High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Summary

Pod Meets World – "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" (April 7, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this episode of Pod Meets World, Danielle, Will, and Rider return to school – but not as themselves. They're joined by Sabrina (Sabrina Bryan of The Cheetah Girls) to deep-dive into Disney Channel’s "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." The conversation is a mix of personal high school experiences, nostalgia for Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs), in-depth critique of HSM3, and loving appreciation for Kenny Ortega’s work. The hosts offer scene-by-scene recaps, behind-the-scenes trivia, personal anecdotes, and their trademark humor, wrapping up with a thoughtful but honestly fan-minded review.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. High School Memories & Context (00:34–06:39)

• Personal Senior Year Reflections

  • Sabrina recalls balancing high school with her rising entertainment career: “All of the work that I had done leading up to that senior year was like... I had to actually miss part of my national competition because I was filming Bold and the Beautiful.” (00:48)
  • Will’s senior year coincided with the start of Boy Meets World, meaning he missed almost all of it—happily, as he “hated high school.” (02:10)
  • Both discuss the unique experience of combining "regular" school and burgeoning showbiz careers.

• The Power of Being Involved in School Communities

  • Sabrina discusses how joining the song team changed her feelings about school: “It got me involved in the school, which I think is so huge when... you just go to school, it’s a job, you get it done, you leave.” (02:27–02:58)

• Small Town vs. Big School Dynamics

  • Will notes the static nature of social groups across years in a tiny school, while Sabrina compares this to larger, more blended schools in California.

2. Setting Up High School Musical 3 (06:39–14:27)

• Production & Franchise Background

  • HSM3 was shot in Utah, got a significant tax break, and was uniquely released theatrically—the first in the series.
  • The movie had a $30 million budget and made $252.9 million globally.
  • HSM3 was originally planned as "Haunted High School Musical" with a Halloween theme before reverting to its "senior year tribute" concept. Hosts agree: the “swan song” approach to fans was the right move.

• Notable Franchise Lore

  • Vanessa Hudgens’ casting drama: Will addresses the rumor Sabrina or Adrienne Bailon might have replaced her—Sabrina flatly says, “absolutely not true.” (12:00)
  • Reality show tie-in: “High School Musical: Get in the Picture” was meant to add star power to the film, but the winner’s impact was negligible.

• Legacy

  • Spin-offs, school musicals, the Sharpay movie, and Olivia Rodrigo’s eventual breakout via the franchise’s Disney+ series are all discussed.

3. Cast, Crew and Choreography (14:27–26:46)

• Kenny Ortega Praise

  • Ortega’s legendary direction and choreography are lauded: “His is more of an old school... musical vibe. There’s so much of like, ‘oh my God, this man is like, I just want to be a part of his brain.’” – Sabrina (18:28)
  • The hosts recall interviewing him (“mind-blowing... could not be a nicer human being.”)

• Cast Highlights & Updates

  • Zac Efron (“recently focused on comedies... and Iron Claw”), Vanessa Hudgens (“massive breakout... now married”), Ashley Tisdale (“scene-stealer”), Lucas Grabeel (Ryan), Corbin Bleu (Chad), and new faces like Gemma Mackenzie Brown (Tiara Gold).
  • Noted: Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay is “it,” stealing every scene with “star power you just can’t teach.” (43:11)
  • Bart Johnson (Coach Bolton) gets repeated shout-outs and has a dedicated HSM podcast.

4. The Movie: Recap & Critique (29:26–74:00+)

Opening & Tone Setting (Basketball Game) (29:26–34:44)

• The film's first big number, "Now or Never," is cheesy, kinetic, and iconic. Both crack up at Gabriella appearing magically in the stands.

Key Musical Numbers & Moments

• “Right Here, Right Now” (37:39–39:12)

  • Treehouse duet; hosts found it the least memorable of Troy and Gabriella’s ballads.
  • “I don’t remember the song at all... too busy throwing shade at the treehouse.” – Sabrina (38:41)

• Sharpay & Ryan’s “I Want It All” (41:10–44:46)

  • Hosts agree: the theater fantasy number in the cafeteria is a highlight.
  • “Big dance number... stole the movie for me.” – Will (42:14)
  • “Ryan... four steps up from before. Wonderful.” – Sabrina

• Troy & Gabriella’s “Can I Have This Dance” (46:32–49:01)

  • Hosts gush over choreography: “They look like they’ve been dance partners for years.” – Sabrina (46:38)

• Prom Number: “A Night to Remember” (53:41–55:37)

  • A creative Broadway-style number. Hosts love how it blurs reality and "in-movie musical” layers.

• Boys’ Junkyard Performance: “The Boys Are Back” (58:20–61:09)

  • “Kenny Ortega at his finest.” – Sabrina. Both love the Newsies-style staging and choreography, despite (or because of) the cheese.

• Troy’s Solo “Scream” (66:14–68:48)

  • Noted for intricate choreography with basketballs and rotating sets; “Zac committed to this, and it worked.” – Sabrina

Plot, Humor, and Logic Gaps

• Some storylines (Troy’s “do I like performing?”, the treehouse) are needlessly repeated or implausible—especially Gabriella’s sudden house sale and departure: “This is not how real estate works!” – Will (63:48, 64:11)
• Repeated jokes about the rapid-fire and excessive number of songs (many ballads blend together).

Supporting Character Arcs

• Rocket Man and Tiara Gold are recognized as obvious attempts to seed next-generation spinoffs.
• Ryan and Kelsey’s interactions are highlighted as understated, fun, and deserving of more.

Favorite and Standout Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote or Moment | |-----------|---------|-------------------------| | 33:08 | Will | “She pops through the thing and it’s like... yes, we are back in the High School Musical world. It is the cheesiest, most ridiculous, awful. I love this moment.” | | 46:38 | Sabrina | “They look like they’ve been dance partners for years... Vanessa’s footwork was unreal.” (on “Can I Have This Dance”) | | 58:26 | Sabrina | “I loved it. I’m not afraid to say it.” | 43:11 | Will | “She (Ashley Tisdale) has it. She just does. The second she comes on screen... your eyes are on her the whole time.” |

• The final “curtain call” style ending, breaking the fourth wall to say goodbye, gave closure: “The energy of it... they look like they were having the time of their lives... a really amazing way to wrap up this franchise.” – Sabrina (79:00–80:17)

5. Reception, Realism & Meta Discussion

• Fan vs. Outsider Lens

  • The hosts make clear: this film is “for fans,” unapologetically. The commitment to cheese is its strength.

• Inclusivity

  • There’s humor over how sanitized the world is—e.g., no "prom night" drama, as it’s a DCOM-fantasy.

• Critical Reception Touchstone

  • Rotten Tomatoes 65%. “It won’t win many converts, but it’s bright, energetic, and well-crafted and a nice closure for the series.” – Will (14:27)

6. Reviews & Ratings

• One-Star Review: Skewers the movie’s “lack of originality” and “dreadful dialogue”—met with dismissive laughter from hosts. (81:17)
• Five-Star Review: “You losers. What were you expecting—Miss Saigon?” (82:39) – hosts agree; context is everything for this movie.

Hosts’ Ratings (1–10 Back-to-Back Bro Moments)

• Sabrina: 9.5/10 “It gave me every single thing that I needed... so great, so feelgood... too long, yes, but I loved it.” (98:23)
• Will: 9/10 “If you walk in as a 50-year-old man, it’s cheesy... But as a fan, it hits on all cylinders... you’re toe-tapping along, standing up and clapping while laughing at the really cheesy moments… As a High School Musical fan, this is what you want.” (99:22–100:22)

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Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• 00:48 – Sabrina on her senior year:
  “It was just… very memorable… living the dream… and then kind of letdown after letdown. Then the Cheetah Girls audition came, and… the ball started rolling.”

• 12:00 – Sabrina debunks rumors:
  “No. That is absolutely not true.” (on being considered as Hudgens’ replacement)

• 18:28 – Sabrina on Kenny Ortega:
  “There’s so much of like, ‘oh my God, this man is like, I just want to be a part of his brain.’”

• 43:11 – Will on Ashley Tisdale:
  “She just does... There could be 500 other people on the screen. Your eyes are on her the whole time. She’s phenomenal.”

• 58:28 – “The Boys Are Back”:
  “I watched it three times. It was so good. This was Kenny Ortega...” – Sabrina

• 68:33 – Will on angsty Troy:
  “Such fan service. You need an angsty Troy by himself... you need a Gabriella, you know, song about just a ballad sob fest. You also need an angry Troy.”

• 80:01 – Sabrina on the finale:
  “What I loved… was the actors celebrating this brand… so grateful for everything that this brand brought them… a really amazing way to wrap up this franchise.”

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Segment Timestamps Guide

• 00:34–06:39: Hosts’ high school memories & blending with being child stars.
• 06:39–14:27: HSM3 production & franchise background; Vanessa Hudgens rumors.
• 14:27–26:46: Cast, crew & behind-the-scenes insights; Kenny Ortega praise.
• 29:26–74:00: Scene-by-scene recap, major music numbers, and critique.
• 81:17–84:00: One-star/five-star reviews, meta talk.
• 96:16–100:22: Ratings & final thoughts.

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Structure Recap: Episode Flow

1. Hosts’ personal high school stories and feelings about senior year.
2. Trivia and HSM3 pre-production realities.
3. Love and admiration for the unique magic of Kenny Ortega & the cast.
4. Detailed scene-by-scene and number-by-number recap, with plot holes and favorite moments highlighted.
5. Audience/fan perspective vs. critical lens—why this movie truly belongs to its fans.
6. Quirky reviews and final “Back-to-back Bro” rating.

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Final Takeaway

This episode is equal parts joyful nostalgia, sharp-eyed critique, and loving sendoff for High School Musical as a franchise. The hosts make it clear: HSM3 delivers a cheesy, celebratory, overlong, but absolutely satisfying finale—if you’re willing to, as they put it, "get in or get out." If you love Disney Channel musicals, teen cheese, or behind-the-scenes stories, this is a must-listen breakdown—the movie, and the episode, are love letters to being young, uncertain, and all in this together.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Sabrina, do you remember your senior year in high school?

[A]

Oh, like, every single aspect.

[B]

Oh, my God. So it was great then.

[A]

Amazing. Amazing.

[B]

You're one of those. You're one of those. You're one of those people who loved high school.

[A]

You know what, though? What was awesome was for me, the. That was right before I booked the Cheetah Girls that year. I booked. I was working so much too, so. And like, living the dream of being, like, in. In high school on the song team. Like, I mean, really was going, I can do it all. Like, I am doing high school and regular stuff and I'm having, like, a career. Cause I also had, like three pilots. And although none of those got picked up, like, it was still like, I just was constantly working and things were just. It felt like all of the work that I had done leading up to that senior year was like an ability of like, you know, like, I had to actually miss part of my national competition because I was filming Bold and the Beautiful. And like, it was just. It was just like, very memorable for me because it was like, big. And then it was like kind of letdown after letdown. You know, you do politely doesn't get picked up. Then the Cheetah Girls audition came, and I auditioned for all of the roles and then kind of didn't hear anything. Cause they were auditioning so many. And then towards the end of that summer is when the ball started rolling and the Cheetah Girls happened. So I had a really.

[B]

Yeah, that was a big summer for.

[A]

It's like a really reflective year for me. You know, it was like. It was. It's very cool to think of. What about you? How was your senior year? Were.

[B]

You know what's funny?

[A]

Because, you know, I know you didn't have a prom.

[B]

No, it's kind of exactly the same thing you said. Where my first year of Boy Meets World was, was my senior year, okay? So I missed 90% of my senior year. And thank God, because I hated high school. I hated everything about it. Hated everything about it.

[A]

I came home my freshman year crying almost every day because I wanted to be auditioning more. And all my friends that were doing homeschool were getting all these big jobs and these big opportunities, and I felt like I was missing it because I just couldn't get out of school as much as they could. And you Know, they were doing homeschool. And it wasn't until I found the song team, the dance team that I ended up being on my sophomore year that I was interested in high school at all. And then that changed the game. Cause it got me involved in the school, which I think is so huge when you're kind of just a. Kind of a commuter kid, you know, like you just go to school, it's a job, you get it done, you leave. It doesn't have that same effect on like being a part of, you know, what the school is like a big community and like working towards, you know, all the high school memories. It's. It's definitely a different experience.

[B]

Yeah. We didn't have a song team for

[A]

you to try out for.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Because you would have been casted, that's for sure.

[B]

Cheerleaders. In our whole school, nobody went to the sporting event.

[A]

Small school.

[B]

Yeah. There was like 450 kids in my whole school.

[A]

Oh, see. Yeah, that's My graduation took 45 minutes.

