Melumad's music on Prodigy is a little more dynamic but I find it similarly unmemorable (and the "release everything" strategy doesn't help sort through the muck). I'd love to hear her write something like Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond again.
I'm with you. Again, I'm just stating my reaction to the music, because I have no idea why it is the way it is. But it's just scored as moments, each moment apparently forgetting the last. "Prodigy" has a couple of brief recurring motifs, but as far as something to catch your ear to listen to, I don't hear anything.
Since release I listened to it exactly once. It's, like Prodigy, beautiful, rich orchestrated and well crafted music but just not that interesting on its own. There are some motifs going on like this one for Pike: https://youtu.be/vJhZm7e5Ioo?list=OLAK5uy_meoBjJFm6inieGD-dQGufdXE_gW4vZ8-k&t=212 and this one for Spock: https://youtu.be/FYgyQUEhClk?list=OLAK5uy_meoBjJFm6inieGD-dQGufdXE_gW4vZ8-k . In one of her tweets, Nami revealed that there is also a motif for Uhura but I didn't figured it out. And thats it. The most memorable cue for me is the one with Gerald Frieds Amok Time music. That arrangement is also really good imo. At least better than Giacchinos version in Star Trek 12.
The music is sadly not just a bit uninteresting, but also chronological (I know, I know, sometimes chronological works but this score needs some shuffeling. Want a proof? "Throw Plasma From the Train" is not the best choice of cue before the end credits.)
So here's my shuffle/whittle of SNW: Season 1 01. Star Trek SNW Opening Credits 02. Everyone Wants A Piece Of Pike 03. Eyes On The Enterprise 04. Comet Away With Me 05. M'hnit And Greet 06. Will You Be My Vulcantine? 07. Are You A Vulcan Or A Vulcan't? 08. T'Pring It On 09. Since I First Saw The Stars 10. Looking For Ascension In All The Wrong Places 11. Won't You Be My Pirate? 12. Gorn But Not Forgotten 13. Don't Leave In Uhurry 14. Home Is Where Helm Is 15. Star Trek SWN End Credits Total Time: 49 Minutes
What now follows is a rant about cue transitions into the opening credits. Most of the time, the cue before Intro ends with some sort of atonal cliffhanger stuff and I don't have a problem when those cues don't 'lead' into the Opening credits. Sometimes the Composers don't get to hear the opening credits before they start to write (which is probably what happened here) BUT and I mean BUT the end of "Everyone Wants A Piece Of Pike" really baits and teases that the main titles is in the key C. But what happens is it builds and builds and builds and suddenly the Intro starts in G. Imagine your favorite food just a few feet away beeing presented in the best way possible. Everything seems to be right. You're getting closer and closer to it. You already smell the deliciousness. You take a closer look and see that it's actually dogshit. Seriously this is what happens here. Here's how it should sound (I transposed the Intro 5 halfsteps up): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ebTepngMU4dZwPutfZUvNh1nP_Ec6FHr/view?usp=sharing And here's the biggest disapointment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gqGIME0Nrs00kGlML6lg2i5c4AqbEQLA/view?usp=sharing
A few examples on how to 'bait', 'tease' or 'build' into the opening credits properly: Game of Thrones: Season 4 Episode 1 https://youtu.be/wzxOqQHAJjg?t=87 Torchwood: Season 1 Episode 7 https://youtu.be/2giyWrVricE?t=50 (Intro starts at 00:59) Doctor Who: Series 12 Episode 1 The Rings Of Power: Season 1 Episode 8 The Orville: Season 3 Episode 8
Transitions matter. Transitions are for me the reason to change the track order because having the Opening Credits playing after "Everyone Wants A Piece Of Pike" is bad but playing "Put A T'Pring On It" after it is way worse.
Really hoping this makes it onto a future release. I've heard the melody, more subtly in the background of a few of of Captain Pike's more emotional scenes in S2, but I'd really like this version.
I’m excited for the crossover because I adore Lower Decks! Some of Westlake’s theme would be GREAT to hear.
Yavar
Melumad did him proud. The episode was a tour de force masterclass of all the things that make Star Trek great. There was so much laughter and even a few tears and a totally satisfying story to bring it together. There’s a turbo lift scene with Chapel and Boimler that’s up there with the best writing, acting, and character direction (there’s that Frakes guy again) in franchise history. And one with Pike and Boimler in Pike’s quarters that stands beside it. Quaid and Newsome brought their characters to life in a way that was not cartoonish but still true to their nature.
I’m excited for the crossover because I adore Lower Decks! Some of Westlake’s theme would be GREAT to hear.
Yavar
Melumad did him proud. The episode was a tour de force masterclass of all the things that make Star Trek great. There was so much laughter and even a few tears and a totally satisfying story to bring it together. There’s a turbo lift scene with Chapel and Boimler that’s up there with the best writing, acting, and character direction (there’s that Frakes guy again) in franchise history. And one with Pike and Boimler in Pike’s quarters that stands beside it. Quaid and Newsome brought their characters to life in a way that was not cartoonish but still true to their nature.
It was just brilliant stuff.
The music was great, but did it include any of Westlake's theme?
I’m excited for the crossover because I adore Lower Decks! Some of Westlake’s theme would be GREAT to hear.
