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"Mirror Image" (Out: the Hammer)
The season four finale.
A lot of the score was low key, but two tracks stood out for me: one where Tubbs goes to the fancy art gallery-like place looking for Crockett, and the cue that closes out the episode
"Hostile Takeover" (Enter: Tim Truman)
It's a little odd to not have the same composer score what is the continuation of where the cliff hanger left off, but so it was.
A few months earlier a failed pilot Don Johnson helped produced, "Life on the Flipside", aired. It was scored by Truman. I'm guessing this is how he got the job on MV; Johnson remembered him, talked to him, and there you go. Oh, and guess who directed the season premiere?
There was some low key stuff for most of the episode, keeping with the sound Hammer had established, then in the last quarter of the episode we suddenly get slapped upside the ear with a hard percussion piece with wailing electric guitar over it. It fit the scene remarkably well. I didn't care for the wailing electric guitar, but it surely did the job. Johnson made a convincing badass who's moved up in the world.
Following that there's a good moody percussion piece that's nice. Again, very much like Hammer.
And the epsiode ends with some airy synths and bass chimes played over.
I've heard some other cues on Youtube by the composer, so I know he did good on the show. It was a smart move to hire him, and most importantly it was a smart move to continue the unique scoring sound Hammer had created. There's a number of TV shows with good scoring spanning the decades, but few had a sound unique to them and hte last thing you do is suddenly shift away from what worked like an epic charm for four years.
You are right about Don Johnson being important in getting Tim Truman the job. Patrick O'Hearn was also a serious contender, by the way, according to an interview with Truman in Keyboard Magazine in 1989.
The guitar is performed by Michael Thompson.
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Continuing SEASON 5:
I forgot to mention: it sounds like the main title cue was re-performed again for this final season. That's the second time now.
And when John Petersen joined on for season four, a special credit was used for the first two or three episodes: crediting Hammer for the theme, in the opening after the main title. But for some reason they didn't do that this season.
"Redemption in Blood" (Tim Truman) (2)
There were some okay cues throughout, but two stood out in particular for me: the action piece with percussion as Tubbs is chased from the lighthouse in the open, and the mellow cue with Sonny and his temp girlfriend at the end with acoustic guitar.
"Heart of Night" (Tim Truman) (3)
Only one cue stood out for me: the shot action piece with sleigh bell as Castillo has a brief shootout in a mall(?).
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Continuing SEASON 5:
"Bad Timing" (Tim Truman) (4)
Only two cues stood out for me: the moody piece as Crockett talks to a shrink, and another piece with piano as he continues to talk to the shrink.
It's probably been fifteen years or so since I watched an episode from season five and I had forgotten the continuation of events that is driving the episodes.
"Borrasca" (Tim Truman) (5)
Stand out cues: the slow-motion scene with the three bad guys coming to kill; the synth piece as Castillo goes over the crime scene which is very reminiscent of something you'd expect to hear Mark Snow do in "The X-Files", which later in the cue features a synth guitar (bringing it back to the Hammer sound; 17:15 in); and the soft closing cue as Castillo sits at night taling to Tubbs.
And what the hell is up with Tubbs' beard? Last episode it was shaved off. Then this episode it's back, and then it's gone again with what sounds like an overdubbed line from Switek mentioning it being gone. Something weird here. It's almost like maybe this episode and the previous were switched around. But even then that doesn't account for what sounds like an overdubed line. I'm almot tempted to say this was maybe an unaired episode from another season and they did some new filming for it to remove Crockett, but even that doesn't seem right.
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"Bad Timing" (Tim Truman)
Only two cues stood out for me: the moody piece as Crockett talks to a shrink, and another piece with piano as he continues to talk to the shrink.
It's probably been fifteen years or so since I watched an episode from season five and I had forgotten the continuation of events that is driving the episodes.
"Borrasca" (Tim Truman)
Stand out cues: the slow-motion scene with the three bad guys coming to kill; the synth piece as Castillo goes over the crime scene which is very reminiscent of something you'd expect to hear Mark Snow do in "The X-Files", which later in the cue features a synth guitar (bringing it back to the Hammer sound; 17:15 in); and the soft closing cue as Castillo sits at night taling to Tubbs.
And what the hell is up with Tubbs' beard? Last episode it was shaved off. Then this episode it's back, and then it's gone again with what sounds like an overdubbed line from Switek mentioning it being gone. Something weird here. It's almost like maybe this episode and the previous were switched around. But even then that doesn't account for what sounds like an overdubed line. I'm almot tempted to say this was maybe an unaired episode from another season and they did some new filming for it to remove Crockett, but even that doesn't seem right.
Borrasca Theme:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XowGc4bYNGs
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Continuing SEASON 5:
"Line of Fire" (Tim Truman) (6)
Stand out cues: the sad synth piece as Crockett tells Keith he'll protect him. The breezy synth cue with chopping swishes (or maybe it was shakers) for Tubbs' helicopter ride. The percussion piece as the bug sweep is done. The mellow synth pads that lead way into hard drumkit hits.