[B]

It was 80 kids. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

No, we were known for. We were really, really good. Our school was actually. We like repeatingly the state champs in soccer and wrestling. We were, we were very good. Wrestling team.

[A]

So were the soccer games like big at all? But still people didn't go and support.

[B]

Nobody went to those. Nobody went. I think I went to one dance one time and there's nobody there. Like nobody went and did any of that stuff.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And these are also. When you're from a very small town, especially like where I am usually a bunch of little small towns get together and all filter their kids into one school. We, we were just from our small town in Connecticut. But the kids you graduated in high school with were the. The same 45, 80 kids, whatever you'd known since the second grade, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it was like if you had beef in third grade, it was still there by far.

[A]

It was still very relevant. As you're graduating high school, you're flipping each.

[B]

You guys didn't like each other when you were 12, you didn't like each other when you were 18. So that's tough.

[A]

That's a good point. Because my school was like, when you got to junior high, it was a few elementary schools that joined together to make the junior high. And then high school was like three or four junior highs that made the high school. So if that happened, like if you had a falling out or just became different from the school, the kids that you grew up in, like elementary school, just. Cause that's what's life. Yeah, you couldn't. And you could kind of find another group of friends from, like, just your homeroom. You know what I mean? That you meet who sits in the desk next to you, and then that

[B]

takes off you California kids. Every time I drive by a school out here and I see kids walking outside to go to class, I'm like, ugh. We had one big building because it's like snow and weather. And so my wife, whenever I talk to Susan about that, and she went to school in Mission Viejo, she's like, yeah. And then you walk outside, you sit on the quad, and eat your thing.

[A]

I'm like, oh, my God.

[B]

We were. We literally. A friend of mine got a detention for taking an apple out of the cafeteria and eating it in the hallway. Wow. Yeah. So that's very true.

[A]

However, on the flip side, for the very few days that it rains, like, all hell breaks loose because, like, where are you gonna eat lunch? Exactly. And you just. You feel like you're sopping wet because you had to walk through the rain. And now you're like, with your food, and then you're, like, sitting in a hallway where there's nowhere to sit, and

[B]

you're, oh, yeah, poor, poor California kids.

[A]

That's true. That's the opposite of it. Like, where do we go? There's no seating inside to eat. You're literally sitting.

[B]

We would wake up in the morning with 7 inches of snow on the ground, and they delay the school by a half an hour.

[A]

So if it gets delayed, does it get extended?

[B]

No, it's just a short. A shorter school day. You almost want delay more than you want cancellation. Because if you get a cancellation, they tack it on to the end of the year.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So there's times it's like if you had a seriously bad winter, it's like July something by the time you get out of school. Yeah. So it's. It wasn't good anyway. You know what is good is breaking into random song in the middle of high school, which my friends and I used to do all the time, which is what this movie's about. I brought it right back. There we go. Welcome back to Magical Rewind, the show that makes you want to grab your friends, your PJs and your popcorn and go back to a time when all the houses are smart, the wave tsunamis, and the room spin around while you try to sing Troy Bolton. Yes. The high schools are musical. Senior year. Yes. Old man, we're back.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So class is back in session and graduation's here. We are recapping the third film in the massive Disney trilogy. But if the recent rumors are true, maybe it's not the last. I want to call it High School Musical 4 after the apocalypse. It's the remaining members that are still alive.

[A]

I haven't even heard about.

[B]

Well, Zach, Zac Efron has said in interviews, a number of them have said in interviews, which is always how it starts, they would be, quote, unquote, open to another doing another one. Wow. So, I mean, when you start hearing that and then the, you know, people like our producers start buzzing and camping outside people's house never know what's going to happen. So, yes, this is 2008, High School Musical 3, senior year. This time it's Personal Times 3. The threequel theatrically, try saying that. Debuted in the US on October 24, 2008. That's right. A rare theater decom and the first High School Musical to be released this way. But if you're going to do anything for the channel, this was the risk to take. I mean, this is the movie. To say this movie was highly anticipated would be a wild understatement. It would gross $90.5 million in the first three days, setting a new record for the largest opening weekend for a musical ever. That record eventually be broken in 2012. Can you guess what movie?

[A]

No. Chicago.

[B]

I don't speak German, but I think it's called Less Miserables. It's actually French. Les Mis. Les Mis is the one that beat it.

[A]

Wow. Okay. Wow. Gee. I mean, to go against iconic Les Mis.

[B]

Yeah, to go against Les Mis. Exactly. It's like, you know, what? Beat Zombies to Phantom of the Opera. Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

Yeah. It's crazy. Okay, so wait for these numbers, because when all was said and done, High School Musical 3, or HSM3, grossed $252.9 million worldwide, which is a staggering number for any type of movie at this time. High School Musical 2 may have set the record for the most viewers on the channel, a record that will hold until the end of time. But the third film really upped the ante and showed that the franchise was a brand all on its own. And when it did eventually premiere on the Disney Channel, the first showing still brought in 4 million viewers. Crazy. Yeah. Production once again returned to Utah to film over 41 days, especially after the state gave Disney a 2 million dollar tax break, which was the largest they'd ever given to a movie. They used familiar locations that we love to see. It was like being back in school. I shudder. Like East High School and the Murray High School and would film some pickup shots back home in Los Angeles. It should come as absolutely no surprise that the third film started prepping the day after High School Musical's massive premiere. Especially since, in perfect Disney fashion, a all of the stars were signed to complete a trilogy. But that didn't stop some rumblings about pay. And if you're making $250 million in the movie, rightfully so. Efron apparently was still offered $3 million to star in senior year, but was allegedly asking for 5 million behind the scenes. And the same thing happened to you in Cheetah Girls 3, right? 15, $20 million each. Exactly. That's not how it worked. Now, you might be asking, why did High School Musical 3 premiere during Halloween week? And I would say, hey, good question.

[A]

Great question.

[B]

Yep. Well, the movie was originally titled Haunted High School Musical and was going to be a spooky themed kind of musical thing, but that idea was tossed out for a more traditional approach to close out the series. Sabrina, would you have liked to see a Halloween school musical? No, no, no.

[A]

Unless. I mean, unless they're going for. And this was for the fans, let's be honest. The third movie was for the fans. And if they were gonna go for like a little like an actual dcom, not that was gonna be in the theater. Right. And they were gonna do kind of like a fun version and it was gonna actually be an entire, like, mystery and, you know, whatever. Maybe I could go for it. It makes sense, but I don't know. You know what? I see that as this was supposed to be.

[B]

I honestly see something like Halloween High School Musical as being the movie that comes between 2 and 3 and stars like Sharpay and a couple of the offshoots.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And you do that for kind. That would be. That would have been the way to

[A]

do it, but not with this one.

[B]

Trick or treating together. That could have worked. Come on.

[A]

Trick or treat.

[B]

See, you're already writing the lyrics.

[A]

No. Yeah, no, but this. That's not what this third movie was. This third movie was a.

[B]

This was a swan song to the

[A]

fans, honoring the fans 100%. How much they loved these characters, the storylines, the relationships and everything. Kenny Ortega.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

Which I am right there with them on that.

[B]

Also, I'm betting most of our audience forgot this, but Vanessa Hudgens future at the channel was in a little bit of limbo after the second film when racy photographs of her appeared online. But she obviously ended up in the film and Disney would eventually release a statement Saying they hope Vanessa, quote, learned a valuable lesson, which any kid hears that and it sounds like they weren't mad. They were disappointed, which is even worse. When Daddy Disney's disappointed, it's like, Daddy Disney. Yikes. Now we can finally clear this rumor up. I hope. Okay. Magazine at the time reported that the studio was contemplating replacing Hudgens with, well, Adrian Bailon or Sabrina Bryan from the Cheetah Girls. Now, did you know of this, Sabrina?

[A]

No. That is absolutely not true.

[B]

I will bet you at some level they were throwing other names around. It's Disney. So. Throwing other names around to maybe bring in a new character or do something. So this was a valid rumor and you never heard this rumor because other

[A]

people have Jensen just, like, wrangled up?

[B]

Nope.

[A]

I mean, I not going to lie. Not that I would think that I would. Do you know that I would ever want to replace Vanessa because she is this brand. But it would have been very cool to be a part of this franchise and for me, work with Kenny Ortega again. You give me that opportunity, and I'm jumping on it. But.

[B]

But you never heard this.

[A]

No. And I. I mean, I was so close with Adrian during this time, too. There was no. This was not something that.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Was thrown around.

[B]

Okay, fair enough. Well, there we go. Rumor dismissed. And you know that Disney was serious about this movie because High School Musical had a budget of $30 million. That's 2008 money. So that's $80 trillion now, which was a huge sum considering it doesn't have dragons or zombies in it. Also worth noting, a reality competition show called High School Musical, get in the Picture, had also aired on ABC in July, and it created a nationwide talent search to win a record contract with Disney. Plus, their original song would be heard during the end credits of High School Musical 3. It was hosted by Nick Lachey. And the winner was someone named Stan Carizoza, who, you know, of course, went on to win 14 Grammy awards. I'm kidding. I have no idea where he is now. Plus, kids all over the country are now performing High School Musical in a new format in their high schools. It's been licensed and sold as a school musical for years, and it is a very popular pick. Obvious to see why that, you know, also makes sense, because, well, musically, let's talk about the soundtrack, which sold just under 300,000 copies in its first week, eventually selling 1.3 million copies in total in the US and 3.5 million worldwide, which, ironically, is 3.7 million more than my album we've talked about this before, but even though this was the last official film of the trilogy, it went on to be one of the company's biggest franchises. And a spinoff starring Ashley Tisdale, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure was released direct to video in 2011. And a mockumentary TV show debuted nine years after High School Musical the the series, which is one of the greatest titles ever on Disney. And that series gave the world Olivia Rodrigo.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

It gave us all driver's licenses and credit where credit is due. The third film got mixed to positive reviews from critics, and in my opinion, that's kind of a win for a Disney movie. The overall consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, where it lingers around 65, is that it won't win many converts, but it's bright, energetic and well crafted and a nice closure for the series. And as Sabrina, you said, it is truly a swan song to the fans. Yes and yes. For years and years and years, a High School Musical 4 has been rumored. And even Zac Efron recently sang he'd be interested, but it's just that, a rumor for now. I even leaned into the microphone for that. By the way, I'm debating who I want to play. I'm not sure yet. I think I want to play Sharpay, but I don't know. So you obviously knew about High School Musical 3 coming into the week. We both did. Were you excited to watch it? Had you watched it before? Did you know this going in? What happened?

[A]

This is when, like I said, I had never really seen the second one, but I remember because it was playing on the channel. You would see things, you know, around us so much. I knew that it happened around a pool, all that kind of stuff. This one I. The only thing I know is, was from the title, that it was around their senior year. Had no idea, didn't know if they'd be back in the, you know, the high school, didn't know if they were going to all be taking a Euro trip. Like, I had no idea. No idea. So I was excited to see where they were going to take it and, you know, see how it was going to. Knowing it was on such a. Going to be such a bigger scale than what we had seen this far. I was excited to see what Kenny Ortega had in the works for us.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What about you?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I obviously knew about this movie and it was, you know, it's one of those things where high school, a couple of these dcoms broke the mold and just became the lexicon, became, you know, in. In the zeitgeist. Of the World and High School Musical is obviously one of them. So of course I knew there was a High School Musical 3. Didn't know anything about it other than it was senior year, but of course I knew it was there. Yeah, a big shocker here, by the way. High School Musical 3 and everything to do with the franchise is currently available to stream on Disney. You can start it now or you can start it after hearing us six and one half dozen of another or a dozen of one. Six plus six is 12 of 12 plus six is 18. And that's when you can vote. So can I get a dozen? Everything? Bagels toasted with cream cheese. Listen, I don't know. It's on you.

[A]

It's going on.

[B]

That's a great question. It's a great question, one that I will never answer.

[A]

Mecca, are we in? Great question.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know, but we can vote. Now climb into your treehouse and contemplate the future, because here comes the synopsis. Troy and Gabriella face the reality of graduation as they struggle with whether to stay together or pursue separate futures. All while the Wildcats channel their emotion into a spring musical that captures their fears and dreams about life after high school. Sabrina, let's get right into it. Early thoughts. What'd you think of High School Musical 3?

[A]

Man, I. Okay, okay.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

Here's the thing. I thought some of these songs were some of my favorite songs of the franchise.

[B]

Wow. Okay.

[A]

Which I get you, Head in the Game, I thought was gonna always be my one and only fave. But, you know, there were some. The musical elements and aspects of this. Once again, the whole time, I just had a big smile on my face when they were doing. When they jumped into the musical aspect, because Kenny Ortega, that he just knows how to freaking do this and not do it. Like, his is different. His is more of an old school. What he did with this was more of an Old School Musical vibe. Like, in the sense of this was like, there was so many. But that was also sort of the only thing that jarred me a little bit. We were in song and dance too many. So many times.

