The sun-drenched world of Apple TV+’s Acapulco is brought to life with its Latin-inspired score. But all good things must come to an end.
As the award-winning series comes to its heartfelt conclusion in its fourth and final season, composer Bo Boddie faced the challenge of writing the show’s musical last chapter.
Boddie infused the final episodes with a score that balances nostalgic charm with emotional catharsis.
We spoke with him about his process, the art of scoring a bilingual series, and how to compose a fitting farewell.
Let’s dive in.
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NFS: Hi! Can you tell us about your recent work on Acapulco? How has the sound evolved over the years, and what can audiences expect from the current season?
Bo Boddie: We completed our fourth and final season this year, so there were some storylines that needed to be wrapped up. I think fans will be happy with how things turn out—it’s definitely bittersweet to finish the series, but I’m glad the producers had the chance to bring the story to a cohesive conclusion (though there are certainly plenty of stories left to tell in the Acapulco universe).
Musically, the core sound of the score was established in the first season, and it’s become more refined as the show zeroed in on its identity. The score is strongly thematic, based on both the characters and their relationships, as well as broader scenario-driven concepts. Over time, those themes have become more tightly integrated into the storytelling, creating opportunities for variations and fusions between themes. That said, each season has also introduced a lot of new material, so the musical universe keeps expanding.
NFS: Are there any favorite music cues or standout scenes from this past season?
BB: In season four, there’s a lot of fun new material. The first thing that comes to mind is the “murder mystery” theme, which supports a subplot that develops across episodes 2–6. I’m also particularly happy with the score in episode 5—a tumultuous dinner party that ends in an unexpected and dramatic way. The music runs through the end credits and then picks back up at the start of episode 6, creating a nice through-line.
NFS: You’ve worked on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist for quite some time as well. How did the score play a role in that series?
BB: I loved working on Zoey’s. It was truly unique—funny, deeply emotional, and second to none in the way it integrated song and dance numbers. While the headline of the show was the songs, the score was more of a workhorse, providing emotional and narrative support in a subtle, unobtrusive way. For action-driven or upbeat scenes, I often leaned on a solo drum kit and percussion, while the more emotional moments were underscored with expansive, ambient, minimalist textures.
NFS: What are some of your favorite Latin instruments or sounds to use in your musical palette? Do you draw inspiration from other musicians or scores while working on Acapulco?
BB: While the nylon-string guitar isn’t uniquely Mexican, it’s deeply tied to the tradition, and it became a constant presence—virtually every cue includes it. I also enjoyed weaving in brass elements and a reed organ. I can’t point to a specific score that inspired me, but at the beginning of the series, our music supervisors, Joe Rodriguez and Javier Nuño, put together a big playlist of Mexican music. That helped me understand the genre harmonically and rhythmically. Joe was also instrumental in keeping me from drifting too far outside those conceits—we wanted the score to feel authentic while still maintaining its own unique voice.
Bo Bodie Credit: Impact24
NFS: You have a background in mixing and engineering alongside composing. How has that informed your success in scoring?
BB: Mixing and engineering skills have become an integral part of the music-making process. Most of the time, a modern-day composer is wearing multiple hats – so everyone has some knowledge of the technical side of the process and how it’s incorporated creatively in the music. When I started working as an engineer in New York, there was a greater divide between ‘home’ and ‘professional’ recording. I was really interested in how records were made, and how people got such amazing sounds – it was a bit of a black art that I was never able to duplicate on my cassette 4-track.
At that time, the wealth of information that’s commonplace now didn’t really exist, so the only way to learn how to produce and engineer was via the traditional route of working in a recording studio. Of course, working with a variety of different artists in that context also gave me a lot if insight into music making in general, and as time went by I started to realize that I had given my own music making potential short shrift – and given that recording technology was evolving so rapidly it gave the opportunity to be able to maximize my desire to start writing more music – and my familiarity with the technical side of things gave me an edge in being able to create great sounding music with an “in the box” toolkit.
When I later moved to Los Angeles to start over in TV and film, I was able to get my foot in the door by being versatile—offering score mixing, engineering, programming, additional writing, guitar playing, and more.
NFS: What unique software, brands, or technologies do you use frequently in your work?
BB: I’ve long been a Pro Tools user—it’s become indispensable for me. I’ve tried other platforms, but I always circle back; it may be an unusual choice for scoring, but I can’t work without it. Like many of us, I also rely heavily on virtual instruments, so companies like Native Instruments, Spitfire Audio, Arturia, Spectrasonics, U-he, Audio Modeling, Universal Audio, and Valhalla play a big role in my palette.
NFS: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience?
BB: Watch Acapulco! It’s a wonderful and unusual show—a unicorn in today’s landscape. Sweet, earnest, funny, and full of heart, it’s a welcome escape from a world that can sometimes feel dark and overwhelming.
