Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Review: Blast From the Past is Fine, Nothing Spectacular

Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Review: Miley Cyrus interviews with Alex Cooper to dive into the phenomenon of Hannah Montana and recreate the magical moments that made the show a household name all over the world.

The special has a runtime of 60 minutes.

Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Review

If you grew up with Hannah Montana during the early 2000s, then Miley Cyrus is here with a blast from the past for the show’s 20th anniversary. She revisits the sets and speaks to podcaster Alex Cooper about her experiences during the time, all the good and bad memories and spills some tea on various things that we didn’t know at the time.

The special celebrates the cultural impact of the Disney Channel phenomenon, one that shaped the lives of young girls at the time. It provides a reflective lens to explore the memory, music and emotions of the show as well as its impact on the masses, while looking at both its good and bad aspects. It’s clearly designed as a love letter to fans, and Miley takes people close to the show through all the details that made it what it was. From Hannah’s awe-inspiring closet to what was in the fridge, everything brings back a special part of our childhood and makes us feel attached to the special.

Cyrus is the core of the special as she reflects on the pros and cons of playing Hannah Montana. It won’t come as a shock to longtime fans who have seen Cyrus grow up and try to shed the persona of the character and the ramifications of those decisions. It’s interesting, thus, to watch her reflect on these feelings through an empathetic lens, especially considering the impact the show had on a generation of young women. Cyrus also offers candid insights into fame, identity and the problems of growing up in the spotlight, but the way she shares these tidbits feels personal rather than performative, especially during her conversations with Cooper.

Highlighting the cultural impact and legacy of the show, we see several topics being discussed, including the difficulties of balancing fame and identity, a problem that Cyrus herself faced in real life. Breaking down the interview segments, we see Cyrus going through some of the iconic locations of the Stewart house as well as performing some of the most memorable songs from the franchise. The reflective tone helps segregate the show from others, making it resonate more as a coming-of-age saga.

However, I think the bits where Cyrus meets different guests, including Selena Gomez and Chappell Roan, along with Cyrus’s parents, feel inauthentic and forced, with the conversations, although reflecting on their time on set and Hannah Montana’s impact on the world, not having the same effect as one would expect. Plus, it doesn’t help that Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso, Jason Earles and Moisés Arias are missing from the reunion, which, for me, is a disaster. It somewhat ruined the special for me, because the show wasn’t just about Cyrus’s titular character, but also about everyone around her. Hannah was who she was because of the people who loved her.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is a fine 60-minute look back at the phenomenon and the person behind it. It’s sweet enough, especially for fans who needed a blast from the past. However, it really misses out on creating that memorable experience with the missing cast members, as some of the interactions with guests feel unimportant and forced. Overall, it’s fine for the nostalgia.

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