# Surprising musical moments on a usually non-musical television show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [February 26, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026 "2026-02-26T18:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/1 "2026-02-26T18:52:49Z")
Others can bring up special musical episodes of usually non-musical shows, but my example goes back a bit further: Billy Mumy and Marta Kristen singing “Sloop John B” on an episode of “Lost In Space”: [Billy Mumy & Marta Kristen Perform “Sloop John B” on Lost in Space](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9TqwD0Ia_g) What have y’all got for me? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/2 "2026-02-26T18:56:28Z")
**Resident Alien** had a lovely karaoke duet of the sheriff and the deputy singing [“Wind Beneath My Wings”](https://youtu.be/0yqTi3Nemiw?si=Pj3_xcf-zrpccKFW) (a song I usually hate). Corey Reynolds, who played the sheriff, starred in **Hairspray** on Broadway. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/3 "2026-02-26T18:58:41Z")
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S2E9 _ **Subspace Rhapsody** _ is an excellent example. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/4 "2026-02-26T19:57:52Z")
[The cast of 30 Rock performs “Midnight Train to Georgia”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZKY0Q33gBE) (and then gets yelled at by Gladys Knight) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/5 "2026-02-26T20:10:20Z")
1965: The Standells playing a Beatles song(?) on The Munsters [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/a8z5tNpVztk/maxresdefault.jpg "The Standells - I Wanna Hold Your Hand - IN COLOR") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8z5tNpVztk) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/6 "2026-02-26T20:22:30Z")
I always liked the Hamlet musical on Gilligans Island. Also Lovey, Ginger and Maryanne as the Honey Bees girl group. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/7 "2026-02-26T20:24:48Z")
The best example ever was when Ponch sang Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” on an episode of _CHiPs:_ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pA7t_nAOreA/hqdefault.jpg "Ponch Sings Celebration - CHiPs") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA7t_nAOreA) ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/8 "2026-02-26T20:37:54Z")
Dominic Chianese (as Uncle Junior) performing an impromptu rendition of “Core 'Ngrato” at the end of the Season 3 finale of The Sopranos: ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Yh0YwKda7Fs/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yh0YwKda7Fs?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDYh0YwKda7Fs ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/9 "2026-02-26T20:43:03Z")
Lt Uhura breaking out in song in several ToS episodes and once Spock on the notorious (2nd worse) Space hippies episode ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/10 "2026-02-26T20:44:30Z")
Louise (Yeardley Smith) sings “Cry Me a River” on _Herman’s Head_: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xEDCSQV3NTE/hqdefault.jpg "Yeardley Smith - Cry me a river") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEDCSQV3NTE) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/11 "2026-02-26T20:47:30Z")
Eugene Fodor plays Bazzini’s “Dance of the Goblins” on _SCTV_ (4:02): [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tkfLdYkBGzI/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AGOA4ACrAKKAgwIABABGEggTShyMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAliUHDAIIkHzBJgfvEhR3P31Ma9w "Violinist Eugene Fodor stars in SCTV's New York Rhapsody full episode") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkfLdYkBGzI) ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/12 "2026-02-26T20:59:53Z")
The Goblin Song on Doctor Who. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XXgnqGTOXTE/maxresdefault.jpg "The Goblin Song - Official Lyric Video | The Church on Ruby Road | Doctor Who") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXgnqGTOXTE) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/13 "2026-02-26T21:01:56Z")
Spock didn’t sing in “The Way to Eden,” he just jammed on his Vulcan lyre. He sang “Bitter Dregs” in “Plato’s Stepchildren,” one of my candidates for the absolute worst _ **ST** _ episode of all time. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9nWE-aXaqms/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/9nWE-aXaqms?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/14 "2026-02-26T21:12:13Z")
The Dickies on _CPO Sharkey_ - one of the first appearances of punk rock on network TV: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EiwwZ1QU0oU/hqdefault.jpg "The Dickies - Hideous [USTV]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwwZ1QU0oU) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/15 "2026-02-26T21:17:55Z")
The Darlings on Andy Griffith or Opie singing. So cute. (I agree, it could be said The Andy Griffith Show might’ve been a semi- musical show) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/16 "2026-02-26T21:22:20Z")
Spock jamming in “The Way to Eden”: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PvqDkPhD3jU/maxresdefault.jpg "Star Trek - Spock & The Space Hippies") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvqDkPhD3jU) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/17 "2026-02-26T21:29:03Z")
Somebody’s going to bring out “Once More With Feeling” from **Buffy the Vampire Slayer** , but I think Anthony Stewart Head had some brief musical interludes in non-musical episodes. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MOu6WU2-ghQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Giles sings “behind blue eyes” by The Who (S04E18)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOu6WU2-ghQ) And the only scene I remember from the unmemorable **Who’s the Boss** was a date with Angela’s high school crush, played by Lee Ving of Fear, who spontaneously jumps up and belts out a down and dirty blues number during their date. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/18 "2026-02-26T21:51:04Z")
The Sacred Cows on _Get Smart_ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TtedDwFT5lo/hqdefault.jpg "Get Smart - The Sacred Cows: Kill, Kill, Kill") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtedDwFT5lo) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/19 "2026-02-26T22:35:41Z")
_Pushing Daisies_ was non-musical, but when you have Kristen Chenowith and Ellen Green in the cast, you have to use them. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8xJTDGHbcRU/hqdefault.jpg "Kristin Chenoweth - Hopelessly Devoted To You") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xJTDGHbcRU) > **[Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=fc76ae96146897a2&sxsrf=ANbL-n7hyMRZRZbZSi_Ol2LHKPu7sLfSkw:1772144914418&si=AL3DRZHnaVpOpV17tK9mg6av50PE-kRfFRFUaAr9T0Uxmp5elUtK3sG5N1JnOwiJQgxzk6YrTspzbLmwVRhdw9fSjqdar-4QQ_bcv83XP86XBkXXay4VM-psT40kP6j7nvoLZ3ann6dL0jZ8p7AoWYxE7tmnka7tkyfwxANBSKstaiSlVK-Qu21c4m8uHVkFKcHDDxFtMWlohu_JJ5FyJz_hRi0QscEXvL9DK5ZM0N1OmAypyyFa0r0%3D&q=ellen+greene+morning+has+broken&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjt8PSgmviSAxV-N2IAHasjHTYQs9oBKAB6BAgNEAY&cshid=1772145048884731&biw=1231&bih=535&dpr=1.3#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:b5446f64,vid:bQdkYG3jIgo,st:0)** ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026/20 "2026-02-26T22:39:18Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Spock jamming in “The Way to Eden”: With Tucker McElroy, lead singer and driver of the Winnebago. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-musical-moments-on-a-usually-non-musical-television-show/1028026.md?page=2)