Netflix is certainly no stranger to a spin-off, and it adds another to its programming with the new teen sitcom Hollywood Arts. Acting as a sequel to Dan Schneider‘s 2010-2013 Nickelodeon series Victorious, this Schneider-free production revolves around Victorious protagonist Tori Vega’s (Victoria Justice) self-centered older sister, Trina (Daniella Monet). Now a struggling actress, Trina takes a substitute teaching job at her alma mater, Hollywood Arts, in hopes it will lead her to her big break. She might not be qualified as a teacher or skilled as a performer, but perhaps Trina can still make a difference in the lives of Hollywood Arts’s next generation (especially with a little help along the way).

Opening Shot: A voiceover welcomes us back to “the world’s premier performing arts school,” Hollywood Arts, calling it the place where future pop stars like Tori Vega (Victoria Justice) got their start, all while featuring footage of memorable scenes and characters from Victorious.

The Gist: Eccentric longtime Hollywood Arts acting teacher Erwin Sikowitz (Eric Lange) retires, leaving Principal Helen Dubois (Yvette Nicole Brown) to quickly find a substitute teacher before she can hire a more permanent replacement. Enter Trina Vega (Daniella Monet), who may lack qualifications, humility, and self-awareness, but boy does she have confidence and an impressive lack of shame. Trina has had little success as a working actress and lives in the shadow of her younger sister, world-famous pop star Tori Vega (Victoria Justice). To overcome this hardship, she hopes to find a well-connected kid amongst her students to help her score some industry work through good old-fashioned nepotism.

Unfortunately for Trina, there are no nepo babies, just humble “Techie” Emmy (Alyssa Miles), competitive frenemies Pepper (Emmy Liu-Wang) and Jen (Erika Swayze), conflicted musician Qwest (Peyton Jackson), and a handful of unnamed extras. Trina’s already poised to quit, but the chance to redeem herself at the upcoming school showcase gives her a reason to stick around through a week of substitute teaching. As she prepares for her performance, she discovers that supposed non-performer Emmy actually has incredible singing talent she hides while living in the shadow of her self-proclaimed star of a brother, Oscar (Martin Kamm).

Slowly, Trina warms up to her responsibilities as a teacher, helping Emmy shine, as well as encouraging Pepper and Jen to put aside their differences. Of course, it’s not for completely selfless reasons, as Emmy’s success reflects well on Trina as the one who “discovered” her in the first place, but it’s still a step towards growth. Meanwhile, Oscar struggles with his new reality of no longer living as the golden child of Hollywood Arts, and Qwest lies to his parents about playing basketball at this sport-less school so he can stay enrolled. Through it all, Trina and her students help each other grow over the course of wackiness, hijinks, and many a musical number.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Hollywood Arts will remind you of other recent spin-offs and sequels of kids’ shows from the aughts and early 2010s, like iCarly (2021), Raven’s Home, and Wizards of Waverly Place.

Our Take: The first episode of Hollywood Arts is immediately off to the races with Nickelodeon nostalgia and zaniness set against the backdrop of Victorious‘s Hollywood Arts, where Drake & Josh‘s still reigns as principal. A lot of the show feels like a fever dream as characters randomly burst into song, make on-the-nose jokes, and embrace full cringe and campiness, all to the tune of an ever-present laugh track. Most of this is an homage or direct reference to Victorious, which Hollywood Arts seems to want to recreate while also setting itself apart as its own entity.

With how central Victorious feels to the overall story and world of Hollywood Arts, it’s hard not to compare the two shows and find the latter coming up a bit short. That’s not to say this new series is bad, but it’s always hard for a spin-off to shake the legacy of its original. Still, I appreciated everyone’s committed performances, even if they didn’t always hit the mark. While the show likely lacks the depth and accessibility to appeal to the general audience, the moments of warmth and nostalgia will likely be enough for many Victorious fans to give it a chance.

Performance Worth Watching: Daniella Monet easily steps back into the role of Trina Vega, leading the show while adding charm and layers to a Victorious character originally defined by her shallowness.

Parting Shot: Sikowitz confirms Trina as his official replacement, leading her and her students to celebrate the good news together.

Our Call: The target audience of Hollywood Arts seems to be Victorious fans of all ages, so if you loved the original Nickelodeon series and are hungry for more echoes of the original series, then give it a chance and STREAM IT. If that isn’t you, then this series is probably safe to skip.

Maddy Casale is a Chicago-based writer and comedian who covers everything from animated series to Hallmark movies. Follow her on Duolingo @MCasale.