[B]

I agree with you.

[A]

And I didn't think it needed it because we weren't on a stage. We weren't really on a stage. Right. However, when he does jump into that element of the things I love him for, like Newsies, the visuals, there's just so much of like, oh, my God, this man is like, I just want to be a part of his brain. So that outweighed. But There were moments where I was like, holy. We just finished a ballad and we're on another one. Yep, that's. That was. That, I will say, is the God honest truth for me and I, you know, and we'll. We'll talk through it and maybe I'll feel a little bit better once we get through it. Or I have a feeling, Will, you're gonna make me feel worse about it.

[B]

No, no, no.

[A]

How about you? How about you?

[B]

Okay, so here's the thing. If you're in on High School Musical, if you're in for the Love Story, if you're in for the Cheese Factor, if you're in for the back to back facing the camera kind of, we're awesome. If you're in for that. You loved this.

[A]

This is it, then this is it.

[B]

It's the pinnacle of what you could possibly have. So I had to be in. It's High School Musical. If you're in, you're in. So in that sense, it's taking the cheesiness that is High School Musical and heightening it even more. Some bangers in. In this movie, there's some great songs that get completely and totally muddled by the 62 other songs that are in this.

[A]

That's what I was. That is it. That's right on the nail.

[B]

We will, we will. We'll get into it when we get into the length of this movie. This movie was way too long and there was way too many songs.

[A]

Did you check the time before you started? No, because I checked the time because I was limited on the time that I had. And I went, oh, my God, I'm so glad I started right now because I was thinking somewhere around 90 minutes.

[B]

No, no.

[A]

Shock and awe. Shock and awe, yeah. And I feel like had we cut some of these routines out, we'd be a lot closer to what we needed to be for the time being.

[B]

I agree with you 1000%. Now, that being said, having worked with you long enough and kind of being able to get. Understand a little more of what goes into the dance sequences and stuff, because you're kind of. Look at this, look at this. Seeing things. Like the one. One thing that amazes me now because you have me, it's like me with you when you're going, like, the rules

[A]

now, all I see is, yes, totally.

[B]

So with you kind of explaining things to me, I'm seeing, like, the levels where it's. This is happening on the floor while this is happening in the catwalk. And this is. So I'm kind of watching the stuff that the genius that is Kenny Ortega is doing with these things, and those things are incredible. I'm so watching these big dance numbers and especially the big ones in that we talked about high school and the idea of being in that Murray High cafeteria where it's the multiple level high school cafeteria, using that as a dance floor, all that stuff is obviously phenomenal. But I remember maybe two songs and I like the two songs that I remember, but it was like the entire every. I was like you. I was like, wait, they're not. They're pausing.

[A]

They're not.

[B]

They're not actually going into another song, are they? Are they going into another song? So that threw me a bit. Overall, though, if you're in on High School Musical, you know, it was great for fans. I can see this is exactly what the. It was like. A bunch of fans who knew how to sing and dance got together and Kenny went, what do you.

[A]

What do you want me to do? What do you want?

[B]

What do you want me to do for you? Yeah, what do you want me. And they all went, I want Troy to do this and I want Gabriella do this. And for some reason I want there to be a treehouse and I want there to do this, and then I want a basketball thing and I want the guys. And it's like, okay, let's do it.

[A]

I know. And you know what that is like after. I hope you feel, get that feeling from the interview that we did with him that he is such a. He's so grateful for when people understand like, and love his work, that, like people loving this brand and this franchise that he molded. That is actually, I can see and hear him as he's going through the script and going, no, we need to do this. The fans want this. Like, I, I swear it gives me chills. Just because he's such like that man, like and that grateful for what they've given him. They got it and he wants to give them everything that they want. So.

[B]

Yeah. Well, speaking of that, when you think of High School Musical, your second thought could easily be the director. Of course, we're talking about the legendary Ko himself, Kenny Ortega, former guest on this very podcast. Ortega is a first ballot Disney hall of Famer, literally, who began his career as a choreographer for Michael Jackson, Olivia Newton John and Madonna. Three people even I've heard of. He turned that into working on cult movies like Xanadu and other memorable dance sequences in films like Pretty in Pink and Dirty Dancing. Then when he linked up with Disney, well, history was made as he transitioned into directing with, I mean, come on, Newsies, Hocus pocus, Cheetah Girls 2, High School Musical, and now he's in charge of the Descendants franchise. So he is a legend and couldn't be a nicer human being. Seriously, go back and listen to our interview with him. He's great and his stories, man, did he.

[A]

Mind blowing.

[B]

Did he like me a lot. But oh God, does he love you, Sabrina. And it is so funny to watch. And it stars Zac Efron as Troy Bolton. A relatively unknown before these movies, Efron has recently focused mostly on comedies like 17 Again, Neighbors and Ricky Stanicky, I think is what it is. Never saw that. Also showing off his acting chops in the wrestling biopic Iron Claw. Vanessa Hudges plays Gabrielle Montes, another unknown. She had a massive breakout with these films and would become not only the spokesperson for companies like Neutrogena, she appeared in movies like Spring breakers and Bad Boys Ride or Die. Her and Efron would become one of the generation's favorite celebrity couples. But she since married retired baseball player Cole Tucker, who, my God, if he's not a baseball player, he has to be a race car driver. Cole Tucker. And they have two kids together. And Ashley Tisdale, known now as Ashley French, plays Sharpay Evans, a standout character from the movies. Ashley apparently was part of a very toxic mom group, but on the acting side, she already appeared in 7th Heaven, Smart Guy and Still Standing by the time of her first High School Musical. And now her voice acting career is really your main focus. Props. Love it. She plays Candace on Phineas and Ferb and was Sabrina on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the cartoon and has worked on Skylanders Academy, Gingersnaps, Family Guy and a little show called Kim Impossible. But it was recently announced that she could return to traditional acting for a CBS parenting sitcom currently being developed called you'd're Only Young Twice. Well, let your mind go with where that's gonna be. And Lucas Grable plays her scene stealing sidekick Ryan. He's also a very busy voice actor and plays young Lex Luthor on Smallville. And on the dcom side of things, he's also in return to Halloween Town. Another former guest, Corbin Blue, friend of the pod, plays Chad Dansforth. It should be Dan's fourth, but it's Danforth, which is odd. He continued a career around music seen in movies like Sugar and Camp Hideout and starred on Broadway's in the Heights. He is also a Dancing with the Stars runner up. And welcome Gemma Mackenzie Brown to the franchise as Tiara Gold. She's an English actress and singer, HMS3. It just sounds like a boat. It doesn't. It's like I was on the. HMS3 was her first movie. Quite an intro. There was an audition at her acting school and she was picked to fly to Los Angeles to try out. The rest is, of course, history now. Bart Johnson, AKA Coach Bolton, actually interviewed Gemma for his get your Head in the game podcast on our Magical Rewind feed. It was such a great interview, so go check it out. She talked about the whole audition process, meeting the cast for the first time, and of course, working with Kenny Ortega. Really, check it out. It's a lot of fun. It's worth pointing out she plays Sharpay's personal high school assistant, and yet Tisdale is nine years older than her. She could have babysat for her. Selena Gomez was reportedly offered the role but turned it down. And Ali Lohan also auditioned for the part. Monique Coleman plays Taylor. While best friend of the show, Bart Johnson is Coach Bolton. We know that. Yeah. So if you have not yet checked out Bart's incredible podcast, which we just said, get your head in the game. It celebrates a everything. High School Musical. He talked to everyone from Vanessa Hudges to Casey Stroh to the background dancer turned Dancing with the Stars pro Brit Stewart. You should seriously check that out. It's available wherever you get your podcast on our feed. It's like family. So, yeah, check it out.

[A]

We love Bart forever.

[B]

Yeah, we love you, Bart. We're happy that we're family and we know High School Musical is beloved, but is it short? We here at Magical Rewind applaud. 90 minutes and only when there are 90 minutes. Longer is a massive issue. Shorter's fine, but still kind of side eyed. Where does this third movie fall when it comes to timing? Taking a breath.

[A]

Taking a breath.

[B]

High School Musical 3 senior year is 120 minutes. My actual senior year in high school was 118, so. Holy. This is unbelievable. Disgusting. Kenny Ortega. I don't blame you because you can do no wrong and you're amazing. But somebody's let us down. There is a whopping full 30 minutes past the target. I could have watched an entire movie than an episode of MASH and still had eight minutes left. Let's just cut the podcast now. Let's stop it. Two hours. Why does this movie have to be two hours? The answer is it doesn't. Yeah, but I guess we're in too deep now, writing wise. By the way, there's been no change here. It's still Peter Barsochini, who before High School Musical 1 really only had the Wesley Snipes film Drop Zone, which was great to his name. And now he has more money than he can spend in one lifetime.

[A]

Hey, it's Sabrina Bryant from the Magical Rewind Podcast. Get ready for three energetic nights of magic this April at the Disneyland After Dark Disney Channel Night. Enjoy special after hours access to Disneyland park with themed entertainment, character sightings and amazing photo ops. You'll be able to cheer on your favorite team at the High School Musical Zombies Pep Rally. Learn the dance moves at Descend Dance and Sing youg Heart out at Disney Channel Rocks, a concert celebrating your favorite Disney Channel hits. Plus there's exclusive merch themed food and even early park entry to the Disneyland park starting at 6pm three whole hours before the event begins. I'll also be there recording a few podcast episodes at Disneyland After Dark Disney channel night on April 12 with High School Musical's Bart Johnson and April 14 with Christy Carlson Romano from Even Stevens and Kim Possible. Don't miss out on this unforgettable night of Disney Channel Magic. Select nights are still available, so make sure you get your tickets now. With Vrbo's last minute deals, you can save over $50 on your spring getaway. So whether it's a Mountain Escape City break or a week at the beach, there's still time to get great discounts. Book your next day now. Average savings $72 select homes only all

[B]

right, so let's do this right here, right now. Don't walk away or I'll scream. I want it all now or never. Because the boys are back and as always, we're all in this together. Let's get into High School Musical 3 senior year so we open with some real intensity here. Troy is covered in sweat again, giving the fans what they want. Can we open with Zac Efron? Sweaty Troy is covered in sweat on the basketball court. The Wildcats are losing to the knights by almost 20 points with less than 20 seconds left in the second quarter. He screams go. And the ball is inbounded to him. The gym is packed and the students are going crazy. The Wildcats run defense, but the ball is stolen by the Knights and they score an easy layup. Troy blows another shot and the first half comes to a close. The defending champion Wildcats are getting smoked. They return to the locker room pretty defeated. Coach Bolton knows they're in trouble, but he's not ready to give up. He tells him there are 16 minutes left in the season and that means seniors only have 16 minutes left as Wildcats make them count. He leaves. And then the captains, Troy and Chad take control and reiterate the same thing about the 16 minutes. It's now or never. They repeatedly scream Wildcats. And return to the gym for what might just be the quickest halftime in history. It was three minutes tops. That's not the way. Halftime.

[A]

But wait, okay, I already have questions.

[B]

Do it. What do you got?

[A]

So, okay, now I'm. This. This might just be really ridiculous. I don't know basketball that well. Okay, 16 minutes is a half time. Or is a half.

[B]

Well, it's two. You've got four.

[A]

Not in high school. I do not.

[B]

Wait a minute. No, that can't be right. It should be a half hour, right?

[A]

This 16 minute thing. And it was said so many times,

[B]

not two minute quarters.

[A]

Is there? No, I don't think so. I feel like they're at least 15 minutes each or. But like then it's like, okay, so if this was their quarter break, they don't get to leave and go to the locker room. No, this is already like trying to dissect this. Then I'm like, wait a minute, Sabrina, I'm googling. Who cares? Just get into this.

[B]

No, I'm Googling. You need to know all this stuff. It's the rules. No, that's right. High school basketball games in most US states consist of four eight minute quarters.

[A]

Six minute 16 minute halves.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Isn't that crazy? Yep. So that's what we got. So they were right.

[A]

There we go. Okay.

[B]

Right? Yeah.

[A]

I mean it had to have been because they messaged that was said over and over again. Right.

[B]

And we all just googled meaning once again, we're all in this together.

[A]

Got it. Okay, so 16 minutes. I did like Bart already. I loved playing out like Bart. I loved his little pump up speech that I was like, I'm going to clock that one for a future for my girls. Like, you know you won't. This is it.

[B]

This is it. This is your last chance in uniform. Leave it all in the field, people.

