100 Favorite Shows: #53 — High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
“You’re giving me uncommon depth.”
From 2006 to 2008, Disney Channel experienced unprecedented success when their High School Musical trilogy racked up the most massive fan base for a series of made-for-TV movies ever. Reviving the property had been a goal for years and when it was announced that the Magic Kingdom was developing their own streaming service, Disney Plooos, HSM was a no-brainer for the service’s November 12, 2019 launch date. The key was creator Tim Federle who, rather than reboot the franchise, treated it as a guiding light. As a result, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series quickly became a flagship original mockumentary series for the Plooos.
(You might think that you don’t care about spoilers for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, but I promise you the show is best experienced when only surprises await.)
There is a moment in the eighth episode of the first (and so far only) season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, “The Tech Rehearsal,” that finds Ricky (Joshua Bassett) and Nini (Olivia Rodrigo) alone together backstage, rehearsing lines for their high school’s musical adaptation of High School Musical. Their romance has been estranged since the outset of the season, but this is the first time that it seems like Ricky and Nini might genuinely be feeling affection for one another again. They invoke one of the most classic lines of the original trilogy when they read, “Do you remember in kindergarten how you’d meet a kid and know nothing about them, then ten seconds later you’re playing like you’re best friends, because you didn’t have to be anything but yourself?”
Ricky takes a cue from this line of dialogue to bring up the actual kindergarten experience he shared with Nini. They shed the scripts and talk to one another. It’s then when it’s revealed that Nini’s name is actually Nina. She only went by Nini because Ricky, at age five, had trouble saying the “A” vowel sound and it came out as “Nini” whenever he called her name.
Within two episodes, their romance was reignited and they were dating again, but no tearful reunion could have possibly topped that reveal. It’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life and my heart melted into a puddle and floated out of my body and down the length of the continental United States where it now fills the Gulf of Mexico with LOVE!
In different hands, this might have played out differently. For one, it could’ve been a straight retread of the HSM trilogy that would’ve included the “kindergarten” dialogue because it was iconic and, according to Disney, in need of being redone (like the death of Mufasa happening again twenty-five years after it happened the first time was somehow necessary). But not on this show, which subverts everything fans might expect about a HSM follow-up by taking it in a genuinely creative direction.
The credit here is definitely due to the show’s creator, Tim Federle. On the Scriptnotes podcast, Federle spoke about how Disney’s process for reviving the HSM property involved inviting a number of creators and artists and musicians to pitch them ideas for their take on a series using the IP of the Zac Efron/Vanessa Hudgens/Corbin Bleu/Ashley Tisdale/Kenny Ortega franchise that had become a cultural touchstone for an entire generation. He didn’t get into some of the failed pitches, but he did make it pretty clear that his take was one of the only that actually took the story in a new direction, while still holding reverence for the pillar franchise that came before it.
Federle’s premise — a group of kids at East High put on a production of High School Musical because they go to the school where the movie was filmed — is a compelling one. It invites fans back into the HSM-associated setting (allowing us to relive the idolization of Troy and Gabriella through a younger generation that feels the same way), while not feeling the need to slavishly hit all the old markers that are associated with the series. Sharpay’s legendary pink locker makes an appearance, but the Sharpay character in the show (portrayed by Joe Serafini’s Seb) hardly has anything to do, save for an abbreviated “Stick to the Status Quo” in the season finale. Ricky takes on the Troy Bolton role and Nini embraces the Gabriella Montez persona. But Ricky doesn’t play basketball and Nini is not a science guru. It was a perfect way to move forward in the realm of HSM-related storytelling. It’s honestly one of the best movie-to-television adaptations I’ve ever seen.
I know what people are likely to think. In what world does High School Musical: The Musical: The Series belong on the same list that features shows like The Wire and The Mary Tyler Moore Show? And I get it. I felt that way at first, too. I mean, I love the HSM movies, I grew up with them, and they’re filled with nostalgia, but they are also filled with some cringe-worthy moments.
Very few jokes from the original 2006 film still land and Zac Efron is profoundly over the top throughout “Bet on It” in High School Musical 2. But even though these moments brought out the cringe, they were balanced by relationships and friendships that were genuinely moving and songs I still listen to regularly today. Federle understood that and, in crafting the series, he brought this tone over perfectly. I mean, would it really be High School Musical without some cringe?
