When searching for family entertainment, explore more than what’s about to come out. If you need something to watch with your youngster, consider the many recent TV shows made for a cross-over audience, such as the four-season run of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” (HSMTMTS). The television show made by Disney+ continues to stream on its network website.
Romance: What the Show Offers
“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” brings together an all-ages cast set in East High School. The characters include high school students, their teachers, and parents. Instead of focusing only on the kids and the theater, as the name implies, the show offers romances between high school student characters and adult characters. It deals with straight and gay couples, and the issues that arise when a teacher dates a parent of her student, and teachers date each other. TV Insider ranked the series’ top couples and two of the adult storylines made the cut.
Music: What the Show Offers
Known for its soundtracks, Disney doesn’t disappoint on HSMTMTS. The series casts actual teens with strong singing voices and musical talent, so the performances you watch ring true. Three cast members have gone on to launch their musical careers, most notably Olivia Rodrigo, who reduced her role on the show to tour, in support of her album. Joshua Bassett and Joe Serafini each released their debut record in 2024. Expect to hear a blend of show tunes and original compositions, according to Apple Music. The series features songs written by Rodrigo and Bassett.
Personal Growth: What the Show Offers
Series creator Tim Federle wrote the series to examine the realities of high school theater nerds, a category to which he says he belonged. Although it offers many lighthearted moments of music and dance, HSMTMTS also examines the personal growth that teens undergo during high school. During the four seasons of the show, teens deal with parental divorce, parents dating, their first relationships, first kisses, rejection, acceptance, grades, coming out as gay, and much more. By dealing with genuine issues, the series offers more than a weekly Broadway retrospective.
Why Watch It Together
Entertainment rarely offers a show that appeals to many age groups. In HSMTMTS, Disney+ provides a crossover show that includes storylines for teens and adults. By offering this appeal, parents and children can enjoy watching it. The show artfully deals with themes that every teen faces, so it provides a safe opportunity for children and parents to discuss what they watched openly, but in the context of fictional characters. Leveraging this opportunity can provide parents and children with a way to broach tough topics and work through issues.
