Although television earns its reputation as a visual medium, sound still plays a major role. In particular, dialogue can do a lot. Try just listening to a show once. You’ll probably still be able to tell what’s going on. That’s not to say visuals aren’t important, but that sound does play a big role. The synching of sound and sight, the most dominant senses, allows us to immerse ourselves in the television environment. It gives us a sense of being there and experiencing what’s happening. Undoubtedly, one can get just as immersed in books. However, with books, imagination must play a big role. With television, the audio and visuals take over the role of our imagination, allowing us to sit back and enjoy the show. This is one of the appeals of television.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a commercial jingle stuck in your head… yeah, that’s what I thought. Just what is it that makes them persist within our minds? Perhaps that will forever be a mystery. I’m merely noting that at first glance, they may seem insignificant, but they do pervade our lives.

Television show theme songs can do the same thing. Many themes just repeat the title over and over. However, that’s not too different from certain regular songs, if one thinks about it. I’m mentioning this because I have the Lupin III theme song stuck in my head. Television show theme songs can be a big part of the show. Think Twilight Zone music, think Twilight Zone TV show. Zany sitcom like stunts… Come and knock on our door…. The themes are a part of pop culture just as much as the TV shows themselves. I don’t know what to make of that.

This concludes the first day of my musings on television.