I’m thinking primarily of the moment in “Opening Night” when Big Red (Larry Saperstein) receives a pep talk about running the stage crew from his partner in flirtation, Ashlyn (Julia Lester, who also portrays drama teacher Ms. Darbus). After exchanging some brutally uncomfortable remarks of sweetness, a hug is replaced with an unbelievably forced high-five. I choked and screamed just to get through the moment that made “Scott’s Tots” look like The Dick Van Dyke Show.
The cringe is palatable, but it’s nowhere near as fun of a flaw as the running joke in HSM that the writers have a fundamental misunderstanding about how school works. For example, in “The Auditions,” Ricky watches the first HSM in class to prepare for his Troy audition. When the bell rings, he tries to eject the DVD from the computer drive, but it gets stuck on Efron singing “Start of Something New.” If you’ve never seen HSM, this is, like, the SECOND SCENE OF THE ENTIRE MOVIE! How could the bell ring to signify the end of class when Ricky was literally at, like, minute three?
Savor that moment, though, because it’s pretty much the only time these kids ever actually go to class. It might be for the best, though, because the students and teachers have no boundaries with one another. Carlos (Frankie Rodriguez) slaps the fuck out of Miss Jenn’s (Kate Reinders) face in “The Tech Rehearsal” when she passes out for unclear reasons. (Though, the shit-eating grin she has on her face in her unconscious dream sequence immediately before the slap prompted a true belly laugh from me.)
Miss Jenn is hardly innocent, though. She directly compliments the looks of a student, inadvertently sets fire to the theater room, and invites herself on a trip to the bowling alley that Nini planned with Kourtney (Dara Reneé) after she overheard them discussing it in the bathroom.
Not only does the show have a fundamental misunderstanding of boundaries, it also clearly doesn’t get how Instagram works (what kind of username is “niniukegirl”?) or how theatrical productions work. The entire show-within-a-show is an outright disaster. What with cast members changing roles on a whim, missed music cues, flubbed lines, and all. Yet, it’s still enough to have the entire crowd dancing and singing along, including the dean of a prestigious music academy who offers Nini admission based on the performance! I mean, my high school had maybe one person who could actually carry a tune and East High has about forty professional singers and dancers who probably actually belong on Broadway.
It’s a liberal yuppie’s fantasy version of a high school utopia and it probably sounds like I’m ragging on it and unfairly scrutinizing it. (I mean, the title alone tells viewers not to take things too seriously.) I promise, everything I say comes from a place of love. This show really grew on me, thanks in part to its treasured weekly release strategy in the streaming era.
Think of me like Kelly Kapoor in the Glee watch party episode of The Office, except I don’t pretend to hate HSM; I genuinely love it. I just think that part of the fun is laughing at how wildly utopian it all is. I love how self-assured everyone is (E.J. (Matt Cornett) cheating in a trivia game and then immediately confessing to maintain his purge of lies remains an all-time hilarious moment). I love how sincere and emotional it is. I love that the characters support each other and let go of their drama over the course of the show (Benjamin Mazzara (Mark St. Cyr) is better than Glee’s Sue Sylvester and I stand by that claim). It’d be tiresome to see another cynical high school series. It’s profoundly silly and stupid at times, but High School Musical: The Musical: The Series might be the most responsible comedy for kids on television since Boy Meets World. (I think it’s legitimately better than most modern Disney Channel series. Either that or I’m easily tricked by the presumed prestige of a streaming service.)
It also has the most talented group of young people assembled since probably Freaks and Geeks. But these kids can sing, too! Rodrigo and Bassett are exceptional talents and they seem destined for a massive vault into stardom with this series. But they’re just the beginning.
Cornett is a fantastic actor, Reneé has dynamic vocal range, Lester might just be the best singer in the bunch. And Sofia Wylie, who plays Gina, is an incredibly gifted dancer.
Serafini has some major pipes and killer chemistry with Rodriguez. Fortunately, Serafini has also been added as a regular (rather than recurring) cast member for season two, which has been revealed to revolve around a production of Beauty and the Beast. His increased capacity in the show will definitely be a boon. (E.J. and Ricky seem like shoo-ins for Gaston and the Beast, but maybe Serafini is best suited for Lumiere anyway.) After all, his relationship with Carlos is the most thoughtful and well-crafted LGBTQ+ depiction Disney’s released yet.
