Laurence Rosenthal -- Logan's Run (TV series)

Wikimedia Commons

Welcome to Reminiscings of Youth for this October 1st 2026. Once again, we come to the realm of TV theme songs, but this time, I'm not going to write about a theme that has been as iconic as the ones for "Star Trek", "Mission: Impossible" and even "Green Acres". The theme here is the one for the TV version of "Logan's Run" which lasted all of fourteen episodes going from September 1977 to February 1978.

I did read the novel "Logan's Run" and eventually saw the original 1976 cinematic adaptation starring Michael York years after the TV series, and both made me realize that it had a lot more skin exposed than what I'd seen in the relatively innocuous show. The trailer looked really cool and mysterious as it showed a future city set that looked like something the richest boy in the neighbourhood had set up while the whole thing about Carousel and Sanctuary had me scratching my head. The TV show starred future "Trapper John MD" actor Gregory Harrison and past "The Sound of Music" Von Trapp sister Heather Menzies. Plus, they had a new character in the form of friendly android Rem performed by the late veteran actor Donald Moffatt who I've often seen portraying grandfatherly types and corrupt executives.

To be honest, I don't remember much from the conventionally established series aside from one plot line where Rem fell in love with another android played by Mariette Hartley. I also can't remember much of the music from the eerie and icy original movie; considering that it had been made by the legendary Jerry Goldsmith left me a bit perplexed. However, the reason that I'm writing about a failed TV series here at all is due to Laurence Rosenthal's theme for the TV "Logan's Run". Yup, the cheesy and synthy "pew, pew, pew" which sounds like something from a bowling alley video game may be hilarious to some but it has helped me keep the theme under permanent residency in my head for almost half a century rent-free. The "pew, pew, pew" is also paired with a far more memorable orchestral theme that sounds epic, elegant and hopeful if a bit uncertain.

The series came out on September 16th 1977 and the closest Oricon Top 10 list is the one for September 19th. What were the top three entries?

1. Pink Lady -- Wanted

2. Hiromi Go & Kirin Kiki -- Obake no Rock （お化けのロック）

3. Kenji Sawada -- Nikumi Kirenai Rokudenashi（憎みきれないろくでなし）