Julie lost her passion for music when she lost her mom. But when three ghostly guys appear and lift her spirits, they decide to start a band together!
How I found it: After a weekend of crappy writing (more on that in a few days), I needed a break so I went to Netflix. The Netflix algorithm decided that I needed to see a headline preview of “Julie and the Phantoms” so it started playing before I could even choose a title.
And I was hooked.
Why I love it: I. LOVE. Musicals!
Always have, always will. And I love that studios are taking chances on musical TV shows.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? Yes, please.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist? Of course!
And now, Julie and the Phantoms. Based on the Brazilian show “Julie e os Fantasmas“, Julie and the Phantoms is a tween musical centered around a high school kid (9th grade at the most) who is trying to find a reason to sing again.
They got everything right from the 90’s music and clothing to the teen drama and grieving. It is such a fun and funny show, while allowing for heart and real emotions.
Also, having a ghost band solves the problem of the “magical piano”.
Oh, you’ve never heard of the “magical piano”? Allow me to direct you to High School Musical.
In High School Musical, they made a point of including a character that composed most of the songs that the students of East High were supposed to sing. She played piano. However, once the songs started, all these other instruments, like drums and horns and strings, could be heard. The only conclusion was that this must be a “magical piano”.
Kenny Ortega, director of High School Musical, must have heard of the legend of the ‘magical piano’ so when he took on Julie and the Phantoms, he must have loved that he could fix the problem with a ghost band.
My favorite episode (so far):
Honestly, all of the episodes (The Sphinx is on episode 3 at the moment) are really strong, but if I had to pick, I would say the first episode is my favorite so far. “Now or Never” perfectly encapsulates the 90’s sound and nonsense lyrics that we all thought were so deep. (I’m not throwing shade. I was as guilty of this as everyone else.) “Wake Up” is a rousing anthem that will get stuck in your head. Madison Reyes’s voice is a delight and totally appropriate for her character. You’ll know after the first episode if you’re in or not.
Related
- Get to know Alex Newell who plays “Mo” on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. You’ll thank me later.
- NPR’s Glen Weldon ranked the top songs of the entire show-run of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
- Other Kenny Ortega projects (aka “Other times you didn’t realize you loved Kenny Ortega”): Newsies | Hocus Pocus | To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar
