#julia trojan

[scootersscooter]

jimmy and julia qpr TO ME!!!

[courageisneverforgotten]

in discussions of Bandstand, I often see the argument that perhaps the narrative would have been better if Julia and Donny hadn't gotten into a romantic relationship. that this is expected, the easy way to wrap things up, the "boy and girl are protagonists so therefore must fall in love" schtick.

I am also a deep believer in narratives about platonic relationships and the beauty found in those. heck, before I watched the show and was only vaguely familiar with the soundtrack, I think I had some of the same thoughts. However.

I think Julia and Donny may be expected (to the audience), but they were not inevitable.

their romance is messy and beautiful and maybe a little weird to both of them. they are not drawn together immediately (not cheaply and obviously made romantic) except for the facts of Donny's promise to his best friend, Michael, and Julia losing Michael and becoming a gold star wife. it's awkward, they both feel like they're fumbling over words and actions, and yeah, to them, it is a little bit weird. especially when they start feeling more for each other.

I'd argue that the narrative of Bandstand is strengthened by their relationship with each other. the connecting reason for their circumstance is Michael, and it is devastating and ever-present. but they take that connection and carefully -- sometimes messily, usually imperfectly -- create something meaningful for both of them. they heal. they don't forget. they Live despite and because of it all.

there certainly could have been a deep platonic bond between Julia and Donny, but I feel that their romance adds truth to their characters, what they want and how they see the world. Julia's "love will come and find me again" is a beautiful display of longing and resilience, a statement that she does not know what's ahead for her (and Donny) but she will not be passive in her own narrative. and for Donny's part, when Julia tells him "I don't need to be rescued!" and he responds with "what if I do?", that simple statement is so emblematic of his character -- his longing to be seen wholly and wanted anyway.

the strength of platonic bonds throughout the show is arguably one of the biggest strengths of Bandstand. adding a romance between the two leads does not take away from this; it weaves through the narrative and adds another thread of strength. not inevitable, but wholly meaningful.

[the-river-rix]

Donny Nova Band text posts pt 2!!

[miasmultifandomdump]

Just Like It Was Before from Bandstand is SO GOOD because so much art from that era romanticized the idea of a post war-life and Bandstand takes that and then contrasts it with the gut-wrenching reality that soldiers were coming home from a harrowing and traumatic experience with scars both visible and invisible and with the loss of so many others in the war. It shows how hard everyone's trying but they're just failing because the goal isn't attainable. You can't send boys to battle and expect them to come back the same. It's fair that people just wanted things to go back to normal, but that was never going to happen.

[designsforliving]

Bandstand Headcanon

Johnny loves the movies. It’s one of the few things he can remember stuff about besides music. He knows the names of a bunch of stars and remembers movie quotes. He annoys the band by constantly quoting movies. He also has the biggest crush on Gene Kelly which him and Julia both gush about and see every new movie with him in it together (also Judy Garland because Johnny is an OG friend of Dorothy).

[lonelylittledot]

literally same exact energy

[trekkiehood]

"I feel guilty because -" your Catholic. You feel guilty because your Catholic. You have such deep Catholic guilt you feel like you can't live your life happily.

[joyfulsoda]

THE EPILOGUE FOR BANDSTAND GOES OVER A SPAN OF AT LEAST FOUR YEARS? HELLO?

The beginning scene takes place a year after the events of the radio contest. We know Act One and the majority of Act Two (everything but the Epilogue) take place in 1945, so that means the Epilogue starts in '46 (see image below).

But we suddenly jump forward FOUR YEARS to not only when The Rainbow Room has opened again, but they've ALREADY PERFORMED THERE?

That's it. That's the post. The band is still together after, like, five+ years. This is fine. This didn't make me almost start crying out of happiness. (<- complete and utter sarcasm.)

The band is so happy together... Oh, they're such a found family...