I'd be tempted to say it's one of the top tier scores of the series. Despite, like other scores before it, having no overall cohesion.
"Asian Cut" (Tim Truman) (7)
Just one, the long end cue with percussion, symbol taps and some kind of synth repeating sound.
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Continuing SEASON 5:
"Hard Knocks" (Tim Truman) (8)
Pretty much the whole score I was indifferent to. The cue with piano over the casino montage might be enjoyable apart from the episode.
"Fruit of the Poison Tree" (Tim Truman) (9)
Stand out cues: the short soft synth line with an unusual ending that transitions the scene from the courthouse to HQ; the paced percussion piece with smooth cymbol swipings and occassional snare hits as Sonny and Tubbs arrange a fake flight; the somewhat etherial slow synth tones with fake airy strings around the end as Crocket has a tense meeting with the female lawyer, but the cues keeps going and completely changes (I could take or leave it); the kind of lighter loungue piece dominated by piano at the dinner, which goes to dark tones as the lawyer and Sonny secretly meet (the cue probably goes on for seven or more minutes -- one of the longest cues in the seires as I recall); the return of the airy synths as the lawyer talks to Crockett, recalling what happened so long ago (kind of X-Files-ish); the climax piece with different percussion use and synths (that electric guitar grate on the nerves though).
The wailing electric guitar was just overused in this episode. In fact, it really wasn't needed.
The episode, as you can see, was score heavy. Probably one of the longest scores of the series.
What a disjointed episode. Too much plot shoved into one episode, things that were just unecessary, some mediocre acting here and there, and quite frankly the character Sam Boyle should have been played by Christopher Walken.
After the two-parter "Freefall", I'm going to double back and watch all of season one, since I started with season two.
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Continuing SEASON 5:
"To Have and to Hold (A.K.A. Second Chance)" (Tim Truman) (10)
Stand out cues: the warehouse betryal, with percussion and a sound that mimics Hammer; and during the climax When Tubbs finds out who the woman really is, with shakers, various kinds of percussion, bell tree and low electric guitar licks.
"Miami Squeeze" (Tim Truman) (11)
Stand out cues: the weird upbeat piece that leads into the brunch scene. The slowly building piece various percussion sounds like shakers and weird metal sounding hits, with two double soft synth lines as Woods visits the bad guy; there's also a somewhat similar peice, though action oriented, during a trade gone bad at night.
And the moody, quiet and atmospheric synth work cue as Sonny visits Castillo in the hospital (another kind of X-Files-ish type cue). which becomes more uplifting in a restrained way as it comes to an end.
The quiet atmospheric long synth piece during Sonny's first part of therapy session, might be nice apart from the episode. There's just so much dialogue over it that its hard to tell. Very similiar situation for the second therapy session. The cues sounds so identical, you might be able to weave them together seemlessly.
There were some other cues I didn't mention. The episode was score heavy. It was ncie to hear some unusual percussions sounds and different orchestraton choices.
There's just something about some of the cues in this score that appeals to me, so I'm tempted to call it an upper second tier or lower first tier effort.
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Continuing SEASON 5:
Thanks. I hope I spread some interest so if a volume set happens one day, some members might check it out.
"Jack of All Trades" (Tim Truman) (12)
There's barely any original score in the episode. Later on there two or three short cues that might be okay apart from the SFX. The episode was mostly tracked with music from a instrumental and wordless vocals group called The Swingle Singers, which added an interesting flavor to the episode. Think of it like a '70's PamAm commercial music cue.
"The Cell Within" (Tim Truman) (13)
Stand out cues: the ominous synth tones with fake synth wind chimes and synth violins during Tubbs long conversation with Manning after the first execution; it's a long cue and goes on for several minutes. The cue picks back up after a brief cut away to HQ. For all intents and purposes it's essentially part of the same cue and closes it out.
The cue when Manning and the film director scuffle. Some the synth tones are back with some unusual percussion patterns. I think there's an egg shaker in there. The cue ramps up some for the strugle with Tubbs. The cues ends darkly and there is what sounds like electric guitar glissando, closing out the episode.
"The Lost Madonna" (Tim Truman) (14)
Stand out cues: the opening cue with what sounds like synth wooden xylaphone and various slow percussion setting the mood for a night bust. The slight homage to Rota's theme from The Godfather as son and mobster father talk. Another mood cue with paced synth percussion as Sonny makes the deal. The cue as Tubbs is undercover making his move with an offer, which is underlined with soft airy synths that have almost a female vocal element to them (another vaguely X-Files-ish type cue). The steady rhythmic percussion piece with synth drones as the brothers make a deal with Tubbs. And finally the three or so minute long soft and dark synthy pensive piece that closes out the episode. I'd love to hear that last cue SFX free -- it souds like it has a begnning, middle and end.
Truman kind of spread his wings some this episode bringing something of a different sound to the score in some cues, which was a welcomed change of pace.
Actor Joel Goodman, who has almsot no acting credits (but he played different characters on the show before) answers the question of what a love child between Meatloaf and Ted Nugent in the 1980's would have looked like.
