It’s fair to say that today, the TV industry can match Hollywood in terms of quality. That conversation is long forgotten. Studios realized it and made TV a noteworthy medium in which stories could be told with a time format that actually allowed screenwriters to expand. Production value is high and increasing. Audience numbers have surpassed expectations. TV is here to stay.
Where the worlds unite (and don’t collide) is a big territory. Directors and actors learned the rules of TV and are now comfortable on smaller screens. Special effects, production design, and screenplays have been adapted. In cinematography, there’s a long way to go, but we’re getting there. In music, TV series are now in the same spot as film productions.
The proof is on this list. We’ve put together a list of TV shows (old and new) whosescores are recognizableand worth listening to over and over again. We tend to remember films when we listen to iconic themes, but TV shows are slowly entering that field to become unforgettable pieces with impressive soundtracks.
InCristobal Tapia De Veer’s work for the British thrillerUtopia, there’s a whole array of sounds that wouldn’t work the same if it weren’t for the composer’s bold style of music. This is a multilayered collection of effects that the artist puts together to compel the audience to feel a hint of the paranoia the show made us feel in 2013. He’s one of the reasons why the US version couldn’t be a match and fell under the radar. It’s incredible how the use of chimes is so effective inUtopia’s score.
Warren Ellis and Nick Caveare responsible for giving sound to the underrated National Geographic TV showMars. There’s almost nothing of the Bad Seeds in the score, but Cave’s voice is a haunting add-on to the soundtrack that makes it a great pick for the list. The heavy use of synth sounds results in an essential piece of sci-fi music that’s much more notable than the show itself. If you’re looking for atmospheric music to read sci-fi literature, this one will work.
14Mr. Robot
Mac Quayle is the composer behind the sound ofMr. Robotand going through every album makes us wonder how Hollywood is missing the chance to include him as a master of electronic scores. Nevertheless, inMr. Robothe’s had the chance of going beyond an identity.
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Following the same style of the show, Quayle also includes orchestra pieces that merge well with the mysterious backdrop of sound that always feels active in the show. He’s the reason why when you’re watching the show, it feels as if there’s a calm or frantic chase taking place.
13Stranger Things
Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein’s work inStranger Thingsis invaluable. Each season progresses towards something integral and indispensable sound-wise. Without their input, the dramatic backdrop wouldn’t be strong enough to hold everything together beyond the fantastical element of the show. It’s mostly synth-based but Dixon and Stein aren’t experimenting. Their sound isn’t a traditional rendering of the ’80s. This has depth, and it’s very well-mixed with the show’s exceptional sound design.
12The Crown
What’s beautiful (and effective) about the score forThe Crownis how diverse it is. Given the pace of the show, most people would think that it’s mostly monotonous dramatic pieces. However, the range of symphonic sounds is wide enough for the show to have its own identity in the Netflix catalog.
Additionally, several composers have worked on the soundtrack. Fromgenius Hans Zimmer(composing the main title), to veteran Martin Phipps, whose experimentation in layerism is fairly notable in Seasons 2 and 5. Every season’s album is a great listen for studying and reading.
11The Handmaid’s Tale
Adam Taylor’s work inThe Handmaid’s Taleis fantastic. It’s the sound of damnation, repression, and chaos in the middle of civilization. It’s mostly based on a body of string instruments that sound like a preparation for an upcoming crisis. Sure, there are pieces that sound very compassion-like, but when its iconic theme hits you’re transported to Gilead during the inevitable rising. The theme you’re thinking about is on the trackChased, found in the compilation album.
10Star Trek
What can we say? It’s a freaking classic! TheStar Trektheme was composed by Alexander Courage, and it’s still the soundtrack for exploring what lies beyond our stars. It’s one of the most recognizable items on the list as it’s been revamped, readapted, and manipulated several times. But still, the 54-second piece remains a weird mix of fanfare sounds, a ghostly wailing in the background, and then it segues into a fast-paced instrumental piece that’s so 60s it hurts.
The score for Bryan Fuller’sHannibalisn’t very famous. However, it’s a symbiotic element for the visual aesthetic of the show. It consists of sound effects turned into music by the clever manipulation of Brian Reitzell. But when the show touches on jazzy and more classical sounds, it never drifts away from the original tone the composer constantly sought.
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While we wait for a service to pick it up and produce it, give its score a listen and go back to the pristine and elegant world of Hannibal Lecter. Chances are you won’t get out alive.
8The Knick
The very peculiar score forThe Knickwas composed by Cliff Martinez in a bold move by the composer, mostly known for working alongsideSteven Soderbergh. There’s nothing traditional about the way Martinez did everything.
Synthesizers, electronic music, and dissonant notes are very present in the score for the medical drama set in 1900. The soundtrack follows a very fast-paced rhythm, but when it comes to pieces likeNever Read Himfrom Season 1, Martinez goes for a meditative style that feels completely invasive and effective.
The score forLostisn’t as simple as most people think. In fact, you probably only remember its very basic intro and not much more. But Michael Giacchino made sure to compose a whole universe of themes and action pieces that worked out in the end and made music one more element to make the show as cinematic as it was. And if you want to be more specific when it comes to recognizable music from one of the best TV series ever made, look for theHollywood and Vinessong, and we guarantee you’ll go back to the island and face polar bears in the jungle.
