It may not be on the level of the hits from Marvel or Star Wars but High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is one of the best original shows on Disney+. The first season arrived with the launch of the streaming service and wonderfully paid homage to the trilogy of movies.
Fans have been eagerly awaiting the second season and all they've had to hold them off so far is a holiday special episode. Whenever season two does arrive, there are some pivotal questions it needs to answer. Some were left lingering from the first season and others involve the franchise itself.
Will There Be More High School Musical Cameos?
For the most part, the first season featured all original characters who are usually fans of the High School Musical films. However, there were two fun cameos made by cast members from those movies. The most significant was Lucas Grabeel, who played Ryan Evans.
He got a dance number with Miss Jenn in a dream sequence in "The Tech Rehearsal." There was also an appearance from KayCee Stroh in "What Team?" as a faculty member. With the original cast reuniting on Zoom in 2020, fans are hoping to see others show up in an episode or two.
Will They Use Songs From High School Musical?
A lot of season one also brought in new songs for the cast to sing. Of course, they still belted out classics from the movies since they were doing a stage show based on it. Season two marks a major change as it has been announced that the group will put on an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.
Obviously, that means they will be singing songs from the beloved Disney classic. While that should be a ton of fun to watch and hear, fans of the franchise are sure to want to hear songs from the High School Musical movies, especially the sequels that weren't covered in season one.
What Is E.J. Going To Do?
The character arc of E.J. going forward is one to really think about. He spent the majority of the show so far as the third leg in the love triangle involving Ricky and Nini. E.J. was there to sabotage them a bunch at first but he eventually becomes a relatively likable character.
He realizes that it's best to step aside and let Ricky and Nini do their thing. E.J. becomes a better person, which bodes well for his future. That being said, it's a wonder what will be the case for him going forward. Where does his story go without the Nini and Ricky romance angle?
How Much Trouble Are Miss Jenn & Mr. Mazzara In?
For most of the show, Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara are at odds. Mr. Mazzara doesn't believe that the drama club deserves all of the attention and funding that it gets, especially when compared to his robotics club. However, they ultimately bond in "Thanksgiving."
They fall asleep while watching a movie and an outlet sparks in the workshop, ruining the theatre. It made it so the production had to move to a different venue but nobody knew why. The finale revealed that Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara's part in the incident was known, so they'll expectedly be in some kind of trouble.
Will Big Red & Ashlyn Date?
One of the most endearing aspects of the show has been the unexpected blossoming romance between Big Red and Ashlyn. They're both adorable characters who the audience loves and are genuinely good people. The potential relationship came from out of nowhere though.
Big Red began to compliment Ashlyn in one episode and while it was a bit random, the viewers loved it. Their slight teases throughout the season and in the holiday special give fans hope that the two will become an item in the new season.
Who Plays Who In Beauty & The Beast?
The High School Musical roles played by the characters were kind of expected. For example, Ricky and Nini, as the central boy and girl on the show, made sense as Troy and Gabriela. It was cool to see Ashlyn as Ms. Darbus and Seb take on the role of Sharpay, though.
This season will be a lot more difficult to pinpoint. With the characters trying their hand at Beauty and the Beast, the roles are less obvious. Will Nini and Ricky remain in the lead positions? Does someone else step up as the Beast and Belle? Who plays the supporting roles?
What Are Miss Jenn's Plans For Kourtney?
Kourtney had a shining moment during the actual performance of High School Musical. In the rehearsals, she showcased that she has one of the best voices of the entire cast and even got to take on Gina's role when she couldn't appear at the live show.
She certainly proved that she has talents that go further than being part of the wardrobe department. At the end of the season, Miss Jenn lets it be known that she has plans for Kourtney. One can assume it means she'll be in more performances but maybe there's something more to it.
Does Nini Get Into The Performing Arts School?
A big storyline in the final few episodes centers around Nini and the possibility that she gets into an exclusive performing arts school. Knowing that Nini needs to perform well in front of the dean of the school, Ricky even gives up his spot because he can't put on the show needed to help her.
That's how important it is to Nini. The dean reveals in the season finale that they'd like to offer Nini the chance to come to the school, which is the opportunity of a lifetime. Nini is excited but given that she had just reunited with Ricky, there's a chance she might not go, even though she clearly should.
What Was Ashlyn's Idea For Gina?
Gina goes through one of the most interesting runs throughout the season. She begins as something of an antagonist, sabotaging Nini in hopes of stealing her spot as Gabriela. When that fails, she shows her vulnerable side and forms a sweet bond with Ricky.
Things get harder for Gina when her mother wants to move her again despite her finding a family with the rest of her theater friends. That causes her to miss the first part of opening night and after she returns to perform, Ashlyn says that she has an idea for her. There's no word yet on what this was but it seems to have something to do with her staying in town.
What Happens To Nini & Ricky?
The majority of the first season centers around the relationship between Nini and Ricky. They spend most of the time apart after breaking up over the summer but slowly gravitate towards each other because their feelings for one another are real.
In the finale, the two finally officially get back together. It looks like they will be a couple during season two but a wrench is thrown into the plans when Nini gets invited to the performing arts school. A major question going forward is what happens to them.