[A]

Yep, here we go. Go have fun.

[B]

Yeah. Okay, so the gym is still exploding with fans and we get a song about having only, well, 16 minutes left. The band and the cheerleaders led by Martha are going off. And once the third quarter begins, the Wildcats are a changed team. Troy and the team are on fire as the song it's now or Never continues. Troy sings in between dribbling and playing defense and is eventually fouled hard and thrown to the ground. As he gets up, One girl Just appears in the crowd. It's Gabriella. She jumps up out of nowhere in the middle of the thing. And I gave it a. I literally stood up and gave it a standing ovation because I was laughing so hard. I'm sorry. But it was such a reeking of cheese moment where she pops through the thing and it's like. And Troy and I was like, yes, we are back in the High School Musical world. It is the cheesiest, most ridiculous, awful. I love this moment. It is amazing.

[A]

Okay, but here's the thing. They started this. This first moment of the movie and showed you exactly where they were going. They weren't trying to veer away from the formula. That is old school. Very intense. I mean, this was an intense routine. Then, yeah, she shows up out of

[B]

nowhere with this magical.

[A]

It's like the whole room just drops. And it's just them.

[B]

Apparently. It's a viral meme. Apparently.

[A]

Like, this is it. This. It sets it up for what the rest of the movie is. And it's like, get in or get out, because there's so many High School Musical fans. We don't need you. If you don't like it, get out.

[B]

And I'm guessing it's time to leave. I would. I would be shocked if the theater did not erupt when she stood up in the middle of the.

[A]

Yes. And it wasn't an interesting.

[B]

No, it was. They loved it.

[A]

This is what they came for. So this is. This is setting the tone. I'm glad they did it here. Then, like, two musical numbers later, getting into that, like, the drama and the flinging of the hair and the this and the that. No, they did it right from the start, and it locked you in, and it was like, get in or get out. I'm not kidding. These are for only. These are for the major fans. Or not. If you're not it, go.

[B]

I literally. That's not a joke. I literally stood up by myself in my room clapping. I gave it a full. Laughing my off standing ovation because it was.

[A]

I'm in at this point.

[B]

I'm in.

[A]

I'm in. I'm already with the. You're talking about what they're doing. He pulled stuff that they do at the super bowl. Like, oh, okay, we all have signs now. And it's like, up on the stands, and I'm like, holy cow. Yes, Kenny. Yes, Kenny. Vanessa.

[B]

There she is. There she is.

[A]

There she is.

[B]

Hi.

[A]

Hey, girl.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

That's good to be there. Tell him to do this. Tell him to get his Head in the cage.

[B]

So she croons out his name, she tells him he can do it, she believes in him. And he admits it's all he really needs. And he's right, because the Wildcats are right back in the game now only down by a point with a minute left. The Wildcats call a timeout and Troy suggests subbing in Rocketman. His dad slash. Coach is shocked, but goes with the idea. Then calling for a very energetic kid at the end of the bench. He looks just like Troy, but taller. This is Rocketman. Then we jump right back into our now or never for the last play. Troy is triple teamed off the inbound, so he passes to Rocketman, who looks terrified to get the ball, but he shoots from underneath the basket and scores. And I was like, who the is this guy? And why do I care?

[A]

Why is he so close to. I thought he was gonna have a three pointer. No, he literally is like this.

[B]

Yeah, it was. I was waiting for like his dad to come and pick him up like in the. When you're a kid, like, oh, you can do it, champ. And like hold him up to the basket. Yeah. So the crowd goes wild, and then Troy is held up by the fans, which seems kind of like a real F you to Rocket man because he just won the game, but nobody cares. And that night, despite the big win, Troy and Chad are pushing his stalled truck down the street he's been saving for a new fuel pump. They eventually arrive at Troy's house, the location of the big victory party, with a DJ dancing at a popcorn machine. He says hi to Gabriella while Coach Bolton is chatting with a U of A recruit who apparently likes to attend kids parties. It seems like the school wants both Troy and Chad for the Redhawks basketball team. Rocketman's there too, and apparently he's being foisted upon us. And we're. And they're like, this is a new character. You're gonna like him. We're gonna keep putting him in stuff. It was like, okay. And we quickly realized that he's gonna be a problem. He's a possible criminal even, because he looks just like Troy, but wants to be Troy and has even photographed his room so he can make his look the same. And I am rooting for a female type of horror spinoff between these two, where eventually Rocketman steals Zac Efron's face and wears it like a mask. The party's really popping off now, but Troy and Gabriella are up in his treehouse alone. Had we seen the treehouse?

[A]

I didn't remember the treehouse at all.

[B]

They've been together for four years now or three years now, whatever it is. A third year together. And she's like, wow, I've never seen your treehouse. It's like, have you never been to his home in the three years you've been together? You've never seen the giant, giant pirate ship themed treehouse in his backyard. You never glanced out outside. That was such a weird thing to focus on, the fact that she'd never seen the treehouse.

[A]

Because it's like, was the treehouse built recently? That's what I did.

[B]

You make a high school treehouse.

[A]

He's a high school senior with a brand new tree house.

[B]

It was really. That was a weird moment for me where I was like, what? She's never seen the huge tree house in the backyard?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So anyway. Yeah, okay. So there's. You're. They're up in the treehouse. They talk about U of A and how it's always been his dad's dream that he goes, you know, and plays basketball there. Gabriella has also been set up to go to Stanford by her mom. So they're going to different schools and most likely they'll meet other people and will never speak again because that's unfortunately the way high school and college works. They wish their senior year would just slow down a bit. And then we get into our next song, a duet ballad right here, right now, which was a love track. Sabrina, what do you think of the song in the Treehouse?

[A]

Of the many songs that they have together throughout this movie, this was my least memorable.

[B]

I don't remember the song at all.

[A]

I don't remember it.

[B]

Too busy concentrating on the treehouse.

[A]

Too busy throwing. She'd not know about the treehouse Brand new treehouse she'd not know about the treehouse. Yeah, so this one I did not. Honestly, I remember a little bit of it. And I also remembered thinking too, while I was watching it, like listening for Zach's voice going, wow, he's really sounding great. Sure. I mean, for somebody who wasn't wanting to do the first or didn't do the first voice work in it. Now we're to the third movie.

[B]

He's killing it.

[A]

Props, man. So that's that. Probably what I was thinking more so

[B]

same thing with you. I don't remember the song at all. And now. But don't worry, we've got 72 more coming.

[A]

We're good, guys. Don't worry. We will talk about some ballads between the two of them.

[B]

We will. And now it's the next day at school and there she is. It's time to welcome back Sharpe who? Man, can she make an entrance.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

Who pulls up in a red convertible. She's as fabulous as ever. She steals every movie she's in. She really does. It says so on her personalized license plate. All the boys love her and so do we. She beelines to Troy to flirt and then makes her way to a painted pink Shar Pei locker, which it, may I remind you, is still there at Eastside High School in real life. You can see pictures of it all over social media, which is brilliant. Sharpay puts on her tiara and then meets a girl named Tiara, or Tiara, depends on where you're from, who is a transfer from London looking to fill her vacant personal assistant job. And so, just like that, we've got another new character. There you go. I'm waiting for the tiara and Rocket man spinoff off. Troy is on his way to class when he stopped by Rocket Man. The creep wants Troy's locker now and this season is over. So they're like, okay, but you got to get a restraining order on this guy. I'm sensing bad things in the future. And in the classroom, Troy gets a love note from Gabriella because again, like all the movies, the main characters have every class together. Meanwhile, classmate Taylor has an announcement. The senior trip committee is meeting and prom is just around the corner. Then it's Sharpay's time to speak. She's decided maybe on doing a one woman show for the spring musical. But to avoid that, Kelsey the composer, signs up the entire homeroom for the play, which seemed like, yeah, don't just sign me up for a play. But at the first rehearsal, everyone reveals they can't actually be in the show. No one has the time. But Gabriella, with the help of Troy, convinces the group to do it. It's their last chance to have fun together. And like you said, with his singing, what I noticed in this movie is how much better Vanessa Hudgens was as an actor.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Than she was in the first one. And she wasn't bad in the first one. She was cute and she was kind of doing the part. She was exactly what you needed. But she was very good in this movie. Yeah, she really was.

[A]

Brought a very, like, mature element.

[B]

Absolutely, 100%. Now they're talking about how the show that they're going to put on will be about their final days at east side. They're going to call it senior year and play themselves a little kind of Weird fourth wall break, which was fun. And for the first time in east side history, Juilliard is looking for four students for a scholarship. Sharpay, Ryan, Kelsey, and Troy. Apparently, nobody cares about Gabrielle and her singing. Juilliard will be sending reps to see the show, but Troy just laughs because he didn't even apply. And now we're back in the awesome cafeteria where Sharpay, T ara, her assistant, and Ryan are stressing about the musical and Juilliard, she thinks Troy did in fact apply and is just playing dumb. And that leads us to our newest song, a huge, iconic duet for Sharpay and Ryan called I Want it all, an ode to their Broadway and Hollywood dreams. Big dance number here, too. Lot of budget spent. Actually probably maybe the most expensive number in the franchise history. I'm not even gonna ask you what you think about this. I'm gonna go first. This was by far my favorite. I can remember the song. It was engaging. The dance number was incredible. This was. This stole the movie for me. What did you think?

[A]

I was just. I mean, I loved it. I loved the aspect that, you know, this iconic cafeteria was turned into a whole Broadway set. That was very cool to see the cafeteria dressed differently. The details, like, if you looked up on the top when they were in the Broadway aspect, on the right hand side, there's just this. This giant wall picture of Sharpay. Like, every. The costuming, you know, of course, all the visuals, the choreography itself was so on point. And what I love the most is getting to see Ryan, Sharpay's brother, pop out of the screen more than he ever has for me, Like, I was just like, oh, okay. Vocally, he was like. It was just everything for his character was like. Like four steps up than what they've done before. And he was wonderful. I really loved it. And of course, Ashley Tisdale. Jeez Louise.

[B]

Like, she kills it. I mean, she really just kills it.

[A]

You cannot take away her talent. You can talk about whatever you want to talk, talk. But when that girl gets on her, gets in her game level, there is no stopping her.

[B]

Look, when we were growing up as child actors, you would hear managers, agents, everybody. They would always talk about it. They have it. You would hear that all the time. And it was one of those things where nobody could describe it. You just knew it when you saw it. And she has it. She just does she. The second she comes on screen, there could be five, literally 500 other people on the screen. Your eyes are on her the whole time. She's phenomenal. She can sing, she can dance. She has it. Whatever it is, she's got it. I honestly, with the way the choreography was and the way they. That Kenny staged a lot of this movie. And I'm going to ask a stupid question because I've already read all the material, so I know the answer. Was there ever a talk of this movie being 3D? Because this looked like this was staged to where the multiple levels, people jumping out like they wanted to do, pointing at the screen like they wanted this to be 3D at some point. I guarantee you there's a conversation on some level.

[A]

Definitely an era around this 100% in 2008, that every. I feel like there was a step up 3D. Right. Wasn't that the one with the big rain or. I know there's probably.

[B]

No, that's Step up to the Streets. We stopped.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

That was the big final number. Okay.

[A]

So disrespectful.

[B]

Yeah. So knock it off. Okay. So knock it off.

[A]

Sorry. Apologies.

[B]

No accepted this time.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But let's be easy. Okay.

[A]

God. But there was that moment where. Yes. I think now that you're saying that I. That didn't jump out on me when I was watching this at all. But now that you're saying it, I can totally, absolutely see how this could have been.

[B]

Yeah. Also think about it. It would have been High School Musical 3D.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Did you see that? I mean, you see what I'm saying? Like, everything. So I was like, I wonder if they were ever talking at any level.

[A]

Okay, this is, like, out of my realm. But wouldn't you have to have specific film and everything?

[B]

Well, yeah, yeah. You shoot it on a 3D camera. You shoot it on a 3D.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But that's why I'm wondering if at any level, it was ever discussed making this 3D, and if maybe in Kenny's mind, he thought it was going to be 3D and so he kind of staged some stuff like it was. And then they were like, no, we're going to do 2D. And he's like, well, I'm not changing it because my choreography is awesome.

[A]

So freaking awesome.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Week.

[B]

Now, with the scholarship hanging in the balance, Sharpe wants Ryan to make sure they get Kelsey's best songs by any means necessary. And now it's the following day, and we find out that Gabriella may not even be at East High for the musical. She's up for Stanford's freshman honors program, a secret she's even kept from Troy. And right on time, Troy calls her. He's on top of the school Back in that weird roof greenhouse thing and needs her help right away. He has two options for prom tuxedos and makes her pick. He's never been to a dance, let alone a prom, so he asks her to be his date because the prom theme is last waltz. She shows him how to waltz, and we get our next number. Another love ballot centered around them waltzing and ending in an absolute downpour of rain. Can I have this dance? What do you think of this wet one, Sabrina?

