Since gaining access to all of my old favorite shows through Disney+, I have been binge-watching all of them. Literally, all of them. I decided to choose four different shows and watch them all the way through from beginning to end to see how my opinions may have changed since I’ve grown up. I thought it would be interesting to share my experiences in an article. So, please enjoy the results of this pointless, somewhat waste of time, an experiment that I had lots of fun completing.
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
The first show I watched was The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. A true classic. Obviously, Dylan and Cole Sprouse were absolutely adorable in the first few seasons. They are by far the highlight of the show. I do have to admit that at my current age, I notice a lower quality of acting in the first season. Many of the actors displayed extreme exaggeration of emotions and “singsongy” voices that took away from the dialogue. However, the acting seems to improve greatly as the actors settled into their characters and the storyline built up. It is geared towards children so many of the conflicts and jokes are cheesy or outdated, but I did have moments where I laughed pretty hard. No one will ever beat the “PRNDL” bit between London and Mr. Mosby. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this show again. It was a nostalgic time for me.
Rating: 9/10 would watch again
The Suite Life on Deck
Naturally, after watching The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, I had to follow it up with The Suite Life On Deck. By this time, the Sprouse twins have really grown into their role. Their performances were extremely entertaining and in the later seasons, they are frickin cute. Because of the maturity of the actors, the conflicts and events become much more serious and mature. However, it never loses its moments of comedic gold. I have to admit, it is one of the only performances by Debbie Ryan that I truly enjoyed. I have nothing against her as a person, I just don’t particularly love her acting, with the exception of her role on The Suite Life On Deck. One thing I would like to point out is the finale episode. They conclude the show with Zack and Cody graduating from high school along with London Tipton and the rest of their class. Let me TELL you. This episode has never and will never fail to make me BAWL MY EYES OUT. Not only are there heartbreaking moments with the twins, but there is also a scene with London and Mr. Mosby that LITERALLY kills me EVERY time. I cannot handle it. It feels like my childhood is being ripped from my arms. Besides an empty tissue box, I have no complaints about the show as a whole.
Rating: 10/10 WARNING: the last episode will hurt you
Wizards of Waverly Place
This will forever be my favorite childhood show. I love Selena Gomez. She has always been one of my role models. The attitude and sarcasm that she brings to the role pave the way for countless incredible moments of hilarious genius. So much laughing at her comments. The concept for this show is extremely intriguing, especially to my younger self. The cast is full of talented actors and the plot gets increasingly exciting and interesting as the show goes on. Though there are some minor inconsistencies with the extent and rules of the Wizard World, that doesn’t take away from the major plot of the show. Similar to The Suite Life, the conflicts mature with the actors. There is also an increase in onscreen chemistry as the show progresses. It makes the relationships between the Russo family seem much stronger and reveals their mostly unwavering loyalty for each other.
Rating: 15/10 will probably watch again tomorrow now that I’m thinking about it
Hannah Montana
Miley Cyrus’s talent is undeniable from the very first episode, and has been ever since, if we’re being completely honest. She really has an incredible voice. One thing that makes this show unique is that her onscreen father is played by her real-life father. This shines through like you would not believe in their performances. Their relationship is unmatched by any onscreen father-daughter pair. The show is definitely well done and well cast, which means the quality is quite high. One thing I will say is that the show gets increasingly dramatic in the later seasons. Like, Miley is suddenly out of nowhere just in a love triangle with Jake Ryan, her move star boyfriend at the time, and Jesse, the guitarist in her band who she barely knows. She, out of nowhere, is “in love” with both of them. I don’t think this is the best message to be sending to young people, but I turned out fine and I watched this show religiously growing up.
Rating: 9/10 would watch, but I make fun of the ridiculousness of some of the conflicts that arise