High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is an American mockumentary musical drama television series created for Disney+ by Tim Federle, inspired by the High School Musical film series. The series is produced by Chorus Boy and Salty Pictures in association with Disney Channel, with Oliver Goldstick serving as showrunner for the first four episodes. He was succeeded by Federle for the remainder of the first season and thereafter. Set at a fictionalized version of East High School, the school at which the original movie was filmed, the series follows a group of teenage theater enthusiasts who participate in a staging of High School Musical: The Musical as their school production, among others. It also explores their lives as they navigate friendships, love, interests, identity, and family relationships.
Since its debut on Disney Channel, ABC, and Freeform as a preview simulcast on November 8, 2019,[1] High School Musical: The Musical: The Series has released 38 episodes over four seasons. The series concluded in August 2023. Kabir Akhtar was nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award in 2021 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs for the episode "Opening Night".[2]
Series overview
editEpisodes
editSeason 1 (2019–20)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Auditions" | Tamra Davis | Tim Federle | November 8, 2019[a] |
| 2 | 2 | "The Read-Through" | Tamra Davis | Oliver Goldstick | November 15, 2019 |
| 3 | 3 | "The Wonderstudies" | Tamra Davis | Zach Dodes | November 22, 2019 |
| 4 | 4 | "Blocking" | Chad Lowe | Margee Magee | November 29, 2019 |
| 5 | 5 | "Homecoming" | Joanna Kerns | Tim Federle | December 6, 2019 |
| 6 | 6 | "What Team?" | Kimberly McCullough & Joanna Kerns | Oliver Goldstick | December 13, 2019 |
| 7 | 7 | "Thanksgiving" | Kimberly McCullough | Ann Kim | December 20, 2019 |
| 8 | 8 | "The Tech Rehearsal" | Joanna Kerns | Natalia Castells-Esquivel | December 27, 2019 |
| 9 | 9 | "Opening Night" | Kabir Akhtar | Oliver Goldstick | January 3, 2020 |
| 10 | 10 | "Act Two" | Kabir Akhtar | Tim Federle | January 10, 2020 |
Season 2 (2021)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "New Year's Eve" | Kimberly McCullough | Tim Federle | May 14, 2021 |
| 12 | 2 | "Typecasting" | Kimberly McCullough | Ann Kim | May 21, 2021 |
| 13 | 3 | "Valentine's Day" | Paul Hoen | Zach Dodes | May 28, 2021 |
| 14 | 4 | "The Storm" | Paul Hoen | Ritza Bloom | June 4, 2021 |
| 15 | 5 | "The Quinceañero" | Kimberly McCullough | Emilia Serrano | June 11, 2021 |
| 16 | 6 | "Yes, And" | Kimberly McCullough | Ilana Wolpert | June 18, 2021 |
| 17 | 7 | "The Field Trip" | Paul Hoen | Carrie Rosen | June 25, 2021 |
| 18 | 8 | "Most Likely To" | Paul Hoen | Nneka Gerstle | July 2, 2021 |
| 19 | 9 | "Spring Break" | Brent Geisler | Natalia Castells-Esquivel | July 9, 2021 |
| 20 | 10 | "The Transformation" | Joanna Kerns | Jessica Leventhal | July 16, 2021 |
| 21 | 11 | "Showtime" | Joanna Kerns | Zach Dodes | July 23, 2021 |
| 22 | 12 | "Second Chances" | Kimberly McCullough & Joanna Kerns | Zach Dodes & Tim Federle | July 30, 2021 |
Season 3 (2022)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "Happy Campers" | Kimberly McCullough | Zach Dodes | July 27, 2022 |
| 24 | 2 | "Into the Unknown" | Kimberly McCullough | Ilana Wolpert | August 3, 2022 |
| 25 | 3 | "The Woman in the Woods" | Angela Tortu | Natalia Castells-Esquivel | August 10, 2022 |
| 26 | 4 | "No Drama" | Angela Tortu | Nneka Gerstle | August 17, 2022 |
| 27 | 5 | "The Real Campers of Shallow Lake" | Ann Marie Pace | Jessica Leventhal | August 24, 2022 |
| 28 | 6 | "Color War" | Christine Lakin | Chandler Turk | August 31, 2022 |
| 29 | 7 | "Camp Prom" | Kimberly McCullough | Zach Dodes | September 7, 2022 |
| 30 | 8 | "Let It Go" | Kimberly McCullough | Tim Federle | September 14, 2022 |
Season 4 (2023)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title [3] | Directed by | Written by [4] | Original release date [5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1 | "High School Musical 4" | Hisham Abed | Tim Federle | August 9, 2023 |
| 32 | 2 | "HSM v. HSM" | Kimberly McCullough | Ilana Wolpert | August 9, 2023 |
| 33 | 3 | "A Star Is Reborn" | Kimberly McCullough | Ann Kim | August 9, 2023 |
| 34 | 4 | "Trick or Treat" | Ann Marie Pace | Elisabeth Kiernan Averick | August 9, 2023 |
| 35 | 5 | "Admissions" | Ann Marie Pace | Nneka Gerstle | August 9, 2023 |
| 36 | 6 | "Trust the Process" | Kimberly McCullough | Chandler Turk | August 9, 2023 |
| 37 | 7 | "The Night of Nights" | Kimberly McCullough | Zach Dodes | August 9, 2023 |
| 38 | 8 | "Born to Be Brave" | Tim Federle | Tim Federle | August 9, 2023 |
Specials
edit| Title | Directed by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Special" | Clayton Cogswell[6] | December 14, 2019[b] | |
|
This special features archive making-of footage from the production of the original High School Musical film. Film director Kenny Ortega and cast member Corbin Bleu talk about their experience on the film and meet the cast of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Lucas Grabeel also announces his guest appearance on the series. Series creator Tim Federle discusses the song "Just For a Moment", and the cast performs at the 2019 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. | |||
| "High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special" | Tim Federle[7] | December 11, 2020 | |
|
A holiday special in which the cast performs Christmas music. A song from the second season, "Something in the Air", is featured as a preview, as well as a performance of "The Perfect Gift" by Bassett. | |||
Notes
edit- ^ a b The first episode premiered on ABC, Disney Channel and Freeform on November 8, 2019, serving as a simulcast preview before its release on Disney+ on November 12.[1]
- ^ The first special premiered on ABC Owned Television Stations, among them WTVD-TV Raleigh, KFSN-TV Fresno, and KABC-TV Los Angeles, on December 14, 2019, before its release on Disney+ on December 20.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b Pedersen, Eric (October 11, 2019). "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series First Episode To Air On ABC, Disney Channel & Freeform Ahead Of Disney+ Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 8, 2021). "DGA Awards TV Noms Include Ted Lasso, The Mandalorian, Bridgerton And Curb Your Enthusiasm Helmers". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Disney Press (Media Kit). Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ Porter, Rick (June 21, 2023). "'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' Ending With Season 4 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ a b "A Call of the Wildcats, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Special Debuts on ABC Owned TV Stations Beginning Saturday, Dec. 14, and Friday, Dec. 20, on Disney+". The Futon Critic (Press release). December 13, 2019. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (October 7, 2020). "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Holiday Special Set at Disney Plus". Variety. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2020.