Season 3 of Sullivan's Crossing again constructs the show's classic blend of stunning landscapes and quiet storytelling. Morgan Kohan again plays Maggie Sullivan, and the series continues with themes of community, resilience, and healing. Consistent in its tradition, the music in Season 3 is necessary but understated, integrating itself into the narrative to enhance emotional resonance and gravity.
Music in "Sullivan's Crossing" is not only used as ambience. It's a narrative device—silent, but potent. Scoring loss, contemplative quiet, or reconnection on an emotional level, the music of the program resonates within the inner lives of its characters. The third season repeats this, employing a mix of indie, acoustic, and folk-inspired music that supports the emotional sweep of each episode.
Here's the official trailer for your reference:
Who composed the original score in Sullivan's Crossing
Sullivan's Crossing theme music, where it came from, was written by Joel Schwartz and Ari Posner. Both of them are particularly famous for their understated and evocative music, and in Season 3, their music continues to feature soothing piano and acoustic guitar playing. Neither of their music detracts from the understated drama of the show and the natural landscapes, but is instead a complement.
Their scores aren't typically marked by grand crescendos. Instead, they deliver low-key, soft textures and melodies mirroring the show's pacing and mood. They provide a consistent background to Maggie's emotional journey, often heard but always important in setting the viewer's response.
Music's role in Sullivan's Crossing season 3
Season 3 continues its theme of personal recovery, family drama, and emotional growth following previous trauma, primarily, the fires that devastated the Sullivan community during Season 2. These are augmented by the soundtrack, which draws on indie, folk, and acoustic music in order to achieve a sense of realism and calmness that reflects the characters' changing emotional states.
The music never intrudes. Rather, it reinforces dramatic moments—like Maggie's musing about relationships, Cal's gentle moments of encouragement, or Lola's inner conflict—through choices that are meticulously considered for the mood, not recognition.
Sullivan's Crossing Season 3 episode count & musical style
Season 3 of Sullivan's Crossing has seven episodes. They feature songs strategically inserted to create ambience and facilitate the process of story transition. They are predominantly indie-folk sounds, maintaining the music tone of the series as set by past seasons. Some examples of artists included are Margot Todd, Chance Peña, Jill Andrews, and Jake Etheridge.
Episode-by-episode breakdown of the soundtrack
(Assembled from fan-made playlists and soundtrack databases)
While no official single list of song-by-episode has been officially released by CTV or the producers, these are the most widely attributed by soundtrack sources and fan databases. They are consistent with the tone of the program and have been paired with episodes by viewers through broadcasts:
Episode 1: "Shelter"
- "Shelter" – Margot Todd
- "Time and Time Again" (Theme) – WILD
- "Hollow (Everything)" – Jake Etheridge
- "Boundless Love" – Jill Andrews
Episode 2
- "Cluttered Soul" – Joel Ansett
- "Stole My Heart" – Beasts With No Name
- "Human" – Vanbur
- "Time and Time Again" – WILD (series theme reused again)
Episode 3
(No known complete list. The instrumental pieces by the composers probably take over this episode.)
Episode 4
- "Up, Up & Away" – Chance Peña
- "The Age of Believing" – Aron Wright
- "Pteryla" – Lowswimmer & Novo Amor
Episode 5
- "i am not who i was" – Chance Peña
Episode 6
- "The World Goes By" – Margot Todd
- "Where Did the Fun Go?" – Lou Pine
Episode 7
- "Driveway" – Jadea Kelly
- "Echoes" – Bryan Elijah Smith
Soundtrack availability
As of now, there is no Season 3 soundtrack album available on music streaming sites like Spotify or Apple Music. However, all the songs heard are available separately on all the music streaming websites.
The audience members and fan base have also made unofficial episode playlists mimicking the in-show music setting with acceptable accuracy.
Contextual connection: Music & story
The integration of music and story in Season 3 is deliberate. Each piece of music serves to enhance scenes representing characters' changes, battles, and relationships. For instance:
Maggie's challenges are usually contrasted using reflective, slow-paced tracks.
Reconciliation or rebuilding community scenes utilize hope-inspiring or emotionally uplifting wrap-up tracks.
Transitions within quiet scenes use calming, ambient tracks that suit the naturalistic setting of Nova Scotia.
These musical selections complement and don't overwhelm the emotional peaks of each episode, true to the show's narrative pace and mood.
Sullivan's Crossing Season 3 score also finds synergy with the show's understated emotional depth. A strong backbone score is provided by composers Ari Posner and Joel Schwartz, complemented by a well-chosen roster of indie-folk tracks providing lyrical depth to key scenes. Though a comprehensive, producer-approved tracklist does not seem to be on the public record, the widely available episode song lists remain the closest source of reference for viewers seeking to recapture the emotional grandeur through sound.
To individuals who care about the show's emotional rhythm and storybook integrity, the music in Season 3 is worth listening to—one softly fingered chord at a time.