High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Recap: “Valentine’s Day”
“I hope nothing changes between us ever.”
Episode three of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ second season, “Valentine’s Day,” was directed by Paul Hoen and written by Zach Dodes.
Another week at East High, another round of complete disinterest in the idea that any of these students are actually students. Don’t misinterpret me; I’m not interested in watching E.J. take the SATs or anything like that. I just think it’s funny that Ricky FaceTimes Nini in the middle of class after taking a bus ride to Denver on a school night to surprise her with a song he wrote for Valentine’s Day. Mr. Mazzara mentions offhandedly to Ms. Jenn that he’s avoiding grading midterms, but this seems implausible. None of these kids have homework!
It’s all fun, though, and it does lead to an O. Henry-esque mix-up between Ricky and Nini when they just can’t get the timing right about being spontaneous for one another on their first romantic holiday together since the previous year’s (it’s important to remember that only about four and a half months have elapsed in universe for this show, whereas it’s been in our lives for nearly twenty). Both of them lean into the ghosts of John Cusack and Ione Skye with original songs and both of them are dismayed to learn that they’ve aimed to surprise the other. That’s only in the cold open! One drama student at Nini’s Denver school tells Ricky it’s cliche to perform an “outdoor serenade.” As for Nini, she learns that Ricky and his father moved out of their home when a girl asks from her window, “What are you doing?” and Nini asks, “Who are you being?” Delightful.
Fortunately, Nini and Ricky do get their romantic moment to shine in the series’ first-ever February 14 episode with a gorgeous duet/mashup to wrap up the episode. It’s the first time I’ve felt my heart soar during season two in the ways it did during season one (multiple times). Nini’s “The Best Part” and Ricky’s “Even When” went together so smoothly that they should be quite impressed with themselves when they hear their respective voicemails. It’s like when two studios independently conceived of Deep Impact and Armageddon at the same time.
The mashup really saved what I felt was shaping up to be one of the stiffer HSM: TM: TS episodes. Some of the scenes just have this awkward tension in them now that characters are beginning to move in directions that not many high schoolers would be familiar or comfortable with. And without Nini (the star of the show who is played by the most famous pop star in the world right now), it feels like an unnatural fit so far during season two. (Again, the mashup of “The Best Part” and “Even When” earned a ton of goodwill from me, similar to how “Wondering” initially showed me this series had potential in season one.)
Of course, the show is always ahead of audiences and it proved this again with Ashlyn’s plot for the episode. She also acknowledges that she does not feel like a natural Belle and it helps the show further interrogate what its identity is with Nini removed. (How long will it last? Hopefully not too long. Usually, I want characters to be successful, but the academy also seems like an unnatural fit for Nini’s creativity.)
Ashlyn’s self-doubt and questioning also led to an actual reckoning between her and Big Red. Their relationship can only be so uncomfortable for so long before we’d start to wonder why they actually seem like a quality romantic pairing. (“Something happened in me and then I needed the restroom,” Big Red suggestively confesses to Ricky.) Fortunately, it eventually foregoes this gangly need for the two of them to make grand gestures for one another and just lets them talk through their own fears and anxieties. Considering the episode ends with the first time I can recall Big Red singing his own number, “Red Means Love” (oh boy), perhaps a newly confidence-minted relationship (that can be in person) will find new romantic heights for the series with Nini and Ricky separated.
After all, there are clear flags planted for tension in that relationship after the series made sure the threads between Ricky and Gina were not just abandoned for season two. It was an unresolved emotional arc between the two that could’ve easily been ignored without too much distaste, but I appreciate Tim Federle and the writers’ commitment to continuity on the show. They bonded over the absences of their mothers on Valentine’s Day and in general while Ricky gradually realized Nini would not be visiting him for the holiday (her mother broke her ankle).
Both Joshua Bassett and Sofia Wylie played these scenes expertly, as it was clear Ricky felt uncomfortable, but didn’t want to hurt Gina’s feelings. And it was clear that Gina still has feelings for Ricky. I couldn’t help but scream, “GINA NO!” when she received a box of chocolate on her front door and she assumed they were from Ricky and texted him to express gratitude. To be fair, he did take her advice on playing Nini a song for a voicemail. But that box of candy came from Gina’s mother, a revelation that came too late to prevent what might be the most I’ve cringed on the series so far. I hate to say it, but: been there.