Somebody did a rip of the opening cue removing the dialogue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eRqlHCZqho
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Continuing SEASON 5:
"Over the Line" (Tim Truman) (15)
Stand out cues: the cue that opens the episode after the opening credits, with the fretless guitar fingering, what sounds like a live acoustic guitar, and some other percussion pieces, for a somewhat upbeat synth piece. The steadily building piece the ascending three notes and some kind of weird shaker/cymbol sound that echos off the right and left channels that climaxes with some drumkit action, as Crockett watches a deal go bad and two cops get hit.
A couple of low moody pieces, like the one with Castillo at the crime scene, might be good apart from the episode.
"Victims of Circumstance" (Tim Truman) (16)
Stand out cues: the low and occassionally quiet ominous synth work during the interview. The quasi power anthem with snare drum, percussion, cymbols, and a synthy french horn for the white supremicist group (sounds like another theme from the '80's I can't quite place); the cue that goes to a dark synth line to the next scene which features an interesting combination of synth water bowls, what I think are Mexican maracas (I don't recall the particular name at the moment), and various other kinds of percussion; unfortunately some electric guitar is layed on it around the end. There's another version the afterforementioned cue, but this time it sounds like marimba is used; it kind of has an eerie peacefulness to it.
I'm inclined to throw this in as a second tier effort. Plus it has some unity to the score, which is nice.
I'm disappointed, thus far, in the complete lack of Crockett's Theme in season five.
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SEASON 1:
And now I circle back to season one. It's only up on Hulu for Hulu+ users, so I'm relying of inferior Youtube loads. Some episodes may be missing from season one, I don't know yet. I wanted to do it before I finish the last six episodes of the series.
"Brother's Keeper" (Jan Hammer) (0)
AKA: The pilot.
Stand out cues: the extended open credits, which is just the percussion and rhythm minus the theme, which morphs into a pure '80's piece with fast synth claps, fast cymbol and/or shakers and some kind of tapping that could be a glass bottle.
What I assume is Tubbs' Theme with steady soft cymbol claps, piano (maybe live), and a weird flute-ish sound(maybe that's a synthy panpipe).
Another extended version of the main theme for the boat and car chase; still missing the theme, but it's awsome nonetheless. It had the end, though. I don't know if it's a seperate cue or it simply turns into another, but a quick repeating snyth instrument lays down a backing while a dark tone sounds and the odd guitar/dulcimer like sound that normally plays over the opening credits, noodles around.
A sort of romantic piece with piano solo as Crockett hits on Gina at his boat.
The dark synth rumbling cues with that syth sound I can only describe from where I've heard it before, the "Moments in Love" Art of Noise piece, played on the low end, when Tubbs encounters the drug lord at night.
The speeding synth plucks and drum machine percussions hits which is then joined by cymbol taps snare drum and electric guitar riffs as Sonny and Tubbs race to stop the drug lord from escaping. This could make some good exercise music along with the first and third pieces I mentioned earlier.
And the closing cue, a sort of lighter variation on the main theme. Unfortunately the video cuts off, so I can't say anything about the end credits.
That's damn near every single cue in the pilot. I probably didn't mention four or five cues.
"Heart of Darkness" (the Hammer) (1)
There was barely any score. I'd say probably six cues, probably not even six minutes. Two of those stood out: the chase with eight or so police units, and the dark droning synth piece with steady drumkit as Crockett and Tubbs are taken out to be executed.
They shouldn't have used what ever tracked piece they used to close out the episode -- that's clearly Mack Dougherty doing the jazzy blues scats; it makes you think you're watching the "In the Heat of the Night" TV series (just like I wouldn't want to hear Hammer scoring in ItHotN).
I had completely forgotten about the original captain. Olmos is sorely missed. And it's clear his character brought some unity and professionalism to the precinct.
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Continuing SEASON 1:
"Cool Runnin'" (Jan Hammer) (2)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1dR4y1X7Wz/?uid=42563164523479315837577A
Highlights:
the cue with shakers, repeating synthy pattern and drum machine
percussion, replete with dark synth notes as Crocket walks int oa bad situation. Another
similar cue early on, only faster and with fretless guitar notes thumbing around under it, is
heard early on in the episode.
And about mid way in the episode another cue in the same vein only with faster
percussion and jazzy cymbol riding.
There was a little bit of cheese i na couple of breif pieces. I'm glad Hammer dropped
that quickly from the show.
"Calderone's Return" (the Hammer) (3)
There were a number of stand out cues, which compose probably 95% or more
of the entire episode score: the original main title theme that still lacks the actual theme played on guitar (I had forgotten about that); the low synth droning with repeating synth beeps (something more akin to earlier seasons of "Knight Rider" under Peake) that comes in three seperate parts during the opening murder (another version comes in later in the episode); the action piece with repeating synthy string stabs and drum machine percussion (this would make a good exercise piece); the fast tempto kick drum cymbol
taps (drum machine) with quickly paced synth notes and occassional electric guitar licks
as Tubbs has to make a quick call and persue suspect (another good exercise piece);
the quick Tubbs' Theme rendition for a scene from the pilot (where the theme was first
heard); that same quicklypaced synth sound returns for a little slower brief car chase
piece with drum machine kick drum and synth claps with a theme played on a more calm
synthesized sound; and the very first version of Crockett's Theme, minus electric
guitar (close to rhe re-performance on the 2CD set), which also makes two or three brief
appearances shortly thereafter.
