Composer Michael Giacchino's directorial debut, Werewolf by Night, the first of what will be many Marvel Studios television special presentations, has dropped on Disney+. The short film honors classic movie heritage, but the new introduction sting honors a holiday TV tradition. On the major networks, whenever the holidays would demand specialty-themed programming, stations would let the audiences know the normal prime-time shows weren't coming with a unique intro. Every network has had numerous versions of these, but only CBS' Special Presentation introduction firmly cemented itself in the minds of viewers of a certain age. The nine-second musical phrase preceded everything from the Star Wars: Holiday Special to Charlie Brown and Garfield animated specials. The intense bongo drums, the neon lettering spinning at the viewer, closing with a distinctive horn blare. Even if what followed was absolutely terrible, the intensity of that introduction kept viewers hyped through at least the second commercial break.

The new Marvel Studios Special Presentation introduction evokes this with a similar bongo rhythm, though instead of the aggressive horns it instead includes an orchestral flourish reminiscent of sister company ABC's 2000s-era intro (created when it acquired the rights to the classic Charlie Brown specials). Werewolf by Night is a love-letter to the creature features of old, but this special presentation is all classic TV.

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Why the CBS Special Presentation Intro Captured a Generation

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There is something about musical introductions to the visual stories people love. When Disney purchased Lucasfilm, all Star Wars fans lamented the loss of the 20th Century Fox fanfare before the classic John Williams theme. It felt like part of it, even though it wasn't. Sure, Disney probably didn't purchase 20th Century Fox just for that fanfare, but the first thing it did when the deal went through was to re-add that musical intro to the original six Star Wars films. The CBS Special Presentation introduction is similar in that way. Music has the ability to transport the viewer back in time to being a child staring into the comforting glow of a movie theater or TV screen. A Charlie Brown Christmas or Garfield's Thanksgiving were part of what made the holidays feel like the holidays for kids in the 1980s and 1990s. It's not inconceivable to think that in a decade or two, this Marvel Studios Special Presentation intro will have a similar effect on new generations of kids.

For older viewers who always wished the CBS Special Presentation introduction was longer, great news: it is. The musical phrase that plays on repeat in the hearts of baby Gen X'ers and Elder Millennials is part of a larger piece by Mort Stevens and His Orchestra called "Call to Danger" from the soundtrack for the original Hawaii Five-0 series (not the more recent remake show). The song goes harder than any TV background score should. When that final horn blare hits, there's been not seven seconds of build-up but 90 seconds. On paper, it's a strange choice as a musical lead-in to holiday children's specials. One has to wonder if whatever genius in the 1970s made this decision knew that the introduction they created would become almost more iconic than the specials it preceded. The homage in the Marvel Studios Special Presentation introduction is a strong point in favor of that argument.

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The Marvel Studios Special Presentation Introduction Is Equally Genius

There is arguably an over-reliance on nostalgia in today's pop culture. If so, it's because nostalgia is a powerful feeling. Being able to deliberately evoke it, especially in something brand new, is like a cheat code to endure in the consciousness of pop culture. The Marvel Studios Special Presentation is enough to evoke the memory of its CBS counterpart, but also serves to differentiate this fare from the other Marvel Studios TV shows. Even for familiar characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy crew, this introduction will signal to fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe they are about to see something exciting and new, yet (hopefully) has the kind of rewatchability that makes the holidays feel like the holidays.

Whether the introduction catches on or persists is anyone's guess. Still, even if it ends up just being a one-off, it's as lovely a nod to classic TV as Werewolf by Night is to classic horror. Streaming effectively killed appointment TV, but these specials are the kind of things modern families can gather around the TV (or laptop or iPad or smartphone) and enjoy a holiday story together. And that's really what any holiday is all about.

Werewolf By Night is available to stream on Disney+.