Production logos confer a Pavlovian response, conditioning us to associate a given program with a brand flavor. From The Simpsons’ Gracie Films hushing us to Tim And Eric’s Abso Lutely giving us an a confidently affirmative answer, these logos are distinctive—and for production companies with a string of hits, they can take on a life of their own. They also seem to serve as an inside joke for the series creator or executive producer.
Den Of Geek has collected some well known production logos, and provided explanations as to how they were derived. For instance, Ubu Productions’s logo has been stamped on to the end of numerous television shows, including Family Ties. It as well known for the audio clip instructing Ubu to “Sit, Ubu, sit. Good dog.” The dog is fancy and French, photographed in Paris. Her name is also fancy and French, given for the play Ubi Roi by Alred Jarry. It’s hard to tell if the Frisbee is fancy or French.
Chuck Lorre took some serious thought with his production logos, typing intricate messages for each episode. In the pre-DVR days, actually reading their contents required some handiwork with a VHS recorder. Lorre’s personally crafted tomes can be read at the end of Two And A Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory.
For a longer list of logos and their backstories, including a supercut of all of Stephen J. Cannell’s typewriter-whipping production logos, visit Den Of Geek.