[A]

This one was my favorite of all of theirs.

[B]

Okay, the favorite ballad or the favorite song in the entire movie?

[A]

No, the favorite ballad. The favorite duo ballad of our kids here. And when I tell you it was whimsical. The choreography was amazing. It was romantic. It moved so brilliantly. And them together look like they've been almost like, you know. Cause it's obviously more towards, like, a ballroom dancing style and also, like, a little bit more like old school singing in the rain, like that kind of stuff. They look like they'd been dance partners for years. Like, they've been training for this moment for so long. Vanessa's footwork was unreal. I mean, I was watching it, and I felt like I was watching something that you would have seen on Dancing with the Stars. Like, that's how good this was. It was so, so good. And it blew me away. I was like, wow. Like, my. My level of respect for them as. As dancers now, not just I've had. You know, I've always loved them, but as actual dancers was like, just to the next level for me. That's great. Yeah. I loved it, and it was cute, and it was every again, it was everything that I needed for Troy and Gabriella.

[B]

Gabriella, I'm sorry.

[A]

It was everything I needed. I just went like, check off my list.

[B]

I thought they missed something kind of big here, if I'm honest. And it might be just a new thing maybe, but I thought his asking her to the prom was very kind of half.

[A]

Yes. I didn't understand that. I thought that was literally gonna just be like, an allude to the promise, which never happened. Which it was just happened.

[B]

We're going together, right? Yeah, kind of thing.

[A]

Actually, later on, when we see how someone responds to someone else doing it, I was like, that's how I would have responded if my boyfriend.

[B]

Yes, Right.

[A]

And it did a prompt that way, I would have been like, no, you can try that again. That was not fun.

[B]

I thought this was gonna be some kind of big promposal and they're the couple, and it wasn't I was just like. It was basically like, we're going together, right?

[A]

It's like, okay, yeah, I got. Here's the tickets.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm like, oh, cool. Who you going with?

[B]

That. You're right. It was just that.

[A]

Do you know what she's wearing? I see what you've got picked out. I wonder what she's gonna wear.

[B]

Did you match with her? So, yeah, that to me, I thought they missed something.

[A]

But, yes, the dancing was great, but when you get into the actual musical aspect of it, you forget about it and you're like, all right, fine.

[B]

Agreed.

[A]

They're still the best.

[B]

Yep. So she, of course, says yes to the world's worst promposal in every language. She says it. And then the bell rings before they can kiss while getting soaked. And in the boys locker room, a just showered. Rocket Man. They're foisting this guy on us. You were. We're gonna like Rocket Man. And his friend realized their clothes have been stolen. Troy and Chad took them to the senior lockers, but won't reveal the locks combos. They've got to earn those lockers. This turns into a choreographed chase through the school. A music rehearsal. Ryan is going full Bob Fosse as Rocketman and his friend run in wearing only a towel, ending into tensions for all involved. Later on, Troy drops Gabriella off at home and is jalopy. She compliments his musical skills and wonders why it's so hard to admit how much he loves the stage. And this. I didn't need any of this storyline. Troy has now been in 42 musicals. He's an entertainer. We know he's an entertainer. He knows he's an entertainer. The idea that he's still struggling with whether or not I like it is ridiculous. Obviously, he does says, cut that out. There's 10 minutes of the movie gone. Because it's. Of course he now, whether you're gonna pursue that in college. Hey, am I gonna do sports or am I gonna be an entertainer? Okay, that's valid. Whether you like it or feel comfortable on stage. We've seen this already. We know you like it. We know you're comfortable on stage that you don't need anymore. Hey, yes. No, I do love it, but I'm gonna concentrate on basketball when I get into college. Legitimate conversation. Gee, I don't know if I really even enjoy this anymore or if I want to do that. It's like, come on, dude, the ship sailed. We've seen you do this.

[A]

And just so, like, recognizable, too. Like every kid that's now, you know, danced their whole year, their whole life. Going into college baseball. Their whole life. You know what I mean? Or, you know, played any kind of sport that they've had to train forever. When they get to their sophomore, junior year is going to. I don't know if I want to do that in college. I kind of don't want to. You know that. That is so like.

[B]

Like Moose in Step up three.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

It's true. He. Does he want to be an engineer? Does he want to be a dancer? He chooses them both. Sabrina.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Anyway, we've gotta. We've gotta talk about all this stuff.

[A]

We probably need to review these movies.

[B]

I can talk about it right now. I'll do a breakdown of them all right now.

[A]

I would need to see them one more time before we did.

[B]

I don't. I live them. So. Yes. Anyway, it's because of. Of. Of Troy's dad and Chad, of course, that his future of playing ball at U of A is kind of in flux because he doesn't know what. Which one he wants to do. It's really his dad's dream. And so the thing that he lets Gabriella know is that he is in fact listening to other offers. So he's telling her kind of everything going on and she's still keeping a lot of secrets from him. And Gabriella, though she does admit she's doing the same with Stanford. But before she can reveal her other ideas, they're interrupted by her mom, who made snacks. Then next. Is this the first time we've seen Troy's mom?

[A]

Okay.

[B]

She was gone in the first two movies, Right?

[A]

That is what I'm thinking.

[B]

No saying okay, but.

[A]

But was she just like, so in and out like you? She does. This one could have been a recast and I would have had no idea. I did not recognize her at all. She definitely didn't play the same heaviness of, like, what Bart played. Agreed. As Coach Bolton. So she was kind of a dismissed character that I agree.

[B]

100.

[A]

She could have been a different character in 1, 2 and 3 and I wouldn't have known ever.

[B]

Yeah. I didn't for.

[A]

I didn't recognize.

[B]

I was like, why did I? Yeah, she was in every movie. But not as much as Copal. The same actress.

[A]

Wow. Now I feel like.

[B]

Apologies to the actor. Yikes.

[A]

Well, anyway, I'm so sorry.

[B]

She was great. It's just unfortunate. It was the way she was written. She's just kind of a forgettable character. It's not her. Yeah. So anyway, the next Day at school, the yearbook staff is hard at a backpack. You know who's my favorite character this movie? The mom.

[A]

The mom loved her.

[B]

The next day at school, the yearbook staff is hard at work when Troy and Chad visit their respective girls and prospective prom days. But Chad's date, Taylor, needs a big invitation to say yes, or at least just ask her. Troy. So at lunchtime, students pour into the cafeteria as Troy hands Chad flowers to approach Taylor. An embarrassed Chad stands on a table and gives in, yelling his proposal. And she finally, happily accepts. This turns into our next song, A Night to Remember. A bit of a panic attack about getting ready for the pressures of prom. Sabrina, is this another big Kenny Ortega beast? What did you think of this one?

[A]

This one was very cool to me. I thought it was really creative because it brought us into the idea of this is an actual real musical in this movie.

[B]

Yeah, it's a Broadway play.

[A]

It's a Broadway play. The sets. At first I was kind of like, what's going on? I didn't really quite understand it until the. When it clicked in was when they were on that big set. It was three leveled. The guys were. Or at least two leveled. The guys were at the door with the moms. The girls were up top with the windows. And I was like, this is cool. Very creative. It was pretty seamless. That kind of brought us back into what the storyline, which is them making a High School Musical show about their last year. So I really liked this one. I liked it. Again, we're flying through them pretty quickly. So I've got to kind of jog my. I've got to jog my memory of where we're at, which musical I did love this one.

[B]

The going first. I was like, that's weird. They're opening the doors and kids are playing the parents. Why don't they have the actual parent? And then I was like, oh, no, because this is the musical they're doing at school. And that's when I was like, oh, my God. That's actually brilliant.

[A]

It's.

[B]

It's going in and out of the actual musical they're putting on at school to their actual school, to their home life. Very well done. Very, very, very cool. Yeah, Very clever. Now it's Disney. It's High School Musical. No mention of sex on prom night. Do you think that's okay? Do you think talking about the pressures of prom night, maybe having a moment of what prom can mean for some people, how some people make bad decisions on prom, how some people make informed decisions on prom, it Just, it was never mentioned. And part of me is like, it's High School Musical. You don't need that in here. Just let them have a musical. And there's part of me that's like. It could be kind of a teaching moment. So I don't know which way to go with that myself.

[A]

I don't think the prom. Because the, because we had the musical, the prom and the future. Like, there was so many of them. Like, the prom wasn't as big of a story, like, character. It didn't have, like, it not. This wasn't built around going to the prom. This was built around the high school, like, show. And the prom was also happening and the graduation was also happening. I just didn't think, like, where will. We just said we wanted to cut stuff out. Now you're talking about.

[B]

But again, cut out Troy not knowing if he wants to be on stage after his 37th play.

[A]

And then I think it, I don't think it. I didn't miss it at all.

[B]

No, I don't disagree. I don't disagree.

[A]

I didn't miss it at all and I didn't think it was necessarily needed. Um, I was kind of weirded out that at this point we haven't seen them kiss. I need a smooch. What's happening? Like, we haven't seen them kiss. So that's. That was a little bit like.

[B]

No smooches.

[A]

Yeah, not yet. Not yet. But we get a good one later.

[B]

Oh, we do. It's revealed that this number was actually part of the East High musical. Also, Rocket man is named an understudy alongside his rival and subject to some sexual tension. Sharpe's assistant, Tierra Gold.

[A]

Old.

[B]

Ooh, there's a possible new couple alert in yearbook Now. Gabriella reveals to Taylor that she was indeed accepted to a three week Stanford freshman honors program. So she's telling her friend but not her boyfriend and is now invited to early orientation. But she doesn't seem 100 in. And unfortunately, a nearby Tierra Tiara heard the Stanford news and reports back to Sharpay about the development. Because if Gabriella accepts, she'll miss the musical. Meanwhile, Ryan approaches Kelsey about the big Troy slash Gabriella song, which seems to just be called Just want to be with with you. We get a few bars of it and then jump right into the actual rehearsal. And our newest number very paired down now with Ryan's looming presence. Sharpe arrives to see what Ryan has learned so far, but Ryan only reveals he's taking Kelsey to prom. Sharpe thinks he's going Undercover, but we think he might actually like her. And. And she's super cute and so is he. And the two of them together rooting for them. We're now at an auto junkyard and ooh, this is where the movie took a turn for me. Tra. This is. This is so Disney. Like, yeah. Troy and Chad have brought the crap truck in for a new radiator cap and they're looking through parts. Troy wonders if Chad is so sure of his future and argues for having more interest than just basketball. And this turns into our next song, the Boys are Back. A real anthem for just being bros. If I saw one more back to back and standing at the camera. Oh, my testosterone. What do you think of this very loving song about being male besties in an auto graveyard? What did you think about this, Sabrina?

[A]

This was my absolute favorite.

[B]

You loved this, didn't you? I knew it, I knew it.

[A]

I loved it. I'm not afraid to say it. You got Zac Efron, Corbin Bleu killing it. By the way.

[B]

Both dancing was great.

[A]

The dancing skills were unreal. The amount of sets, the creativity. Yes, they did a lot of back to back, but I was in every single time. This was like this to me was like, oh, my gosh. I want to see a real life version on a stage of this performance. Like, this is it. This is done, done, done. I loved this one, I have to say. Loved it.

[B]

I did too. It's the cheese. It reeks of cheese. This entire dance segment should have been sponsored by Velveeta. That being said, I was in. I love seeing how again, it's the mind of Kenny Ortega where you see everyday objects is different. So like using the tire and like rolling over the tires and doing stuff like in sequence. Totally cool.

[A]

I loved the young moment of them, like thinking like it brought nostalgia.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Like, oh, when they were besties when they were little.

[B]

And that's what I was going to say. Troy and Chad come in as little kids. It's very cute.

[A]

The only thing I. I can at all say, why did we have to put a bandana on Troy Bolton? Why did there need to be. Sabrina, it's Troy Bolton. He's never worn one. Even on his wrist or as a scarf. It's the best.

[B]

Looks like he's like a Survivor member now.

[A]

Yeah, he's got this because he looks hot.

[B]

Nice. There you go. There you go. So that's, that's one pro bandana.

[A]

The steering wheel that they use like that.

[B]

Oh, great.

[A]

I mean, there it was Just like I rewound it and watched it three times. Like it was so good. This was Kenny Ortega. Like, this was not a. Because, you know, I love these big numbers. But what I loved about this one is it brought more of classical vibes in the sense of, like, this wasn't like a. A full blown, like hip hop, like we see like the ones I love from Zombies. Right. This wasn't that style of dancing. This is like more like a newsy style of dancing with a little bit of edge to it. Yeah, I watched it three times. It was so good. And as soon as we're done, I'm gonna go watch it a couple more times because it's so, so good.

