Whitney Pilzer discusses the unpredictable nature of song resonance in 'School Spirits'
Lizzy McAlpine's 'Doomsday' achieved viral success after a memorable purgatory sequence
The show features a Sufjan Stevens dance number alongside other carefully selected tracks
Music editor Todd's precise crafting contributed significantly to the song's impact
📖 Full Retelling
Whitney Pilzer, the music supervisor behind Paramount+'s supernatural mystery series 'School Spirits,' discussed the creative process behind the show's haunting soundtrack in an interview published March 4, 2026, highlighting the viral success of Lizzy McAlpine's 'Doomsday' and the return of the artist for the series' musical landscape. Pilzer revealed that moments like the resonant use of 'Doomsday,' which became iconic among fans after scoring Maddie being pushed into purgatory by ghost Janet, aren't carefully engineered but rather serendipitous discoveries that perfectly align with the show's supernatural tone. The interview delves into the meticulous work of music editor Todd, who crafted the sequence in a way that made the song 'land perfectly' with audiences, contributing to its viral status. Pilzer also teased the inclusion of a Sufjan Stevens dance number in the series and confirmed McAlpine's return to contribute more music, continuing the show's tradition of carefully selected tracks that enhance its mysterious atmosphere while connecting emotionally with viewers.
🏷️ Themes
Music Supervision, Cultural Impact, Creative Process
Recorded sound accompanying a production such as a film
A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film, video, or television presen...
Elizabeth Catherine McAlpine (born September 21, 1999) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McAlpine began gaining recognition by posting original songs and covers online on the platforms SoundCloud and YouTube.
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A music supervisor is a person who combines music and visual media. According to the Guild of Music Supervisors, a music supervisor is “a qualified professional who oversees all music related aspects of film, television, advertising, video games and other existing or emerging visual media platforms ...
Mar 4, 2026 5:15pm PT ‘School Spirits’ Music Supervisor on the Sufjan Stevens Dance Number, Lizzy McAlpine’s Return and Building the Show’s ‘Hauntingly’ Perfect Soundtrack By Kennedy French Plus Icon Kennedy French Latest ‘The Miniature Wife’ Trailer: Elizabeth Banks Is Shrunk to Doll Size in Peacock Dramedy With Matthew Macfadyen (TV News Roundup) 2 days ago Arden Cho, Paul Feig, Leslie Odom Jr. Set as Presenters for ICG Publicists Awards – Film News in Brief 2 days ago ‘Bridgerton’ Star Katie Leung on Embracing Her Role as Season 4 Villain Lady Araminta: ‘I Love That People Love to Hate Her’ 4 days ago See All There’s a reason Lizzy McAlpine ‘s “Doomsday” now lives in the minds of “ School Spirits ” fans the way ghosts haunt the hallways of Split River High. For Whitney Pilzer, the music supervisor behind Paramount+’s supernatural mystery series since its first season, moments like that one aren’t engineered. “It’s so impossible to predict,” Pilzer says of the song’s viral resonance after it scored one of Season 1’s most memorable sequences — Maddie being pushed into purgatory by ghost Janet. “But we all knew ‘Doomsday’ was just special. Especially the way our music editor Todd cut it in. It just landed perfectly.” Related Stories 'Pretty Little Liars' Cast Teams Up for INAD PSA Ahead of Rare Disease Day
