There are countless reasons why audiences have fallen in love with High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. It could be the songs, the tributes to the original trilogy of films, or any number of other things. The main focal point though is the impressive cast of likable characters.
It's endearing to watch these talented actors play off of each other. That's especially true when they get paired up and form some of the show's best duos. Some are funny, some are enjoyable antagonists, some are romantic, and some are best friends. Regardless, they're all pretty entertaining when they share the screen.
E.J. & Nini
When the series begins, Nini and E.J. are a new couple. After a summer where Ricky suggested he and Nini take a break, she forms a romantic bond with E.J. At first, they seem like a pretty cute couple and they make each other happy. Things soon change for the worse, though.
E.J. quickly grows jealous of Ricky and it sends him down a bad path. He steals Nini's phone and deletes a voicemail from Ricky, causing Nini to dump him. E.J.'s toxic behavior is a problem and it hurts them as a duo. They also just weren't all that entertaining.
Ashlyn & E.J.
Poor E.J. just doesn't seem to elicit the best response from the audience. He and Ashlyn work as a duo in some cases. For example, they're cousins, so Ashlyn is the person he goes to for advice, especially in regards to Nini.
They also get a fun scene together where E.J. sings about how sorry he is for hurting Nini. The issue comes from E.J.'s tendency to do bad things, like steal Nini's phone. He makes Ashlyn an accomplice in this plan, which is terrible since Ashlyn otherwise wouldn't do anything so mean.
Carlos & Miss Jenn
The rest of this list features duos who are genuinely enjoyable to watch. Carlos admits that he feels like something of an outcast but that somewhat changes due to the arrival of Miss Jenn. Almost as soon as she takes over drama club, it gives Carlos somewhere to fit in.
He immediately becomes a loyal assistant to her. Carlos is there when Mr. Mazzara corners Miss Jenn and he's the most heartbroken of them all when she might lose her job. Though their age difference is significant, they become true friends.
Ashlyn & Big Red
In terms of being adorable, there is no potential relationship that can top Big Red and Ashlyn. They're both very likable people who are sweet, kind, and caring of others. They don't share many scenes together but Big Red shows a clear affection for her a few times.
It seems like the show is slowly building up a possible romance between them. To this point, they don't rank highly because they haven't appeared enough together. Once they finally share the screen more, they're sure to shoot up a list like this. That's how cute they are.
Miss Jenn & Mr. Mazzara
It's always fun to see two people start off antagonizing each other only to become friends after a while. That's the case with Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara. He believes that drama club isn't as important as his robotics club and he also attempts to get her fired due to her invalid teaching credentials.
Thankfully, things turn around for the two of them as they bond during their lonely Thanksgiving. That night showcases their friendship and from that point forward, they help each other. Mr. Mazzara makes sure the show goes off without any technical hitches and Miss Jenn lets him promote his robotics team.
Big Red & Ricky
Part of what makes Big Red such a great character is the fact that he's about as loyal as they come. When the show begins, it's clear that Ricky and Big Red are best friends. They discuss the Nini relationship immediately and Big Red is the person who is there for Ricky.
They spend a lot of time at Big Red's house as well. When Ricky decides to join the drama club, Big Red kind of just ends up joining with him, doing everything from running lines with everyone to working the technical side of things on opening night. Big Red becomes a friend to everyone but Ricky is still at the top.
Carlos & Seb
Along the same lines as Big Red and Ashlyn, there is just something about Carlos and Seb that is simply too cute for words. Seb stands out from the start because he wants to portray Sharpay in the musical instead of Ryan, which is who Miss Jenn expected him to be.
Seb starts getting close to Carlos but it's mostly just stolen glances at first. Their real breakout moment is at the homecoming dance. Seb agrees to go with Carlos and looks like he isn't going to show up but once he does, they embrace and remain together afterward.
Gina & Ricky
Here's one that came from out of nowhere. Gina initially seems like she'll be the stereotypical mean girl. She attempts to sabotage Nini's role as Gabriela and comes up with some cunning plans to ruin things. Then, it's quickly realized that she's not actually mean.
After her plan blows up at the dance, she gets a ride home from Ricky, and the two become friends. She buys him a hat and they share inside jokes. This went a long way in showcasing that Gina is actually a good person who was just misunderstood. Their friendship even made Nini jealous.
Kourtney & Nini
Best friends is a term thrown out quite often but it doesn't always get displayed in expert fashion on TV shows. Kourtney and Nini are like Big Red and Ricky at the start. Kourtney supports Nini's decision to move on from Ricky and she also backs her up in the fight against Gina.
When Nini loses confidence, Kourtney agrees to ditch the homecoming dance for a night out with her. While there, the two burst into song together and it helps Nini get her groove back. Their support is shown again when both bring up what they want for their futures.
Nini & Ricky
At the heart of the series is the bond between Nini and Ricky. When the show begins, they're fresh off of a breakup and in a bad place. Ricky joins the drama club to get closer to her but it initially backfires. However, Nini sees that he's legitimately trying and that's endearing.
While they eventually reconcile and start dating again, that's not entirely why they rank first. It's that their friendship never stops being great. It's evident when Ricky is allowed to stay at her house after he finds out about his parents' divorcing. Even though Nini isn't happy with him, she immediately consoles him and understands him in a way nobody else does.