[B]

Once I got it. Once I got it, it got a standing ovation for me at the end. Some laughter involved. But. But this was absolutely a dance number made for 11 year old girls.

[A]

Yes. And I mean, that's what this was talk about. We already said it. But think about at the premiere night of this movie, what happened in that theater.

[B]

Nuts. They must have gone nuts.

[A]

My God, there were bras flying. There was like. And it wasn't the little kids, it was the moms in the stage. It was just like everyone went,

[B]

oh, yeah. They ended like back to back looking at the camera and they got a standing ovation.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. The. Those two guys too committed to it.

[B]

Hell yes.

[A]

In the opening routine and in this

[B]

routine, like, they know what this is.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

They're not apologizing for it. They know what High School Musical is. They're not trying to pretend that it's anything but a musical for 12 year old girls. It's a fantasy for 12 year old girls. And they're like, this is what we've got. It works. So all right.

[A]

So good.

[B]

So it. It ends and Troy admits he's not sure what he'll do if he gets, you know, the Juilliard Scholarship. Similarly, Gabriela isn't sure about missing the musical for the early Stanford program. She may even want to stay in Albuquerque next year, taking classes at U of A and then transfer later. Taylor thinks she's only thinking about Troy and selling herself short, which she is. She promises there'll be other guys, as does Gabriella's mom.

[A]

This is the first time I realized that. U of A for University of Albuquerque. I forgot that's where they were. The whole time I'm thinking U of A, like in Arizona.

[B]

Like University of Arizona.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, University of Arizona.

[B]

No, it's like University of Albuquerque. A, L, B, O, Q, U R, Q U E. Thank you very much. On the other side of town, Troy and Chad's families are having dinner together, planning out the upcoming U of A basketball season. But Troy obviously has a lot in his mind. He spends the rest of his night in his treehouse that magically appeared out of nowhere that nobody's seen, knowing he could definitely end up letting his parents parents down. This leads to a reprise of Right Here, Right now, with him and Gabriella facing the same dilemma at their respective homes. The next day, it's again 62 songs in. I'm blowing right past it.

[A]

Right.

[B]

The next day at school, Troy rushes to his locker and gets a jump scare from Sharpay. She sneakily reveals the news about Gabriella and how she might miss the musical for Stanford. He admits he knew nothing about it, and Sharpay encourages him to let her go. He wouldn't want to be the reason she misses it.

[A]

She's so sneaky.

[B]

Oh, she is. So that night, he surprises Gabriella with pizza and chocolate covered strawberries at her house. He admits he's disappointed he didn't know about the Stanford program and learning it from Sharpay, which is like, dude, at least let me know. But she reveals her idea about possibly staying in Albuquerque for an extra year, and Troy isn't sold. She has to go to Stanford, which I love this storyline. It's like, you can't not go to Stanford.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yet she wants to just slow everything down. They both have a lot to think about. And this leads to yet another song. And this is when I was like, oh, they're coming every 30 seconds now. Gabriella solo walk away a power owed to her dilemma with Troy and knowing all good things have to come to an end. And then mere seconds later, her house is for sale. They're moving away. What the just happened? This is not how real estate works. What's going on?

[A]

I don't know. That's one of my pretty seasons. Like, wait, did like. But I also at this point go, okay, I'm looking at it. We're like only halfway. I cannot stop and rewind and try to figure out what I missed because I gotta get through this movie now.

[B]

You didn't miss anything.

[A]

I missed something. Like, how did her house is is for sale? And then I'm trying to think of her backstory of how she got to Albuquerque. Is she a military kid? Like, I had to take like pause for a second and go, what's going on?

[B]

Yeah, I don't, I don't get it.

[A]

The house is now for Sale that wasn't set at all before. She was just gonna go early. Why does that mean that they have to sell the house?

[B]

I don't. I don't. And then all of a sudden, it was. It was the same thing. I'm watching and I'm like, oh, man, she's gotta decide. What the. Wait, she's in the truck, the house is gone. What the hell?

[A]

And she's gone. And she's told no one.

[B]

She's just out. So she was coming to Stanford with her.

[A]

That's what I mean. Like, I don't know.

[B]

It doesn't make it.

[A]

Yeah, okay, okay, so we're both. That made me feel better.

[B]

I'm like, okay, good. No, we're both lost. Cause I didn't get it either. And so the next day at musical rehearsal, it's announced that Gabriella is no longer available. But the show must go on. Sharpay and Tierra will split up her parts that night. Troy's pouting while playing basketball at home when he's joined by his dad. Love a good Troy. Coach Bolton scene was waiting for this. They talk about Gabriella for a bit, but then Coach Bolton reveals he knows about Juilliard and the fact that Troy is talking to other schools and he isn't happy being left in the dark. Troy pushes back. He isn't a little kid anymore. I wanted to say it like that. He gets to make his own decisions now. He storms off just as an actual storm is rumbling. It's a metaphor, people. We've got a metaphor. Troy drives off to the high school gym in the middle of the night to put on his Wildcats jersey, and he wants to expose his buff arms. And our producers are freaking out. And then he starts to sing our next song, the Guitar Jam Scream. This one involves him on the court, dodging basketball like raindrops and stressing about his future in a rotating locker room. What did you think about this song, Sabrina?

[A]

Well, I have a little tidbit about this song that I've heard from interviews with Chucky Claypow, which. Please, Chuckie, come on our podcast here. Cause we have so many. Could ask you a million questions about a million things with this. I saw a lot of his influence within a lot of this choreography because he is a phenomenal choreographer and I saw a lot of his style into this and this is one of the routines. One thing though, that I know he talked about and I'm not sure because he actually did Bart, he was an interview on the show as well, and I'm not Sure. If it was said on this interview or not, or if I've heard it from a different one. He's done where when the balls are coming down in this court scene and he's having to kick them. That was all choreographed. And that was Chucky. He was up on a rig having to throw the balls and give it to him to the side. Yeah. Isn't that a cool thing to think of how they were doing that and filming that? It was, I will say, Zach committed to this.

[B]

He did.

[A]

He went full blown. I think his commitment and the idea, it was also executed better than when we found ourselves on the golf course.

[B]

No, it was not. That golf course scene will forever live rent free in my head. When you're singing to yourself in a puddle, Nothing will beat that for me, ever.

[A]

For me, this was a better execution of it. I liked this solo routine for him much better. I thought we kept changing locations of where we were in the school so much, which was very cool, very creative, and, you know, I liked it. Do I remember at all what the song sounds like? Not at all. At this point, there's too many. I'm drained a little bit too many. There's too many songs. We already got my favorite song, so that's a hook, line, and sinker. I'm not sure how much better it's gonna get. But yes, I loved the rotating that they had. That was very, very cool and very hard to do. And I thought he did it amazingly. Like, I thought Zach looked so great in this performance. And I really liked it. I just wish I would have. I could remember the songs at this point. This is getting a little bit too many of them at this point in the movie. But. But I liked it.

[B]

Such fan service. You need an angsty Troy by himself. Like, like you need a Gabriella, you know, song about just a ballad sob fest. You also need an angry Troy. Sweaty basketball running on the golf course.

[A]

Yes, he needed it. And this one, I think leveled up. I think it leveled up from the thing in a big way and in a great way as well. So what did you think, Think you like Again, It's.

[B]

It's so cheesy, but. But again, that's what they're there for. That. That's what the audience is there for. The, the. The. The young kids watching this are there to see Troy losing it and he needs to be angry and angst filled and in a weird place. I mean, again, you hearken back to the golf course thing. So, yeah, I mean, it. They. They saw all the stuff that worked in the first three. The first two, and they heightened them from. For. For three. And the. You know, that's what you're supposed to do. I can see why the audience loved what was going on. Yes. So, yes, it was. There we go. The track ends, and a very sweaty Troy. This guy's been sweaty forever. Ends up in the theater, only to see the theater teacher, Ms. D, also there, late. She's trying to figure out the show now with Gabriella gone, and she admits she's the one who sent in Troy's Juilliard application. She thinks he's a natural, and she tells him to trust his instinct. She also tells him she's had a crush on him since he was a freshman. I'm kidding. That would have been weird. The next day at rehearsal, while Gabriella studies at Stanford, Troy is getting to know his new musical partner, Sharpay. And it is not going super great. It's just not the same without Gabriella. She was the glue keeping it all together.

[A]

I love the. The one liners too. Like, it's easier to do this with you.

[B]

Yeah. Of course.

[A]

The one liners they throw out about her are so funny. They're just so, so funny.

[B]

There are some good. There's some decent laughs in this movie.

[A]

There are.

[B]

At home, Troy has picked up his tux and is showing it off to his mom when Gabriella calls. They need to talk. And as any man knows, you love hearing those words. Prom is in two days, but she's gotten used to Stanford. She doesn't think it's smart to start and stop by coming home, which is a complete and total 180 from her. Not wanting to leave two days ago, she thinks she's run out of goodbyes. She loves him, but she's never coming back. This is news that Chad calls lousy while also encouraging Troy to snap out of it. It's like, hey, man, it's been an hour. Get over it. But Troy, who will now go to prom alone, isn't so sure he can. It's just like, I'm never coming home, Troy. I've been gone 36 hours and I don't have any more goodbyes left.

[A]

But this conversation between Chad and Troy is. Is so on par of like two boys talking about their high school girlfriends and they're about to go off to college. He literally says, you don't take them with you.

[B]

Exactly. You know the number of girls you're gonna meet at college.

[A]

Yeah. You don't. You break up. Lasted through the summer. Maybe have someone to Chat with for a couple of weeks, then you find your next girl, probably by the end of orientation, and you're good. That is such an actual car conversation guys have. And I made me just want to. Ooh, Chad. Ooh, Chad, Chad.

[B]

She's the one who bailed. How is it Chad's fault? She's like, I don't want to see you anymore. Oh. So it's. Oh, she. Wow.

[A]

She didn't mean it.

[B]

We will talk about this off mic. Sabrina. We will talk about this off mic. So funny. So back at Stanford, Gabrielle sees Troy's truck, then is surprised to spot Troy standing well on a tree wearing his tuxedo. This would also be a great scene to start a horror movie about him trying to kill her because he can't have her. But in this movie, he says he took a wrong turn on the way to prom, and she says he looks handsome. He calls his prom wherever she is. And they have their final dance to her prize of Can I have this dance? It ends with what Sabrina's been asking for the whole time. A big, passionate kiss. It's a bit horned up for a dcom, if you ask me. And he says East High isn't ready to say goodbye to her yet.

[A]

This is a theater movie. It's in the theaters. I thought it was great. It didn't freak me out. Like our girl Christy Carl. Which will always, always be the standard.

[B]

That is just Kristi tonguing down the guy that she's. Yeah.

[A]

But this was like, what I loved about it too, because I was a fan of them as a couple, like a real life couple. And it was like when they were doing. I'm like, oh, like, they really do actually kiss.

[B]

Well, yeah.

[A]

You can't fake that chemistry. You can't fake the chemistry. Adorable. And just made me go, man, I really did love them. They're both happy. I know. But like, in this moment when they were still together. Oh, wow. Such a sweet moment.

[B]

And again, you cannot fake that kind of chemistry. It's now the big night of the musical. And Rocketman gets a text from rocket man. This guy's still in this. Gets a text from Troy. He's been driving all night. And we'll try to make it to the second act. Which means a terrified rocket man finds out he's going on just as the Juilliard scouts arrive. The lights then dim, and our show, Senior Year begins. Begins. Kelsey and Ryan kick off the first song, Last Chance, an upbeat number involving cheerleaders and basketball players and a theater full of friends. And family who go absolutely insane like they're watching the first ever matinee of Hamilton. Meanwhile, Sharpay has no idea she'll be sharing the stage with none other than Rocket Man. And do we know why they call him Rocket Man? We never get into why they call him Rocket Man.

[A]

Never.

[B]

Nope. Rocket Man. And we're supposed to.

[A]

I don't know if this is like Kenny Ortega's like, Ode to Elton John. Maybe Elton John or what, he can

[B]

do a better ode.

[A]

It's so random. It's so random.

[B]

Anyway, the Juilliard reps seem impressed with Ryan right off the bat, but Sharpay is too self absorbed to even congratulate him when he walks off stage. And now it's time for the big Troy and Sharpay song, Just Wanna Be with youh. And when it's time for Troy to enter, there's a giant pause. Even Juilliard knows there's a problem. But then Rocketman enters to save the day dressed like Steven Tyler. If he was a pimp,

[A]

this isn't even this kid's style. Like, I don't know, what was this? I didn't understand it for one second.

