Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Review

Recently the internet has exploded due to the iconic Miley Cyrus teaming back up with Disney to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her hit show, Hannah Montana. Growing up in the 2000’s meant watching every Hannah Montana episode right as they aired and having Miley’s character become one of the most influential people in our young lives. She is someone I looked up to as a kid and felt a deep connection for. Hannah Montana clearly still means just as much to Miley as it does to all of us who grew up watching, which was amazing to see. This one-hour special leans fully into the nostalgia of Miley’s character and her experience playing this iconic role.

Originally airing in 2006, Hannah Montana ran for four seasons and completely defined a generation of Disney Channel kids. From the music to the fashion to the iconic double life storyline, it gave us everything. The success of this show was even more apparent when Disney released Hannah Montana: The Movie, which was a smash hit and resonated with fans of many ages. Due to the successes of Hannah Montana that I have experienced throughout my life, I was excited to see what Disney and Miley had in store for us lifelong fans.

The special was hosted by Alex Cooper, and it walks us through Miley’s journey from auditioning with zero acting experience to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world. One thing I loved is how much Miley gives credit to the show. She doesn’t try to separate herself from it and fully embraces how Hannah Montana shaped her career, which makes everything feel way more genuine.

One of the best parts of the anniversary special had to be the fashion. Growing up and seeing Hannah’s closet in episodes of the show was jaw dropping. I grew up dreaming of a day to have a wardrobe as legendary as hers and wanting to know everything about her style. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at Hannah’s closet was unreal and was more than I could have ever imagined. The sparkles, the colors, and the outfit changes were everything my younger self dreamed of. That contrast between Hannah’s over-the-top glam and Miley Stewart’s more laid-back, country style is still so iconic and really captures that “best of both worlds” vibe.

The only thing I can say that it was a bit of a bummer was the lack of original cast members in the special. While Billy Ray Cyrus shows up for a super heartfelt moment, reading an old script with Miley, important characters like Jason Earles, Emily Osment, and Mitchel Musso are unfortunately nowhere to be found. I will say, though that was a disappointment, I was very excited to see the cameo that came from Selena Gomez who played Mikayla in the series as a rival pop star.

Still, despite all that, the special still did a great job when delivering on the nostalgia. From the hair, the Hannah-coded outfits, and the notable “ooo-oh-woah-ohh” transitions, she really transports you straight back to the 2000’s. This throwback special may have been a bit short, but it still had amazing moments that made my younger self happy. From whom we were back then to who we are now, this special reminds us why we loved Hannah Montana in the first place. It may not have been perfect, but it’s still something fans can appreciate and share together.