And I have to mention Big Red. Saperstein has impeccable comedic timing! At first, the show was a little awkward with its humor, but by the end, it had found its comedic voice and it was using it expertly — largely through Big Red and his dynamic with Miss Jenn. In “The Tech Rehearsal,” Miss Jenn asks Big Red if he knows how to hang a light. He replies, “I know how to hang out.” Everything’s been going wrong for this show and for Miss Jenn and you can see all of that frustration locked behind her facade of sweetness when she hesitates for a moment and replies with an exasperated, “Cool!” (Seconds later, Big Red gives Miss Jenn a jump scare that still makes me laugh just to think about.)
As much as the show made me laugh, it also made me feel immense nostalgia. That’s part of why I’ve rewatched it four times now. (Lay off me, I love it! It’s a great binge with some really enticing cold opens and some jaw-dropping last lines. I mean, E.J. with a Bolton jersey on in “Opening Night,” right? How do you not want to see what happens next? It was definitely the surprise hit of Plooos for me.)
I loved hearing Kourtney belt out an alternative rendition of “Bop to the Top.” Or seeing George Lopez’s classic Valente Rodriguez play Principal Ernie (I have no idea what the principal’s real name is, but I call him Ernie). Or watching the Christmas Day parade at Disney World and seeing this new group of kids (who relate to The Greatest Showman more than Moulin Rouge!) sing the songs we all love and the new ones that are genuine bangers. Or practically crying when Lucas Grabeel showed up for a cameo in “Role of a Lifetime” to prove that he was always the best singer at East High and to pass the torch to the next group of giddy theater kids.
Or seeing Nini audition with “Start of Something New.” And then she hits the chorus and her peers fade away and suddenly she’s not in a hoodie; she’s in a red dress. Just like Gabriella’s! And she’s belting out her notes and it’s not just a coronation — it’s also magic. It’s pure, magical, nostalgic bliss. The camera sweeps up and it’s completely Nini’s moment.
That’s not the only magical moment. The always-supportive Ricky floats to a basketball hoop, taking the series to new heights (and taking a cue from Troy Bolton’s rotating Inception hallway box). Both Kourtney and Gina get to play Taylor in the show, allowing for the series to not only have/eat its cake, but to straight up demolish the cake altogether. And then there’s Nini’s face when Ricky finally just admits he’s still in love with her. Who can’t relate to the emotions we have when our crush likes us back?
I think that’s what I ultimately loved the most about the series. Don’t get me wrong, the music is incredible, too, and I loved how authentically the cast members sang (that is to say it is not even close to being an overproduced soundtrack). “Just for a Moment” is made all the better for having been written by Rodrigo and Bassett. “Wondering” might just be the best show in the entire HSM multiverse. And “I Think I Kinda, You Know” deserves the same callback treatment that the flashlight app on the iPhone got.
Really, I love Nini and Ricky’s relationship most of all and I’m not afraid to say it. Yes, they’re extremely codependent and yes, I think there was a bit of emotional manipulation in the early goings of the show. But once they moved away from it and allowed the characters to be flawed, but truly good at heart, it soared. Everyone has their own little arc, sure. (“Is that the last apple?,” anyone?) The focus is rightly on Nini and Ricky, though. They have a few stolen glances, a la Jim and Pam, another great relationship that stemmed from the mockumentary format. Ricky sacrifices his role in the show to help Nini in a moment that left me saying, “Oh, shit!” They soak in the stillness together, they support each other, they love each other. It’s all there. And it’s there from the first episode, too.
“The Auditions” uses every exposition trick in the book to avoid feeling clunky, but the best tool for introducing fans to a lived-in world was to steadily feature important characters in the background and expand their roles over time. (Trust me, a rewatch makes it a whole new experience. The dynamics evolve so much between the characters.) Smartly, the show’s creative team also decided to introduce viewers to Ricky and Nini’s relationship before Nini and E.J.’s. No matter what, we’re always going to feel a stronger kinship for the relationship we see first and the show broke chronology to show us Ricky and Nini together. It makes every pay-off all the more worth it.
It’s not in this show’s nature to wrap things up in a wholly tidy manner, though. There are plenty of questions left for season two, but the biggest is definitely the theatrical academy that Nini was offered admission into. It parallels the greener academic pastures offered to Gabriella in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, but that was the final movie in that series. This was only season one and the characters are already prepared for bigger things.
I’m sure season two will do right by Nini and the stories and characters that have helped make this show so delightful. They’ve upped the episode count to twelve and they’ve really found their voice and identity. I have no doubt that it’s going to be a fun ride. But even if it isn’t, the first season is an underrated, perfect gem of a television story arc. Maybe I’m due for a fifth rewatch.
