A few years ago, a rumor went around that High School Musical would be rebooted. In the era of reboots, this wasn’t exactly surprising. However, that didn’t mean fans were happy about it. It’s safe to say that High School Musical is a cultural icon for our generation. A reboot would mean changing or altering this iconic series, which made fans both skeptical and mad.
The original plan for the reboot, a High School Musical 4, a continuation of the original series, didn’t seem appealing. A fan-made trailer that circulated around the internet a few years ago had fans excited that the original cast would return; however, that was untrue. The actual plan for High School Musical 4 was with new kids at East High. How could you watch High School Musical without the original cast? The answer is you can’t.
So, upon the announcement of the new series for Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, fans were outraged. The series wouldn’t be a continuation of the original movies, but rather a show about students at the actual East High putting on a production of High School Musical.
I was among the fans that were skeptical. I’m always open to giving reboots a shot, even though they don’t always live up to the original. Disney was sure to put out a lot of promotional content for the series leading up to its release on November 12.
As more and more content was released, I do have to say, I got more excited. What makes the show stand out is that it’s not a continuation of the original movies, but its own entity. The creators were smart in making the show a mix between Glee and High School Musical, with a dash of The Office. It’s just another music-based teen drama paying homage to High School Musical.
I watched the pilot episode when it aired on November 12, and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s not perfect, though I don’t think most pilots are perfect in any way, but it was still amazing. The writing is phenomenal. There was a perfect mixture of comedy and drama. The dialogue flowed nicely and I could feel the connections between characters already.
The style of the show is really interesting. It’s similar to a mockumentary like The Office but also a musical like Glee. You get a better feel for the characters when they’re giving their speeches to the camera. The music is amazing, and the entire cast is extremely talented. The first episode already introduces an original song sung by the two leads. I loved that the show has original music as well; it helps it stand on its own beyond the movies.
Lastly, the drama of the show is already pretty interesting. We’re introduced to a love triangle from the beginning. Unlike typical teen dramas, it’s not between a bad boy type and the best friend. There’s actual history between the characters and the tension is evident throughout the episode.
For all the High School Musical fans that are skeptical of the show, I definitely recommend you watch it. You won’t be disappointed.
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