[B]

Me neither. Sharpay is weirded out, but it's, you know, playing like a comedy. And the audience, frankly, loves it. Anna Sharpay furiously returns to her dressing room. Troy and Gabriella arrive, they bump into each other and Sharpay finds her assistant Tiara Gold in the dressing room, ready to steal her boss's role and position, frankly, in the drama department. Sharpay has been double crossed back in the theater, though. Troy and Gabriella have taken over now belting out Just want to be with you how it was supposed to be performed. Even Juilliard is all year. Okay, so I'm sorry, before I go any further. So they're just singing the same exact song over again?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So now it's two songs, and it was the comedy version and the regular version, but the audience loves. Okay, just making sure I got that right. I'm like, I think this is exactly the same song. They're just doing it again. Okay, so they're, they're singing it how it was supposed to be performed. Even Juilliard is all ears and clapping along, but Sharpay is still in her dressing room talking to herself in the mirror like an insane person. She is not done yet. And then we get her a prize of a night to remember now with Sharpay and Tiara both on stage playing the one role, battling it out. And this is also a big hit with the audience. What luck. But it was very funny to see them kind of trying to one up each other. Juilliard has now left their seats and met with Ms. D just as the finale number begins. All of the seniors are on stage in cap and gown, and they're introduced one by one. First up is Kelsey, who is revealed. She wins. She won the Juilliard Scholar. That's amazing. She's the recipient. That makes sense. She did great. Great pick. And then Ms. D announces a remarkable adjustment by Juilliard. Another senior is being offered the scholarship. It's Ryan Evans for his choreography. Rightfully so. He killed it. He's the little Kenny Ortega. Sharpay will also be returning to East High next year to help run the drama department, which of course infuriates T ara, who thought she was going to be taking over. Troy is then singled out as someone who has to make a decision. And I was like, really? You gotta call this guy to the front of the stage, in front of the entire school and everybody.

[A]

Musical at that. At the.

[B]

Choose the rest of your life. Now, Troy, choose it in front of everyone. He announces that he's chosen basketball and theater.

[A]

What?

[B]

The audience goes absolutely bat like it's the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Troy has made his decision, but UC Berkeley has offered Troy the opportunity to play basketball and perform in their theater program. And so that's where he's going to be attending. And it's only 32.7 miles from Stanford. And his inspiration, Gabriela Montez, who's really pissed because she already has a side piece. He twirls her.

[A]

That's why she didn't want to come home.

[B]

That's why she didn't want to come home. Yeah, exactly. She met somebody else who can sing and dance even better. That's what it is.

[A]

He plays the drums.

[B]

He plays the drums. He sings. He dances and plays football, not basketball. Troy. Yes. So I was so emotional at this point from one of our producers. Oh, my God, I love how into that they get. It's so great. Okay, so he twirls. Gabriella is very happy. But as Chad is announced, he's nowhere to be found. Troy runs off to find him alone in the gym shooting hoops. But it turns out he's not mad. He's actually excited to play Berkeley in November. They share a competitive smile and a fist bump, just as they should have just stood back to back for no reason. Just as Troy's dad enters, telling them to get back on stage asap, they hug for a final parental seal of approval for the Decision. We jump into the big outdoor graduation ceremony where Troy is giving a commencement speech, wrapping everything up with a bow. East High has created friends forever and they really are all in this together. Once a wildcat, always a wildcat. By this point, I'm sure our producers were sobbing messes, just crying hysterically. And then we get one final number which was a massive. Yes, they're saying correct. Just crying hysterically. Oh my God. One massive final graduation song with a ton of moving parts and all of our characters together for a big finale called High School Musical. This is a real send off for what is undeniably the biggest hit in Disney Channel history. So Sabrina, what did you think of the last track? And Kenny Ortega us just banger for the finale.

[A]

I mean, again. So you know, I loved what they chose to do with the big, with having the two gowns and that really aided in them having some very fun visuals while they're in the seats where they have east have an E and an H and then they do the Wildcat. Like all of that stuff. It's just everything that they're, they're done is it's so thought out and so well placed and so the energy of it and you could tell. What I love the most with, with this number was the actors celebrating this brand. Like this was them celebrating like the years of success that the High School Musical brand has had. And they look like they were having the time of their lives filming this and that they were so all so grateful for everything that this brand brought them and for me having to be able to, to see that as an audience member and knowing like that these kids work their butts off, but they got so much was just, it was a, a really amazing way to wrap up this franchise. I loved it hands down.

[B]

I agree. Because they, we, we literally end with a fourth wall breaking curtain call where the, the stars all walk out, they get a close up and they bow and it's very nice. Yeah, it's a great way to end the, the movie, if not the franchise. Who knows if there's going to be a High School Musical for this time.

[A]

It's personal for now. And at this point in their careers, that was it. Like, okay, we're a third one. That's what we said we would do. And now we want to move on to like other things in our careers. That was definitely the sentiment of where these actors were at this point. However, I loved that you could tell they were still very, very grateful for what High School Musical brought them.

[B]

And they took a big Bow. And that is our movie. Oh wait, at this point, so. Oh. At this point, the new kids had signed contracts for multiple pictures in a show. Gemma said. Okay, so interesting. We just got that little tidbit. So that. So rocket man and Gemma and the newer characters that were felt were being foisted upon us had signed multi picture deals to go do the new high school musicals which then they did the High school musical. The musical. The musical. The show. The musical. The musical.

[A]

Are they in the Are they in the the show? Are either of those characters in the show?

[B]

We're gonna find out.

[A]

Seconds Lisa, who's gonna be the first one?

[B]

No, they are.

[A]

No.

[B]

Interesting.

[A]

Wow. So geez. Okay, that's crazy.

[B]

People probably didn't want to see this. That. So it's supposed to happen right after this movie and it didn't. Okay, well that makes sense. Let's do some real reviews. I've got the one star review and if you thought the movie was long, this review is. Wait for this review. One star from Oana Te. Here we go. Bear with me. My roommate is watching this movie right now, forcing me to listen to the dreadful dialogue and songs. Why would anyone like this pathetic excuse for a movie? There is no originality in the script, no humor, no nothing. So I wonder why the success. The movie is predictable, the actors aren't that great, and the main character, who I believe is supposed to be some big jock, is wearing more makeup than a five year old girl who just discovered her mother's makeup kit. The characters are incredibly boring and totally lack complexity. And when did high school teenagers behave like that? Because most definitely they don't act this way nowadays unless you're under 11, there is absolutely no reason to waste two hours of your life watching this. Actually, I wouldn't even allow children to see this movie because it totally distorts reality. One star, you spent an awful lot of time talking about something you didn't like. Oana t. Right. I also disagree with most of what you said.

[A]

So there.

[B]

What do you got for the five star this week? Sabrina?

[A]

The five star is opposite. Very short and weird. Still, five star is from Jeremiah. You losers. What were you expecting? Miss Saigon? Five star?

[B]

I still don't get it.

[A]

I don't get anything. But anyway, I don't know if this was like a response to other people's reviews. It must have been something like that. I don't know.

[B]

I don't know. Anyway, we now come to Sabrina's favorite part of the program. A feature game that we play every single Week, Week that lets us know that we're stupid. The one this week is called Teacher Teacher. So High School Musical may have launched Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens into superstardom, but let's give it up for the real MVP, the wildly underappreciated Ms. Darbis, aka Ms. D, brought to life by actress Alison Reed, who is a veteran of A Chorus Line in. Oh, God, did you ever see that movie? She was great.

[A]

Yes. Which role did she play?

[B]

She was the lead. She was the main lead star. Trying to get into the. Into the chorus line.

[A]

She was?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah, she was great. Oh, yeah. Go watch it again. She was incredible. Wow. Yeah, she was Cassie.

[A]

She was Cassie.

[B]

Wasn't Cassie the lead? Cassie was the lead, wasn't she? Yeah, yeah.

[A]

She's the one in the red dress that has the like. Yeah, she's the lead. She's.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. That's amazing.

[B]

Wait, were you in A chorus line, Sabrina?

[A]

I did a chorus line for Hollywood Bowl.

[B]

Oh, okay. Yeah, so she did.

[A]

I did Val. Do you know what song Val is?

[B]

No, which one is it?

[A]

It's called Tits and.

[B]

Oh, I do know. Tits and Great. Did you love doing it?

[A]

Loved it.

[B]

I still.

[A]

Most favorite things I've ever done was

[B]

that as a kid. I still remember watching that movie and A, thinking how great Michael Douglas was. But B, the. The song I can do that was still one of my favorite. The guy, the actor who did it in the movie was so freaking good. And he's ripping all over the stage doing, like, some martial arts moves. It was awesome. But anyway, we're off on track. We're trying to do a feature featured game here.

[A]

I just got blown away. That's pretty cool.

[B]

Let's watch Step up three. Anyway, so, okay, I'm going to start this over, people. You don't have to cut any of this. But in the Wildcats Hype, no one ever talks about the drama teacher who kept the chaos on track and helped Troy realize his passions in the end. Which got us thinking, what about all the other overlooked teachers across movies and tv? So we're going to get the name of a teacher and we have to pick a movie they appeared in. From the list of options, three out of five wins, and then we make the honor roll. Who are we playing today?

[A]

You got Mikayla.

[B]

Hey, Mikayla, are you still crying over the end of High School Musical 3?

[A]

I'm so emotional. Like, every single time I watch this movie. Like, chill. Like, I can't.

[B]

So wait, I have to ask You. Then, as a super fan, what was your favorite, like, dance and singing? Number of three.

[A]

Can I have this dance? Is probably going to be my first dance. Wedding song. Thank you.

[B]

Wait, can I have this dance? Oh, that's what you're going to dance. Oh, my God. Are you going to get. Are you going to get Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez to sing it for you?

[A]

If that could happen? Well, that would be a dream, but I doubt that would actually be playing on a screen behind her as she.

[B]

No, I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what.

[A]

Pretending. I'll.

[B]

I'll play Troy. I'll play Troy, and Sabrina will play Gabriella. And we'll sing it for you for your first wedding dance.

[A]

There you go. Oh, we'll do that.

[B]

The problem is Sabrina can actually sing, so that's gonna be a problem. Okay, so three out of five, we make the honor roll. The first character name, Dewey Finn. Is that a teacher from A, she's all that. B, School of Rock. C, election or D Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

[A]

B, School of Rock.

[B]

I'm gonna agree with you. B, School of Rock.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

Yes. Yes.

[A]

One for my face, Dave.

[B]

Number two, Terence Fletcher. Is it A, Whiplash? B, Stand and Deliver. C Varsity Blues or D, mean Girls? I've never seen Whiplash, which makes me think that maybe it's whiplash.

[A]

I'm gonna go with Varsity Blues. It's a whiplash.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What?

[B]

Two? That's right.

[A]

Whiplash.

[B]

Whiplash is the drumming movie with what's his name? J.K. simmons. Won the. Won the Academy Award for it. Yeah. My. Not Miles. What's the guy. Yeah, Miles. Isn't his name Miles.

[A]

The.

[B]

The Miles Telford? I think his name is Miles from Top Gun. Teller.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

He was apparently phenomenal. Apparently. It's absolutely insanely good. I have to watch it. It's some of the best acting performances in like, the last decade, apparently.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Number three, Principal McGee is at a, Carrie B, Billy Madison. C, grease or D 10 things I hate about you, Sabrina.

[A]

D, 10 things I hate about you.

[B]

I'm gonna agree.

[A]

No, it is Greece. It was like. Oh, man.

[B]

Okay, number four, Mr. Hall. A, breakfast Club. B, Kindergarten Cop. C, Clueless or D Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Mr. Hand was fast Times. Mr. Hall. That wasn't the principal in breakfast club. Was his name Mr. Hall?

[A]

B, kindergarten cop. Was it? Yeah, Mr. Hall.

[B]

Okay, you think that was schwarzenegger in kindergarten cop?

[A]

Yeah, I do.

[B]

I'm gonna say I'm Mr. Hand. Was. I'm gonna say a. No, I'm gonna say c. Clue.

[A]

Se. Yes, it is. Damn it.

[B]

I won. I already graduated. All right. And number five. I already lost number five, luann johnson is at a, napoleon dynamite, b, dangerous minds. C, superbad. Or d, donnie darko. What do you got?

[A]

I, luann johnson, Super bad.

[B]

Okay. I actually know this one. It's B, Dangerous Minds because she was a real teacher, and she wrote a book about this, and they based the book on her life.

[A]

So B. Yeah, Will is correct. Wow.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay, can we talk about this list of movies right here? Like, can this be one season of magical Real Life?

