S02E02: Cable Hits (Part 1) – HBO

TUBE TUNES

In this extra-length episode, I briefly explore 22 of the most popular and well-known series that aired as original programming on Home Box Office, or HBO as it is now known. I explore their stories, their stars, and their impact on both the pay and free TV landscape. And of course I present information about each series’ theme music and theme music composers. Here are the series included in this episode:

NOT NECESSARILY THE NEWS (1983-1990) [1983-85 opening theme] [1985-90 opening theme]
FRAGGLE ROCK (1983-1988) [opening theme]
THE HITCHHIKER (1983-1987/1989-1991) [opening theme]
1st & TEN: THE CHAMPIONSHIP (1984-1991) [opening theme]
TALES FROM THE CRYPT (1989-1995) [opening theme]
DREAM ON (1990-1996) [opening theme]

-Commercial Break-

THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW (1992-1998) [opening theme]
ARLI$$ (1996-2002) [opening theme]
OZ (1997-2003) [opening theme]
SEX AND THE CITY (1998-2004) [opening theme]
THE SOPRANOS (1999-2007) [opening theme]
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (2000-2011) [closing theme]

-Commercial Break-

SIX FEET UNDER (2001-2005) [opening theme]
THE WIRE (2002-2008) [2002 opening theme] [2003 opening theme] [2004 opening theme] [2006 opening theme] [2008 opening theme] [2002-08 closing theme]
ENTOURAGE (2004-2011) [opening theme]
BIG LOVE (2006-2011) [2006-09 opening theme] [2010-11 opening theme]
TRUE BLOOD (2008-2014) [opening theme]

-Commercial Break-

EAST BOUND & DOWN (2009-2013) [closing theme]
BOARDWALK EMPIRE (2010-2014) [opening theme]
GAME OF THRONES (2011-present) [opening theme]
GIRLS (2012-present) [closing theme]
VEEP (2012-present) [opening theme]

I’ve included vintage commercials and promos for Home Box Office (HBO). And you’ll also have fun listening to some ads that my podcasting friends provided to me to promote their own great podcasts; be sure to check them out.

Many, many thanks to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here, including my favorite, “Please Stand By.” And I’d also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for Tube Tunes; all of his fantastic music can be found here. And, again, thanks are in order for him for providing TUBE TUNES with the “We’ll Be Right Back” drops heard during the podcast. Thanks, Burford.

I would also like to again thank Rob “Flack” O’Hara and Sean Johnson for adding TUBE TUNES to The Throwback Network. It’s a great place to find just about any retro-themed podcast you can think of. Please check out the network here.

I also need to thank the Free Music Archive for the following musical artists and songs that were used in this episode under the Creative Commons License: “Secondment” by Simon Mathewson, “I’m What You’d Be Without Her” by Doctor Turtle, and “Linger,” “Tornado,” and “Night Surfing,” all by David Szesztay.

Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. And his continued support and promotion of TUBE TUNES on his excellent podcast is greatly appreciated by yours truly. Please, check out his podcast, even if you’re not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here.

Next Episode: “S02E03: Games People Play (Part 1)'” (available January 2017)