I don't think Reading Rainbow would have been nearly as popular if the intro didn't go as unnecessarily hard as fuck as it did.

Counterpoint: They could have just stood Levar Burton up in front of a brick wall with no staging, props or production and it would have been good for 21 seasons

He's been a noteworthy draw since the 70s. It is kinda ridiculous how low billing he is in TNG compared to the fact that he is CERTAINLY the biggest star they had at the time. He must have been such a giant nerd (there is copious proof of this elsewhere but this proof enough) to do this. And then he brings in a future EGOT winner to boot. Just such a fucking mvp for so damn long.