The streaming service Disney+ has come out with a new show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and it’s taken St. Louis High School by storm. The show has resurged the High School Musical franchise with a new take on the popular story. The mockumentary series created by Tim Federle aired on the service Nov. 12, 2019, and published new episodes every Friday through the conclusion of the first season.

Macie Salladay shared, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was highly doubted when it first came out, but it became one of the most popular shows on Disney+. It is suspenseful and heartwarming. It also has some killer songs that everyone loves. It is definitely one of my favorite shows!”

The series is allegedly filmed at East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, which was the filming site for the original movies. The show starts when Miss Jenn gets hired as the new drama teacher with a vision for the drama club to put on its own production of High School Musical. Supposedly, the club had never previously performed the production even though they go to school at the location of the original films. It’s a unique concept that turned into a very well-written and well-received series.

Allison Onstott shared, “The show is amazing. It is one of the best shows that Disney has ever made. It is my favorite show in the entire world, and everyone should watch if they get the chance because we’re all in this together.”

The series shines a light on the ups and downs of the drama students’ complicated lives and the musical they have fully invested their busy lives in. Characters such as Nini, Ricky, Gina, and E.J. have to compete for roles, and many conflicts arise in the group. However, as the series progresses, they learn to work together and become great friends in the process.

The series also possesses many complex relationships between the drama students. Love triangles are abundant, and there’s no way of knowing what will happen in each episode. The constant misdirection and sometimes confusing interactions add to the appeal to tune in every Friday.

The show has benefited greatly from the success of the original movies with something that will appeal to almost anyone: nostalgia. Elements of the show are very reminiscent of the original movies, and that’s a primary reason the show has been so successful.

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series has received positive reviews from critics as well as fans. Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a 78 percent approval rating for the first season and IMBd gave the show a grade of 7.1/10. Audiences have generally enjoyed the series, and it’s no different for the students at SLHS.

Ellie Gager said, “It’s great that after so many years, they’re finally bringing back something that everyone loved around the early 2000s, and I like how it’s not the exact same as the original movie. It still has some elements that tie into the original movie, but [it’s] still different at the same time.”