Hannah Montana: Livin' the Rock Star Life!

Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) seems to be just your ordinary high school “dork.” But she has an extraordinary secret: she's the fabulous pop star Hannah Montana, recently transplanted from Tennessee to tony Malibu. This volume contains four episodes from the Disney Channel series' 2006-07 first season, but since they are not presented chronologically, it's best to start with “Lilly, Do You Want to Know a Secret?”, the debut episode, in which Miley's friend (Emily Osment, a natural talent who deserves her own show) discovers her secret and is upset that Miley didn't trust their friendship enough to tell her earlier. In “Miley Get Your Gum,” Miley is compelled to reveal her identity to Oliver, her platonic friend, who is obsessively crushing on Hannah. In “I Can't Make You Love Hannah if You Don't,” Miley tries to be in two places at once when she attends a Hannah Montana concert with her boyfriend, who prefers hip-hop to Hannah's pop. In "Money for Nothing, Guilt for Free," Miley, Lilly, and Oliver are determined to top obnoxious mean girls Amber and Ashley in a fundraising drive. Hannah Montana combines elements of Disney's other popular ‘tween sitcoms: misfit empowerment (Lizzie McGuire); fantasy fulfillment (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody); and coming-of-age, lesson-learning misadventures (That's So Raven). Miley is admirably well-grounded, and Lilly is the very model of a faithful best friend. Miley's father (played by her real-life dad, country star Billy Ray Cyrus) is a rock-solid voice of reason, even if some of his southern-fried adages are indecipherable, but a teacher is unfortunately portrayed as a buffoon, and—worse—painful Disney Channel acting is in full effect here (i.e., every precocious punch line is overemphasized, and there's a lot of shameless mugging). DVD extras include an interview and audition tapes for Miley, and the “Hannah Montana” music video. Optional. (D. Liebenson)