Love Monkey” is certainly a departure for CBS.
All the network’s current scripted hourlong shows feature dead bodies, cops, lawyers or visitors from beyond the grave. Thankfully, there are no cadavers in the sprightly “Love Monkey,” which premieres Tuesday (see a review ), unless you count the major-label career of record scout Tom Farrell.
Farrell, who’s played by “Ed’s” Tom Cavanagh, is an idealistic music fan who’s obsessed with finding the perfect band — so obsessed that he gets fired by his evil major-label boss (Eric Bogosian). “Every life has its own soundtrack” is the advertising tag line for the show, and though Farrell’s posse of buddies plays an important role in “Love Monkey,” it could well have been titled “Music Freak.”
“The music thing we are approaching with some trepidation,” says Cavanagh by phone from the show’s New York City set.
“If we get that wrong, the show definitely doesn’t work.”
The show hired a real singer-songwriter, Teddy Geiger, to play the emerging artist that Farrell pursues in the show’s pilot. And to get the details of the music industry right and to pick songs for the show, “Love Monkey” producers went to Nic Harcourt, the host of Los Angeles’ influential “Morning Becomes Eclectic” public radio show.
Harcourt’s also the music supervisor for two other mid-season shows, “In Justice” and the upcoming “What About Brian,” and he says wasn’t looking for another music-supervisor gig, but when he heard what “Love Monkey” was about, he had to sign on.
“It’s an opportunity to really make music the star of the program,” says Harcourt. “This is not music used underneath [dialogue] or as part of the story — music is what the show’s about.
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Though many TV shows, including and the new CBS series Love Monkey, feature soundtracks by pop and rock artists these days, the following programs stand out for their distinctive use of tunes:
The show: A procedural featuring detectives working on old, unsolved crimes.
The soundtrack: To get that retro feel, entire episodes have featured the songs of one artist, such as Bruce Springsteen or Johnny Cash.
Verdict: When it comes to evoking the past, visually and aurally, this series is second to none, especially when great music helps set the mood and tell the story.
The show: A delish comedy-drama about rising Hollywood star Vince Chase and his posse of buddies.
The soundtrack: Hip rock artists such as Beck, Spoon and Kings of Leon, as well as rappers such as The Game and Young Jeezy.
Verdict: The soundtrack perfectly suits the world of trendy clubs, hot parties and expensive mansions inhabited by Chase and his pals.
The show: A soapy drama about young doctors trying to balance love and a crazed work life at a Seattle hospital.
The soundtrack: Highly melodic but relatively unfamous artists such as Annie, Mike Doughty, Maria Taylor, and Tegan and Sara.
Verdict: The show’s worth watching for the poppy, tuneful music alone, but Meredith Grey and company supply other attractions as well.
The show: Two hunky brothers investigate ghosts and paranormal disturbances and such.
The soundtrack: Brawny rawk by Bad Company, Def Leppard, Boston, the Rolling Stones, etc.
Verdict: Meat and potatoes rock suits this unambitious but scary series.
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