USA Network Originals

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum




1st Logo (1980-1992)

Visuals: On a white background is the red text "USA" in a Futura font, and below it was the text "NETWORK", also in a Futura font.

Variants:

  • Sometimes, the logo is in-credit.
  • An all-white version of the logo exists.

Technique: A still graphic.

Audio: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on several USA originals, not all of that had the logo. It was kept on Bumper Stumpers and The Hitchhiker.

2nd Logo (1992?-1996?)

Visuals: Against a gray stone background is the USA Network logo below a box with the text "PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH", and they both slowly zoom in.

Variant: On Pacific Blue, the logo appears on a red background.

Technique: Not much animation.

Audio: A gentle, 4-note synth tune or the end theme of the show. On the red background variant, it's silent.

Availability: Only known so far to have been seen on Quicksilver, Free 4 All, Pacific Blue and other USA original productions of the era. Perhaps more notably it appears on the first season of Street Fighter: The Animated Series.

3rd Logo (September 15, 1996-1999)


Visuals: The screen pans down from a large entrance archway of a studio, rows of palm trees and buildings and we see a fountain, aglow with orange CGI "water", as the USA Studios logo (the USA Network logo of the era, a serif-font "USA" with a star shape integrated into the "U", with "STUDIOS" below instead of "NETWORK") rotates into place facing the camera from the right. As it rotates, the fountain sprays water upwards.

Trivia: At this point, the "look" of USA Network revolved around the fictional "USA Studios" complex; idents provided glimpses of a control room, movie intros showed people inside the "USA Studios Film Vault", and schedule bumpers showed soundstages being prepped for production.

Variant: There is a short version.

Technique: CGI and live-action footage by Pittard Sullivan.

Audio: A majestic two-note fanfare, ending with a harp crescendo. Sometimes, it uses a majestic 3-note jingle based off USA's signature of the era, combined with rushing water noises.

Availability: It was seen on USA original programs and movies of the era, such as Silk Stalkings, Savage Dragon, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, the second season of Street Fighter: The Animated Series and Wing Commander Academy. Some original programs from this period don’t use this logo, namely Duckman.

4th Logo (April 3-July 25, 1999)

Visuals: On a black background, the 1996-1999 USA Network logo fades in.

Technique: A still digital logo.

Audio: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen only on Happy Hour.

5th Logo (July 18, 1999-2000)

Visuals: On a black background, the 1999-2002 USA Network logo wipes in. It keeps zooming, while the logo wipes into various sizes.

Variant: On the G vs. E pilot, the logo is still.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: The end theme of the show.

Availability: It was seen on The Stalking of Laurie Show and the pilot of G vs. E.

6th Logo (July 25, 1999-2000)

Visuals: On a black background, a blue flash zooms out, revealing it was the 1999-2002 USA Network logo from the era, zooming out, and a light shines. The word "NETWORKS" in spaced-out letters blurs in, and a light shines around the logo.

Variant: Sometimes, the URL is shown below the logo.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: A harp theme, which ends in a piano sounder.

Availability: It was seen on the first season of G vs. E, as well as Journey to the Center of the Earth.

USA Network Originals
USA Cable Entertainment
USA Original Series/Programming
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