High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (HSMTMTS) is a mockumentary musical drama television series on Disney+ inspired by the original High School Musical films. The series follows a group of theater students at a fictionalized East High School as they produce various stage musicals, beginning with 'High School Musical: The Musical' in its first season. Across four seasons and 38 episodes, the show delves into the characters' friendships, romantic relationships, personal identities, and family dynamics, often through the lens of preparing for their theatrical productions. Each episode runs between 26 and 61 minutes, with a holiday special also released. The series is targeted at a young adult and teenage audience.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe series is significantly LGBTQ-inclusive, featuring multiple gay and bisexual main characters whose relationships and identity journeys are central to the narrative and portrayed as normal aspects of high school life. The show's creator, Tim Federle, is openly gay.
The character Carlos (gay) develops a romantic relationship with Seb (gay) starting in Season 1, with Carlos asking Seb to the school dance in the episode 'Homecoming'. In Season 2, Carlos performs 'In A Heartbeat,' a love song for Seb, solidifying their relationship as a prominent queer storyline. Additionally, in Season 3, Ashlyn (bisexual) realizes her sexuality while at camp, developing a crush on Maddox (a queer character). Ashlyn's boyfriend, Big Red, also identifies as bisexual. The show also portrays same-sex parenting through Nini's two mothers, Carol and Dana, whose relationship is presented as a normal family unit.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe series features typical high school romantic relationships, including flirting, hugging, and kissing. While no explicit sexual acts or graphic nudity are depicted, there can be mild suggestive language and some revealing outfits.
Romantic relationships are a core element of the series, with heterosexual couples like Nini and Ricky, and gay couples like Carlos and Seb, engaging in acts of affection such as hugging and kissing. The show notes that some outfits worn by characters can be "somewhat revealing." While implied, any sexual activity remains off-screen and non-graphic.
Profanity
MediumThe show includes occasional mild curse words and instances of God's name being misused. Stronger expletives are sometimes bleeped, but the intended word is generally clear to the audience.
It is not uncommon to hear God's name misused within the dialogue of the series. Additionally, mild curse words such as "h—" (hell) and "d—n" (damn) are used. There are also instances where a more severe profanity, like the "s-word," is bleeped out, though the context makes the word obvious to viewers.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe series is free of scary or frightening content, horror elements, or jump scares. However, it does contain intense emotional drama typical of teenage life, including anxieties, romantic breakups, and family issues such as divorce.
The show presents a "grounded portrayal of teenage anxieties" and explores "heavy material" for its TV-PG audience. This includes emotionally intense storylines such as Nini and Ricky's complex romantic relationship and eventual breakup. Themes like divorce also contribute to the emotional intensity experienced by characters and, by extension, viewers.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe series features typical teenage behavior, including instances of mild disrespect, sarcasm, and challenging authority figures, particularly in the context of high school and navigating peer and adult relationships. These are generally portrayed as part of adolescent development rather than severe rebellion.
Characters may display mild disrespect or make sarcastic remarks towards teachers or other authority figures, which is consistent with the show's portrayal of realistic high school dynamics and the mockumentary format where characters express their unfiltered thoughts. For example, the drama teacher, Miss Jenn, is sometimes the subject of eye-rolls or subtle disagreements from the students, reflecting typical high schooler attitudes.
Violence
LowThe series contains minimal to no overt physical violence. Any instances are typically mild, comedic, or slapstick, consistent with a teen drama produced for a family-friendly streaming service. There is an absence of graphic violence, gore, or intense physical altercations.
The narrative of 'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' focuses on interpersonal drama, musical performances, and emotional growth among high school students, rather than physical conflict. Descriptions of the show emphasize its lack of "hyper-salacious content" found in more mature teen dramas.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThe series does not contain any themes related to witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, magic rituals, demons, spells, or explicit supernatural elements. Its genre is a mockumentary musical drama grounded in real-world high school experiences.
The show's premise revolves around a drama club putting on musicals and navigating their personal lives. There are no plots or character arcs that involve magical powers, supernatural entities, or occult practices. The focus remains on the interpersonal relationships and artistic endeavors of the high school students.
Substance Use
LowThere is no significant depiction or promotion of alcohol, illegal drug use, or smoking within the series. The narrative focuses on the challenges and joys of high school life and musical theater, without incorporating substance abuse themes.
Search results did not yield any specific examples or mentions of characters engaging in alcohol consumption, drug use, or smoking. The content reviews indicate a generally family-friendly approach to potentially mature themes, steering clear of substance use.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe series does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes or content that actively mocks or insults Christian beliefs. While it portrays diverse lifestyles and family structures, and includes some misuse of God's name (noted under profanity), it remains secular in its storytelling, without directly opposing Christian tenets.
The show's inclusivity of various identities, such as Nini having two lesbian mothers, presents a worldview that some Christian parents might find divergent from their values. However, this is presented as a normal part of life within the series' context, not as an intentional critique of Christianity. The occasional misuse of God's name, identified as a profanity concern, is not framed as a thematic attack on religion.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
12+. The series is rated TV-PG, indicating it may contain material unsuitable for younger children. While it avoids graphic content, it addresses complex themes such as divorce, romantic breakups, and LGBTQ+ identities and relationships, which may require parental guidance and discussion for viewers younger than 12.
Additional Notes
The series evolves across seasons, with LGBTQ+ representation becoming more prominent and encompassing more characters over time, including the introduction of bisexual characters Ashlyn and Big Red in Season 3. While maintaining a TV-PG rating, the show addresses various social and emotional issues relevant to contemporary teenagers, such as anxiety and divorce.
Related Reviews
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