] |
171 | * ''Webcomic/SweetBroAndHellaJeff'' has a "[[TheMovie movie]]" that's more of a 30 sec animated video set to a theme tune that explains the premise of the comic: |
172 | --> Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff (x3) |
173 | --> Do some stuff and do some things |
174 | --> Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff |
175 | --> The fun keeps happening |
176 | --> with their TokenBlackFriend Geromy |
177 | [[/folder]] |
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