Interesting that Crockett's Theme came before the atual theme of the show. Also of
interesting note: the cinematography of this episode (a two parter; this is part one) is like a
film -- kind of eye candy at times, except the opening and closing credits which the edited
we know for years of the show, haven't been settled yet and there's a bad edit in the music.
"Calderone's Return: Part II" (the Hammer) (4)
Stand out cues: the tropical island piece with fretless thumbing around, cymbol taps for a beat, and synths trying to add a tropical flavor, as Crockett and Tubbs arrive on the island. The soft rendtion of Tubbs' Theme, with solo piano.
The quais tropical chase music with various drum and wood percussion sounds.
The piece with steel drum and dark synth line under it.
The cathy cue with light synthy pads and a repeating synth stabs during an aerial shot that transitions to another scene.
Tubbs' Theme returns, this time with an '80's backing, as Tubbs finally gets some.
The party source cue with drum machine, occasional trambourine, steal drums, kalimba plucking around. A fun upbeat piece.
And now the theme played on guitar has been added to the opening credits and the edit fixed. Special note: the Hammer end credits cue isn't used, in fact there wasn't a traditional end credits. The ending scene with Crockett and Tubbs returning home on the speedboat while a song plays, keeps going abd the credits go over it.
All the interesting and fun cues make for a top tier effort.
"One Eyed Jack" (the Hammer) (5)
Stand out cues: the unusually upbeat piece with drum macine, cymbol crashes, electric
guitar rhythm and licks with some kind of synth sound in descending notes when Crockett
and Tubbs struggle with a large bad guy -- perhaps a precusor to a bad guy who
appeared in a handful of episodes of "Nash Bridges" who was big and would pick up and
fight Nash and Joe kind of like this (eventually I'll probably do the music to that show, too);
the odd synth string and organ like sound cue as Sonny talks to an old friend on the pier;
the sort rock piece with fast beat as Sonny clears his name; and finally another soft rock
piece as Crockett and Tubbs talk late at night on his boat in the closing.
Finally, Olmos has entred the picture.
"No Exit" (the Hammer) (6)
stand out cues: the interesting and slowly paced piece with some kind of drum keeping a
varied beat with a quiet synth line performing the theme, which is then joined by what
sounds like a bamboo xylophone adding an extra beat, during the opening deal gone
wrong. A drum machine further layers onto the piece.
A cue similar to the one from part one of "Calderone's Return" with the synth repeating
instrument, only this time it sounds doubled at times and a soft synth beep adding more
weight to it.
The bamboo beat returns for another steady piece with the synth theme and what sounds
like a low thud (maybe processed) like a soft hit on a kick drum during the night steak out.
And finally the short sad and then dark piece that closes out the episode with synth pads, which I'm pretty sure is the theme from the opening cue and other cues.
All in all I got to say the score really appeals to me and it's a little varied from later scores, so I'm inclined to say it's a top tier effort.
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Continuing SEASON 1:
"The Great McCarthy" (the Hammer) (7)
Stand out cues: the opening chase piece with fast drum machine shakers and kick drum, with some kind of quick synth tones playing over it, with occassional electric guitar grunts. the cue as Izzy is being interrogated; pretty sure this is the first episode for the character Izzy (he played a different character that was killed off in the pilot). The moderately paced piece as Tubbs watches the boats race with the bad guys next to him; I'm pretty sure this theme was used in a cuple previous episodes; it's got kind of a light '80's soft rock ballad going for it which is quite nice. The next cue continues that but speeds it a tad and add a fretless guitar playing around with the theme played in variation with some different synth sounds, as Tubbs gets a new suite (the cues is repraised shortly during a house invite). The sort of upbeat piece in a similar style as Tubbs apparently is gettign ready to do the deed with the bad guy's girl, this time with a sort electric guitar playing over it. The familiar theme returns in a slower rendition with a more pronounced attack as the boating race is getting ready to begin. The light reverb quick synth notes for the somewhat spirited sound accomapnying the end of the race where Crockett decides to win, for a sort of proto-Enya sound, which then turns into a drum kit bash (with the synth notes going down an octave or two and sounding a little more less harmonic). And the dark piece as Crockett shows up to break bad news to Tubbs
Over all I might say it's a good contender for a top tier effort.
"Glades" (the Hammer) (8)
I had to skip this one. The only load was slowed down to avoid copyright on Yotuube, and it's too annoying to listen to.
"Give a Little, Take a Little" (the Hammer) (9)
Had to skip this one for the same reason.
"Little Prince" (the Hammer) (10)
Stand out cues: the weird quasi breathy in & out synth sound with dark tones as Tubbs investigates a warehouse, with is then joined by a theme doubled synths: one that "Moments in Love" (the Art of Noise) synth I don't know the name of and some kind of weird wind instrument like tone with bright sound hard attack, with an added synth cello base (unless that's a mellotron).
