Show Tunes

Ttoday we’re checking into one of the most uncomfortable luxury hotels on television, The White Lotus. The White Lotus first aired in 2021, created by Mike White. On paper, it looks simple, it’s just wealthy guests arriving at an expensive resort expecting a perfect holiday. What they get instead is tension and drama, usually while holding a drink by the pool. The show is a satire of privilege, and from the very beginning, the music makes that clear. The theme was composed by Cristobal Tapia de Veer, and it was never meant to sound welcoming. Mike White didn’t want a glossy, relaxing theme that matched the visuals, but rather a slightly unhinged tune that would immediately unsettle the audience. The instruction was basically: the hotel looks beautiful, but something ain’t right.

It’s under ten seconds long, but you know exactly where you are by the first note Welcome back to Showtunes, the podcast that zooms in on the theme songs you can recognise in under a second. This week we’re pulling up a booth at MacLaren’s to revisit How I Met Your Mother , a sitcom that mixed long-running love stories with barstool philosophy and one very fast, very catchy intro. Before Ted finishes the sentence, we’re diving into why Hey Beautiful by The Solids became inseparable from the show itself.

Big Star never got their flowers at the time — but thanks to That ’70s Show, ‘In The Street’ became one of the most-heard songs they ever released Welcome to Showtunes, the podcast where we rewind to the theme songs that instantly take you back. This episode heads straight to the basement of That ’70s Show, a sitcom built on hanging out, classic rock, and Red Foreman’s legendary threats. Before the circle starts spinning, we’re diving into the story behind one of the most recognisable TV intros of the late ’90s.

Unlike most crime show themes, Tuyo by Rodrigo Amarante isn’t tense or dangerous, it’s actually quite charming and oddly romantic. Narcos was created by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro, and it set out to tell the story of the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel. Light viewing for a weeknight, obviously. And, while the show as we have seen it isn’t entirely accurate, parts of it are, and true or false as it may be, it makes damn good television.

Today we’re talking about a show that made the devil charming and easy to root for. Ladies and gentlemen, Being Evil Has A Price from Lucifer. The TV show Lucifer was developed by Tom Kapinos and first aired in 2016 on Fox before being rescued by Netflix two years later, which feels quite on brand for a show about redemption. The general vibe of the show is what if Satan got bored of hell, moved to Los Angeles, and opened a nightclub. And over time it built a huge fanbase, helped massively by the fact that it’s the brilliant Tom Ellis in centre stage. And no, I don’t care if you get bored of me saying how lovely he is, he’s a damn national treasure.

Today we’re turning our attention to one of the most iconic and longest running British soaps: EastEnders. Set in the fictional London borough of Walford, EastEnders follows the lives of the residents of Albert Square, a tight knit East End community full of drama, secrets, and the occasional laugh down the local pub, The Queen Vic. From the Mitchells and the Beales to the Slaters and the Brannings, generations of families have faced love and loss, and had a fair few shouting matches throughout.

Today we’re going a little retro with one of the most heartwarming shows in television history, The Golden Girls. The Golden Girls ran from 1985 to 1992 on NBC TV and followed four older women living together in Miami: Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia. Now Dororthy was known for her wit, Blanche for her flirtatiousness, Rose for being sweet, and then Sophia for being outspoken. And their little gang would navigate the world of dating and ageing and was one of the first shows to portray older women as independent and really, just funny. But enough about that, now onto the music. You probably started humming it as soon as I said The Golden Girls. But for those with dodgier memories, we are talking about Thank you for being a friend.

Today we’re honouring the absolute classic, The Flintstones. Let’s set the scene. It’s 1960, you’re sat on your leather sofa and not sure what to watch with your kids, and then a strike of luck. The Flintstones, an American cartoon sitcom airs for the first time during prime hour, and it’s perfect for your children as well as yourself. And it goes on for another 6 years, coming to an end in 1966. Produced by Hanna Barbera, it became one of the most successful shows of all time.

Today we're shining a spotlight on one of the most popular shows of recent years: The Big Bang theory. Our main characters are Leanord Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper, two genius physicists, who live and work together in California. And though their talents for the natural world are immense, it doesn’t seem to help them interact with other people, and especially not when talking to women. Apparently, the melody and lyrics to the song came to Barenaked Ladies singer Ed Robertson mid shower. (image: RTL archive)

Seinfeld is often called the show about nothing, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a sitcom that defined the 90s with its quirky characters and sharp observational comedy. Created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the show aired from 1989 to 1998 and ran for 9 seasons. Jerry Seinfeld, playing a fictionalised version of himself, delivers jokes about everyday life that feel so relatable you almost forget you’re watching a scripted show. Almost.