Julie and the Phantoms and LGBTQ+ Representation

DISCLAIMER: Spoilers are included in this piece!

You only live once, but you can rock forever.  

May it be both literal or figurative, Julie and the Phantoms is living proof  (pun intended) of this very statement. Growing in popularity with its inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters, its protagonist as a young woman of color, and ever-so-catchy tracks, the musical comedy-drama is full of heart and soul. 

Synopsis

Following three teen musicians, Luke (Charlie Gillespie), Reggie (Jeremy Shada), and Alex (Owen Patrick Joyner), who passed away in the ‘95 over bad “street dogs” just before playing the “biggest gig of their lives,” Julie and the Phantoms is a show full of supernatural surprises. The three musicians find themselves as ghosts 25 years later, forming a band with 15-year-old Julie Molina, who had been mourning the loss of her mother. “Julie and the Phantoms,” the name coined to their band, perform far and wide, special not only in the connection between the members, but also the fact that the ghosts appear to the world when playing with Julie. Throughout the first season, we witness the growing bond and friendship between the ghosts and Julie, and the sheer power of music as a healer of sorts; it’s incredibly heartwarming to watch, to say the very least.

 Its Role in LGBTQ+ Representation

One of the main protagonists of the show, Alex, the resident drummer of the band, is openly gay. Though his bandmates are fully supportive of his sexuality, it is revealed in the second episode that his parents had not accepted his coming out before his death. Julie and the Phantoms establishes this baseline to acknowledge the experiences of many queer youth in the late 1990s, but also uses it to advance into an uplifting plot line: Alex’s crush on Willie (“Booboo” Stewart). 

In episode 3  (“Flying Solo”), we witness Alex collide into Willie skating by, and, needless to say, it’s love at first sight. In a sweet exchange, the two share introductions and hit it off quite well, with Willie giving Alex an endearing nickname (“I’ll catch ya later, hot dog”). Wonderfully put by Den of Geek, what takes this scene to another level is that “there’s no room for ambiguity;” the show works to solidify the fact that Alex is gay, and is confident in his sexuality. 

As their romance is a subset (a core one at that) of the overarching plot, we witness several cute moments throughout the season. In one instance, the two venture in a museum and Willie aids Alex in coping with his anxiety with some good ol’ yelling. Willie is under the control of the main antagonist of the series, Caleb (Cheyenne Jackson), and he unintentionally leads Alex, Reggie, and Luke to his same fate. Caleb threatens the three by saying that they will disappear forever if they do not join him; Willie and Alex are central to this portion of the plot in how Willie risks his life (ghost life? Death? Take your pick) to make sure Alex is alright, though Alex himself feels betrayed by Willie’s actions. “Why should we listen to a word you say?” cries Alex. Willie, in tears, responds, “because I care about you, Alex.” This particular scene is charged with emotion, ending with a love-filled hug. 

Throughout the first season, their queer romance is not pushed to the side as with several other shows in the past, and is not hidden until the very last episode. Julie and the Phantoms is on the frontlines in battling heteronormativity, and it is incredibly refreshing in how it sets its queer characters at the same level of prominence as their straight counterparts. A must watch. :D.

—

SOURCES: 

https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/julie-and-the-phantoms-charmingly-cute-queer-romance/#disqus_thread 

https://www.popbuzz.com/exclusives/video/kenny-ortega-julie-and-the-phantoms-gay-alex/ 

https://tvline.com/2020/09/19/julie-and-the-phantoms-alex-openly-gay-owen-joyner-interview/ 

IMAGES:

https://www.netflix.com/title/80230534

https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/High-School-Musical-director-addresses-films-lack-of-queer-characters-in-new-show-Julie-and-The-Phantoms-e4c0.jpg?quality=90&strip=all