Finally Free is the sixth episode of Julie and the Phantom's first season and the sixth episode overall. It premiered on Netflix on September 10, 2020. It was written by Sean W. Cunningham & Marc Dworkin and directed by Kristin Hanggi.
Plot[]
Julie and Flynn in dance class
Julie is late to arrive to her dance class—much to the disapproval of her teacher. Having overslept at Flynn's house from their sleepover after the dance, Julie missed her first three classes. She is still annoyed at Luke, Alex and Reggie for abandoning her at the school dance the night before. Flynn comforts her and switches the subject to Nick, who she notes talked to Julie at the dance.
At that moment, Nick and the lacrosse team enter the gym with Coach Baron, who signed the team up for the class in order to improve their coordination because they lost to Burbank's lacrosse team. Nick partners with Julie and the dance teacher announces that they will perform the dance "this Friday."
Although at first Nick followed along with the teacher's instruction adequately, he fumbles the more complicated steps. In making conversation, Nick mentions that he broke up with Carrie since the dance due to her "not being the nicest person."
Alex, Luke and Reggie feel jolts of pain again
At the cafe Eats&Beats, Luke, Reggie and Alex sign up to perform in order to get the attention of the record executives that frequent the cafe looking for talent. Luke, being invisible, snuck their band's name onto the set list. After Alex reminds them that Julie quit the band, Reggie mentions how the Hollywood Ghost Club was a cool place. Luke insists that they didn't need Caleb's club because things were going to work out with Julie. At this, the three phantoms felt the same painful jolt they felt in the empty gym at Los Feliz High School.
Dismissing it, Reggie switches the topic on whether they were going to get back at Trevor for stealing Sunset Curve songs. Luke has switched his perspective from yesterday—arguing that they have a new band with Julie with a new sound that they should focus on.
Caleb warns Willie to stay away from the boys
Alex then spots Willie outside the window and chases after him once Willie skates away. Willie loses Alex, however, he runs into Caleb, who knows exactly what he was doing. With no choice, Willie confirms to Caleb that "they're flickering." Satisfied, Caleb then warns that Willie shouldn't interact with the boys without permission, threatening his privileges to skate through Hollywood freely.
After school, Julie enters the music studio to find the boys apologizing in harmony. They sincerely apologize before Luke tells Julie about the gig that he booked at Eats&Beats. Julie, still angry about being stood up and feeling used, accuses Luke for being too obsessed with his past to truly care about the music they were making. Luke argues that he does care, emphasizing the potential the band has for greatness that he won't let slip away again. Disbelieving, Julie accuses Luke of being selfish and too hung up about both himself and his dreams to care about other people. Stunned, Luke says nothing as Julie walks away. Alex tries to say that Julie didn't mean it, but Luke teleports out of view.
Reggie and Alex teleport into the living room of the Molina house to see Julie doing homework. Alex and Reggie try to explain that Luke isn't as selfish as she thinks. In an attempt to convince her, Alex tells Julie they are going to show her who the song about Emily was about.
Alex and Reggie bring Julie to Luke's parents' house. Hiding in the back porch, Julie realizes that Emily of Luke's song was his mom. Alex and Reggie confirm, saying that Luke visits the Patterson house a lot in secret, which didn't work since the boys had followed him. Watching the older couple and their dead son, Julie realizes that the cake they had prepared was a birthday cake for Luke. Alex reveals that Luke's parents didn't want him in a rock band and when Luke wouldn't give that up, he ran away without reconciling.
Luke visits his parents on his birthday
The trio watch as Luke blows out the birthday candle a moment after his dad lights it. Reggie explains the reason why Luke was so angry about Trevor—that if Trevor had given Luke credit for the songs that his parents would know that his dreams meant something. Julie is moved to tears as she considers how proud the Pattersons would have been. Alex and Reggie apologize for letting Julie down and reaffirming how much they, including Luke, love being in a band with her.
Back in the garage at the Molina house, Julie, Alex and Reggie are rehearsing the bridge of Finally Free. Luke teleports onto a chair and is surprised to see Julie playing music with the guys. At his question as to what changed her mind, she replies that she realizes how important music is to all of them and that their music isn't worth losing. Happy she's back in the band, Luke is ready to start focusing on rehearsal but is pleased when Julie wishes him a happy birthday.