The cue during the limo ride leading to the mansion, which then takes a dark turn after a brief pause.
And the plesant and sort of sad piece that closes out the episode.
It's too disjointed to make it a top effort for the show, so I think maybe a lower second tier effort is where it falls.
I wanted to say the opening track, but I'm pretty sure it's a track job of some instrumental artist. Same for the polo game music.
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Continuing SEASON 1:
"Milk Run" (the Hammer) (11)
Stand out cues: the quick fake synth steel pan notes with kick drum and drum stick clicks and some fretless guitar licks for a chase through and airport (kind of upbeat for a chase piece). The upbeat staccato solo synth panpipes, though breif (another version appears later in the episode). The cue used as source (assuming it's not tracked) that features quick drum machine cymbol taps and drum stick clicks with what could be a real solo trumpet playing over it, for a sort of quick loungey piece (during a sequence at a bar with the lawyer). The up and down dark drones underlining some kind of synth instrument playing a neat variation of Crockett's Theme while Crockett and Tubbs interrogate one of the young guys and Crockett tell him he's on his side.
Later in the episode this nice sort of soft rock piece with what soudns liek real cymbol hits and snare drum with a synth instrument playing a theme with four decending notes during the wait during a night rain storm. Another cue like it appears later during a trip to the airport.
A neat '80's synth action cue with fast notes and low octave synth claps and what sounds liek a synth drum kick is heard during the airport murder and chase.
And finally the episode closes with the interesting variation of Crockett's Theme with dark notes under it, then pausing briefly and the four note theme from earlier comes back.
Simple but good score. I'd say a top tier effort.
"Golden Triangle: Part I" (the Hammer) (12)
Stand out cues: the opening kind of plesant piece with synth violins and an '80's synth sound with quick notes. Another cue with a kind of upbeat synth sound, cymbol taps, and snare drum/tamboruine unison hits, for a kind of playful sound, which takes a darker turn, during a late night scene where Crockett & Tubbs following prostitue. The ideas of both cues combine later in the episode when Crockett finds the prostitute working again. And yes, that short solo wind instrument with a brief synth tab at the end. The kind of plesant synth sounds return for a montage scene, with some low drone notes under it and some drum kit for a positive vibe. The unusual cue with some kind of foreign drum and synth anklongs with some kind of string instrument (maybe a koto), then again joined by a drum kit; the cue becomes action oriented and some foreign percussion is added, during a chase seuence inside and out of a restaurant with Tubbs and Castillo.
I'm tempted to call it a top tier effort.
Unfortunately Part II was a slowed down version, so I had to skip it.
"Smuggler's Blues" (the Hammer) (14)
Stand out cues: the hopeful sounding synth pads with the synth plucked instrument playing Crockett's Theme, during a weird short montage scene in a graveyard that starts off focusing on angels on tombstones with the iamge of a setting sun combined over them; the cues takes a darker tone with repeating dark drones with semi hard attacks. The drum machine piece with synth claps as they plan to save Trudy. Another drum machine piece with synth claps and wooden block and some odd drum percussion, as Tubbs has to make a drop, with some uneasy synth pads and some kind of weird edgy synth sound.
Two cues, one with synth panpies, I'm pretty sure are tracked from and episode a few episodes ago.
A good contender from second tier effort.
"Rites of Passage" (the Hammer) (15)
Unfortuantely, while there was a load, it has no sound, so I had to skip this episode.
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Continuing SEASON 1:
"The Maze" (the Hammer) (16)
Stand out cues: the long action piece with tambourine, variosu percussion and electric guitar (not the wailing kind heard in season five). After a breif pause, the music picks back up with this weird synth sound I can best describe as a cross between a muted anklong, a steel block (as opposed to wodden), and a toy piano -- it's odd, but it creates a tense air, and occassional licks for some drama of another weird synth sound that sounds like a cross between a zither and a fake electric guitar; for drama some steady percussion joins in as the cue prgresses. The fun rhythmic light percussion piece (pretty sure I heard congos in there) with playful electric guitar (for lack of a proper term) during a montage where Crockett looks around town for information; a similar cues comes in al ittle later, this time with an air of impending drama. The dark synth pad line with electric guitar(?) licks more in line for jazz improvisations, as Tubbs walks toward the buolding in disguise and enters. The uneasy piece with the same licks, droning line and percussion as the polcie back off. The cue when two hostages are freed. The piece as Crockett enters the building, followed by SWAT(?) arming, combining many of the soudns and ideas from previous cues. The hard drum kit piece as SWAT is making it's way through the building and the hostages are moved; the cue most be over six minutes long.
Absolutely a top tier effort.
"Made for Each Other" (the Hammer) (17)
Stand out cues: the kid of bouncy synth guitar licks with rhythmic percussion, almost a buddy cop-show film vibe, for Switek and Larry. the cue as Crockett comes in late to find Larry alone in the station, lights out. And the cue for the shootout at the boat, with Larry and Switek; not sure how to describe the weird synth sound used.
