Julie and the Phantoms Season 1 (2020-) TV Drinking Game
Down a Shot: each time Alex wrestles with his ‘afterlife crisis’. My anxiety-ridden arse definitely felt a connection with this character.
Down a Shot: when the show hits you right in the feels and jolts you into feeling alive!
Down a Shot: every time Willie and Alex steal yearning glances at each other
Down a Shot: every time any of the characters (but mainly just Alex or Julie’s bestie Flynn or her tia/aunty) act hella extra.
Down a Shot: each time there’s a nod to the 90s/pop culture reference.
Down a Shot: for every snarky potshot from Carrie, the lead singer of Dirty Candy and Julie’s rival/frenemy.
By: Vidal D’Costa (A Toast) –
Julie Molina, a high schooler with music flowing through her veins, befriends a ghostly boy band from the 90s after encountering them in her mom’s old studio. Together, Julie and her three friendly phantoms embark on a rad journey of overcoming grief and navigating stage fright as well as discovering newfound romantic/platonic bonds through the power of music, while simultaneously battling a resurrected magician with evil intentions who has his eyes set on the starry eyed but naïve Phantoms, with plans of poaching their souls for himself so they can perform for eternity at his club on ‘The Other Side Of Hollywood’.
A Toast
Adapted from a Brazilian show by the same name, unlike most other hastily executed remakes or adaptations, Julie and the Phantoms works wonderfully as a stand alone series that embraces its funky and chaotic tone. It is geared towards pleasing not only the young ‘uns, but also us oldies who grew up in the 90s-early 2000s on a hearty diet of campy musical shows on Disney that were more often than not headlined by none other than Kenny Ortega himself (he also serves as the showrunner and executive producer of Julie and the Phantoms along with show creators Dan Cross and David Hoge).
This show is hands down one of the most exhilarating and engaging YA offerings from Netflix in recent years. While I’m usually firmly hesitant when consuming any YA content (don’t get me wrong, I dig the cheesy, corny, sentimental dialogue as much as the next person, but many of such shows sadly lack the rhythm, soul, and layered characterisation to keep me invested) but this show even had me- a depressed and reclusive twenty-something- in a deathly grip… or chokehold, as the kids call it… instantly tapping my feet to the beat, laughing at the humorous back and forths, dreamily sighing at the adorkable Phantoms and, of course, melting like cold butter on warm toast!
Despite following the Kenny Ortega rulebook to a tee, occasionally opting for cliched subplots and some slightly predictable storytelling that was a dime a dozen in those Disney shows that I mentioned earlier and which I can look past here especially as they are nostalgia-inducing when done right, Julie and the Phantoms mainly clicks due to its cast’s compelling chemistry with each other, authentic teen or tween representation with well-developed and self-aware characters who are just the right amount of lovable and who deal with their own set of relatable personal battles-ranging from the evils of gentrification and the changing times to coping or clinging on to loss, and of course, debilitating high school crushes, its smooth transitions between drama and comedy, as well as irresistible world building that beckons invitingly.
The young ensemble playing the titular characters of Julie, Alex, Luke, and Reggie- comprising of Madison Reyes, Charlie Gillespie, Owen Joyner, and Jeremy Shada, all offer sincere performances, especially with Joyner as Alex stealing the show. The actor absolutely eats (as the kids put it) in his solo scenes, with his delightful and suave sashays during the “All Eyes On Me” number or during his ‘young love moments’ with co-star Booboo Stewart who plays his potential love interest, the ghostly skater boy Willie (I could care less about the developing hetero love triangle that runs parallel in the show, but your honour, I ship these two!). Each of the talented cast members also absolutely knock it out of the park with their emotion-packed singing voices and collective stage/screen presence, too, and are backed up by a great supporting cast as well. Kudos to the showrunners for also normalising LGBTQIA+ romances in media and also presenting viewers with a layered female Latina protagonist who is out to take the world by storm. Also, why is the antagonist Caleb Covington (effortlessly played by thespian/Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson) such a charismatic dreamboat?!
The show also boasts of riveting choreography and a detailed set design, and the wardrobe department have certainly done their homework in nailing the 90s aesthetic (believe me, I know) as well as a more contemporary atmosphere since the show features fashion trends that are exclusive to two eras that are poles apart. All of the above only further enriches the viewing experience.
The soundtrack has obviously been playing on repeat on my Spotify and I had an absolute ball jamming out to the upbeat empowering anthems, but would definitely also recommend arming oneself with Kleenex since it is also sprinkled with the occasional ballad that further tugs at the heartstrings and offers viewers a glimpse into one of the Phantom’s troubled family life and his inability to move on to the afterlife due to the same (someone was definitely cutting onions during the ‘Unsaid Emily’ scene).
So, hats off to Ortega (I might just forgive him for the Rocky Horror Picture Show remake debacle) and team for creating a show that is worth the hype and will not only attract viewers of varying age groups but also managed to tap into every single one of my emotions and drove me feral (the only other show that has managed to pull this off is the gay pirate show Our Flag Means Death, by the way).
Verdict
Where’s the petition for a season 2 renewal or at least a potential spin-off or movie franchise? Gimme… I will sign it right away! Heck, I’m even willing to sell my soul to Caleb Covington himself just for the opportunity to resurrect my beloved Phantoms!
