HSMTMTS (yes, that's the actual acronym) is basically Disney Channel does The Office meets Glee, but make it wholesome. It's earnest, sweet, and surprisingly self-aware about its own Disney-ness.
The show works because it genuinely loves theater kids and their chaotic, passionate energy. The mockumentary format gives characters room to be funny and vulnerable, and the original songs are legitimately good. It's not trying to be edgy or groundbreaking—it's comfort food TV for tweens who belt show tunes in the shower.
That said, if your kid isn't into musicals, this will feel like homework. The plot is 80% relationship drama, 20% actual theater production, and it leans hard into the 'who likes who' dynamics that can feel exhausting if you're not invested. But for the right kid—the one who knows every Hamilton lyric and cried during Encanto—this is catnip.
It's dated enough (2019-2023) that some references feel slightly off, but not so old that it's unwatchable. The TMDB score of 7.9 suggests it found its audience. Solid choice for family viewing if you've got a theater kid in the house.