While Ricky clearly did nothing wrong here, I do think there might be something to the moment when he told Gina to “shush” while he spoke to Nini on the phone and he was alone in his new home with his old flame. There shouldn’t be anything to hide here, Ricky! Aw, jeez, it’s gonna come back somehow, isn’t it? I just want these kids to be happy.
Elsewhere, the romance between Ms. Jenn and Mr. Mazzara was seemingly tabled for a bit when it was revealed that Ms. Jenn is still harboring her crush on Ricky’s father. I thought this beat was left at the singular performance of High School Musical in season one when she misinterpreted affection between Ricky’s father and his ex-wife, but I also have to think Mr. Mazzara’s knowing glances spell out a more meaningful endgame for the faculty members.
Ms. Jenn also got to demonstrate some quality stage direction during this installment. While rehearsing their new show’s title track, “Beauty and the Beast,” for the first time, she advises Kourtney that what Mrs. Potts is observing (Belle and the Beast dancing) is a “miracle,” which is a great note that eventually leads to Kourtney belting the song out on her own. She’s gonna do just fine in the footsteps of Angela Lansbury. Her solo number even tops the slowed rendition of “Bop to the Top” from season one, as the track is a perfect montage overlay for the episode that’s all about romance.
Crucially, she also sings the song over a Voice Memo-recorded piano melody from Seb. Kourtney and Seb have not had a whole lot of scenes together before, if any, so it met my expectation that Kourtney joining the drama club in full would open up new, non-Nini interactions. And they were delightful because Seb and Kourtney are delightful people! Yes, the scenes they share are doing the necessary work to build the bond between “Mrs. Potts and Chip” to pay off with earned chemistry during the show. But it’s also just great to see genuine relationships developing between the characters we love.
The second season continues to unveil the new cast members, though. Elsewhere with Kourtney, the motif of money in this season was perpetuated when Kourtney sought increased “financial independence” by becoming the assistant manager at Salt Lake Slices, the pizza place owned by Big Red’s family. (Everyone is gathering here as if it’s Central Perk. Teachers mingle with students in the evening. It’s anarchy.)
While working here, Kourtney meets one of her employees, Howie (Roman Banks), whose reluctance to accept Kourtney as his new boss leads to a series of moments that essentially serve the purpose of “Baby’s First Moneyball.” Howie takes the role of the Oakland Athletics scouts to say that he’s seen a bunch of bosses try to shake things up at Slices before eventually quitting and moving on while procedures return to normal. Kourtney is Billy Beane, though, and her version of replacing Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon is moving the banana peppers out of the way of the Parmesan cheese sifter.
Howie has his doubts about the success of this change and is more annoyed that he has to get used to a new layout. But when a customer specifically compliments the Parmesan-devoid banana peppers (I love the show, but I might call bullshit here, lol), he realizes that the new boss might actually know what she’s doing. Dara Reneé is probably the MVP of the episode.
Speaking of new characters, though, Lily’s ominous defecting to North High last week pays off here when she confronts Ms. Jenn (whom she refers to as “MJ”) about getting “passed over” for the lead in her musical. She believes it’ll be a significant part of her future biopic, perhaps in a manner akin to how no one can bring up the NBA’s MJ (Michael Jordan) without discussing the fact that he was cut from his high school basketball team. Though, I’m not sure Jordan ever mocked Dennis Rodman for falling over while tap dancing. I’m not saying it didn’t happen; I’m just saying I’m not sure.
I’ll end on this note, though. The first two episodes of the season have been rightfully obsessed with Alan Menken and all of his contributions to Disney and, specifically, Beauty and the Beast. However, this was the first episode (if I recall correctly) to mention Howard Ashman. Check out the Howard documentary while you’re on Disney Plooos rewatching “Valentine’s Day.” It’s a gem and Ashman was so, so special. There may be no Disney (as we know it) without him. And how else would we have seen this lovely episode?
Read previous recaps:
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Recap: “New Year’s Eve”
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Recap: “Typecasting”
