Buzz
Not all musical scenes are confined to shows like Glee, High School Musical: The Series, or more recently, Katy Keene. Occasionally, even in popular drama series, sitcoms, or supernatural shows, musical performances sneak into one or more episodes. This list showcases some surprisingly great (and occasionally cringe-worthy) musical performances in non-musical series.
10. Friends
While Friends is best known for its focus on friendship and iconic one-liners, it also gave us moments like “Smelly Cat,” Pivot!, the holiday armadillo, Chanandler Bong, and many more. Phoebe’s quirky songs are unforgettable, but one standout musical surprise occurs when Chrissie Hynde, lead singer of The Pretenders, performs “Angel of the Morning” in Central Perk.
Chris Isaak makes a guest appearance on the show, joining Phoebe for a duet of “Smelly Cat” and showing off his impressive vocal talent. Phoebe humorously responds by telling him, “you might want to pick a more masculine note.”
9. The Big Bang Theory
Whether you love it or not, The Big Bang Theory remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. Concluding after 12 seasons, it holds the record as the longest-running multi-camera comedy in TV history. The series gave us some cringe-worthy musical moments, including Raj and Howard performing 'Hammer & Whip', Raj and Leonard belting out 'Bust a Move', and Howard and Bernadette singing 'I Got You Babe' during a car trip. But since it’s a sitcom, these performances are all in good fun.
However, there's one performance that truly tugs at the heartstrings. Howard and his friends sing 'If I Didn’t Have You' to Bernadette, who is quarantined in the hospital. Though their singing may not be perfect, the heartfelt delivery makes it a moving and beautiful moment.
8. Grey’s Anatomy
When it comes to musical episodes, 'Song Beneath The Song' from Grey’s Anatomy is one that divides the audience. Some viewers absolutely loved it, while others were so displeased they threatened to stop watching. The episode includes several memorable performances, such as an all-cast rendition of 'How To Save A Life', 'Breathe', an upbeat version of 'Running on Sunshine', and 'Wait'.
Sara Ramirez delivers a remarkable performance of 'The Story' towards the episode's conclusion. The accompanying scenes are somewhat peculiar, as Sara's character, Callie Torres, is shown both lying motionless in a hospital bed and walking around while singing. Despite the odd juxtaposition, Ramirez's stellar performance is undiminished.
7. Riverdale
Riverdale might easily be mistaken for a musical series, given its over 50 musical numbers spanning four seasons. Yet, it is officially categorized as a teen drama. One can only speculate why music is so prominent in the series. While some performances, like 'Exquisite Corpse', 'Our Love is God', 'You Shine', and 'Sufferin’ Till Suffrage', can be cringeworthy, there are still many highlights.
Notable performances from the show include renditions of 'Candy Girl', 'Kids in America', 'Amazing Grace', and 'Back to Black'.
This video showcases a mix of both the great and the less impressive musical moments from the series.
6. Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal is the epitome of a 90s comedy-drama TV show. It blends humor, heartbreak, and eccentricity, capturing the hearts of audiences. Among its standout moments are the dancing baby, The Biscuit grooving to Barry White, the infamous butt-sniffing scene, and the unforgettable 'getting-stuck-in-the-toilet' scene. The series also featured numerous performances by Elaine and a slew of celebrity cameos, including Barry Manilow, Elton John, Barry White, Anastasia, Tina Turner, Gloria Gaynor, and others.
The show also provided several poignant moments, such as Josh Groban’s heartfelt rendition of 'You’re Still You' during a prom scene. Some of the most memorable musical moments came from an unexpected star: Robert Downey Jr. His character, Ally's love interest, eventually leaves her to return to Detroit. During a Christmas episode, Downey performs Joni Mitchell’s 'River' and sings a song he wrote for Ally, 'Chances'. He even had a duet with Sting, meant as a belated birthday gift and apology to Ally. Additionally, Downey performed an energetic version of Bruce Springsteen’s 'Sherry Darling'.
