Hannah Montana: Miley Says Goodbye?

Fantasy is a perfectly normal part of life especially with children. Letting your imagination run wild is just one way that adults keep their sanity and kids figure out who they are becoming. Most have dreamt of becoming a super hero or perhaps a rock star. One show on cable’s Disney channel is based on such a fantasy and has become so wildly popular it has become the network’s flagship tween offering; ‘Hannah Montana’. Just in case you have been in a deep coma since 2006 this is a series about a young girl living a double life; normal teen and mega popular pop music star. Looking back over half a century of watching television I cannot think of another half hour sit com that has exerted such an amazing influence on our culture. The premise is simple and readily identifiable for everyone especially tween girls. Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) was a girl from Crowley Corners, a Tennessee. Gifted with a great singing voice her father Robbie (Billy Ray Cyrus) helped his daughter devise a way to realize her dream yet stay grounded. She would appear in public as Hannah Montana, international super star but attend regular school as Miley. In real life the Hannah personae has sold out concerts, DVD, movies and albums. Young Ms Cyrus has become a billion dollar franchise for the house of mouse so popular she was a presenter at the most recent Academy awards ceremony. Disney Home Entertainment has released the first season on DVD but most of the time their tween series get special releases containing a few loosely related episodes. The latest release contains five episodes from season three including the two part season finale that provides the name for this collection; ‘Miley Says Goodbye’. Fans should be reassured that Disney is not ready to pull the plug on their most lucrative franchise since the mouse first grew ears.

With a nod of respect to the huge fan base this season maintains continuity with the recent movie building upon several themes initiated there. The most important of those is something that usually fills the producers of s dhow based on kids dreads; the cast is growing up. Instead of trying to skirt the issue the writers have chosen to address it full on. There is one episode here that features some flashbacks reminding the audience about the major growth phase that occurs between 13 and 16. The stories contain more romantic threads and several characters are contemplating moving away from the family home. In the movie Robbie noticed that the Hannah persons were not only dominating Miley’s life but the young star was becoming a diva. When Hannah ruins her best friend Lilly’s (Emily Osment) birthday party Dad Miley has to return home to Tennessee and give up being Hannah for awhile. After Miley gets her perspective back she puts the blond wig back on and Hannah has a comeback.

Season three episode 4 11/23/2008

As a pop star Miley is earning a lot more than the typical sixteen year old. This episode plays out a problem that happens with a lot of child stars; more money than maturity. As is usually the case in this series the dad gives Miley just enough of her own way to help teach her a lesion. Miley has to work on self control sand resist the temptation to purchase everything that catches her eye. One thing parents will appreciate about this series is the family dynamic where Miley may be earning the bulk of the family income but it is her father who lovingly provides a strong, sensible influence on his famous daughter.

Season 3 episode 9 3/8/2009

After Hannah’s regular choreographer is injured the replacement, Shawn Nahnah (Philip Anthony-Rodriguez) is far too strict and demanding Miley’s tastes but there is a roadblock to getting rid of him; he has become best friends with Robbie. He problem is mirrored with Miley’s friend Oliver (Mitchel Musso) who is feeling whipped by his over bearing girlfriend Joannie (Hayley Chase). He enlists the assistance of Miley’s brother Jackson (Jason Earles) to act crazy scaring the girl off.

Season 3 episode 14 5/3/2009

In an act of sympathy Miley agrees to attend the school’s promo with the nerdy Aaron (Nate Hartley). Later she regrets the social implications of the decision and books a recording session between Hannah and American Idol winner David Archuleta as an excuse not to keep her promise another major theme of this season is continued here as Jackson becomes overwhelmed with the looming prospect of college turning to his father for help in sorting things out.

Season 3 episode 19 7/5/2009

It is impossible to have a series that revolves around a teenage girl without a few episodes pertaining to the often turbulent matters of the heart. for awhile now Miley/Hannah has had an on again-off again relationship with teen heart throb Jake Ryan (Cody Linley) but is afraid her father will oppose her going steady, she comes up with the idea of using another boy, Jesse (Drew Roy) as a decoy but winds up caught between conflicting feelings. This DVF does contain an alternate ending for this extended episode.

Season 3 episode 30/31 3/7/2010/ - 3/14/2010

Miley has been having upsetting dreams about her horse back home in Tennessee, Blue jeans. In these dreams the horse speaks to her telling Miley how much he misses her. She talks her father into bringing the horse to California bur he keeps escaping from the stable to be close to Miley. She decides that she needs to move back to her small town home. There are a couple of problems with that decision. Lilly’s mother has taken a job in another state and she is now living in the Stewart home full time. Complicating matters more Lilly and Oliver has become a romantic item but he gets an opportunity to open for a popular band on their six month long world tour. Miley doesn’t want to leave her best friend alone but fortunately Dad has a workable compromise. The conclusion of this season sets up some major changes for the forth and apparently last season.

This show has everything you could possible want from a family series including musical numbers and some light hearted comedy. Ms Cyrus has started a film career apart from her Hannah Montana character so it looks like the announcement that this is the next to last season is true.

Posted 02/11/2010