Netflix has continued releasing original content during the pandemic, keeping its many subscribers entertained. One of the most recent Netflix Originals is the teen musical fantasy series, Julie and The Phantoms. Created by Kenny Ortega, who also directed High School Musical, Hocus Pocus, and Descendants, the series follows a Latina girl as she rediscovers her passion for music following her mom’s death.
Luke, Reggie, and Alex were members of an up-and-coming band before they died just hours before their big break. They help Julie get back into music and form a band: Julie and the Phantoms. Julie also has support from her best friend, Flynn, and her family. But the band faces threats from Carrie, daughter of Trevor Wilson, who betrayed the phantoms and took credit for their work, and Caleb Covington, a powerful ghost who tries to manipulate the boys.
BEST: The Molinas
Even though Julie has been feeling lost since the death of her mom, her family tries their very best to support her. They are still mourning her loss, too, but they make time for each other and consider everyone’s feelings.
The show does a great job of exploring the characters’ different mourning processes. Julie can’t bear to make music, while Ray is trying to make sure his children are okay, and Carlos is pretending that everything is okay. Aunt Victoria occasionally steps in to help out around the house and make sure Ray is still disciplining his children.
WORST: Julie And Carrie
When the series picks up, Julie has been trying to get back into music for around a year. Part of the reason for her reluctance is her mom’s absence and the trauma surrounding her death, but another part is Carrie Wilson.
Carrie and Julie used to be best friends because Trevor (previously known as Bobby) and Julie’s mom (most likely Rose, who Sunset Curve meets in the opening scene) were friends. Now, Carrie makes fun of Julie’s failed attempts at performing, which only worsens Julie’s anxiety and feelings of guilt. As a result, Julie is unable to re-enter the school’s music program.
BEST: Julie And Flynn
Flynn, on the other hand, might just be Julie’s biggest supporter. The two have their own double-woman act called Double Trouble. But when Julie reveals that it’s the Phantoms who have helped her find her voice again, Flynn is quick to support this new musical endeavor.
Flynn is also surprisingly mature and full of good advice. She warns Julie not to get too attached to Luke because, well, he’s a ghost. Julie even writes a song for Flynn, thanking her for getting her through the last year. She and the boys perform it for Flynn, meaning Flynn is the only person Julie trusts with the knowledge that her bandmates are ghosts.
WORST: Nick And Carrie
Nick and Carrie are a couple for the first few episodes of the series, though it’s unclear why they’re together. Neither seems to have much affection or love for the other.
Carrie is almost always spiteful and mean, and Nick sees this. It takes him a few episodes to break up with her, but even after they do, Carrie tries to sabotage his attempts to get together with Julie.
BEST: Alex, Reggie, And Luke
Even before their death, these three boys shared a bond like no other. Bobby never seemed as involved with or passionate about the band as Luke, Reggie, and Alex were.
These three have truly lived and died together. Any time a member of Sunset Curve appears onscreen, the other two are more than likely to pop up, too. The three boys are incredibly in tune with each other’s feelings and never argue seriously. And as Luke says, they have great chemistry.
WORST: Dirty Candy
Wherever Carrie is involved, there’s nobody she cares about more than herself. This is why her bandmates aren’t a great match for her. She sings all of the lyrics and is at the front of every dance performance, and even reminds her “fans” to watch her new YouTube video, not our new video.
Bands are supposed to be about a group of people coming together and sharing the spotlight, treating each other equally, but Carrie is quite rude to Kayla, who is supposed to be her friend.
BEST: Julie And The Phantoms
The Phantoms are the reason Julie is able to find it within herself to create and perform music again. They are great friends to her, as she is to them. She gives them the ability to do what they love, and she also gives them a home.
At the end of the season, the boys are free from Caleb’s grasp, and their club stamps disappear right after they share a hug, which suggests that their bond to Julie has something to do with the transformation. Since they are able to physically touch her, it also means that their souls are connected.
WORST: Bobby And The Band
Bobby, who now goes by Trevor Wilson, always seemed to be in the music industry for superficial reasons. After Luke’s death, Trevor recorded the songs he had written and released them as his own.
He never even mentioned the boys to Julie’s mom, who most fans suspect is Rose. Later, when the boys come back to haunt him, he feels guilty, knowing that he’s done something wrong, but he doesn’t own up to it. If the series gets renewed for a second season, this will surely be a key plotline.
BEST: Alex And Willie
Alex and Willie are – so far – the only queer romance of the series, and a breath of fresh air. Alex meets Willie by accident and is immediately infatuated. Willie helps him learn a few things about the ghost world.
Unfortunately, Willie also drags Alex into the whole Ghost Club mess, but he later sincerely apologizes and tries to help the boys complete their unfinished business. This pair has been through a few trials and tribulations and proven themselves stronger for it.
WORST: Caleb And The Boys
Caleb and anyone is a bad combination, but he’s particularly bad for the boys. He tries to take their dream away and trap them in his club – for eternity. He also treats Willie poorly, and later takes advantage of Nick.
He’s a good villain because he pretends to give people what they want, so they trust him. But when he turns manipulative and selfish, people have no choice but to follow his will.
