'Julie and the Phantoms': Netflix teen musical sugarcoats loss without undermining characters' motivations
'Julie and the Phantoms' is Netflix's latest teen musical drama that centers on a unique premise: the titular Julie, after losing her passion for music following the death of her mother, forms an interesting bond with the ghosts of a rock band hoping to get their second shot at stardom, 25 years after some shady hot dogs robbed them of their big chance. It's zany, it's got spunk and it's helmed by Emmy Award-winning director/producer Kenny Ortega, which makes it quite the recipe for success, especially with its target audience.
One of the central plot points of 'Julie and the Phantoms' is death. The characters are each coping with the loss of a loved one and have to go through the process of grieving, all while trying to live normal lives and chase their dreams. Julie Molina (played by newcomer Madison Reyes) finds herself at the end of the rope, battling to stay in the music program at her school after a year of not being able to play music. The Phantoms - Luke (Charlie Gillespie), Reggie (Jeremy Shada) and Alex (Owen Patrick Joyner) are coping with the loss of their dream, in addition to coming to terms with the fact that they've been dead for 25 years. Luke reckons with having run away from home to pursue music, leaving his parents devastated. Reggie has no idea where his family is - their home having been turned into a bike shack. And Alex grapples with coming to terms with change, going from living to dead to something in between. And to add to that, he also has to grapple with finding romance in a skater ghost named Willie (Booboo Stewart) and all the "baggage" that comes with it.
The ripples of loss emanate throughout the show and the effects of it can be seen on supporting characters as well. Julie's childhood-best-friend-turned-arch-nemesis Carrie, for instance, is introduced as quite the stereotypical "mean girl" but is slowly revealed to have been impacted by Julie's inability to play music as well. As she battles constantly to prove her worth as an artiste, she finds herself constantly upstaged by Julie, who after being given a pass for a year is allowed to return after one performance featuring the Phantoms despite having laid no groundwork for it. And as Carrie battles to nab a recording deal for herself, she once again loses out to Julie. And as the final act of the show plays out with Jule and the Phantoms securing a pretty impressive gig using the ghostly abilities they have at their disposal, it's hard not to feel for Carrie who, despite her overt meanness, never appears to make any underhanded attempts to secure the spot she craves, quite in contrast to the archetypical mean girl.
Striking a balance can be a little difficult for a show that is aimed at a younger audience, particularly when it is designed to be something that encapsulates the myriad of experiences said audience might be dealing with while also trying to maintain a light-hearted tone. But despite its obvious theme of loss, 'Julie and the Phantoms' is a fun teen comedy where the characters occasionally break out into song or put on a performance in the middle of their school hallways. It manages to drop into its emotional beats quite easily, without falling into the standard traps a lot of teen musicals fall into. And in doing so, it allows its young actors to demonstrate a wider range of skills than the stereotypical roles of the shallow jock, the mean girl, or the awkward lead who has a makeover and turns into a different character entirely.
Julie is not the popular kid at school, but she isn't the target of daily harassment either. Carrie is a superstar, but she's hardly one who spends her time ruling the hallways with a sparkly fist. Nick is the jock but is in no way simplified to fit a stereotype. And the Phantoms are a blend of rockstars and comedic relief who also, every now and then, remember what they've lost and take a moment to process their pain. This treatment extends to the supporting cast, including Julie's father (Carlos Ponce) who shares a loving, trusting relationship with his daughter as they heal together, and her younger brother (Sonny Bustamante) who, despite his young age, is shown to be compassionate towards the journey Julie finds herself on.
Ultimately, what 'Julie and the Phantoms' gets right is sugarcoating grief and loss just enough that it doesn't overpower the story being told, while also ensuring that it is never pushed off to the sidelines in a way that undermines its importance to the characters' motivations. It addresses grief and the impact it can have on a teen still finding their voice, but it never allows their pain to become what defines them. And that is quite the accomplishment for a show designed to be a fun teen musical.
All episodes of Season 1 of 'Julie and the Phantoms' are now streaming on Netflix.