High School Musical-Obsessed Kids Will Adore Netflix's Julie and the Phantoms

Given the fact that one of the very first scenes shows Luke, Alex, and Reggie dying in 1995 from eating hot dogs, it's safe to say that death is a fairly big theme of the show. Of course, when the bandmates return as ghosts, they are far from scary. Eager to get to know Julie and help her rediscover herself as a musician, the scare factor is way more in line with Casper than Paranormal Activity.

The death of Julie's mom is also frequently discussed throughout the series. Although there aren't many details surrounding how she passed away, the storyline may be triggering for older kids who have previously lost a parent.

Each episode is chock-full of family-friendly music you won't actually mind listening to while driving your children to school. And because many of the songs are rock-based, we have a feeling your older kids will be belting out tunes from Julie and the Phantoms at all hours of the day. The short of it: you can feel good about downloading the upbeat soundtrack.

Viewers see Julie and her best friend, Flynn (Jadah Marie), have frequent spats with their archnemesis, Carrie (Savannah Lee May), at school. And while we love how the high school drama is infused with music, there's also something extraspecial about Julie and Flynn's bond.

Like any relationship, Julie and Flynn's friendship isn't always perfect. In fact, they get into an argument about what inspires Julie to get back into music again, and as you can imagine "ghosts" isn't exactly an acceptable answer.

On top of working through their differences — and not holding grudges with each other! — the pair eventually overcome the issue. Additionally, the girls have a discussion about how Flynn has been supporting Julie in the months after her mother's death. Isn't that exactly what friends are for?

Because Julie and the Phantoms has a paranormal element, there's a lot of chatter about the afterlife and what happens to those who pass on. Addressed in an age-appropriate manner with the help of a lovable skateboard-obsessed character named Willie (Booboo Stewart), some scenes could prompt your children to ask about going to heaven or why a person would stay on Earth as a ghost due to "unfinished business." It might be best to have an answer or two prepared!

Without music, it's clear that Julie is lost while grieving her mom's death. While the electric guitar might not be your kid's thing, it's important that children have a creative outlet to funnel their feelings into. And that activity could be anything, as long as it has a positive impact on their life and mental health.