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Finishing SEASON 1:
"The Home Invaders" (the Hammer) (18)
Stand out cues: the kind of tense cue for the montage scene where Crockett goes around town trying to get information; that "Moments in Love" sound is back with a dark pad under it, some kind of drum hitting sporadically, a kick drum adding to the pattern, and some kind of weird synth harp sound for a theme playing over it. The cue with the "Moments in Love" sound, fake synth harp sound and some kind of steady pulsating synth beat underneath as Crockett watches from an upper floor room. The odd drum kit piece with some kind of synth sound beeping over it and some electric guitar for a dark sound. A similiar cue as the previous one, only slower and the synth sound a little further down in the "octave range" during the finale home invasion.
"Nobody Lives Forever" (the Hammer) (19)
COVERED FURTHER DOWN.
"Evan" (20)
The Hammer
https://www.bitchute.com/video/k0RawXx07fkg
Highlights:
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"Lombard" (21) (season finale)
The Hammer
https://www.bitchute.com/video/88W8xg53LSzu
https://ok.ru/video/9638280104651
Stand out cues: the fast hitting synth notes, drum kit and synth sounds playing the five-note theme for this episode, during the serve on the boat. And the slower more reflective version after the serve. The breif more spartan version as Stan and Switek do survaeillance. The slow pulsating synth sound with a more harsh version of the theme, the "Moments in Love" synth, during the attempted murder scene. The piece as Tubbs enters the burned-out warehouse. The dark synth pads piece wiht the theme played on some kind of a weird synth guitar in a strumming way during a transition scene to the safe house. The slower more sad rendition during the dinner scene in the safe house. Another variation of the piece during the transition scene earlier. The quiet softer version of the theme and backing as Crockett and Lombard talk aon the boat at night. The steady dramatic version as Lombard is taken to the court house. And the cue that closes out the episode.
That's probably about 95% of the score. A wonderful theme.
Absolutely a top tier effort and Hammer has really honed in on his sound.
The next update will take me back to season five.
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Continuing SEASON 5:
And now back to season five...
"Freefall: Part I" (Tim Truman) (17)
Stand out cues: the dramatic opening cluster blast and metalic hard smashes of some kind of instrument with synth strings and pad for video of societal break down in a foreign country and then a cut to the dictator running the country which subdues the music but adds percussion such as shakers and foreign percussion with spanish guitars and electric guitar playing over it. the soft wailing synth pads with spanish guitar and various kinds of shakers (must be at least four kinds in there) as Crockett and Tubbs are driven and told to wait in a car in the country that is collapsing. The synth pads and foreign percussion as Tubbs talks to Crockett about the nun while walking through the camp.
There were pieces of two or three other cues, but I didn't want to take the time to write it up.
"Freefall: Part II" (Tim Truman) (18)
Stand out cues: the moody piece with electric guitar sounds, and various sparce percussion as some bad guys enter a warehouse late at night and find the TV monitor with Switek on it. And the soft synth pads with an almost wistful feel as Crockett leaves his boat with his bags packed.
I'm pissed off. This is obviously the series finale, but it's out of order on IMDb, so I just watcehd the end before the series ended.
"World of Trouble" (the Hammer) (19)
Stand out cues: the unassuming piece as Crockett and Tubbs watch a boat from an outside restaurant, with the synth pad more akin to something you might hear on the radio program "Hearts in Space" and the instruments over it at spotty intervals like shakers, wooden block taps, some drum kit and grungy electric guitar strums. The soft dreamy synth pads as Lombard says hello to his son again after years of being away. the cue as Lombard meets his son on the pier which has elements on the previously mention cues except faster percussion and a more serious-sounding synth pad. The regreatful sounding synth pads as Lombard tries to visit his grandson, even though short a similar more troubled version with some kind of acoustic guitar appears again as he tries to once again see his grandson but is cut off by the mother. The unusual and kind of out-of-place upbeat spanish guitar cue as Lombard sees his grandson at day carel it keeps going and ramps up during the opening of the climax. The soroful synth pads (more akin to something Mark Snow might have done) during the sad finale that closes out the episode, with some synth violins; unfortunately it was connected to some action material that didn't stand out to me.
At the same time while I want to say this is a good candidate for a second tier effort, I also feel majorly disappointed in it. Why? Lombard wasn't just any one-time character, he was a returning character from a stand-out episode and a good character at that and Hammer had done him justice with his score, yet the theme and none of the ideas Hammer came up with, were used. It should have been done.
Well, I'll be done with the episodes soon. Then I am likey going to move on to "Nash Bridges", bubba, and start a new thread for it, if one doesn't exist already.
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Continuing SEASON 5:
"Miracle Man" (the Hammer) (20)
Stand out cues: the dark Hearts of Space-like piece as Switek and Tubbs have a TV series proposed to them. The drum kit piece with the dark air-y synth sounds as "Miracle Man" talks to the neighborhood. The kind of sad piece as Miracle Man has his emotional break down infront of Gina; and the more hopeful air-y take with Miracle Man meeting his daughter. And the sad piece that closes out the episode.
