Any word on what channel this will be on DirecTV? I just searched on the HR20, but I am only getting the regular Disney channels.

The 101

yea, Aug 24 on ch 101

Thanks. Surprising that it isn't debuting at the same time, I would have thought that is why D* would have paid for the exclusivity. I don't know of any kids that would wait a week just to see it in HD.

Thanks. Surprising that it isn't debuting at the same time, I would have thought that is why D* would have paid for the exclusivity. I don't know of any kids that would wait a week just to see it in HD.

But many will watch it multiple times.

This is on HD? If so what channel in Comcast?

It's a D* HD exclusive for now. It will probably air on ABC on a Saturday night in the not too distant future.

FIOS TV currently has it on free VOD till the Disney Channel premiere the 24th. Only in SD though.

(This is for my daughter, not me...) Why isn't it showing on the D* guide for channel 101 for Friday August 24??

(This is for my daughter, not me...) Why isn't it showing on the D* guide for channel 101 for Friday August 24??

It's showing up for me at 6 pm, 9 pm, and 12 am.

Yeah, it did show up for me today. But I swear it wasn't there yesterday on my HR10 or HR20.

High School Musical 2 Most-Viewed Cable Telecast Ever

The sequel to the Disney Channel hit drew highest ever audience of kids for broadcast or cable

By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/18/2007 4:51:00 PM

Disney's High School Musical 2 rocked the ratings Friday night (Aug. 17), drawing an enormous 17.2 million viewers, the most for any basic cable telecast ever, and nearly 10 million more than tuned in for the original movie in January, according to preliminary ratings from Nielsen. The sequel also drew the most kids of any telecast ever on broadcast or cable, with 6.1 million, and stands as TV's second most-watched entertainment telecast with tweens 9-14, behind the 2004 Super Bowl.

The musical comedy, which ran from 8-10 p.m. on the non-ad-supported network, beat out by 8% cable's previous record-holder with total viewers, a Sept. 23 Monday Night Football game on ESPN, which drew 16 million. HSM2 was also TV's most-viewed Friday-night telecast in more than five years and ranks as cable's most-viewed original film ever, beating TNT's 2001 flick Crossfire Trail by about 2 million viewers, or 38%.

While Disney had a built-in fanbase for the movie after the enormous success of the original, the network helped shore up even more interest by unrolling a slew of ancillary programming to promote HSM2, launching online games, streaming music, a docu-musical, a public affairs program, mobile messages and a televised backyard barbecue hosted by the show's stars.

The original High School Musical became not just a ratings blockbuster, but an international superstar for Disney after it premiered to a then-huge 7.73 million total viewers in January, spawning a soundtrack that topped both the Billboard Hot 200 album chart and iTunes for weeks. The movie also became the first full-length feature to be offered on iTunes and the stage adaptation was developed by Disney Theatrical Productions.

HSM2 catapulted the rest of Disney's Friday-night programming to record-breaking ratings too. A 15-minute preview of upcoming original series Phineas and Ferb, which followed the movie at 10:05, drew the network's second-largest audience ever with total viewers, 10.8 million, and kids 6-11, 4.2 million. Following that, at 10:20, an original episode of Disney's already-popular series Hannah Montana posted basic cable's biggest-ever audience for a series telecast, with 10.7 million total viewers and 4.2 million kids 6-11. Both Phineas and Hannah drew 4.1 million tweens 9-14.

While a HSM3 is being written for theatrical release, Disney is hoping to keep the franchise strong through a fall documentary about the making of its stage production. High School Musical: The Music in You will be produced by documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple, who tracked the month-long process of Texas students from rival high schools who produced a stage show based on the movie. Disney will also run interstitials about the process online, on the radio and on TV.

The network is also planning a public affairs initiative in partnership with the NAMM Foundation to help provide theater grants to middle and high school students. The NAMM Foundation and Disney's High School Musical Grant will cover licensing costs involved in putting on school stage shows and cash grants for arts teaching.

http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6470035.html

What is so fascinating about this show? I saw a few minutes of it and thought it was awful and quickly changed the channel. There are much better musicals out there, much, much better. Sometimes I'm just amazed at what seems to capture audiences minds. I can understand young kids getting into this but what amazes me is the amount of older teens and adults that watch this. At the ripe old age of 28, am I already too old to get HSM? I mean, if I chose to watch a musical, there are about 50 musicals I would choose before this one. I seriously asking, what about HSM has captured the minds of older folks?

rolltide1017 I'm only 23, and I don't get it either. I like that the show is very diverse.

Maybe its just Zach Efron?

I think Corbin Bleu and Zack are at the core of its attraction (young girls the seeming target demographic). HSM is one of the biggest (original) hits Disney has had in a while; of course there was gonna be a sequel.

I've yet to see HSM2, but thought the original was entertaining. Being fairly wholesome probably adds to the appeal as well.

I don't think we're even close to their target market. I just read in the Wall Street Journal that the movie (or maybe both movies) will gross $100 million!

What is so fascinating about this show? I saw a few minutes of it and thought it was awful and quickly changed the channel. There are much better musicals out there, much, much better. Sometimes I'm just amazed at what seems to capture audiences minds. I can understand young kids getting into this but what amazes me is the amount of older teens and adults that watch this. At the ripe old age of 28, am I already too old to get HSM? I mean, if I chose to watch a musical, there are about 50 musicals I would choose before this one. I seriously asking, what about HSM has captured the minds of older folks?

It's not something any adult male should watch unless under duress, but if you're forced to watch it, it does become oddly infectious after awhile.

its grease for the modern age...

I see it on 101, but it doesn't have the HD marker next to it.

