As I type this, I am feeling a lot of conflicting emotions. Another season of High School Musical: The Musical – The Series has debuted on Disney+, but it’s the show’s swan song. We only have eight episodes to savor, but each is longer than any season prior. I currently live on a cruise ship, so the viewing logistics aren’t great, yet being back with my sweet Wildcats feels like a comfort item from home.
This is all to say that I am so happy to be back at East High for a final journey with the best theater department in the world. Being at summer camp with the crew was nice and all, but there’s something different about gliding through those hallowed halls. (I’m talking about it like it’s the Biltmore. Calm down, Marshal.)
To recap, we last left the group after the debut of their summer camp documentary. Their making of Frozen became a slanderous reality pigsty, leaving the group feeling even more insecure than they started. (What a great thing to happen to a bunch of high schoolers. Good work, Corbin.) Big Red has taken a semester abroad to get away from the mess, Seb still believes Carlos cheated on him, and Kourtney…well, she is living for any semblance of fame.
Last season ended with Gina and Ricky finally kissing and kickstarting a relationship that we’ve sensed since S1E1. It was glorious and single-handedly gained Disney+ four million new subscribers. [Editor’s Note: This is not a fact.] However, the juiciest part was that the official start of the relationship didn’t make the documentary.
With that, we join Ricky pulling a Clarissa Explains It All and sneaking in through Gina’s window. The two are so cute it hurts. HSMTMTS and Heartstopper have single-handedly revitalized the dying art of “beyond adorable high school couples.” While they are madly in love, Gina proposes the idea of keeping their relationship a secret. After the Frozen documentary ruined their anonymity and their public perception, they want to take it slow. Ricky agrees and so begins an immediate wrong move. Huzzah!
First day jitters, along with residual documentary trauma, flows through the Wildcats’ bodies. They all seem excited, yet numb. It hurts to see my sweet babies like this! I only want the best for them! Who do I have to cyber bully to make them all feel better?!
Miss Jenn quickly gets together the class to announce that this year’s musical will be High School Musical 3. (Let the countdown begin until Ricky sings “Scream” whilst spinning around a hallway.) The excitement is palpable, as Gina and Ricky obviously want Troy and Gabriella. Miss Jenn clarifies that she hasn’t already cast the show in her head, but like, I can spot a lie a million miles away.
Before they have any chance to consider the show, it’s announced in the tackiest of pep rallies that HSM4 has been announced and will be filmed on campus. Dani and Mack, a semi-famous internet couple, will star much to the excitement of everyone except Miss Jenn and Ricky. Will this ruin their show? Will this ruin his relationship with Gina? Escandalo!
Mack and Dani are, how do you say…beyond insufferable. They know they are famous and deem themselves “better than” from the jump. (Please join the West High Knights and leave!) Regardless, the school is stoked. Miss Jenn calls an emergency meeting (Does anyone take a regular class? Still TBD four seasons in…) and Corbin Bleu enters with Lucas Grabeel and Monique Coleman in tow. (EEK! Taylor McKessie! The individual who provided the greatest musical line reading in the franchise!) Corbin apologizes for the documentary and asks the class to be featured extras in the new film as an apology.
Ricky remains hesitant (and rightfully so) after Gina is chosen to be a guide for Mack, while Kourtney gets to hang out with Dani. The famous duo immediately and demeaning and take advantage of the two girls, and while Gina won’t put up with it, Kourtney sees the possibility of a famous future and deals.
However, Dani and Mack’s dastardly plans are showing themselves faster than you can say “Humuhumunukunukuapua’a.” Dani wants to know everything about Ricky Bowen, while Mack immediately follows Gina on Insta after a tumultuous first meeting. If these two break up Gina and Ricky, so help me Troy…
The opening scene of the episode includes filming for HSM4, with Mack and Gina as main characters. Ricky is off to the side as a featured extra and…let’s just say he’s not taking it well. It can only get more stressful from here!
Extra Credit:
- All of this craziness and the show still gave us an all-timer with Gina and Ricky’s gorgeous duet “Maybe This Time,” which has been on repeat while I write this. Seeing them happy makes me happy, ya know?
- Miss Jenn has a new enemy in Quinn Robbins, the director of HSM4. I’ve already laughed at their ridiculous back-and-forth as Miss Jenn realizes this production is taking over the school and her ability to teach.
- Miss Jenn Quote of the Week: [crushes glass with fist] “I don’t know why I’m holding a lightbulb.”
- To keep Seb and Carlos away from each other in the season premiere is a personal attack on me and my morals.
- I remain on my pedestal that Joshua Bassett is an underrated actor and his skincare routine must be impeccable, ‘cause the guy glows.