While musical movies have been a staple in Hollywood for as long as Hollywood has been around, the same can not be said about musical television shows. With huge budgets and lengthy rehearsal times, musical projects don't always work on television, but that has begun to change in recent years.
The best part about the explosion of musical television shows is that no two shows are the same. From shows that explore the behind-the-scenes of Broadway or high school theater experiences to mind-bending shows about musical psychics of sorts or even singing royalty, the musical tv show genre is truly unmatched.
Rise - 6.4
Fresh off the success of Moana, Auli'i Cravalho landed her first-ever broadcast television role as Lillette Suarez on the NBC musical drama series Rise. Based on a true story, Rise followed a group of working-class teens who find their place in the world through their school's revitalized theater program.
The show nailed the often dramatic world of high school theater while also showing off the pure talent of its cast through performances of Spring Awakening songs and covers of other popular pop songs. Unfortunately, the series was canceled after only one season.
Glee - 6.7
Arguably one of the biggest and most memorable musical television shows of the last two decades is Fox's Glee. First premiering in 2009, the series revitalized the musical tv show genre, especially for young adult and teen audiences.
Set at the fictitious McKinley High School, Glee followed the school's glee club as they adjust to their new teacher and hoped to start winning competitions. Over the course of the series, the Glee cast performed 754 musical covers of hit pop songs.
Soundtrack - 6.8
Netflix is no stranger to the world of musical television shows, but one of their most underrated is the 2019 musical drama series Soundtrack. The series regularly played with time jumping into the past and present as it told the love stories of its characters who were all pursuing performing arts careers in Los Angeles.
Despite an impressively talented and diverse cast, the series was not met with popular reviews. As such, the show was eventually canceled by Netflix after one season.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series - 7.3
After years of trying to bring the world of Disney's biggest DCOM High School Musical to a different generation, Disney finally figured it out with the release of the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The series premiered on Disney+ in November 2019, and it has been a hit ever since.
Now, in its second season, the show follows a new group of East High Wildcats as they attempt to put on the best musicals possible under the direction of their new drama teacher Miss Jenn. What makes this show so fun is that it regularly incorporates songs from the original High School Musical movies along with originals written by the talented cast, which includes Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett.
Smash - 7.7
NBC has a long history of giving musical television shows a platform, and this is where Smash found its home for two incredible seasons. The drama series followed an ensemble cast who all had different Broadway-sized goals, and it featured amazing musical numbers, which earned the show a Grammy Award.
In the series, Debra Messing and Christian Borle's Julia and Tom are industry veterans - a songwriting duo who are determined to bring to life a musical about Marilyn Monroe. Meanwhile, Anjelica Huston and Jack Davenport's Eileen and Derek are the stereotypical hardass producer and directors. And of course, no show would be complete without a competition for the leading role, which is where Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty's Karen and Ivy come in.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - 7.8
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend centered on Rebecca Bunch, a successful New York lawyer who has just been offered junior partner at her firm, who decides to flee instead of accepting the offer. While running away she randomly encounters her summer camp boyfriend and decides to follow him back to his hometown in West Covina, California.
Aside from being a hilarious musical comedy-drama series with some epic musical numbers, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend also made history for being one of the lowest-rated shows in television history to get renewed for four seasons. Its large cult following and critical success - including numerous Primetime Emmy wins - is largely responsible for its continuous renewal.
Fosse/Verdon - 7.9
Fosse/Verdon is a bit different than most musical television shows, as it is actually a mini biographical series that aims to tell the real-life story of director-chorographer Bob Fosse and the talented actress and dancer Gwen Verdon. However, music still played a huge part in the show, as did musical numbers.
In fact, music was so important to Fosse/Verdon that the series released weekly albums that consisted of every song in that week's episode. Additionally, the series also went on to receive seventeen Primetime Emmy nominations, with Michelle Williams winning for her portrayal of Verdon.
Galavant - 8.1
Galavant is truly in a league of its own, combining all the great elements of a musical television show with that of a great fantasy series. Of course, it also helps that show was created by talented writer Dan Fogelman (best known for This Is Us) and included music from the legendary Alan Menken and Glenn Slater.
The series centers on Galavant, a young hero who is determined to save his "happily ever after" after his one rule love is stolen from him by King Richard. Galavant ran for two seasons, and during that time, the show released two incredible soundtracks with original songs.
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist - 8.1
NBC's latest musical television series (which has unfortunately been canceled after its second season) is Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. The series is truly one of a kind when it comes to musical shows, but it still delivered epic musical numbers that left fans wanting more.
Zoey Clarke is a no-nonsense computer coder who is disinterested in all things musical. However, all of that changes after a freak accident causes Zoey to hear people's innermost feelings and desires as they sing popular songs to her and only her. With this knowledge, Zoey sets out to help those around her get what they truly desire.
Julie And The Phantoms - 8.5
Julie and the Phantoms is arguably one of the best new teen shows of 2020. Based on a Brazillian television series of the same name, the series follows Julie Molina, a talented high school musician who has sworn off music after her mother's untimely death. However, Julie's passion is reignited when she accidentally summons a trio of ghostly musicians who once dreamt of being rockstars.
The Netflix series quickly became a fan favorite, amassing a cult following. In addition, Julie and the Phantoms featured 15 original songs, 3 of which were nominated for a Daytime Emmy award and one of which won ("Unsaid Emily").