In years past, a show's finale meant a spike in music downloads the next day, but this year was quite different thanks to several mitigating factors. The first was the writers' strike, which cut down the number of proper season finales in scripted television by nearly half. The second and third factors are monetary -- with music licensing rates on the rise and the economy in a downturn, it's no wonder that series have tried to do "more with less," to quote The Wire.
Just look at the top five I have listed here and you'll notice there's not one single use of a popular song in its original form -- typically the most expensive option in music placement. They're all either original songs written for the occasion or songs performed by the cast. I guess, as the old saying goes, folks got to eat. Mmmmm ... as do I, so without further ado, here's the list.
10. 30 Rock me Amadeus 30 Rock - Episode 2.13 / "Requiem: Lacrimosa" - Mozart
The episode ("Succession") pits Tracy's Amadeus against Frank's Salieri as Tracy bridges the Uncanny Valley to make a realistic porn video game. Just add Kenneth in the role of Constanze, Mozart's wife and protector, then cue Dr. Spaceman running through the studio in a cape ... pause for laughter ... and scene!
8. Let's Twist Again (Like We Did Last Summer Mad Men - Episode 2.01 / "Let's Twist Again" - Chubby Checker Mad Men has plenty of interesting music moments, but they're almost always very subtle in their placement. Hearing Chubby Checker's sequel to "The Twist" (used in the first season) to open the second season montage was immediate -- the perfect way to welcome the return of the near-perfect series back into our homes.
7. The Half of You We Wanted to See True Blood - Episode 1.06 / "Half of You" - Cat Power
Anna Paquin shows her goodies for the first time, going topless as Sookie while getting some from vampire boyfriend Bill, all to the sounds of Cat Power's "Half of You." The consummation of their relationship (which also involves some double-penetration via fangs) reminds us once again that this HBO vampire series is no Twilight.
3. It's a Wild Skins World Skins - Episode 1.09 / "It's a Wild World" - cast (video)
While Skins often took some odd and unexpected turns, they usually countered it with a bit of the surreal to remind you that it was fiction. In the first season finale when Tony was hit by a truck, we got the expected scream and tears, but then the cast broke into Cat Stevens "It's a Wild World" led by Sid and a chorus of random men at a urinal in a public bathroom. When the comatose Tony joined in for a verse it was both jarring and funny at the same time, which is hard to pull off. The ending merely hinted at much of the craziness that was to come in season two. That the series has cut most of the music out of the American airings makes it all the more special. I could honestly do a great top 10 list of just Skins moments that American audiences didn't experience. Don't tempt me!
2. Farewell to Baltimore The Wire - Episode 5.10 / "Way Down in the Hole" - The Blind Boys of Alabama (video)
The series ends as it began, with Detective McNulty and the original theme song. As McNutty looks back on the city of Baltimore, we get a montage of all the old players going on with their lives. The villains and do-nothings get rewarded with awards, promotions and new partners, and all the old beats from previous seasons look pretty much the same. In the end, though, this montage ultimately reminds us that the main character for the whole five-year run of the series was the city of Baltimore itself.
Film.com's FREE movie of the week is "Love the Hard Way." Oscar-winner Adrien Brody and Charlotte Ayanna star in this drama about a thief who falls for a curious, beautiful young woman. As their intimacy grows, a slick cop (Pam Greer) is closing in.
