High School Musical: the Musical: the Series is a Disney Plus original based around the iconic early two thousands movie series, High School Musical. The ten-episode series focuses on teen romance, putting on a musical, and friendships that weren’t expected.

The show first aired on Disney Plus on November 8, introducing us to the characters and the main plot. The first episode starts off with the soon-to-be drama teacher at East High, Miss Jenn (Kate Reinders), watching the ending scene of the original High School Musical. Further into the episode, we are introduced to our main characters and the overarching plot.

Nini (Olivia Rodrigo) and Ricky (Joshua Bassett) are both sophomores attending East High in Utah. We soon find that Nini and Ricky have a past together—they once dated. But when Nini felt the time was right to tell Ricky that she loved him, he choked up. 

Since this time, Nini has moved on to senior E.J. (Matt Cornett). Drama rises when Ricky and Nini bump into each other on the first day back from summer vacation. From there, the drama intensifies. 

The show is based around the main characters deciding to put on High School Musical for their school production at the well known East High. When Ricky decides he wants to win Nini back, he goes out for the lead, Troy Bolton. Competition arises, and Nini has to first figure out how to deal with seeing Ricky on top of dealing with figuring out her own feelings along the way.

Each episode is roughly thirty to forty minutes long, each jam-packed with captivating dialogue and concepts. The show feels almost like a reality show, as if High School Musical: the Musical: the Series actually had happened. 

I’ll admit, it took me a while to get into the show. I thought Disney was trying to make an add on to the original three High School Musical movies and wasn’t impressed; nothing can beat the originals. Once my friends started watching it and really seemed to enjoy it, I thought I would give it a try.

Instantly, I knew that this show was going to be amazing; the character development fit the show’s persona perfectly. Each character had a distinct personality, some which you loved and others which you hated.

The show didn’t blow high school out of proportion either, which I appreciated. Everything that happened in the show could very well have happened in reality today: parents splitting up, going through difficulties to put on a musical, becoming close with a good group of friends, and finding who you are throughout high school.

Although the series was based around High School Musical, I didn’t feel like the show clung to that main idea. The plot branched off in all different directions making the show different from the movies, which I really enjoyed.

After finally getting into the show, I was almost obsessed. I couldn’t wait for the next episode to come out the following week. Now that the series is over, I already can’t wait for the next season to come out. 

The finale wrapped up the series perfectly; the acting was phenomenal, and the storyline was the best the writers had crafted so far. When the characters wrapped up their musical in the show, they also wrapped up High School Musical: the Musical: the Series, and multiple scenes succeeded in bringing tears to my eyes.

The show really touched my heart, and as a freshman in high school, I felt a great connection to the characters and the storyline. For a show I didn’t think I was going to like, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Once again, Disney didn’t fail to impress. I’m beginning to think it never will.