"Leap of Faith" (the Hammer) (21)
What the hell did I just watch?
We have a few minutes, maybe three, with Crockett and Tubbs, mainly Crockett, then this young cop we've never seen or heard of is in the station talking to Crockett and next thing you know the rest of the episode is that cop, his partners and his captain from another station. No, really. It's almost like I was watching Mann's idea for a new TV series pilot, edited down and some scenes filmed with Crockett and Tubbs in the open and scored by Truman. For over thirty minutes I kept thinking: man, I don't give a fuck. Paper thin characters, boring writing, uninteresting plot, and that woman from "Just Shoot Me" (who's particularly hot here, but that couldn't save this thing) with the opening/closing theme slapped on. What a mental trudge.
Stand out cues:
maybe the piece during the drug freak-out scene leading to the freeway. I wouldn't feel inspired either if I had to score this episode and I was a composer. This is worse than any of the weak season one episodes.
"Too Much, Too Late" (the Hammer) (22) (final episode)
Stand out cues: the cue dark cue when the body is found. The slow piece with spanish guitat(?) with breathy synth as Tubbs has dinner with Valarie; and another similar piece during the continuation some scenes later. The cue when Tubbs confronts Valarie. And the soft piece as Tubbs and Valarie say good-bye.
SFX-free cue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C94AM1NzqGM
Special mention to the believable twist ending and the acting of somebody named John Toles-Bey.
And so, aside from half a dozen or so episodes from season one I couldn't watch, I have concluded the series. You may or may not be interested in my general overview of the series and its scores, but here they are nonthless:
No question, this is a classic TV series. Like some other shows, such as "Star Trek: the Next Generation", it suffered from a weak first season though the general ideas were there. Very few televisions series have had such characters like Crockett and Tubbs, which is a shame. Both starting out with some innocents but both with a past of problems and tragedy with partners, yet they tried their best to walk a straight and narrow line, though later on it got more blurred for them.
Though I think it wasn't intended when the show began, soon around season two, or maybe the end of season one, the characters started evolving and heading towards one direction: rot. Like Crockett said in the finale, it was a long time coming.
The decision to get rid of the original captain, was a correct one and I can't imagine anyone else but Olmos in that role. The low voice, the looking down, always trying to get things in line. Reportedly there was conflict between him and Johnson that got so bad he couldn't even look at him during filming, leading to now famous character trait of not looking at them when talking. Odd how things work, huh?
We had four secondary cop characters with Switek, Gina, Big Booty Trudy, and Larry. Switek, a fun character who unfortunately was wasted later on in the series. Larry never fit in, I don't even know why he was kept for so long. And when season two hit, Gina and Trudy finally started getting some good writing and episodes, but in the end both characters didn't really go anywhere, in fact as the seires concluded, they were often absent or briefly seen.
I kind of accepted the Crockett and Gina romance in season one though I'm disappointed at why it was dropped without a word. Litterally, one episode they are having a romantic night on his yacht and the next he's dating somebody else with no explination what so ever until seasons later during one brief scene where he apologies to Gina since he was getting married. Sorry, but that's not enough -- why did it end.
And one of the best and often incohrent in an understanble way (an odd combination, I know) re-occurying characters in television history: Izzy. Now, Izzy didn't start out as Izzy, the actor played a different character in the pilot that got blown away. But I guess the producers liked the actor so much they couldn't keept him away and so Izzy, the criminal Cuban with iffy legal status and terrible arrest record, was born. A man first seen, as I recall, with exploded dye pack red all over him in a hole in a building floor, who soon became something of a good intentioned good guy even later visiting one of the characters in the hospital.
The series also had re-occuying bad guys and a long painful line from season to season from one to Tubbs' life, as well as some surprises here and there. Like some shows in the '80's, there episode has it's sad endings and even some surprise ones (Crockett even had his version of the Ivan/sunrise ending from "Magnum, pi").
Unfortunately it sort of tappered off in the last season and was kind of an empty shell of what it once was and the two-part finale kind of seems a little rushed, as if the cancellation was short-notice. Characters not tied up, Switek's problem never really solved, and that huge plot line of a secret society -- never resolved.
A number of popular television series had TV movies, including "MacGyver" and "Murder, She Wrote", but for some reason despite this series success -- including reportedly the show was responsible for getting people to stay home Friday nights at one point -- there weren't any. And imagine my huge disappointment when the eventual 2006 movie was a remake and didn't bring back our original heroes.
Philip Michael Thomas, who played Tubbs, would later go on to make two appearances on "Nash Bridges" playing an old partner of Nash's (Don Johnson), but of course not the same person. Neither captured the magic, but it was fun nontheless.
And of course Olmos' career shot back up with the "Battlestar Galactica" reboot.
The other actors, not so much luck.
I'd still like to see a TV movie tying the characters up, but as each year passes, the reality is such a project fades increasingly so.
The Scores.
