If you don’t know, I’m a millennial. In fact, the original High School Musical came out when I was a freshman in high school, and High School Musical 3 was released when I was a senior. I kind of feel like I grew up with the kids at East High. So when I heard about High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, I felt super old, and I was skeptical. HSMTMTS was obviously going to be a hit. I just wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it amongst all of the remakes that seem to be taking over media.
I was wrong. I binge-watched HSMTMTS this past Saturday and fell in love with the story, the cast, and the new music.
For anyone that doesn’t know, HSMTMTS is a mockumentary-style show on Disney+ that is all about a group of kids that go to East High School, the school that High School Musical was filmed at, and them putting on a production of High School Musical: The Musical. There’s a new drama teacher that was in High School Musical. There are EJ and Nini, a couple, going for the roles of Troy and Gabriella. Ricky, Nini’s ex, decides to also audition for the role of Troy in an attempt to win Nini back. & There’s Gina, a transfer student that seems to be good at everything theater and has never been an understudy.
What I loved about HSMTMTS was the chemistry amongst the cast. Whatever magic they have, it definitely works. I think that really helps to sell the story of all the individual characters while paying tribute to the original movie. I also loved how HSMTMTS also seemed to go outside Disney’s typical comfort zone. It tackled some tough issues like divorce. It was accepting of people of color and of the LGBTQ community without making it a thing if that makes sense. It also showed that it’s okay for boys to be sensitive. HSMTMTS was so inclusive and accepting, which is very different from a lot of shows in Disney’s history.
I highly recommend watching High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, especially if you’re a fan of the original films. It was so fun to watch these new characters and to see the parallels with the original films. I feel like a lot of people didn’t like their high school years, but honestly, I really enjoyed my time in high school. & High School Musical is definitely a part of that memory. So it was nostalgic for me to watch HSMTMTS.
To my knowledge, there is no news about season 2 beyond the fact that it’s greenlit, there will be new characters, some characters got bumped to regulars, and the cliffhangers that were in the final episode. Regardless, I already know what I don’t want to see in season 2. Firstly, I don’t want to see people leaving East High. I personally didn’t enjoy Glee once the story was split between New York and McKinley High School. The episodes didn’t feel as cohesive to me, and I hope it doesn’t repeat in HSMTMTS. & Secondly, I’m hoping there won’t be any of the teen drama where everyone dates everyone. There are enough shows like that out in the world, and it’s not my favorite. Why would people do that to themselves and their friends? It just causes unnecessary drama. All I want to see is this group of theater kids just bond as friends and a make-shift family.
So have you seen season 1 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+? What were your thoughts?
