“I shut off the possibility of a fifth season because I didn't want the cast or crew who had put so many years into the show to go away over a hiatus then if we didn't get renewed or now we're in the middle of a strike, it would've really sucked to end on a cliffhanger.”

Season three was her final season, mostly because the logistics of balancing her exploding music career was becoming too much of a juggle. Series creator Tim Federle told Variety on the day of season four's debut that, “I felt really confident about that ending and Olivia is so busy with her songwriting career.

Most likely to succeed in East High School's class of 2008 is Zac Efron. Director Kenny Ortega clearly knows it, moving the 21-year-old heartthrob center stage in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," the infectiously upbeat bigscreen extension of Disney Channel's runaway TV movie sensation.