The Friends theme "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts almost never happened — the show originally wanted a different existing hit for its opening. Which band turned the producers down? The Bangles R.E.M. Hootie & the Blowfish Counting Crows None DJ Jazzy Jeff once revealed how long it took to create the iconic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme that Will Smith raps over the opening credits. How long? About 15 minutes Three days Two weeks A full month None The Cheers theme, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name," opens with a relatable line about feeling worn down. But the very first draft of the opening verse name-dropped a specific sports team. Which one? The New York Yankees The Boston Red Sox The Chicago Cubs The Boston Celtics None Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi was specifically told to avoid two instruments that producers felt were overused in fantasy. So he built the now-legendary theme around the cello instead. What two were banned? Violins and trumpets Flutes and solo vocals Harps and drums Bagpipes and choirs None The Office (US) has one of TV's most recognizable piano-and-drums themes. When composer Jay Ferguson first sent it to NBC, what was unusual about the track they fell in love with? It was performed entirely on a toy keyboard It wasn't even finished — it was just a rough sketch It was originally written for a different show It had lyrics that were later cut None Stumper. The Gilligan's Island theme originally never named two of the castaways — the Professor and Mary Ann were lumped together as "and the rest." Why were their names eventually added? The actors threatened to quit over it Fans wrote in demanding it Star Bob Denver pressured the show to credit them The network thought "and the rest" sounded rude None Time's up