Later that evening, Julie strolls back into the house to find Carlos snapping photos of nothing with his iPad. Carlos found his laptop on a rock music site and takes this as further proof that there are ghosts in the house as Carlos listens to rap. Julie automatically knows that it was Reggie. Carlos is taking pictures in order to capture the glints that show up when photographing ghosts.
Julie walks further into the house only to be confronted by her dad asking why she missed her first three classes. Explaining that she overslept, Julie reassures her dad that nothing was going on in those classes anyway and that it won't happen again.
Ray finds out Julie skipped 3 classes and missed a test
At that moment, Tia Victoria rushes to the Molina household in order to confront Julie about missing classes and her calculus test. She pushes Ray to punish her, resulting in Julie being grounded and sent up to her room to study. Ray is a bit frustrated in Victoria's presence, but expresses his appreciation of her help in parenting Julie and Carlos with Rose gone. Victoria, at the bequest of Ray, stays a couple of hours to look after Carlos.
The boys come into Julie's room with her permission. Julie explains that she is grounded and won't be able to make it to their gig as her aunt is right downstairs. Luke suggests she sneak out the window to which Julie agrees. Opening a chest full of old ticket stubs and her mother's clothes, Julie is inspired to wear her mom's leather vest, which has a dahlia pin on it.
Alex performs with Dirty Candy.
At Eats&Beats, Julie arrives on time to see Dirty Candy perform All Eyes on Me. Flynn supposes that Carrie's dad used his connections to get her on the list but the accuracy of that is debatable. Unbeknownst to Dirty Candy and everyone else except Luke, Reggie and Julie, Alex joins the girl group onstage, dancing along to their choreography. After the performance, Carrie spots Flynn and Julie and makes her way to them along with the rest of the Dirty Candy crew. Carrie snidely mentions to Julie that Nick wasn't there and Julie shoots back that she was there to perform. An employee announces the closing performance is 'Julie and the Fat Ones.' On stage, Julie awkwardly corrects him before performing Finally Free. The crowd is delighted by the song and by the hologram 'gimmick.'
Julie and the Phantoms perform Finally Free
Carrie knows the record executive called Andi Parker from Destiny Management at the cafe by name due to her connection through her father. Carrie lists out who Andi represents (Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez), then suggests Dirty Candy as her new clientele. Andi, however, was more interested in Julie and the Phantoms. As Andi introduces herself to Julie, however, she is interrupted by Ray, who catches Julie out of her room.
Songs[]
| Title | Sung By | Length |
|---|---|---|
| All Eyes On Me | Dirty Candy | 3:42 |
| Finally Free | Julie and the Phantoms | 3:01 |
Cast[]
Main[]
Guest Star[]Also Starring[] |
Co-Starring[]
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Trivia[]
- The Other Side of Hollywood was the day before this episode. This is implied on a comment Flynn made, "You said you were never going to show your face at school again, and I'm a very literal person." and later confirmed by comments from Luke, "It was just like that jolt from yesterday" & "We ate ten pounds of pizza yesterday without a stomach."
- The dance the teacher announces that the student will perform is stated to take place on a Friday, providing the day of the week Edge of Great takes place.
- The melody of Unsaid Emily is heard while Luke was visiting his parents' house.
- As Julie contemplates whether to rejoin the band outside the Pattersons' house, she spots a bouquet of dahlias on the counter behind Luke and his mom. Dahlias are a thematic symbol in the show, a sign of the influence Julie's mother still has in her life.
- Charlie Gillespie says that the performance of Finally Free is the moment Luke realizes he likes Julie, even if he doesn't readily process or admit it.
- Beyond the comment that Nick wasn't at the cafe, where he presumably would be supporting Dirty Candy if they were still dating, Carrie doesn't exhibit any outward pain/sadness from the pair's break up.
- When Alex, Luke, and Reggie are hanging out in the cafe the song that is playing in the background is called "Every Little Everything" which happens to be by Jeremy Shada (Reggie) real life band "Make Out Monday".[1]
References
Template:Season 1