5. Once Upon A Time
It would have felt almost criminal if Once Upon A Time had lasted for 7 seasons without ever airing a musical episode, and this is exactly what the show delivered in the 20th episode of its 6th season. Many of the beloved characters showcased their musical abilities with original songs that delighted fans.
Charming and Snow White shared their own 'Disney' moment to open the episode, soon followed by the Evil Queen. Captain Hook and Emma also had their own special moment together.
The Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader) delivered a phenomenal performance of 'Wicked Always Wins', which had fans raving, with many declaring it the best song of the episode.
4. Dawson's Creek
Dawson’s Creek has become something of a punchline in the years after its cancellation. Much of this can be attributed to James Van Der Beek, aka Dawson, and his infamous crying face, which has been immortalized in countless memes. The show’s often awkward dialogue didn’t help its case either.
The teen drama did have its fair share of musical moments. Some were decent, others less so. There was a particularly dramatic version of 'Daydream Believer' that was drenched in teen angst, and a drunken duet between Dawson and Andie that leaned more into cringe than melody.
In Season 1, Joey Potter's rendition of 'On My Own' from Les Miserables struck an emotional chord, leaving fans reaching for tissues. Often teased for her shy, prudish nature, Joey delivered some unforgettable musical moments when she finally broke free. One such moment was when she belted out 'I Hate Myself For Loving You' alongside Chad Michael Murray’s character Charlie, much to the audience's delight.
3. House
Gregory House remains one of television’s most iconic anti-heroes. The show, House, garnered numerous accolades, including nominations for SAG Awards, Emmys, and Golden Globes. In 2008, it was the most-watched TV show globally. Hugh Laurie, the actor behind Gregory House, admitted that portraying the character was a nightmare and that he initially doubted House could carry a show. Laurie, however, is not the actor you'd expect to burst into song.
And yet, House surprises us by donning a top hat and a magician-esque suit to perform a chilling rendition of 'Get Happy' alongside Lisa Edelstein’s character, Lisa Cuddy. He may be able to sing, but the eerie makeup and unusual cinematography make it all the more unsettling.
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer featured an unforgettable soundtrack, with contributions from Sarah McLachlan, Joss Whedon, Christophe Beck, Garbage, and Alison Krauss. Originally presented as a low-budget supernatural comedy when it premiered on The WB in 1997, no one could have predicted the profound impact it would have on pop culture, quickly evolving into a phenomenon.
As expected, the show delved into the romantic entanglements of Buffy, particularly her relationships with the vampire Angel and later the rebellious vampire Spike. Much like the modern-day 'Team Jacob vs. Team Edward' debate, fans were divided into 'Team Angel' and 'Team Spike', with some Angel supporters later switching allegiances to Spike as the series progressed.
In the seventh episode of season six, the story revolves around a demon forcing the residents of Sunnydale to burst into spontaneous song, which uncovers hidden truths. Buffy performs 'Going Through The Motions' lamenting her dull existence, and a major finale number sees everyone joining in to sing 'Where Do We Go From Here?'. Another standout performance in the episode is Spike’s fan-favorite rendition of 'Rest in Peace'.
1. Stranger Things
In the final moments of Stranger Things 3, no one saw it coming: a musical interlude during a tense scene. As the Mind Flayer wreaks havoc on Hawkins and Hopper and Joyce anxiously await the code (Planck’s constant) needed to unlock a safe, Dustin and his long-distance girlfriend Suzie break into song, performing 'The NeverEnding Story' at Suzie's insistence.
The result is a remarkable performance by the two teenagers, creating one of the most memorable scenes that fans continue to eagerly discuss as they await the release of the fourth season of the wildly popular series. Interestingly, this iconic moment nearly didn’t happen, as 'The NeverEnding Story' was not the original song intended for that scene. Initially, the creators considered using the Ent’s song (The Ent and the Ent-Wife) from The Lord of the Rings before ultimately choosing the classic tune.
