Cheers Award - Opening Sequence

The Cheers Award for Best Opening Sequence/Theme
2010: Sons of Anarchy (FX)
2011: Community (NBC)
2012: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2013: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2014: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2015: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2016: The Leftovers (HBO)
2017: Westworld (HBO)

2018 Results

6. The Carmichael Show (NBC) 10 points
2nd by Loose, Jack

5. The Ranch (Netflix) 10 points
1st by Loose, Jack, T-time

4. Ballers (HBO) 14 points
1st by Tyson, Tippy

3. Bachelor in Paradise (ABC) 14 points
1st by Bonz

2. Westworld (HBO) 21 points
2nd by Brady, Marsh, Cecil

1. Game of Thrones (HBO) 24 points
1st by Larry, Jaydon, Lenny, Rizzo

Winners' Breakdown
1st: Larry, Jaydon, Lenny, Rizzo
2nd: Brady, Cecil, Tippy
3rd: T-time, Marsh
5th: Loose, Bonz
No Votes: Jack, Tyson

Cheers Award - Opening Sequence

The Cheers Award for Best Opening Sequence/Theme
2010: Sons of Anarchy (FX)
2011: Community (NBC)
2012: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2013: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2014: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2015: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2016: The Leftovers (HBO)

2017 Results

10. Trial & Error (NBC) 2 points
4th by Tippy

9. The Carmichael Show (NBC) 9 points
2nd by Marsh

8. The Ranch (Netflix) 9 points
1st by T-time

7. The Man in the High Castle (Amazon) 11 points
3rd by Jack

6. Bachelor in Paradise (ABC) 12 points
2nd by Larry

5. Ballers (HBO) 16 points
1st by Larry, Tyson, Tippy

4. Big Little Lies (HBO) 20 points
1st by Jack, Loose, Bonz

3. Narcos (Netflix) 21 points
1st by Marsh

2. Stranger Things (Netflix) 23 points
2nd by Jaydon, Brady, Lenny, Cecil

1. Westworld (HBO) 41 points
1st by Jaydon, Brady, Lenny, Cecil, Rizzo

This marks Westworld's first win at the Poolies.  The first year series gives HBO a victory in the best opening sequence category for the sixth year in a row.

Winners' Breakdown
1st: Jaydon, Brady, Lenny, Cecil, Rizzo
2nd: T-time, Tyson, Tippy
3rd: Loose, Larry
4th: Marsh
5th: Jack
No Votes: Bonz

Cheers Award - Opening Sequence

The Cheers Award for Best Opening Sequence/Theme
2010: Sons of Anarchy (FX)
2011: Community (NBC)
2012: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2013: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2014: Game of Thrones (HBO)
2015: Game of Thrones (HBO)

2016 Results

10. The Goldbergs (ABC) 3 points
4th by Jack

9. Transparent (Amazon) 3 points
3rd by Jaydon

8. Bachelor in Paradise (ABC) 9 points
1st by Marsh

7. Outlander (Starz) 9 points
1st by Jaydon

6. The Ranch (Netflix) 11 points
2nd by Tippy

5. Narcos (Netflix) 14 points
1st by Jack, Cecil, Rizzo

4. The Carmichael Show (NBC) 18 points
2nd by Marsh

3. The Man in the High Castle (Amazon) 21 points
1st by Larry

2. Game of Thrones (HBO) 26 points
1st by Tyson, Brady, Lenny, Tippy

1. The Leftovers (HBO) 27 points
1st by Loose, T-time

This is the first win for The Leftovers in this category and its first win overall, snapping Game of Thrones' streak of four straight victories for best opening sequence.  

Winner's Breakdown
1st: Loose, T-time
2nd: Larry, Jaydon, Brady, Lenny
3rd: Tyson, Tippy
4th: Marsh
5th: Jack
No Vote: Jaydon, Bonz, Cecil, Rizzo

The Cheers Award- Opening Credits/Theme

Named For: Cheers (NBC) 1982-93
Awarded To: Best opening credits/theme song
2010 Winner: Sons of Anarchy (FX)

Place. Show (Network) Points (My Vote)

10. Parenthood (NBC) 1 point

9. Saturday Night Live (NBC) 3 points

8. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) 6 points

7. Sons of Anarchy (FX) 6 points

6. Terriers (FX) 7 points (4th)

5. Treme (HBO) 12 points (1st)

4. Game of Thrones (HBO) 14 points (5th)

3. Jonas (Disney) 15 points (3rd)

2. Friday Night Lights (The 101/NBC) 18 points

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Community (NBC) 19 points (2nd)

This is Community's second Poolie nomination for the Cheers Award, and first win for best opening credits/theme song.  The series has also been nominated for the Seinfeld Award in each of its first two seasons.

It's strange that after winning this award last year, Sons of Anarchy can only muster up a seventh place showing this time around.  The opening credits didn't change people, but I guess the quality of the season hurt its chances.  Community's opening theme has been great since its premiere last September, but in the second season it took things to a new level.  There were a number of special opening, including the Dungeons and Dragons, Christmas, and Western themed episodes.  Fantastic stuff.

The Cheers Award- Best Opening/Theme

Named For: Cheers (NBC) 1982-93
Awarded To: Best opening credits/theme song from June 1, 2009 - May 31, 2010
Last Year's Winner: no award

Place. Show (Network) Points (My Vote)

10. Parenthood (NBC) 2 points

9. Bored to Death (HBO) 4 points

8. Jonas (Disney Channel) 9 points (5th)

7. Hannah Montana (Disney Channel) 11 points (3rd)

6. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX) 12 points

5. Treme (HBO) 13 points (2nd)

4. Saturday Night Live (NBC) 14 points

3. How to Make it in America (HBO) 22 points (1st)

Runner-Up
2. Community (NBC) 23 points

and the Poolie goes to...
1. Sons of Anarchy (FX) 23 points (4th)

Here with his thoughts on the Sons of Anarchy theme song/opening credits is Poolie voter, T-time...

Curtis Stigers has been singing jazz since the seventies. You know him best, though I doubt you know him at all, for his tune from the soundtrack for The Bodyguard. As such, he was an unlikely choice to pen a theme song for a series about an outlaw biker gang. The lounge singer channeled Ronnie Van Zandt and cooked up a southern rock tune that meshes perfectly with the accompanying images of bikes and guns. Stigers lends his own voice to the sequence and lets us know how the crow, and presumably the Sons as well, flies: a perfect line.

by Tim Forcella