The film and television industry is flooded with remakes, reruns, and reimagined versions of the same stories. While this can be frustrating for avid viewers, it can also be nostalgic for fans of the originals. The newest in a long line of reunion episodes is the 20th anniversary of “Hannah Montana,” a Disney Channel show that aired from 2006 to 2011.
This iconic show spanned 4 seasons, 98 episodes, 1 movie, and 5 soundtracks, making Disney about $1 billion, according to Business Insider. After playing the title character on the show for five years and dedicating her entire life to its success, Miley Cyrus bid goodbye to the world of “Hannah Montana” and Disney with a bittersweet two-part finale that aired on January 16, 2011.
20 years later, after the premiere of the first episode to the day, on March 24, 2026, Disney+ released the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.” This special reunion was first hinted at by Cyrus in an interview with Variety on January 3 on the red carpet of the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival, when she debuted a Hannah-like blonde look complete with bangs. She was asked by Variety if there are any plans for the 20th anniversary of the show, to which she replied, “Absolutely, we’re working hard on them.” During the special, she revealed that there were, in fact, no plans until she spoke them into existence and basically forced her team and Disney to put something together. For many fans of the show, it was evident that this ‘Hannahversary’ was rushed, unplanned, and thrown together at the last minute for the sake of doing something for this monumental milestone.
The special opens with a blonde Cyrus driving through scenic Southern California in a convertible, while snippets of her time as Hannah Montana flash across the screen, ending with her arriving at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood, where a crowd of adoring fans waits to see her perform the theme song of the show “Best of Both Worlds.” Throughout the special, Cyrus also performs “This is the Life,” “The Climb,” and a new song, “Younger You.” While the performances were a great nod to the beloved originals, it was the rerecorded “yeah, yeah” transitions that took the cake. It was a special touch that made it that much more nostalgic.
The majority of the special showcases the original set from the first three seasons of the show, complete with the legs table, green couch, and guitars. The role of host for this event was given to Alex Cooper, host of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, who was also a producer, and whose production company, Unwell Productions, made this special happen. While having someone ask Cyrus questions about the show, production, and specific trivia was great, the questions asked fell flat and were, overall, surface-level. Nothing of worth was revealed, and much of what was discussed was either already known to fans or nothing special. Did we really need to know that Cyrus would go to Panda Express and put Diet Coke on top of white rice instead of soy sauce? Probably not.
Much like any other reunion episode, fans are always excited to see cast members come together. However, this special disappointed when it came to surprise guests. Aside from Cyrus and Cooper, the only other people who were featured were Tish and Billy, Cyrus’s parents, Gary Marsh, the former president of Disney Channel worldwide, Jamal Sims, a choreographer for the “Hannah Montana Movie,” Selena Gomez, who guest-starred on three episodes, Noah Cyrus, who played a number of little girls across six episodes, and Chappell Roan, who has no connection to the show other than being a fan. However, Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso, Jason Earles, Moises Arias, Cody Linley, and other prominent actors from the show were noticeably absent from the special; just another way this celebration felt like it was put together in the last minute. While some of the missing cast members cited other commitments as the reason why they weren’t a part of the special, fans can only assume that they would’ve most likely made schedule adjustments with enough notice.
Overall, while the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” was nostalgic and an excuse to revisit the world of Hannah Montana, it lacked the sparkle of the original show. Sure, the jokes were cringey, and the wardrobe was classic 2000s, meaning layers, sequins, and scarves, but the lessons that each episode taught viewers were so formative and allowed children and teens to start conversations with their parents and guardians about important topics like diabetes, bullying, budgeting, and so much more. For someone who spent almost every Friday night from ages 11 to 15 glued to the screen, eagerly awaiting the newest “Hannah Montana” episode, this 58-minute special didn’t quite fill the hole that the show left behind in 2011. This felt more like closure for Cyrus than a reunion for fans.
