When perfect scene meets the perfect song.
There are certain ingredients that go into making some absolutely iconic TV moments. A cracking script, great acting and good direction can all help but there’s certain times when a certain song elevates a good scene into a great one.
Here are just some of our favourite moments when music helped to create some magic TV.
Father Ted
Episode: Think Fast, Father Ted
Song: Ghost Town – The Specials
Father Billy O’Dwyer is a massive hero to us but he might also be the world’s worst DJ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVoM1OvwHsA
Game of Thrones
Episode: The Rains of Castamere
Song: The National – The Rains of Castamere
No other scene in a TV show has caused the internet to collectively lose its s**t as much as the Red Wedding on the wonderful Game of Thrones. We’re huge fans here and we can’t think of a group of musicians that are more suited to sountracking the end of Robb Stark’s fake empire.
The OC
Episode: The Rainy Day Women
Song: Matt Pond PA – Champagne Supernova
The person responsible for the music in The OC is a genius.
The fictional bar in the show, The Bait Shop, played host to bands like The Killers, Bloc Party and The Subways while Seth proudly boasted about his love for indie darlings Death Cab for Cutie.
Bell X1 and Damien Rice also featured .
Seth was a pop-culture geek that loved his music, while the object of his affection Summer was played by the very beautiful Rachel Bilson.
If you’re going to cover an Oasis classic then make it memorable.
The Wire
Episode: Season 5 – Episode 10
Song: The Pogues – The Body of An American
David Simon’s show is the greatest TV drama that was ever made.
The relationship between the two lead police officers, McNulty and Bunk, is one of the best in history and their drinking sessions are even better. This song and scene seems to perfectly capture the bond and what it means to be ‘natural police.’
The Wire: McNultys Wake from Clay Teunis on Vimeo.
Entourage
Episode: The Sundance Kids
Song: Obie Trice – Since They Wanna Know
The Entourage film will be released in Irish cinemas very shortly and one of the show’s strongest elements was its incredible use of music.
This writer has discovered so many new bands and songs from the Doug Ellin and Mark Wahlberg-created show but the best moment was when Vince and the boys touched down in Sundance.
The pressure was on, with Vince hoping that his latest film ‘Queens Boulevard’ was going to impress James Cameron enough to get a role in Aquaman. Nerves, what nerves? This is how you arrive.
Breaking Bad
Episode: Face Off
Song: Danger Mouse and Norah Jones – Black
I’ll probably evoke the ire of Walter White fans everywhere when I say that the show peaked in Season 4 as Gus, Walter and Jesse raced towards their inevitable confrontation with more speed that a runaway freight train.
Was Walter a good guy or had he taken an irreversible decision towards being a cold-hearted bastard? This scene tells it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqkYr5uIreg
Arrested Development
Episode: Any show GOB gets to demonstrate his tricks illusions
Song: Europe – The Final Countdown
The less said about Season 4 the better but we’re firm believers that this show is one of the best things that exists under the sun. It’s up there with tea, burgers and Tangle Twisters. Yep, it’s that good and the deluded, sleazy but eccentric magician GOB is easily the best character.
South Park
Episode: More Crap
Song: U2 – Vertigo
In an episode that revolved around the heroic Randy Marsh claiming that he’s the proud owner of the world’s biggest piece of crap, it seemed only natural that Trey Parker and Matt Stone would take the piss out of Bono.
And they did. Spectacularly.
Grey’s Anatomy
Episode: Losing My Religion
Song: Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
God’s honest truth, I’ve never watched a single episode of this show but I’m not sure that the creators or Gary Lightbody care. The Irish band probably sold about a bajillion, gillion, zillion albums on the back of this song being played during some scene with McDreamy, McSteamy or McMuffin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFgk9PfjKF8
Only Fools and Horses
Episode : Stage Fright
Song : Roy Orbison – Crying
Del Boy at his most Del Boy here.
Californication
Episode: Pilot
Song: The Rolling Stones – You Can’t Always Get What You Want
If ever an opening scene gave the raison d’etre for an entire show then it’s this as Hank Moody struggles with a crisis of faith and career in a way that only he can.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
