What Time Is It?: HSMTMTS 3.01 Review

Rating: ★★★★☆

What time is it? Summer time! So let's start the party on this high school drama - but this time, they're in summer.

Okay, yea, we'll see if all the High School Musical x Camp Rock x Frozen jokes get as annoying as EJ's (Matt Cornett) dad jokes by the end of the season.

I have been waiting for the new season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Season since it was renewed and 3.01 "Happy Campers" did not disappoint.

Sure, I'm disappointed that we likely won't see Big Red, Seb, Mr. Mazarra, Howie, Natalie, Antoine, Ricky's Dad, etc. this season... okay yea that's a lot of characters to just not return... and it seems that Miss Jenn and Nini will also make very few appearances throughout the summer. But I'm choosing to look on the bright side that the rest of the main cast seems confirmed to return, as well as several fun, new characters!

I'm always a sucker for a good mash-up, so kicking off the season with a "What Time Is It / Start the Party" (HSM2 / CR1) got me pumped for what ended up being just an alright episode. It had the same level of cheesiness and sometimes over-acting that we're used to on the show, but there just hasn't been enough development of this new story yet.

We finally (briefly) get to see where Nini and EJ met, Camp Shallow Lake, where we quickly meet Maddox who sings a short camp song after coldly welcoming the Wildcats. Corbin Bleu is then introduced as a fictional version of himself, directing and producing a documentary about the first licensed performance of Frozen: The Broadway Musical, a stage show that Mr. Bleu will NOT be directing.

Elsewhere, Nini is avoiding the camp that made broke her out of her shell by traveling to meet with Gina's brother, the music producer. First she needs to stop in to see Miss Jenn who will be going on a cruise (thus, likely absent for the majority of the season despite being one of my personal favorite characters). After nearly the same advice she's given Nini the past two seasons, their vacations can begin!

Then there's Ricky (Joshua Bassett) and Lily (Olivia Rose Keegan) whose story developed WAY too quickly. Despite seeming comfortable in Lily's room, it took Ricky until right before leaving for vacation to notice his missing Beast harness from Season 2 hanging on the back of Lily's closet because apparently she didn't think to destroy the evidence. Ricky then ends things with Lily and sings the first original song of the season: "Finally Free" before also making his way to summer camp.

I know I've just complained a lot, but I actually really had fun watching the season premiere. I love the cast, I love these characters, and I love the music both new and reimagined. I look forward to the rest of the season, seeing the performance of Frozen and meeting additional new characters like Meg Donnelly's Val.

ORIGINAL SONG RANKING*:

1. "Finally Free" - I'm a really big Joshua Bassett fan, so of course of the two original songs that debuted this week, the one that Bassett wrote and performed is going to be my top choice. I also like the message of "breaking free," moving on and up!

2. "Shallow Lake" - This is likely going to be my least favorite song of the season, much like "YAC Alma Mater" from Season 2. It's a song talking about the physical place they're at. No thank you. (This isn't shade to Saylor Bell Curda who performs the song, she has a great singing voice. It's purely a dislike for the content.)

*I'll be updating the list each week, ending the season with my personal ranking of all the original songs in the season!