Julie and the Phantoms Season 1 Review: This Show Will Save Your Soul

Julie and the Phantoms is proof that The Arts is not extra or just a salve.

No, music (and all other creative expression) is so much more than that; it lets us be seen and, as a result, straight-up saves our souls. 

By showing us that, this incredibly special show leaves us with hearts beating full of hopeful joy, even as the world around us is burning. 

Julie and the Phantoms may be too G-rated to win awards and get prestige attention, but that won’t keep us from singing its praises to the rafters, like the the five-star series deserves.

The Representation

Julie and the Phantoms hits all the right notes when it comes to representation. Julie is played by Puerto Rican teen Madison Reyes, and that on its face is great representation. 

The true strength of the show’s representation, though, is in the more subtle choices. The Molina family is a BIPOC family living in Los Angeles.

And, let me tell you, they’re rich.

We know this because Mr. Molina, played with the usual aplomb and sexiness by Carlos Ponce, is ready to send Julie to an arts school in Australia. You don’t do that when you’re short on cash. 

Not only is this Los Feliz family wealthy, they have made that wealth by working in the arts. 

I don’t think I have ever seen a Latinx family on TV shown as successful in a passion field like music or photography and just leave it at that.

Julie’s obstacles don’t come from having a household that is struggling financially. Representation that avoids trauma porn, I want to stand tall and clap. 

Another example of how Julie and the Phantoms sets a new basline of authenticity is its make-up, hair and wardrobe. 

Julie wears a really fresh face and natural hair throughout the series. Even when she is most sparkly, her make-up is never given the spotlight. 

It’s almost as if she is attractive because of who she is not how she looks? What a concept! 

This is true even of the villain character Carrie. When Carrie is on stage performing, she has over-the-top costuming. But, when she’s not her make-up and clothing aren’t telling the story of her character. She looks very neutral. 

By having the characters’ facial expressions, actions, and words define who they are rather than relying on their appearances, the Netflix show allows us to step away from stereotypes about what mean looks like, and see what mean acts like. 

The sweet B story between Carlos and Tia Victoria that runs through the first season is another example of excellent representation.

The two go on an adventure hunting for ghosts. We see them connecting repeatedly in many different contexts. So, we get to see this young Latinx boy bond with a mother figure, while also having an excellent and caring relationship with his father. 

Oh, and guess what, he gets, supports, and collaborates with his older sister. 

We need so many more episodes of this show!

The Ships

If anyone ever looked at me in the way that Luke looks at Julie when they are on stage singing together, I would surely never recover. It is an unfathomably electric connection, that through intentional narrative moves, we understand comes from a deep and abiding passion for creativity.

People say “it was like everyone else in the room disappeared,” all the time. But when Luke sits down next to Julie on the piano for the final seconds of Great, we actually see it happen.

They are on their own cosmic plane of existence and we are just the lucky audience who gets to watch, and replay on repeat.

The stunning chemistry between the two actors isn’t the only thing to love about the ship between Luke and Julie (Team Juke!)

Quick aside, it is rad that when Luke says he has chemistry with everyone he sings with, the show lets that moment be genuinely hot and doesn’t make fun of it or over do it. Luke and all the Phantoms are so comfortable in their own skin and that is part of what makes the art they create with Julie so powerful. 

Back to Lulie, in nine short episodes we see real development of their relationship from skeptical allies, to best friends, to big time crushes. The source of that development is each of them coming to understand the other through communication. 

They call each other out. They forgive each other. They support each other’s greatness. Like Julie says, they make each other better. 

Especially for a teenage romance, it is very mature and healthy. 

And it’s so fun, too!

Luke’s teasing of Nick as a way of flirting with Julie, the look on his face when he steps forward, hoping to regain her attention during Great, the way Julie gushes about it to Flynn, the way Reggie and Alex exchange knowing glances during Finally Free, it all gives us butterflies!

Just as cute is the incredible ship between Willie and Alex (#Willex!)

Willie is such a free spirit (who turns out to actually be a trapped spirit). He is an ideal good fit with Alex’s more sensitive and anxious personality. 

They too get romantic development that’s based on something more substantial than just attraction. Alex is able to see how the ghost life can be enriching. He learns from Willie as they spend time together doing things they love. It’s a genuine and visually interesting setting for them to open-up. 

And that’s in a mere 25 minute episode!

When we realize that Willie is involved with Caleb’s evil trickery, we get to see his true feelings for Alex as he pops his head in windows to peek in on him.

It’s just so cute looking! 

One of the only disappointing things about this season is that we didn’t get to see Alex and Willie kiss or actually be together. But, that’s what second seasons are for! 

It’s wonderful to see a gay teenage couple so well-developed and central to the story. 

We. Ship. It.

There’s a BrOTP that we ship just as hard as the romantic ships on the series: Julie and Flynn. 

We get to see two BIWOC support each other as they chase dreams. There isn’t even a hint of jealousy or competition. 

Even when they fight, Flynn doesn’t let things stew and she calls Julie out. And for her part, Julie is very clear about why she feels she has to lie. 

Nothing is vapid or nasty about their ship.

Flynn is a fantastic character played flawlessly by Jadah Marie. She’s insightful, honest, and joyful. She’s integrated into Julie’s family in a super natural way. 

The friendship we get to see glues together all the beats of the series. It highlights a truth about teenage life: there is literally nothing more pivotal to reaching your dreams that your best friends. 

The Songs

The songs on the series comprise a full album’s worth of hits. While that is certainly praise-worthy, what is particularly important to note about the songs is what they are about. 

Julie writes poems about her best friend and they turn that into a song.

Yes, teenage girls absolutely do write poems about their best friends! Poetry isn’t just for crushes and heartbreaks!

Luke writes a song about a very special girl in his life, his mom. Unsaid Emily brings me goosebumps just by saying the title. It’s a deeply emotional song that is about regrets and broken relationship. 

Yes, boys have deep emotions! They care about their moms for reasons beyond their nurturing. Songs about girls aren’t just for breakups and exes!

Without exception, the songs that Julie and the Phantoms play on stage are about going for your dreams, living out your passion, loving your own greatness.

They are hope.

The talents of the musician actors who play Julie and the Phantoms take excellent songs and make them deeply, ridiculously powerful. It is so clear that the songs come from a deep well of respect and passion for music. 

There’s no trace of cynicism. 

Don’t get me wrong. It is very G-rated, but it’s not cheesy. It’s not sarcastic. It’s unabashedly optimistic instead.

Julie and the Phantoms lets us believe that it okay to outwardly and completely love something. It pushes us to believe that surrendering to our creative passion will let us be finally free.

That’s the exact messaging that we need right now. 

Stray Rifts

• It is very, very rude for this show to leave us on a cliffhanger without a promise of another season. Possessed Nick looks awesome!
• Papi Molina is the sexiest boy on the season. No contest.
• Reggie’s sweet admiration for Ray is all of us. 
• The digs at LA culture of the super-wealthy are spot on. 
• What was in those hot dogs? That can’t really happen, right? RIGHT?
• I will never get on board with the fake enthusiasm of the crowds dancing to no music. 
• Julie touching Luke’s face for the first time is intensely intimate in the best possible way. Raw and real and just the best. 
• The band should embrace the punky style of the bands they seem to reference. Let’s get some New Found the Glory-type tunes on Season 2!
• Wake Up is my favorite song. What about you?

What did you think of this episode of Julie and the Phantoms? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Julie and the Phantoms Season 1 is streaming now on Netflix. 

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