Summary
Warning! This article contains spoilers for A Murder At The End Of The World.
While walking through the crime-solving endeavors of an amateur Gen Z sleuth, A Murder at the End of the World features a diverse set of tracks. Created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij of The OA fame, FX’s A Murder at the End of the World boasts an ensemble cast that includes Emma Corrin (of The Crown fame), Clive Owen, Alice Braga, Brit Marling, and Harris Dickinson, among others. Despite taking a slow-burn approach towards removing the tapestry surrounding its overarching mysteries, the limited series introduces several sub-plots and keeps going back and forth between timelines to keep viewers hooked.
Like Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij’s previous creation, Netflix’s The OA, A Murder at the End of the World also has incredible production value. Throughout its runtime, it features stunning visuals of several intriguing futuristic technologies that not only help the protagonist solve murder mysteries but also serve as cautionary metaphors for the potential consequences of unchecked development. While at it, the limited series enhances the impact of its key moments by coupling them with relevant music, making it hard not to wonder which song plays when.
A Murder At The End Of The World is available for streaming on Hulu.
A Murder At The End Of The World Season 1, Episode 1, “Chapter 1: Homme Fatale”
“The End” by Doors: Doors’ “The End” plays in the opening moments of A Murder At the End of the World’s episode 1, where Darby walks towards a bookstore with her headphones on. The song stops playing before it is Darby’s turn to take the podium and read her book to the assembled readers.
“No More ‘I Love You’s'” by Annie Lennox: A Murder at the End of the World’s episode 1 features a flashback in its opening arc where Darby and Bill argue about whether they should go and investigate a serial killer’s home. Moments later, they make up while driving towards the killer’s home by singing Annie Lennox’s “No More ‘I Love You’s'” together.
“Glory Box” by Portishead: “Glory Box” can be faintly heard in the background when Darby investigates the “silver doe” cases in her room before she receives an invitation to Andy Ronson’s retreat.
“Genesis” by Grimes: After having a brief conversation with Ronson’s other guests on the plane, Darby puts on her headphones and goes to sleep while listening to Grimes’ “Genesis.”
“6 Concerti à più istrumenti, Op. 5 No. 6: I. Allegro” by Il Tempio Armonico, Orchestra Barocca di Verona & Alberto Rasi: This classic track can be heard in the background when Darby enters the dining room at Ronson’s retreat to meet the other guests.
A Murder At The End Of The World Season 1, Episode 2, “Chapter 2: The Silver Doe”
“Hell’s Round the Corner” by Tricky: A Murder at the End of the World episode 2 features a flashback where Darby investigates a girl’s dead body and finds an earring attached to it. Moments later, she investigates the kind of earrings the girls in her school wear while listening to Tricky’s “Hell’s Round the Corner.”
“Moon River” by Frank Ocean: Frank Ocean’s “Moon River” plays in the closing moments of A Murder at the End of the World’s episode 2, when Darby enters the pub where she and Bill had decided to meet, perfectly marking the inception of their romantic relationship.
A Murder At The End Of The World Season 1, Episode 3, “Chapter 3: Survivors”
“Heads Up” by Warpaint: This track plays in the opening moments of A Murder at the End of the World episode 3, where Darby and Bill drive to a location in their car. As the Warpaint’s “Heads Up” plays in the background, Bill tells Darby about “Death by GPS,” which refers to a situation in which a person’s death can be attributed to following GPS directions. Despite having a conversation about a serious topic, Darby and Bill keep it lighthearted by joking that people who blindly follow their GPS devices are stupid. There is also a sense of awkwardness between the two because it hasn’t been long since they first met. The background sound perfectly fills their awkward silences.
“Concerto in E Minor – D. 56: II. Adagio” by Camerata Bern & Thomas Füri: This classic piece starts playing when Darby enters the retreat’s common room and spots Rohan from a distance. She goes up to him to understand how he knew Bill, but Lui Mei interrupts and asks her if she is doing fine. Moments later, she talks to Lee before Andy shows up and asks her if grief is giving her a metallic taste in her mouth. With what follows, Darby also has a brief conversation with Sian while the classical song keeps playing in the background. It only stops when Ziba takes the stage to dedicate a song to Bill.
“Silenziо” by Le Couleur: After returning to her room, Darby loudly plays Le Couleur’s “Silenzio” in her room. She tries calling out to Ray, but he is initially unable to listen because the music is too loud. When he does listen, he tells her that the music makes it difficult for him to pick up her voice. Owing to this, Darby asks Ray to turn off the music and proceeds to ask him what she wants.
“Southern Summit” by Saunder Jurriaans: A lot happens in A Murder at the End of the World’s episode 3. Not only does the episode reveal that Bill and Rohan had a secret plan at the retreat but also discloses how Rohan, too, has been murdered. As the credits start rolling after A Murder at the End of the World episode 3’s shocking climax, Saunder Jurriaans’ “Southern Summit” plays in the background, seemingly highlighting how the trip to the southern summit might have something to do with Rohan’s death.
A Murder At The End Of The World Season 1, Episode 4, “Chapter 4: Family Secrets”
“Stay With Me” by Saunder Jurriaans: “Stay With Me” me plays in the opening moments of A Murder at the End of the World as the show walks viewers through a brief recap of the previous episodes. It continues as Andy Ronson’s guests rush downstairs after Rohan’s shocking death.
“You Weren’t Home” by THE HEARTS: Darby and Sian defy Andy by breaking out of the hotel to investigate what Rohan was up to. However, while returning to the hotel, they get stuck in a storm. Luckily for them, they find a car for shelter. “You Weren’t Home” can faintly be heard on the car’s radio when Sian hacks its interface to start it.
“Silenzio” by Le Couleur: In a flashback in A Murder at the End of the World’s episode 4, Darby and Bill jump into a motel’s swimming pool before deceiving the motel’s owner and getting a room to stay in. Le Couleur’s “Silenzio” adds more emotional heft to these light-hearted moments from episode 4.
“(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” by Nancy Wilson: While Darby and Bill get drunk in their motel room, Bill acknowledges that Darby has good taste in music as he listens to Nancy Wilson’s “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am.” Darby responds by revealing that her iPod belonged to her mother.
“Roads” by Portishead: When Bill and Darby warm up to each other in their motel room and kiss for the first time in A Murder at the End of the World’s episode 4 flashback, this track starts playing in the background.
“The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4, RV 297 “Winter”: I. Allegro non molto” by Adrian Chandler & La Serenissima: This classic track perfectly complements A Murder at the End of the World episode 4’s ending twist, where Zoomer sneezes and Darby realizes that he could be Bill’s son.
