💻 9. Opening Credit Analysis 💻

   Starting off with an amazingly irreverent one, we have Rick and Morty!   

In the 30 second opening credit for the show, there are several elements that contribute to the chaotic, space-themed, dark-humored, sci-fi, adventurous mood and feeling. The first 5 seconds focus in on outer space, and different objects such as an hourglass, a math equation, and a large hand fly through the shot, and several oddly-shaped planets and a galaxy can be seen. Suddenly, the shot zooms into the protagonists, Rick and Morty, on a strange, foreign planet hastily running away from green blob monsters. Rick (the crazy guy in the lab coat and spiky blue hair) shoots out a portal from his portal gun to escape, but he leaves his grandson Morty (the kid in the yellow shirt) alone to get eaten by the monsters, which pretty much shows their relationship between each other and their personalities within the first 15 seconds. Throughout the rest of the opening credits, it features a 2-4 second montage of tumultuous moments that quickly skim through the constant disorder they encounter in space and Earth. I feel as though this opening credit gives a perfectly accurate depiction of the show's humor, characters, adventures, and setting!

The Office

   

  In the first few seconds of the opening credit, there are several shots of the office building, company name, city, and environment to establish the location of snowy and cold Scranton, Pennsylvania. The first clip of the show's main characters is Michael Scott, the manager of Dunder Mifflin, sitting on the opposite way of his chair during a meeting, which could provide a glimpse into his unprofessional management and goofy personality. The rest of the 1-second clips show the everyday, usual activities that you would expect in an office, and shows the other main character (Dwight, Pam, Jim, and Ryan) conducting their normal work. The last couple of seconds provide an insight into Dwight: the awkward and strange "Assistant to the Regional Manager", Ryan: laid-back, snobby, and annoyed, Jim and Pam: the best friends that secretly have feelings for one another and are always together. Finally, the opening credit is concluded with Michael Scott pushing forward on his desk a golden trophy, representing how he feels as though he's a great boss. While this show doesn't seem too interesting or even bland, it's a great mockumentary sitcom series that has even earned the title of "the funniest sitcom" according to a group of researchers from OnBuy.com!

Atypical

    This wholesome comedy surrounding a teenager on the autism spectrum, Sam, is such a heartwarming show that portrays the reality of a family going through the highs and lows. The opening credit for this show starts off with upbeat music, and a sharpening pencil touching a notebook and drawing a diagram of a penguin, which is Sam's favorite animal, and a diagram of a girl, since he's hoping to find a girlfriend. The protagonist is fascinated by Antarctica, which is also included through his notebook drawing in the intro. Finally, the ending of the opening credit shows a page covered in the word "ATYPICAL", but in the middle of the page, the word is spelt as "ATYPIC∀L". This could represent how he feels different than everyone else and how his mind processes his thoughts, which he writes down or illustrates in his notebook.

Nightcrawler

    In this chilling thriller, the opening sequence portrays the setting and location of the film, Los Angeles at night (and the dangers that are hidden in the dark and behind the camera). This score perfectly captures the emotions in modern-day LA through the eyes of a man that craves violence and can't help but savor those lonely, melancholic, and desperate moments of the quiet night, where the unexpected happens at the speed of light. The amazing music choice brings forth an almost hopeful, observant, and laid-back feeling, which also might capture the audience and allow them to feel familiar with the dark and moody scenery.

and the last one: The Boondocks!

    This hilarious animated sitcom revolves around Huey (the kid in the grey hoodie and afro), Riley (the one standing behind him in the jersey and long sleeve), and their grandfather Robert Freeman. The opening score for this show perfectly captures the characters and their personalities. Huey is presented as a fighter, a public speaker, intelligent, wise, and sensible, which can be seen through the illustrations with him standing at a podium, posing with a katana, and his "color" in the intro being red. Riley is the wild, uncontainable, and mischievous, and this can be represented through his crude poses (the middle finger with a smug look) and weapons, with his "color" being blue. Finally, Robert is seen as a formal, unwise, slightly immoral, a womanizer, and a tough-loving grandpa, with his "color" being green. This opening credit allows the viewer to feel familiar with the characters and their backgrounds, along with being able to feel at-ease, rather than on the edge of their seat.