Yavar
Melumad did him proud. The episode was a tour de force masterclass of all the things that make Star Trek great. There was so much laughter and even a few tears and a totally satisfying story to bring it together. There’s a turbo lift scene with Chapel and Boimler that’s up there with the best writing, acting, and character direction (there’s that Frakes guy again) in franchise history. And one with Pike and Boimler in Pike’s quarters that stands beside it. Quaid and Newsome brought their characters to life in a way that was not cartoonish but still true to their nature.
It was just brilliant stuff.
The music was great, but did it include any of Westlake's theme?
Absolutely it did! The LD theme was used quite a bit. That’s why I said Melumad did him proud.
I am surprised that nobody here has been commenting on Subspace Rhapsody. Given how people around here love to complain I would assume that either everyone secretly enjoyed it or was too put off to actually watch it.
I applaud the show runners for thinking outside the box and taking Trek where it has never gone before and enjoyed the episode, though I wouldn't want this to be a regular thing.
I am surprised that nobody here has been commenting on Subspace Rhapsody. Given how people around here love to complain I would assume that either everyone secretly enjoyed it or was too put off to actually watch it.
I applaud the show runners for thinking outside the box and taking Trek where it has never gone before and enjoyed the episode, though I wouldn't want this to be a regular thing.
Now that I have watched the episode twice, I was far more comfortable with the song aspect the 2nd time around. I also applaud the production for really thinking outside the usual Trek box, although admittedly most of the songs themselves are in a style that isn't to my taste. I'm not really a fan of musicals overall. There is still good dramatic scenes throughout the episode for the main cast and it's certainly infectiously fun.
I am surprised that nobody here has been commenting on Subspace Rhapsody. Given how people around here love to complain I would assume that either everyone secretly enjoyed it or was too put off to actually watch it.
I applaud the show runners for thinking outside the box and taking Trek where it has never gone before and enjoyed the episode, though I wouldn't want this to be a regular thing.
I loved it...very much reminiscent of Buffy's musical episode (which, apparently, the show-runners confirm was an inspiration).
It didn't work for me. I just couldn't make sense of why any of it was happening. It's not like Star Trek hasn't had plenty of silly "science" over the course of nine hundred episodes, but how a "subspace fold" caused people not just to break out into song, but into simultaneous rhyming song… well, I just couldn't get there. I tried! As a musical, the songs (to me) were mostly fairly bland ballads, and the lyrics struck me as generally terrible. So maybe I would have been more on board if I just thought it was a better musical.
I will watch it once S2 is available in Germany. The episode beeing inspired by Buffy's musical gives me a slight bit of hope but I remain very sceptical until I see it.
I wanted to post earlier but didn't want to spoil the fact that it's a musical... so here's the yada yada yada:
1. Star Trek Strange New Worlds Main Title (Subspace Rhapsody Version) – Jeff Russo (1:51) 2. Status Report – Anson Mount, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Melissa Navia, Celia Rose Gooding, Babs Olusanmokun, Paul Wesley & Carol Kane (2:56) 3. Connect to Your Truth – Rebecca Romijn & Paul Wesley (1:51) 4. How Would That Feel – Christina Chong (4:25) 5. Private Conversation – Anson Mount & Melanie Scrofano (1:29) 6. Keeping Secrets – Rebecca Romijn (4:11) 7. I’m Ready – Jess Bush, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia & Dan Jeannotte (2:37) 8. I’m the X – Ethan Peck (2:25) 9. Keep Us Connected – Celia Rose Gooding (4:30) 10. We Are One – Anson Mount, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Melissa Navia, Celia Rose Gooding, Babs Olusanmokun, Dan Jeannotte, Paul Wesley & Carol Kane (4:17) 11. Subspace Rhapsody End Credit Medley (1:38)
So maybe I would have been more on board if I just thought it was a better musical.
That seems likely.
In terms of plot, I dunno why they couldn't just have it be some rogue Q (Trelane?) messing with puny mortals and forcing them to express themselves in song. That's kinda what Buffy the Vampire Slayer did (someone accidentally summoned a powerful Demon of Song) and it worked pretty well.
My wife and I did not really like the musical. One of my friends recently said to me that she does not watch SNW because the crew is too "earnest." Everyone is too emotionally charged and this musical played up those 100x. I don't mind that aspect most of the time (I find Discovery too much to take but still watch it).
While the show was super well produced and songs generally good, it just felt small even with the dire consequences. I appreciate that everyone understood what they were doing, but couldn't someone [minor spoiler] tackle the Captain before he blabs to his fellow captain/girlfriend in front of his crew and get him off the bridge? So while it was "Star Trek realistic" that a technobabble thing caused the singing, it was not compelling or engaging.
And I think this was the longest episode of the season so far!
Oh well.
And for what it is worth, I liked the crossover with Lower Decks which could have been horrible and happily wasn't.
While I've found most of Melumad's music this season merely functional, I did enjoy her finale score, with the use of the Horner danger motif for the Gorn.
While I've found most of Melumad's music this season merely functional, I did enjoy her finale score, with the use of the Horner danger motif for the Gorn.
I wonder Season 2 is going to drop. the last episode music was good.
