![]() And the opening sequence for “ The Sopranos,” though it was not nominated in this category, is still cherished by fans of the series: antihero Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini) drives down the New Jersey Turnpike with a cigar in his mouth, giving us a sense of his dominance. 2004’s winner, “ Carnivale,” expertly juxtaposed the images of tarot cards with footage of Franklin Roosevelt, the New Deal, and World War II, informing its audience that the show’s world would blend historical fiction with the supernatural. “ Six Feet Under” won in 2002 for its title sequence, which followed a dead body’s journey from the morgue to the funeral with stark, beautiful images. Over the last decade, the network has produced several programs distinguished by their outstanding opening title sequences, many of which were awarded in this category. Just look at HBO, for example, which occupies three of this year’s five nomination slots. ![]() And HBO’s “ Game of Thrones” capably reminds its audience of the major settings in the series’s mythical world of Westeros, and in doing so provides a feast for the eyes that I personally believe will help it win the Emmy this year.Ĭomparing the quality of this year’s nominees against the two sequences recognized in the category’s first year, it is clear that title design has become an important medium of artistic expression, and that has been the case for quite a while now. “ Boardwalk Empire” is the only nominee to feature one of its characters in its title sequence: Steve Buscemi stands on the shore, looking out at the sea as thousands of bottles of illegal alcohol wash up onto the beach before turning back towards the boardwalk with an almost proud grin on his face. AMC’s “ Rubicon” features opening titles that illustrate the way in which the series’s characters utilize code-breaking and redaction in their work as intelligence analysts for the US government. “ Too Big to Fail” opens with a sequence of clips documenting the aggravating bailout crisis that struck our country only a few years ago. “ Any Human Heart,” a “ Masterpiece Theater” miniseries that centers around a man whose journals chronicle some of the most important events of the 20th Century, begins with a two-dimensional rendering of a figure as it explores a world of sepia tones. ![]() A lot has changed since then.Ĭonsidering this year’s five nominees, it’s difficult to predict which one Emmy voters will honor. The category was established in 1990, when only two shows were nominated: the PBS arts anthology “ Alive from Off Center” and MTV’s “ Downtown Julie Brown“ there were so few contenders that they could not even fill a standard slate of five nominees. It was only in the past few years that I realized how well certain main title sequences were being designed, so I was surprised to learn that the Emmys had been awarding main titles for well over a decade.
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