Press Release: DIRECTV to Air High School Musical 2 In HD

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (August 21) -- DIRECTV, the nation’s leading satellite television provider, ends the summer on a high note with the exclusive HD broadcast of the premiere of Disney Channel’s hit movie High School Musical 2 on August 24 at 6 p.m., 9 p.m., and midnight EST. Only DIRECTV customers can watch the three screenings in HD, with 5.1 digital audio, by tuning into DIRECTV’s original entertainment channel, The 101. Fans without DIRECTV can call 1-800-DIRECTV or log on to directv.com to make sure they don’t miss out on all the fun while at the same time securing the finest television experience in the country.

“Come this fall, we will offer more national HD channels than any other TV service provider, so it makes sense that DIRECTV is the only place to see the HD premiere of this immensely successful pop culture phenomenon,” said Eric Shanks, executive vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment. “This is just one of many ways DIRECTV will continue to be the HD leader in the industry in the months and years to come.”

"We are excited to bring High School Musical 2 in high-definition to DIRECTV's customers," said Nathalie Lubensky, senior vice president, affiliate marketing, Disney and ESPN Media Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing. "Making Disney Channel's latest blockbuster available for these special HD showings is not only great for fans of the movie, but is a perfect example of how we are dedicated to working with our affiliates to help drive their key business priorities."

High School Musical first premiered on Disney Channel in January 2006 and has since been seen by more than 200 million people around the world. In the sequel, it is summertime, school's out and the East High Wildcats yet again take center stage – this time at the Lava Springs Country Club, where Sharpay tries to lure Troy away from Gabriella and his friends and into a duet with her for the club's Midsummer Night's Talent Show.

High School Musical 2 will air three times on The 101, providing multiple opportunities for viewers to catch the HD adventures of some of their favorite high school heroes. In between each airing, The 101 will also feature additional Disney Channel programming including a sneak peek of the brand new upcoming animated comedy series Phineas and Ferb, High School Musical: The Concert and a variety of the channel's short form programming. The 101 is home to DIRECTV’s original entertainment featuring hit shows like Project MyWorld, Championship Gaming Series, DIRECTV Concert Series, and the Passions.

In early 2008, DIRECTV will launch Disney Channel HD, a simulcast of Disney Channel featuring the channel's blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movies in high-definition as well as original live action and animated series for older kids and Playhouse Disney programming for preschoolers.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/2007/08/press-release-directv-to-air-high.html

interesting that they neglect to mention that its being aired a full week after the sd showing

Although I never met a musical I didn’t like, I avoided High School Musical 2 because I couldn’t get it in HD via Cox OKC. When it finally becomes available in HD on cable I will probably see it but not until then.

IMDb voters were underwhelmed by the movie, giving it only a 6.1 on a scale of 10 but a Variety reviewer liked it a lot:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810900/

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934389.html?categoryid=32&cs=1&p=0

Ugggh...just watched it on the 101. Huge Disney HD bug in bottom left and another in bottom right with "directv exclusive". Totally distracted me from the movie. PQ about on par with other D* lite stuff.

Pic of giant logo(s) below

http://i16.tinypic.com/52xwjfn.png

Did anyone else have audio dropout problems?

We just saw it..had a couple of hiccups in the pic but looked good...other than the damn logos!

Ugggh...just watched it on the 101. Huge Disney HD bug in bottom left and another in bottom right with "directv exclusive". Totally distracted me from the movie. PQ about on par with other D* lite stuff.
Count your blessings. I don’t have D*, so I recorded High School Musical 2 on the Disney Channel on cable. It was 4:3 and 480i. That’s REAL “Ugggh.” I haven’t decided whether to watch it or not.

I think Corbin Bleu and Zack are at the core of its attraction (young girls the seeming target demographic).

I don't get it either, but not just girls - Zac and Corbin also have boys that are fans ;)

This show attracted a lot of audiences because of kids, teenagers, and some adults
watching some good looking teens perform. It's like Hannah Montana, it averages at
4 Million viewers and tops at 10 Millions. Think American Pie.

Count your blessings. I don’t have D*, so I recorded High School Musical 2 on the Disney Channel on cable. It was 4:3 and 480i. That’s REAL “Ugggh.” I haven’t decided whether to watch it or not.

Good point. My 8 year old almost killed me because I made her wait a full week after the debut so we could all watch it in HD as a family. She would have taken the 4:3 and 480i any day, but not me. :)

Good point. My 8 year old almost killed me because I made her wait a full week after the debut so we could all watch it in HD as a family. She would have taken the 4:3 and 480i any day, but not me. :)
I finally worked up my nerve and watched a bit of HSM2 last night, 4:3, 480i, and all. To add the excitement, I stretched it. :)

The movie was about what I had expected: a silly meringue starring a group of beautiful kids who can sing and dance a little. I’ll probably watch the rest of it because even a mediocre musical and a modestly talented case beats no musical at all.

If my post violates posting rules because I had to watch it in SD, the moderators can dock my pay. :)

Omigosh; did any of you see the intro to the 2007 Teen Choice Awards on FOX? They did a parody called High School Musical:50th Reunion. The look on the young people's faces was priceless...

As noted in an earlier post, I started HSM2 yesterday. I finished watching it earlier today and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The leads could all sing well and dance adequately. But the best part was that the music was really pretty good and the story sweet and surprisingly funny.

Ashley Tisdale, who played the Rich Mean Girl from central casting, Sharpay Evans – one of my favorite names – was very funny and she could sing some. She reminded me a lot of Reese Witherspoon in “Legally Blonde” mode. According to one line, she was such a fashion plate, she wore, “designer flip-flops.”

Highly recommended for lovers of musicals. For others though, not so much. :)