High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season One Early Review

If High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, has anything (other than a surplus of words in its title), it’s highschool-ness for better or for worse. The original High School Musical film series has definitely earned a dedicated fan base over the years to say the least, skewing towards younger tween audiences for whom they have rode for three feature films and so much more content. Suffice it to say that this does not change whatsoever with this new part high school melodrama, part documentary hybrid series (yes, it’s as confusing as it sounds but may or may not clear up past the two episodes that were screened for this review). As far as non-fans of the franchise are concerned, this new series will surely not convert anyone but for fans of the series or tween audiences, this may be up your alley. Anyone else, get ready for some real torture (though most will likely just avoid the series altogether).

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series focuses on a trio of students including a pair of sophomores named Nini (Olivia Rodrigo) and Ricky (Joshua Bassett) as well as a senior named EJ (Matt Cornett). The three would find themselves in a love triangle of sorts as over the course of the previous summer at theatre camp, an insecure Nini moved on from the noncommittal Ricky to the good-looking, talented, and highly-ambitious EJ. Thanks to their high school’s energetic new drama teacher Miss Jenn (Kate Reinders), a fan of musicals and a former extra in the original High School Musical, wanted to relive her glory days by suggesting that their school create their first ever theatrical production of High School Musical.

Thinking they had the roles of Gabriella and Troy in the bag, Nini and EJ would quickly be confronted by the realities of what a theatrical production would entail (it’s supposed to take place at a normal high school but don’t try to think about it too much). Their situation would soon get complicated as Ricky, a non-musical fan, chose to audition as a way to get Nini back. Expect plenty of melodrama along the way as high school life and relationship strife is hard but when the cutthroat world of musical theatre are added to the equation, things get even tougher as they had to contend with other students who were more interested in the spotlight (funny how these things find a way to come together anyway and one can only imagine how much better or worse it will get over the season’s remaining 8 episodes). There will also be plenty of references to the original film series that fans will enjoy.

The biggest problem of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (other than the title being too long) was that it was hard to care about any of it. Ultimately, the series lives or dies depending on the audience’s ability to get behind the three main characters, however unfortunately, it was simply tough to do here though younger audiences will surely have an easier time. While these young actors can definitely sing, they were for the most part far too obnoxious to get behind. The performances may have been okay but the atrocious writing certainly did not do them or the series any favors in that regard. Unsurprisingly, everything is catered to younger audiences so there will always be some type of disconnect.

In the end, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series may not hold the same luster as the original series but is sure to find an audiences nonetheless, just don’t count this reviewer as part of it.

*The first two episodes will be available Week 1 of launch*

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.