Though uncredited, Howell's work on the title sequence that began with The Leisure Hive was more than musical. He claimed to have to worked very closely with Sid Sutton and to have fought hard to end the titles on a fade to white. Once he had convinced his superiors to allow the visual "white out", he was free to end the credits sequence with a "sonic boom". (DCOM: Meglos) This distinctive final note would become one of the most recognisable elements of his arrangement of the "Doctor Who theme".