This November, Disney is entering the streaming Wars with a Netflix style streaming service named Disney+. To get consumers excited, Disney has announced an array of original content for the streaming service, from the big-name franchises like Marvel and Star Wars and the not so big Disney Channel series. Out of the hundreds of announcements made, the series that stood out to me was the High School Musical series.
That's right, the Iconic Disney Channel trilogy, High School Musical, that ruled the late noughties is getting its very own spin-off TV show musical. Finally, we’ll get to see what happened to Troy Bolton… except we won’t. The series won’t have any of the recognisable characters from the films. In fact, this new show won’t even be set in the same world.
Buckle up Wildcats. It’s about to get real. The first trailer for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is here. Start streaming November 12 only on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/ZAKyvI5pUM— Disney+ (@disneyplus) August 24, 2019
The series will be a mockumentary of sorts, set in the school that the original films were filmed in. It’ll show students of that school staring in their own production of High School Musical added with obligatory and unrelated teen drama and a love triangle. That’s it, that is the whole show.
I can understand Disney wanting to cash in from the franchise, after all, it is still the most viewed Disney Channel movie of all time. But it's been 10 years with the first film was released, why wait so late? And why do a series that isn't really connected to the original trilogy? If you wanted to do a Riverdale meets Glee type show, I’m sure there are plenty of original ideas that could have worked better without tarnishing Kenny Ortega’s good name.
The High School Musical film series has the sort of magic that is once in a generation, it's going to be near impossible for the series to replicate. It’s like the show was set up to fail and disappoint.
If you ignore the awful 2000 fashion and the dated cellphones the film uses, High School Musical is a truly timeless story that generations to come will be able to enjoy. And that's because it focuses on an idea that anyone really can relate to no matter what time period you grew up in. Children for years to come will be able to relate to the idea of not fitting in and having to choose between your passions and your reputation.
The that really makes these films so magical and the reason they were so important to so many people growing up wasn't just because of the story or the iconic music, it was all of the unique elements that manage to come together to create this film. Most importantly though is the chemistry and the charisma the leading cast had together, they really made these films and without them, I think the story of High School Musical wouldn’t be anywhere near as popular.
These films could have easily been cringey and camp films that went nowhere, like a lot of Disney Channel films, but they became truly iconic in the lives of our generation. That's because of all the elements that somehow came together perfectly in those films and that isn't something that can be easily done again. You can't just take the name High School Musical and slap it on another musical set in a high school and expect the same results.
I'm a High School Musical superfan. I had it all the cheerleading costume, all the DVDs, I knew every word to every song, I even forced my primary school to get a cheerleading club, and of course, I had High School Musical wallpaper plastered of my bedroom. However, I think it's time to let these films go. Let them lay to rest and be remembered for their brilliance. Don't run this franchise into the ground like so many before. I'm Looking at You Grease 2.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series will be available on DIsney+ from November 12 2019.
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