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| Num Episodes: | 8 |
| Network: | Disney+ |
The fourth and final season of , an American mockumentary musical drama television series created by Tim Federle, premiered on Disney+, with all eight episodes, on August 9, 2023. In the season, the East High drama club returns to school to learn they will be putting on a stage adaptation of . Meanwhile, Disney has decided to begin production on the long-awaited "High School Musical 4: The Reunion" at the school, with the students set to be extras in the film.
This is the only season not to feature Olivia Rodrigo. Kate Reinders, who recurred in the third season, is a part of the cast once more, while Liamani Segura was promoted to the main cast after also recurring in the third season. Six cast members of the original High School Musical films appeared in this season: Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, Kaycee Stroh (all of whom appeared in the series prior to the fourth season), Monique Coleman, Alyson Reed, and Bart Johnson.
In May 2022, two months before the third season of premiered on Disney+, Disney renewed the series for a fourth season.[1] Four months later, at the 2022 D23 Expo, it was confirmed that the featured musical in the fourth season would be a stage adaptation of the 2008 film .[2] On returning the story to East High, showrunner Tim Federle stated, "There's something very humbling about returning to school, because all the big things that happen in high school, first love, figuring out your future, parental expectation, it's all so big for these characters this season that I'm really excited to be back."[3] On the meta nature of the season, Federle would later state, "It's like Inception with jazz hands at this point. I think there are Easter eggs in every episode."[4]
According to star Sofia Wylie, Federle would take input from the cast themselves on their own character storylines. "[Tim] is so inclusive and really wants myself and the rest of the cast to have an input and a say in what we hope to see this coming season," she told People. "He's just such a wonderful collaborator and I'm very lucky for him." This season sees Ricky beginning a relationship with Gina, something teased since the first season. Discussing this relationship, Bassett told People, "They're both really nervous about getting it right. It’s fun to see [them] in this light and actually see them in a healthy relationship because I think both of them have had pretty not great relationships."[4] On the character arcs of Kourtney and Ashlyn, Federle teased that "Kourtney is going through these massive decisions about wanting it all as a college student...[and] Ashlyn goes on a journey where she discovers her own queerdom in the series. Those are all things we're able to address in a way that I think celebrates the original franchise but puts a stamp on it in our own way."[4]
Much of the main cast from the third season were expected to return for the fourth. Kate Reinders would again be part of the main cast after recurring in the third season, while Liamani Segura, who also recurred in the third season, would be promoted to the main cast.[5] Federle also teased that other cast members from the third season could appear in the fourth season.[6]
In September 2022, it was confirmed that film series stars Lucas Grabeel, Kaycee Stroh and Corbin Bleu would be returning to the series, with Monique Coleman, Alyson Reed and Bart Johnson joining them. All six are expected to play fictionalized versions of themselves reprising their High School Musical roles for a fictional High School Musical 4 film.[7] Federle also stated that an invitation was sent to other original cast members to join the series. He also later said, "Now it's a matter of juggling and holding my breath and praying and lighting candles and seeing who wants to come play with us. So I have high hopes, but I can tell you we've engaged a lot of people and it's gonna be a really exciting season."[8] On her appearance in the series, Coleman said, "It was such an amazing experience, just being back with Corbin [Bleu], Lucas [Grabeel], Kaycee [Stroh] and Alyson [Reed] just to return to the place where our lives changed so drastically. To be there with an entirely new group of young people that are embodying this story in their own ways, was just such a fun experience." She also said that the season would be "nostalgia city."[9]
That same month, it was also confirmed that four new cast members would join the series: Kylie Cantrall, Matthew Sato, Caitlin Reilly, and Vasthy Mompoint were cast as Dani, Mack, Quinn and Krystal, respectively.[10] On Cantrall's character Dani, she told People, "She likes the spotlight and when she wants something, she goes and gets it, even if it means stepping on people's toes a little bit."[4] Sato teased his character Mack would develop "a really interesting relationship" with Gina as the season progresses.[4]
The season's first teaser in June 2023 confirmed the return of Mark St. Cyr, Matt Cornett, Larry Saperstein, Joe Serafini, Adrian Lyles and Saylor Bell Curda, reprising their series roles as Benjamin Mazzara, E.J. Caswell, Big Red, Seb Matthew-Smith, Maddox and Jet, respectively. Furthermore, the release of the final trailer in July 2023 confirmed the appearance of Kimberly Brooks as Michelle Greene, a role in which she recurred in the second season.[11] A preview clip on July 25, 2023 revealed Scott Hoying's appearance as Ryan's on-screen partner in High School Musical 4: The Reunion.[12]
In the fictional High School Musical 4: The Reunion film, Bleu, Coleman, Grabeel, Johnson, Stroh, and Reed reprise their respective High School Musical film series roles as Chad Danforth, Taylor McKessie, Ryan Evans, Coach Bolton, Martha Cox, and Ms. Darbus. In addition, the current drama club are extras in the film, with Gina and Mack's characters appearing to be a couple.
Filming for the fourth season began on September 23, 2022, in Salt Lake City, returning to East High for the first time since 2021.[13] Production concluded by December 21, 2022.
See main article: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack: The Final Season. Songs from were performed, as well as original music. The season also marked a return to live performing on set, something that had not been done since the first season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A preview song, titled "High School Reunion", was released on July 25, 2023.[14] The season finale is titled after and features a performance of "Born to Be Brave", a song that originally appeared in season one. A post-credits scene in the finale episode features Reinders and the cast performing "For Good" from the musical Wicked.
The fourth season was released in its entirety on August 9, 2023; the release date was announced in June 2023. Included in the announcement was the news that it would be the series' last. A final trailer was released in July 2023,[11] with a preview clip of the first episode releasing on July 25.[15]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating based on 10 reviews.[16]