[B]

Because they're all these so good.

[A]

Holy cow.

[B]

Can we do a Sabrina Seas, please?

[A]

Oh, man. Okay. Yes. I'm gonna try to fly through them. So the first thing I just put was looking for familiar faces. Like, because it was like, a whole, like, just giant gymnasium of all of our people. And you're just, like, looking out, looking out for them. And I kept going, oh, yeah, Bart, check. Oh, yeah, Casey, check. Oh, yeah. And it's like, everyone's. Everyone, Corbin, all of the ones we've interviewed, all the ones Bart's interviewed. It was just so great to see everyone on screen. So I loved that. You know, I loved that first thing I thought, and I didn't even care, and I thought you were going to ask me about the cheerleaders, because they were not cheerleading at all. They were definitely just dancing. But it was okay for me because I loved everything about it. How amazing was Sharpay's locker? You just breezed right over that. That was the coolest. That moment felt like a moment that I'm sure was this generation's clueless closet moment for me.

[B]

Yeah, I can see that.

[A]

Like, the clueless, clueless closet moment of what I always dreamed of having as a closet was this girl's locker, like. Right. I mean, that was just so amazing. I don't know if I put this down, if I did the tidbit in any of the other movies, but you know that that little dog that she has was Penny's actual dog.

[B]

Yes, I think I knew that.

[A]

Okay. All right.

[B]

Didn't he tell us that?

[A]

That. I don't.

[B]

I can't remember.

[A]

I don't think so. Or.

[B]

You told me that.

[A]

I must have told you that, because that was definitely, like, a big deal. Like, this dog was, like, injured and done so cute in both. In both this movie and the last movie, Rocket Man. Now, not because of anything with this actor in any sense, but I would like an opportunity to Recast him and put Mitchell Musso in that. How great was he?

[B]

Too old? He would have been too old, though. He's supposed to be a freshman. I guess maybe back in the day. It would have worked. 2008, he probably would have worked in 2008.

[A]

You just don't make him a freshman. You make him choice backup. You just make him like a junior. I can see that he's right around that same age because remember, Hannah Montana was after, like, Cheetah Girls in High School Musical. Like, that was like. Yeah, he would have been a little bit younger, so he would have been aged fine. Maybe not a freshman, but he would have been so funny.

[B]

He would have been great.

[A]

And shout out again, Mitchell, we'd love to have you on.

[B]

Get on here, Musso.

[A]

Oh, man. Okay. I had to make comments of things I wanted to say about these. So the. Sabrina sees a little. Okay, kind of sad that Sharpay shows up in a convertible and then her brother, who's his. Her twin, her brother Ryan shows up in like a moped.

[B]

Like, oh, no, no. Their parents hate him.

[A]

Why do they hate him?

[B]

He's the. He's not the good kid. Their parents hate him.

[A]

Oh, my God, that was the saddest thing. Okay, I had a. Your. My standup just. Had just died over. Was yours was Gabriella rising above?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Mine was magic. And although I loved this routine or this, this performance when Zach is going through and then he ends up in. He ends up in the theater, right? And like, I love it. He jumps on these ropes and you're like, that's such a cool idea. Because especially, like, when you're on, like, a soundstage and they've got all these ropes and stuff that things come down and whatever, and he jumps on the ropes and he's using them, and then he, like, faces the ropes and he just, like, plunge dives into a back bed.

[B]

It was just. You can't even talk.

[A]

It was just one step too far for me. Like, he jumps in and he's literally, like, on the ropes and he just, like, arches back. Yes.

[B]

He's full of angst, Sabrina.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Full of angst.

[A]

That was the part where I literally just like, lost my angst.

[B]

I had some good ones, too.

[A]

It was so good. I literally. Oh, God, it was amazing. And then again, her house for sale. I just need to know instantly what scene was cut that made it to where. That didn't make sense at all. Cause it's never brought up again. No, we have no idea where she's living where her parents are. If everyone's okay.

[B]

No, it's like, what the hell's happening?

[A]

Yes. And then. Okay, so did you see the get in the picture winner and what they got? Did you. Did you see that at the end? Okay, you have to watch the credits. So I remember this.

[B]

It was already two hours in. Sabrina.

[A]

I know. I remember this. This was basically at this point just playing on my tv. I just didn't turn it on off and waiting for bloopers. Because they had some good bloopers. It was cute, too.

[B]

Oh, were there bloopers at the end? Oh, God, I didn't even notice that. I gotta go back.

[A]

Okay, so it's a music video. It's, like, in the gym. It's. It's using their set, but it's with this. This guy and, like, a couple of these other, like, Pete like, dancers are in it. And it's like this, like. But it's just playing while the credits are going. And I remember this comp. This. What would that be considered? Like, this, like, enter to win type situation?

[B]

It was a competition. It was a challenge.

[A]

Talent show, I guess. Yeah. It be blowing up. I mean, this was a chance to be on High School Musical 3. Like, it was so. It was promoted and so big. And then it kind of made me sad because I was like, he got, like, a music video, which is great because you see him on his own, but it's during the credits, like, I would have thought he would have somewhere. He could have been Rocket man or like a small, small, tiny, tiny part. Or like, right next to right in between, you know, Troy and Chad during one of the moments of their dancing or something like that. It was very strange to me that it was just kind of like how big this competition was promoted. And then it was like just a little, like, video that's, like, going as the credits are going. It doesn't really make sense. It's not introduced or anything. And it just happens. So that kind of made me go, what? Like, that was like, a missed opportunity for them to do something a little bit bigger than what I think they could have with this giant competition that they.

[B]

Right, with the guy who won.

[A]

And that was it. I mean, to the point where I didn't even really understand. I didn't put that two together until I started reading, like, the pro producing in the background stuff and was like, oh, that's what that was. I remember that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because otherwise it's just random. Because it's not true. I.

[B]

No, it is certainly not.

[A]

Troy it was not Troy.

[B]

So here we go. Now comes to the portion of our program where we're going to rate the film we just saw. And because it's High School Musical and it's the third one and probably the end of the series, we're gonna go one to ten.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And we're gonna make ten the biggest one this time. In. In. In deference to High School Musical, our options this week, one to ten quickest halftimes ever. One to ten Fus to Rocketman. Single white rocket mans weird roof greenhouses. One to ten houses for immediate sale. One to ten storm metaphors. One attend high school horror movies or one to ten Steven Tyler pimps or pimp. Steven Tyler's even one. Are there any other you'd like to throw on the list there?

[A]

I think 1 to 10 back to back moments.

[B]

Oh, I love that.

[A]

Back to back to back to back

[B]

Bros. 1 to 10 back to back to back. So I think you start this week. Can you score us on our 1 to 10 back to back bros? How many back to back bros do you give this?

[A]

Oh, my gosh. You know, it's no surprise. I loved this movie. I thought it was so great. It gave me every single thing that I needed for this movie to have. I loved how it was such an ode to the fans. I loved that you could feel the vibes that were on set throughout this whole movie. This was such a. A feelgood all around experience. And Kenny Ortega nailed this. There was not one moment of any of the routines that felt like G. No, that wasn't it. Even the plunge back to the arch.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Zach's commitment to it sold it. So. All right, this, this was brilliant. This was to me just like Kenny on his absolute A game. And I was there for it for every second. Except I would say why I would take off a point is it was just too many times. Like you said, it got muddled a bit with the big numbers. Got a little muddled because there were a few too many small insignificant ones. And so I'm giving this a 9.

[B]

Trying to remember what you scored it, didn't you?

[A]

No, no, I'm saying I was like, should I do a 9.5? I'm giving this a 9.5.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Back to back bro moments. Moments. Back to back bro moments.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yes. 9.5. I love it.

[B]

I loved it. Okay.

[A]

And seriously, just kudos to every single one of the actors in this movie.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Every single one of them brought it and it was amazing.

[B]

Uh huh.

[A]

What about you, Will?

[B]

Okay, let's be honest. The movie's too long. It's too long. There's too many songs. It does muddle. They start to blend. One ballad goes into the next ballad. All that kind of stuff. That being said, if you're in on the High School Musical world, this is exactly how you wanted it to end.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

You wanted a long thing. You wanted a movie that just kept going.

[A]

It was probably not long enough for that.

[B]

Exactly. You wanted more songs. You want. So I get where they were going with this. It was a wonderful ode to the fans.

[A]

Fans, yes.

[B]

And I completely. And so if you're. Look, if you walk in to High School Musical 3 having never seen a High School Musical and you're judging it just as a film, it's not going to judge that high. You're going to judge a five or six. Some of the story doesn't make any sense. The songs are every 30 seconds that it's like, what the hell is going. She sold her house that fast. So. But if you're in the High School Musical world world and you're a fan and this is what you love, this was made for you. This is what this is. I mean, to the point where the entire cast at the end walks to the front of the screen and looks at you and smiles and bows and says, thank you for being here for three movies. Like, you couldn't ask for more as a High School Musical fan.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So. And I like the first couple, you know, again, knowing they're cheesy, but there's a commitment to the cheese. Meaning, like if you're. I find it cheesy as a 50 year old man. Obviously I'm going to find it cheesy as a 50 year old man, but I can't watch these movies like a 50 year old man. I'm trying not to. So if you're a fan of High School Musical, it hit on all cylinders. I mean, Kenny Ortega is a genius. The, the dance numbers and everything he has happening are magical. You're watching them on different levels. You saw it in the Cheetah Girls he directed for you. This is happening on the top. This is happening in the middle.

[A]

This.

[B]

It takes your eyes everywhere. They're colorful. You're toe tapping along with it. I'm standing up and clapping while I'm laughing. For some of the cheesier moments, it's fully enjoyable. So while it's a little lower than you, it's not that much lower than you. And I'm going to give it a nine, bro. Moments standing back to back. Whatever the hell we called it, because back to. Back to back romance. Because again, if you're a High School Musical fan, this is what you want. I mean, you. You want. Freaking Zac efron is sweaty 80% of this movie. And half of the time, for no reason at all, the room is spinning for no reason at all. None of this makes sense. But then Ashley Tisdale walks on camera and she steals it, and you're like, my God, she's so funny and she's so good, and the choreography's good, and you're back with the characters you like again and seeing. So I'm in. It is what it is. They commit to it every second and that it's there, right? This, to me, this is going to be such a weird analogy. High School Musical to me is like Disneyland. If you go strictly as an adult and all you're going to do is complain about how hot it is and how much money it costs and how much. Of course it's going to suck if you do that same trip, but you bring a little kid, it becomes magical again. So. So I imagine if you sit and you watch high school. If I had like, you know, a young daughter who's 10 or 11 years old, and she discovers High School Musical, and you sit down and you watch this with her again, you discover the magic again of something like this, right? So I. You know, it is what it is. It's High School Musical. It's in the fricking title, for God's sake.

[A]

So, yeah, saying it's like, get in or get out. Like, this is. This is that kind of movie. Like it truly. And if you get in, you're gonna get like. It's just. It was done exactly the way it should. It's done better than what a lot of these reunion movies that keep coming out of great movies where they're, like, leaving out major characters that are such a huge aspect of the heart of the movie, things like that. That's not what they did here. The whole cast came back. They all did it. They all committed. They didn't care. And it was like everything. And that's why this movie did what it did. Did when it came out.

[B]

I agree. Hey, do I like Descendants and Zombies better overall as a. As film making and films? Yeah, I do. I think they're. They're more. I can also see that those wouldn't exist without High School Musical and the CH Girls and movies like that. So.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I. I'm. It was. It was. It should have been 93 minutes long. 94 minutes long. They should have cut out three of the songs. Other than that, it's. It is. It is what it is. And it was fun.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So thank you, everybody for joining us for this Ultra. I love how we just kept talking. It's way too long. This episode is way too long. Talking about a movie that was way too long. And that's exactly how it should be. Our next movie. We're sticking to the musical genre, guys, because you know me, I'm the musical guy. Yeah, it's gonna be 2010's teen drama Starstruck. I know nothing about this. I'm. Oh, God. I'm hoping it takes place in space, but I'm guessing it's not. It's available now to watch on Disney. So get a head start and meet us back here next week. Week. And don't forget, we have an absolutely full to packed library of High School Musical podcasting here at Magical Rewind. Tons of cast interviews and an entire breakdown from Coach Bolton himself, Bart Johnson, where he talks to Vanessa Hudgens, Kenny Ortega, and so many vital pieces of the cast and crew. Seriously, go check it out. It is so worth it. Just search for Magical Rewind wherever you get your podcast and check it all out. And for more info, you can follow us at Magical Rewind Pod on the magic Instagram machine machine. Or just fax us. We'll give you that number later. Thanks, everybody.

[A]

Bye bye. This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.