MovieChat Forums > Rhoda (1974) Discussion > Never Liked the Opening Music

Never Liked the Opening Music

posted 6 years ago by [email protected] (5926)
9 replies | jump to latest

Compared to the classic "Love is All Around" opening of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, the opening of Rhoda is amateurish and forgettable.

The spoken opening is depressing with its negativity. Rhoda "feels responsible" for World War Two? Huh? The war had been raging in Europe for quite a while before Rhoda was born. At the most, she could have felt responsible for Pearl Harbor. But that's a real stretch.

Rhoda's comment about running to Minneapolis "...where it's cold, so I figured I'd keep better" is a real downer. Her constant put downs of herself were wearing thin.

Thankfully they dropped the commentary in the second season. But it was replaced with that annoying children's chorus of "la, la, la, lalala..." So irritating! The opening montage is nice to look at, but I always have to mute those awful "la la la's". Yikes! I can't believe Valerie Harper approved of that "musical" arrangement.

[–] ProductionNow (1072) 6 years ago

The spoken opening is depressing with its negativity. Rhoda "feels responsible" for World War Two? Huh? The war had been raging in Europe for quite a while before Rhoda was born. At the most, she could have felt responsible for Pearl Harbor. But that's a real stretch.
-----------------------------
Depressing? And you're mad on another thread over a sitcom-issue. Those words have an actual meaning relating to emotion/pain. Every experienced it? And Harper would not have approval over the music-arrangements; she wasn't the producer.

[–] [email protected] (5926) 6 years ago

"Mad"? Do you mean mad as angry or just plain nuts? lol I'm not mad at a sitcom. I just dislike the opening and unlike the MTM show, I fast forward through it.

Yes I know the opening has meaning. But for me, it's a depressing opening to a sitcom. Again, in contrast to the MTM opening, Mary was starting over after being strung along by her boyfriend for several years. She was in a lot of emotional pain. But the opening is upbeat. The lyrics say "Girl this time you're all alone" but they continue with "You can have the town, why don't you take it?"

And I never liked the line when Rhoda says that she moved to Minneapolis "where it's cold so I figured I'd keep better."

By all means, if you enjoy the opening watch it. I fast forward. I also mute the sound for the opening theme of Roseanne. I like watching the family gathered around the kitchen table. But I can't abide saxophone music. It always sounds like a wounded moose to me.

[–] ProductionNow (1072) 6 years ago

No, mad as in angry.. I'm just taking your words are face value. I am not a fan of the Rhoda opening, but I never thought she was as insecure as it was made out to be. Insecure people --even if acting out on a subconscious level--are not as assertive and deliberate-acting as Rhoda was. The scripts may have cheated somewhat
with that.

[–] [email protected] (5926) 6 years ago

Rhoda was a study in contradictions. She seemed to pick up a lot of insecurities from her judgmental mother. But at the same time, she came across as too self assured and assertive to really have low self esteem.

I just got season four. And I definitely like the arrangement of the opening theme a lot better than season two. Actually, the season two opening is the one I really can't stand. That children's chorus of "La la la la, la la la..." just gets on my nerves!

[–] ProductionNow (1072) 6 years ago

I think most of us are a study of contradictions to some degree (though Barbra Streisand makes a point of saying it about herself like it's something ~~special). I think there's a difference between low-self-esteem and insecurity. Also, there is insecure, and there is INSECURE. Rhoda seemed to focus on her looks being the origin of her insecurity more than other things.

I agree that the visuals of season 2 were the best, but not the music. The later season had the best opening music, but I didn't really like the outdoor w/h sister-visuals.

[–] pioneergrrrl (2411) 5 years ago

I hate that lalalalal too. I think they were trying to soften her for a national audience--again maker her less regional esp now that she was back in ny and people knew she had national audience.

Maker her pleasing to men too. Remember most of the television networks were run by men back then and there were only 3--each show had to figure out what would appeal to a much broader audience than they do now.

Glad they got rid of it ASAP. Hope whoever did order it was fired.

[–] bistritapcv (1850) 4 years ago

She went to art school

[–] pioneergrrrl (2411) 5 years ago

It's sarcastic new york new jersey humor. I can understand it bc both my parents are from the area. my mom sounds just like Rhoda.

I was born in TX so I consider myself bilingual.

[–] exithereplease (3553) 4 years ago

I never cared for it either.