Without a doubt Jan Hammer created the show's sound. While there have been a number of TV series with great scoring over the decades, few created their own stylistically different sound that set it apart. Who can forget the funky disco scoring of "CHiPs" or the dark synths and ominous tones of "The X-Files"? In fact, a bit of a tangent, but since I just read it a few days ago, I might as well bring it up: when Mark Snow got the job to score the pilot of "Dark Skies", right when "The X-Files" had begun, Snow said in an interview that Chris Carter was not too happy and thought using that wstyle of scoring on another series would cheapen TX-F and take away from it. Luckily, or unluckily (depending on how you look at it), that TV movie became a pilot and they dumped his score (the Perseverence Records release contains Snow's dumped score) and so the conflict never occured. But apparently Carter changed his mind when Snow used the same style in "MillenniuM" (and some TV movies, including one that had a theme nearly identical to an episode of TX-F).
It was a little off early on and it took almost a full season before he found his groove (this was his first major gig and a television series at that), brother, when he nailed it, he fucking nailed.
And the theme? What a great theme. In fact, it charted up there for a while (as well as Crockett's Theme).
In my opinion, Hammer did the best scores of the series and as it progressed, consistantly so.
While early on there were more cohesive scores and running themes, as the show kept going, it became much much less so and was a series of unconnected cues, though enjoyable even though such.
As a side note: I was disappointed that nowhere in season five, including the finale or last scenes, did Crockett's Theme appear.
Enter John Petersen. I'm guessing he's something of a recluse, based on the very thin information online and the almost non-existant scoring credits. He's done a handful of things and his only claim to fame was scoring all of season one (I don't know about the other seasons) of "Voltron". You may think you see a new project for him on IMDb, but it's not new, the year was changed for some reason. Maybe it got shelved and picked back up later.
Hammer needed some relief, so he hired him to help out, and Petersen did a good job. Now, I have to take the following information from the MV wikipedia page on the composer, but reportedly while hired to co-compose and even though Hammer was credited, Hammer's effort wanned and at one point Petersen was doing the episodes by himself. Now, I had asked many reviews earlier why Petersen didn't end up scoring the last two episodes of season four. Well, I read that they wanted Hammer back by himself for the end of the season, so out went Petersen.
But apparently Hammer was too burnt out...
Enter: Tim Truman.
Truman came on board and quickly adapted to Hammer's sound, adding his own touch: wailing electric guitar over a bunch of cues. But as the season went on, Truman started going his own route and the scores increasingly sounded like live session players, which did add a needed weight to the matured show.
Truman's career post-MV was scattered, though he did get a big break with royalty checks by providing the theme to "Melrose Place". He's only done two [known] scores recently, in 2010, and one of those was rejected.
At one point years ago he was working on trying to get out a CD of scoring from the show, but it got shit canned for unknown reasons. He eventually put up several SFX free cues on his MySpace page, which lead to all the cues you now hear on youtube.
And a couple of closing notes: I recall Hammer being asked whether or not Mann asked him to score the film, and I remember him saying he was not asked. Wow. Well, by that time not even Hammer was safe from Mann-handling of scores, so perhaps it was best that never occured.
And finally I read an interview where Hammer said he was given free reign to do what ever he wanted. A far cry from Mann's works now. He said he only got one note from Mann and that it said: more music. Some of the episodes early on had sparce scoring, so I'm guessing that's about when the note came.
Despite the success of the show and chart topping cues, we were never given a proper release of the scoring. There were two song albums which contined some cues, and later on Hammer released a 2CD set of original and re-recorded cues on his website. It sold out in a realitively short period of time and now fetches high prices. Not too long ago he offered it back up as a purchasable download. There was also an obscure EP(?) with a handful of original cues not on the 2CD set, released -- as I vaguely recall -- with a magazine (that I don't recall the name of).
What stopped Truman? What's holding it up now? Well, we can only speculate, but Universal has to be playing some role in this I imagine.
The iron is still hot from the season sets on DVD and the newly remastered Blu-ray sets, so sooner with the music still freash in the minds of listeners and new commers, would be better than later, in my view.
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I've run out of uploaded episodes of "Nash Bridges" so I decided to backtrack to missed episodes of this series.
"Give a Little, Take a Little" (the Hammer)
Stand out cues: the drum machine cymbol tap pattern with some sort of synth sound playing a theme over as Gina and Trudy are under cover at night on the street as hookers. Crockett's Theme, as Crockett talks to a man who ends up becoming a secret informant (an electric bass line heavy version). Speaking of Leitmoitfs that seem inconsistent?, Crockett's Theme appears again, but under scoring the informant in his house talking to his wife; sure he mentions Crockett, but it's out of place here; it's done a second time for the informant again, only this time the scene transitions to Crockett in jail (it's about half SFX free). And the cue with throbbing bass line and airy synths as Crockett and Tubbs sneak around a suspect's house at night (which reminds me of a cue from "Jake Speed" [Mark Snow]).
You can skip everything from this point on -- it's just a reference list of episodes I missed, for my use
"Glades" (1.9)
"Golden Triangle: Part II" (1.14)
"Rites of Passage" (1.16)
"Nobody Lives Forever" (1.20)
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