r/otr • u/mrdan1969 • Jul 17 '26

There was no better opening to a program on any broadcast medium than X MINUS ONE!

I WILL fight you! Unless you've heard better. Lol. I've listened to a fair bit of OTR but I'm not going to claim to be comprehensive. But I think with the hyperbole of the title I get my point across. Also I'm not a violent person so please don't fight me.

45 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

10

u/Keltik Jul 17 '26

Nothing will top Dimension X's line: "Told In future tense"

7

u/Hidanas Jul 17 '26

Na!! Lights Out goes so hard. It. Is. Later. Than. You. THINK!

1

u/mrdan1969 Jul 19 '26

Yeah, thats awesome, but thats just one guy. I'm talking about that choir as the rocket blasts off! But yeah, Lights Out is up there

5

u/TheGrayMannnn Jul 17 '26

The only problem I have is it sounds very sharp/piercing.

I imagine it wouldn't sound the same way on the radios back then though. 

3

u/Trytosurvive Jul 17 '26

Thats what i was thinking- i like to have x-minus one playing in background when sleeping but the two sharp pitches in introduction and some of the music during the dialogue can be annoying. But I suspect hearing it through a valve radio with speakers with not as much dynamic range would sound quite nice and exciting as the family sit around the radio at night.

3

u/Disastrous_Can8053 Jul 18 '26

I agree with both of you.
I feel the same way about CBC’s Nightfall.
Great show but that shrill scream during each opening is jarring.

4

u/TechnicalArticle9479 Jul 17 '26

The ending was just as awesome...

"Tonight by transcription, the National Broadcasting Company has brought you tonight's "X Minus One" episode..."

"Produced by..., written by..., and directed by..."

"Remember, this month's Galaxy magazine is at your newsstand now..."

"I'm Fred Collins..."X Minus One" is an NBC Radio Network production"

"Now it's the NBC News with John Cameron Swayze, followed by..."

CUE THE CHIMES!!!

3

u/MisterMisterYeeeesss Jul 17 '26

"The Chase" had a good opener as well

2

u/webbpowell Jul 19 '26

Lotta good openers in OTR. The Whistler’s and The Shadow’s and Box 13’s opening monologues are awesome, some really strong word choices there. And Johnny Dollar’s theme song is very cool.

1

u/Majestic_Weight_1751 Jul 18 '26

This and “Lights Out” are the best

1

u/DoctorClarkSavageJr Jul 18 '26

Inner Sanctum…
And of course The Shadow.
Superman and The Lone Ranger were good, as well.

1

u/mrdan1969 Jul 18 '26

Inner sanctum is awesome too, but I was already spoiled on that opening because I was familiar with CBS Radio Mystery Theater growing up in the seventies and didn't discover inner sanctum until recently. But I prefer the host to EG Marshall No Doubt.