I’m not saying that this is the title sequence that defines the early ’80s, because, well, I’ve never seen a single episode of the show it belongs to. (Wikipedia says it aired in syndication in 1982-3, just preceding the glut of first-run syndicated comedies.) But come on: a show starring a wisecracking puppet, supported by Corey Feldman and the other girl from Vega$? With a peppy theme song and credits that tell us what everyone’s relationship is to the puppet? This was TV circa 1982.
I’m not saying that this is the title sequence that defines the early ’80s, because, well, I’ve never seen a single episode of the show it belongs to. (Wikipedia says it aired in syndication in 1982-3, just preceding the glut of first-run syndicated comedies.) But come on: a show starring a wisecracking puppet, supported by Corey Feldman and the other girl from Vega$? With a peppy theme song and credits that tell us what everyone’s relationship is to the puppet? This was TV circa 1982.
There have been worse periods for television — there were actually quite a few good shows that started in the 1982-3 season — but thanks to a combination of network desperation and the rise of the first-run syndie market, there have been few eras where more insane (and cheap-looking) stuff made it onto our TV screens.