Netflix's 'Victorious' Spinoff 'Hollywood Arts' Is a Bland Copy of Past Shows: TV Review
Thirteen years after Nickelodeon's 'Victorious' aired its final episode, Netflix is returning to the Los Angeles performing arts school with a brand-new spinoff, 'Hollywood Arts.' Created by Jake Farrow and Samantha Martin, the series follows Trina Vega (Daniella Monet reprising her role), an aspiring performer stuck in the shadow of her superstar sister, […]
Thirteen years after Nickelodeon's "Victor" made its final call, Netflix is returning to the Los Angeles-based performing arts school with an all-new spinoff called "Hollywood Arts." Created by Jake Farrow and Samantha Martin, the series stars Trina Vega (Daniela Monae reprising her role) as a struggling actress caught in the shadow of her superstar sister, Tori (Victoria Justice). With no acting gigs on the horizon and tired of getting handouts from Tori, Trina returns to Hollywood Arts for a substitute teaching position. Although she is by no means qualified for the job, Trina realizes that she can inspire a new class of artists using her lessons and quirky ideas. Hokey, over-the-top and full of muddled dialogue, Hollywood Arts is a near carbon copy of its predecessor. However, if Gen Alpha has the same tastes as Gen Z, the show will appeal to a new generation of kids while offering a Lisa Frank-like idea from high school. Related stories Jon Watts to direct next 'Star Wars' movie Disney+ and Vidio launch Indonesian bundle linking global franchises with local originals, live sports
The 12-episode first season opens amid the sudden retirement of Mr. Sikowitz (Eric Lane, reprising his role). Blind-eyed, Helen (Yvette Nicole Brown) enters the classroom to tell her class that she has found a temporary tutor. Wearing impractical stilettos and holding a large Stanley cup, Trina introduces herself to her new pupils. Qwest (Peyton Jackson) is a musician who was lied to by Stepfather and his mother about attending Hollywood Arts on a basketball scholarship. There's Oscar (Martin Kamm), the school's biggest star, and his sister Amy (Alyssa Miles), aka Tiki, who merely works behind the scenes as a stage manager and runs the school's social media accounts. Finally, Jane (Erica Swayze) and Pepper (Amy Liu Wang) are constantly competing with each other. Popular in Variety
The teens are excited to talk about Trina's sister, Tori, but they quickly realize that Trina has no real insight into the entertainment industry in general. The rest of the season is filled with hijinks, fluff and the usual fare found in dual-purpose sitcoms. The series, like the rest of the shows that were Nickelodeon and Disney Channel gems in the early 2000s, is light-hearted and non-serious.
"Hollywood Arts" with fully formed frontal lobes won't attract many viewers. However, Farrow, Martin, and Vega nail the distinction of being a millennial. Unlike previous kid-centric shows where the adults appear as grumpy old men stuck in the doldrums or living on a different planet, Trina is a thirty-something who doesn't have her life together, but is stylish, bubbly, and constantly striving for her dreams. "Hollywood Arts" isn't realistic, but its portrayal of a young woman going through life's ups and downs she couldn't have predicted is a strong theme rarely seen in children's television. Like her students — especially Amy, who realizes her talent could be put to better use — Trina is just trying to figure things out.
The cast of "Hollywood Arts" is talented despite its over-the-top performances. It takes skill to make random songs while delivering top-notch comedy and acting. Liu Wang, in particular, has an incredible vocal voice and the group works together like a well-oiled machine.
Hollywood Arts isn't groundbreaking, yet it fills the void of pre-teens who aren't mature enough to watch YA series like Prime Video's Sterling Point or Netflix's Crew Girl. Recycling an old playbook (this time without the involvement of disgraced creator/producer Dan Schneider), Farrow and Martin deliver a silly, hip, idealized version of high school to a new generation of kids. But by centering Trina, they also present a version of adulthood that feels much more real than audiences expect.
"Hollywood Arts" is now streaming on Netflix.