After seeing about one thousand TikToks about Julie and the Phantoms, I decided I should finally give the show a try. The show was released on Netflix September 10, 2020. Now, I know this show was intended for a teen audience, so I went into it with the pre-acknowledgment that this show was not meant for my demographic. As an almost-22-year-old, I was clearly not the audience that was intended for this pre-teen show about a bunch of 16-year-olds. With that being said, this show was honestly one of the best teen stories I’ve watched in a while (which is why I have watched it three whole times since then).
This show follows the story of three band members, Luke, Reggie, and Alex, of Sunset Curve, a band from the 90s (played by Charlie Gillespie, Jeremy Shada, and Owen Joyner, respectively). In 1995, the day before they were meant to put on a massive show in their huge local arena, they died. 25 years later, they meet a girl named Julie (played by Madison Reyes) who just so happens to now live in the space they used to practice. She’s the only human (or “lifer” as they call them in the show) who can see them. With Julie’s mom recently passing away and her being a huge music lover and a musician herself, Julie can no longer find the motivation to do music at all. She finds that ability to play again when she meets the boys. When the four of them agree to form a band, they never expected the success they garnered. The thing is, when the boys and Julie play together, people can actually see the three boys. It sets up a really powerful connection between the characters that’s really amazing to watch. The moment Julie plays and sings again after losing her mom is a spectacular moment that gives me chills.
Every single character had really great chemistry and you could tell they were all just having a good time and enjoying themselves. In complete honesty, there is not one character that I disliked in the entire show. Even the villain and antagonist are so well-written that I can’t hate them; they’re just great characters. The characters really come alive in the show; they all seem like real people with complex relationships. There wasn’t a moment that I felt like someone was over-acting or under-acting. Everyone did a very good job at portraying their characters.
Being a show intended for teenagers, there, of course, were very cringey parts to it as well. There were definitely lines that I couldn’t help but just wrinkle my nose at. Again, understanding that this show was not meant for me, or my age group in general, made it easier for me to look past these cringey moments. I can see how much this show would’ve meant to me as a teen, and it makes me appreciate it so much more now.
The thing that really grabbed my attention about this show was the music. Usually musical related TV shows can seem very cheesy and the songs can seem out of place or irrelevant, but the songs in this show were very well-written and deep. Every song had a purpose, and it fit right in perfectly. One song, “Perfect Harmony,” was actually written by two of the actors, Madison Reyes and Charlie Gillespie, who play Julie and Luke in the show, which is really awesome.
The song “Unsaid Emily” really stood out the most to me. This song was written by one of the band members, Luke, and was meant to be all the things that he wishes he could’ve said to his mother before he died. This whole scene, with Luke “singing” to his mom while she read the lyrics, made me sob. Granted, I cry very easily during TV shows and movies, but this was different. There was such pure raw emotion that was being shown through the screen. The talent that every single person on this show has was unmatched. I was completely shocked by the young actors and all the amazing work they did. Plus, the actors all actually play their instruments! Another impressive moment.
One complaint I will make about Julie and the Phantoms is that the rival band’s songs were very typical of a “rival band.” I’ve noticed that in every movie or TV show where bands compete for attention, the opposing band’s songs are always about how awesome they are. Every. Single. Time. It’s a very repetitive trope, and I would’ve liked to hear the rival band, Dirty Candy, actually show their potential because it’s clear that the lead singer can actually sing, but she just doesn’t. I can’t listen through their songs in the soundtrack because they’re just so arrogant sounding and typical rival songs. Making them actual competition for Julie and the Phantoms would’ve added a stronger aspect to the show. Just give them good songs, please.
The main villain in the show, played by Cheyenne Jackon, was one of my favorite characters. His intentions didn’t, initially, seem bad. He just had a weird vibe about him. He seemed like a flashy guy who liked to show off and hold everyone’s attention. The first song he sings, “Other Side of Hollywood,” is such a good song to dance to. It’s so unique, and Cheyenne’s voice is impeccable. The songs he sings have a jazzy air to them, and they’re just such a bop. Hearing Cheyenne scat at the end of the song is so perfect. He is such a good villain, and there’s nothing better than the villain song in a movie or TV show.
The most important thing that I have to applaud the show for is the fact that one of the band members is gay, and they don’t make it some huge deal. They casually mention it in the very first episode, and that’s it. A lot of shows take LGBTQ+ characters and make it this huge deal that everyone has to comment on. This always bothered me because it doesn’t have to be a big thing that causes drama. In reality, it’s a completely normal occurrence and shouldn’t be used to “shock” an audience or “cause controversy.” It shouldn’t be deemed crazy and made into a huge spectacle in the show. The character, Alex, never even actually comes out. He just has a crush on another boy, Willie, played by Boo Stewart, and that’s that. This is how it should be in real life too. You’re allowed to like who you like and that’s that.
Anyway, I think this show was actually really incredible. This was the first acting job Madison Reyes, Julie, has ever had, and the work she did left me speechless. This 16-year-old who had never done any acting prior just stole the show and left me feeling so many emotions. The characters all dealt with very complex and real emotions that really brought the show to life in my eyes. Everyone who had a part in creating this show did a great job. I will continually praise Julie and the Phantoms until my last breath. I recommend this show to anyone who will talk to me because that’s how amazing it is. On to rewatch number four for me. Let’s hope a second season is on the way!
