‘Safe’ on Netflix’s Theme Song Makes a Fun Crime Drama Even Better

It’s hard for a show to get more dramatic than Netflix’s Safe. The Michael C. Hall thriller is created by crime author Harlan Coben and is like a more mysterious Taken. There’s a missing daughter, a web of lies, and lots of brooding looks. But there’s one element of Safe that’s anything but heart-pounding: this Netflix original has the a perfect banger of a theme song.

There’s just so much Safe‘s theme song does well, from its placement to its country-infused yet vaguely poppy beat. It’s next-to-impossible to skip. Much like its cable peers, Safe’s episodes don’t begin with their opening song but instead start with a new thrilling scene before diving into Barns Courtney’s sassy chords.

Specifically, the song is Barns Courtney’s “Glitter and Gold,” which deserves to be listened to in its entirety. The snippet Safe uses is great, but the mounting crescendo toward the last minute of the song is even catchier. The singer’s relaxed and sad crooning balances the fiery visuals of the theme credits wonderfully.

There’s nothing too extraordinary about the visuals of this sequence, but its their simplicity that makes them work. Safe‘s opening credits show various shots of a normal suburban life — a swimming pool, houses bathed in sunny light, a car. But as the music progresses, these images are engulfed by more and more white and black flames. By the end of the song, there’s a giant black hole in an aerial view of Safe‘s central neighborhood.

The message of the entire sequence is overwhelmingly clear. This is a show about a normal family whose life is torn apart.

It’s not that the symbolism of these moments is especially ground-breaking. But without saying a word, Safe‘s theme immediately defines what this show is trying to be. With its brightly-lit visuals and pop-infused ear worm of a song, this opening sequence signals that Safe isn’t trying to be the next prestige drama. It’s not going to wax philosophical like The Americans or True Detective, and it’s not going to take itself too seriously like Westworld or Mr. Robot. It’s supposed to be a tense binge meant to make you gasp but not contemplate the morality of man. It’s fun.

And once “Glitter and Gold” establishes that tone, Safe becomes a lot better. Michael C. Hall’s latest show isn’t going to change the face of television, and it doesn’t want to. It wants to be the streaming equivalent of a summer beach read — addicting, dramatic, but ultimately fun. Safe’s opening credits matches that feeling while setting the stage for its show — exactly what a good opening number is supposed to do.

Stream Safe on Netflix