The Best Thing I Watched in 2020: Week 2
This is the second entry in a new series I’m starting in 2020, documenting the shows/films I watch each week. To see my week one post, click here.
In week two, I watched a lot of ‘Kim’s Convenience’ because I had a long trip from the East Coast to the West Coast; I was able to finish the last half of season three. It’s a delightful show! The show I want to write about, though, is Disney Plus’s launch title ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’.
When I first heard Disney was making a tv show based on the ‘High School Musical’ franchise, I was excited but hesitant. It’s pretty obvious Disney is into the nostalgia machine right now with all of its remakes of hit classics, and I hoped the new tv series would go in a more interesting route than being an empty shell of the original films. Then came the first trailer and I was instantly won over. What could’ve been just a superficial show was something much more interesting and delicious. ‘HSM:TM:TS’ is a meta take on the franchise, filmed in a mockumentary format, following students that attend the actual school the ‘High School Musical’ films were filmed at, as they put on a musical based on the first film.
When the show finally came out, not only was it good (what a relief!), it also brought back memories of ‘Glee’. The scene transitions, cast energy, and some of the humor is similar to ‘Glee’, though more PG. And I dig it. Even better, each episode features a new original song, in addition to covers of the songs from the original film.
The cast, featuring real-life teenagers, is excellent all around; there’s not a weak one in the bunch (and if I’m being honest, they’re all better actors than the original cast). Olivia Rodrigo (‘Bizaardvark’) and Joshua Bassett (‘Stuck in the Middle’) are outstanding leads, playing Nini and Ricky, recent-ex’s who both end up being casted as Gabriella and Troy in their school’s stage production of the original film. Ricky (Bassett) could’ve easily been the fuckboi character, especially when we find out early on that the two broke up because he didn’t say “I love you” back, but Bassett does a great job at portraying him empathetically. We feel for him the more we learn about his familial issues, and his arc throughout the season progresses naturally, which isn’t easy to pull off. The supporting cast includes Matt Cornett, playing Nini’s new (and lowkey sociopathic) boyfriend E.J.; Sofia Wylie (‘Andi Mack’), a talented transfer student eyeing for Nini’s lead role; Larry Saperstein as Big Red, Ricky’s best friend; Julia Lester as Ashlyn, E.J.’s cousin; Dara Reneé as Kourtney, Nini’s best friend; Frankie Rodriguez as Carlos, the production’s lead choreographer; Joe Serafini as Seb, a fellow classmate who wins the role of Sharpay; and Kate Reinders as Miss Jenn, the school’s new drama teacher.
Each of these characters have their standout moments, especially Ashlyn, who has the best new original song in the series. Carlos is a fan favorite and one of the funniest characters on the show. (Minor spoiler ahead) Plus, his blossoming relationship with Seb is cute AF and huge step towards inclusion for Supreme Leader Disney (Spoilers over). Kate Reinders is fantastic as the new drama teacher, coming off as quirky and zany without ever being annoying; she has major Kristin Chenoweth vibes (Reinders also played Glinda the Good Witch on Broadway, go figure!).
Anyway, back to the actual episodes at hand. In the second week of this year, I watched the final four episodes of the season. The final two episodes finally showcase the actual stage production of ‘High School Musical’, which the show had been building up to all season. Seeing the new characters performing iconic moments from the hit movie was a lot of fun, and I seriously got goosebumps in some parts. It’s a reminder of why we fell in love with the series in the first place - with its likable cast, catchy songs, and heart. I can’t wait for season two, which apparently will not involve the stage production of ‘High School Musical 2’ (wait, what?!).
Week 2 Watchlist:
1/12: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Season 1, Episode 7) - “Thanksgiving”
1/12: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Season 1, Episode 8) - “The Tech Rehearsal”
1/17: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Season 1, Episode 9) - “Opening Act”
1/17: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Season 1, Episode 10) - “Act Two”
1/17: Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020 (Season 1, Episode 14) - “Just a Moment, Please”
1/17: Kim’s Convenience (Season 3, Episode 8) - “To Him It May Concern”
1/17: Kim’s Convenience (Season 3, Episode 9) - “Blabber Talker”
1/17: Kim’s Convenience (Season 3, Episode 10) - “Elephant in the Room”
1/17: Kim’s Convenience (Season 3, Episode 11) - “Appanticitis”
1/17: Kim’s Convenience (Season 3, Episode 12) - “Hit n Fun”
1/17: Kim’s Convenience (Season 3, Episode 13) - “Lord of the Ring”
1/17: Chopped (Season 40, Episode 13) - “Three Cheers for Chocolate!”
