It’s best to think backwards while watching Digital Kitchen’s main-title sequence for Apple TV+’s latest thriller, Smoke. Set to an original track, “Dialing In,” by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, the objects start out as unrecognizable piles of char before reversing to reveal what they really are.
The sequence forces the viewer to consider the objects like an arson investigator might: What was this object before it burned and what could it mean for this investigation?
The rest of the sequence’s creative choices are neutral, allowing the objects and the flame licking around them to hold the viewer’s attention. The backgrounds are all grey-ish and the credits appear in a modern sans serif block font that was custom-created by Digital Kitchen for the piece.
Smoke stars Taron Egerton as arson investigator Dave Gudsen and Jurnee Smollett as detective Michelle Calderon, who begrudgingly team up to stop a pair of arsonists. The cast also includes Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Greg Kinnear and John Leguizamo.
Based on the podcast, “Firebug,” Smoke was created by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River), who also writes and executive produces. Egerton, who previously worked with Lehane on Apple TV+’s 2022 limited series Black Bird, also executive produces, alongside Richard Plepler on behalf of Eden Productions; Bradley Thomas and Dan Friedkin through Imperative Entertainment; and Kari Skogland, Joe Chappelle and Jane Bartelme. Kary Antholis, who hosted “Firebug,” executive produces for Crime Story Media LLC, and March Smerling executive produces for Truth Podcast Corp.
Smoke premiered June 27 on Apple TV+ with episodes dropping every Friday through August 15.
