The 1994 animated Fantastic Four TV show attempted to bring the team's '60s comic book adventures to the screen; however cost-cutting measures during its first season harmed its production. These shortcuts are evident in Fantastic Four's opening theme, which was made with the least amount of effort.
Despite having famed disco producer Giorgio Moroder at the helm of the Fantastic Four theme, it lacks any catchy hooks or instrumental. The track's synth melodies and drum machines sound like generic 1990s keyboard pre-sets, which feel simply slapped on last second. Its lyrics are even worse, as they are entirely composed of exposition detailing the Fantastic Four's origin story and superpowers, but they reduce the Thing as a character who simply "loves to fight." Although the theme song does have some nice action sequences at the beginning, its background animation and title card are both a bit stale.
While Fantastic Four's creator Stan Lee served as an executive producer and narrator for the series, many fans were displeased by the animation provided by Wang Film Productions and Kennedy Cartoons. Lead writer Tom Tataranowicz's light-hearted tone also caused the ire of many fans, who were displeased by some additions such as the British landlady played by Lee's wife, Joan. The show was also famously ridiculed by Fantastic Four writer Tom DeFalco, who penned a scene where Ant-Man ridiculed the series in Fantastic Four #396.
However, things began to improve during Fantastic Four's second season, starting with a change in its theme song. This new theme was composed by William Anderson, who would go on to compose music for 1995's Iron Man and the 2003 Spider-Man animated series. Unlike its predecessor, this track scrapped its lyrics altogether, instead letting its dynamic animation tell the team's story. The cheap synthesizers and drum machines were also scrapped for a robust orchestra and brass ensemble, which elicit a sense of wonder and adventure. While this theme isn't necessarily dark, it's a lot more engaging than the first one and flows seamlessly with its redesigned title card.
During its second season, Fantastic Four increased its budget and had Philippine Animation Studio, Inc. handle the series' animation. Ron Friedman took over as the series' head writer and added more mature storytelling elements. Although the series unfortunately ended after Season 2, the team went on to make an appearance in 1996's The Incredible Hulk, which was also noted for its mature themes.
Fantastic Four's first theme song epitomized all of the problems with its Season 1, from its minuscule budget to its mediocre writing. By revamping the theme, Fantastic Four's creators were able to show off the series' improved storytelling and animation techniques in Season 2.