The count down to Disney+ going live is just days away. Today’s preview of what’s coming brings the rebirth of Disney’s High School Musical. Will a new cast and revived premise prove as popular as the original? Let’s take a look.
The original High School Musical was a Disney Channel Original Movie that touched a nerve with an entire generation and spawned sequels (of course). And it set the stage for other films and even series which featured teen talent with song and dance numbers.
When Disney+ was announced, many wondered if the streaming service would offer the High School Musical films. I think it’s safe to say few foresaw a High School Musical series as the road Disney would take to expand upon the cult classic.
I was intrigued by the idea when I first heard about it. Having liked the original, I figured the series would be an expanded retelling of the Disney Channel Original Movie, but on a high school stage and over several episodes. Boy, was I wrong!
It is hard to explain exactly what this series is. It takes its cue more from mockumentaries like The Office rather than the musical genre itself. It is also part teen drama, though that is not wedged in. There is also a nostalgic feeling, similar to a 90s teen romance film.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is an updated, modern adaptation that has tones more akin to Modern Family than the Disney Channel shows you may have grown up with.
For my review, I was able to screen the first two episodes.
The first episode, “The Auditions,” introduces the plots and characters. Viewers are immediately thrown into the teen romance dilemma between Ricky and Nini, who have broken up. Ricky is a skater kid, and Nini is a budding actress. Nini is now with E.J., who is both a jock and an actor. Ricky, of course, wants to get back together with Nini and all three are going to audition for High School the Musical. The over the top drama teacher, Miss Jenn, was a background character in the Disney Channel Original Movie (though just for the purposes of this series) and has greater aspirations than the school is going to let her achieve. Gina is the rival transfer student that aspires to the lead role of the production. Carlos is the overeager student choreographer. Big Red, Ashlyn, and Kourtney round out the supporting friends of the main characters. Throughout the course of the episode, we find that the characters’ lives are more complicated than simple high school romantic entanglements.
The second episode, “The Read-Throughs,” brings in more entanglements and conflict. We find out that Ashlyn is E.J.’s cousin and though they both get along well she doesn’t always see eye to eye with his motivations or actions. The story of this episode is mostly around whether Ricky will stay in the production or not. Some of it has to do with his talent, some of it has to do with the love triangle between him, Nini, and E.J.
The episode did a great job of deepening the overall series plot by complicating sinister and friendly schemes amongst the various characters. Where “The Auditions” was very much about character biographies, “The Read-Throughs” was the introduction to what the series would be all about. It also featured a new song that was not in the original movie, with a solo from Julia Lester’s character, Ashlyn. She is playing Miss Darbus and is asked to compose a song for this production. The result is an touching ballad that is memorable and deep in meaning.
Overall, this series is a refreshing Disney show that reimagines the beloved franchise in a new way. I enjoyed the non-linear mockumentary-style more than I thought I would, and it surprised me that it was so effective for storytelling. Joshua Bassett as Ricky and Matt Cornett as E.J. have great chemistry with Olivia Rodrigo’s Nini. And they are distant from Troy Barnes and Gabriela. These are brand new characters that have a deep back story that I’m sure will unfold over the course of the series. Their performances were great and surprisingly not campy. I say surprisingly because of the original’s very stage musical presentation. Kate Reinders as Miss Jenn and Frankie Rodriguez as Carlos bring comedic flare and pay homage to the original’s Miss Darbus and Sharpay.
I became an instant fan of the series and glad that there is a second season already greenlit. The music, portrayals, and tone make this a solid streaming series. It does have some evidence of being self-irreverent, where even the title card poked a bit of fun at what this series is. However, it hooks the viewer with plot, characters, and the music is the icing on the cake. Perhaps the one warning is that if you’re looking for more of a musical this is not it. It’s a teen drama that splashes in songs, though not in a distracting way. It is a great series that is sure to become a hit in its own right.
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