The joy of afterschool rehearsals and fast food runs? The Saturday techs and the wild cast parties? NBCs new seriesRiseis both fabulous and absolutely insane in its portrayal of a high school theater department. Credit: Peter Kramer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty And hey, its fair. Or a drama teacher blindly casts someone after one really deep conversation about their dreams! That said:Riseis a big silly blast. Perhaps Mr. Mazzu was once one of these children....

(Lets just say that teenage Gwen gets to do something that teenage Amy always thought about.) It wasnt an easy task, but thats what makes it so significant in terms of their father-daughter relationship. Its very complicated, Forsyth says of the relationship, and that gesture specifically. Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC Thats not suddenly going to change everything and make everything okay. But at the same time, she sees him trying. So to see somebody try is the first step....

That was a relief!CASEY JOHNSON:Yeah. Its scary thing when he kind of goes AWOL. And its tough, its really tough for Gordy to do. Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC At the end of the episode, Gordy and Lou have that emotional heart-to-heart. So you really want to get it right. This is about the family. This is something Ive had to deal with in the past. Is this a crossroads for Gordy, then?...

Robbie Thorne is doing his best not to disappoint, well, everyone. And of course, Robbie was caught in the middle. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: This week we got to see a bit of Robbies home life. Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC I was like, Would Robbie be the throw in of person to allow bullying in his home? Would he turn his back on the troop? Jason and I talked and I said, I dont think hes that person....

Hes doing his best to do both, star Damon J. Gillespie tells EW. He doesnt want to let his team down, but he also doesnt want to let the troop down. Hes trying his best not to piss everyone off. Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC When he decides to do something, he goes at it 100 percent. He wont stand for something that he thinks is unethical or any jot down of bullying....

Maashous life has been filled with change onRise. Once again, Maashous future is in the air. Since I was a teenager, Ive been obsessed with everything, the music especially. Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC I could relate with Maashous because it becomes easier in a way to just keep to yourself. However, its hard for Maashous for do because that puts him in an extremely vulnerable position. And thats where it feels like this is going where his mom is coming back in....

Its safe to say Lou had no idea how much troubleSpring Awakeningwould cause in the Stanton community. EW hopped on the phone with Ted Sutherland to talk about the hour and Simons journey this season. It was a fun run while it lasted, I guess. Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC What is it that you connect to with Simon?I connect to a lot of things with Simon. The biggest thing is his arc of discovering himself, discovering who he really is....

The book explores the true story of then-closeted high school teacher Lou Volpe. Katims said he was inspired by the character, but felt that he needed to makeRisehis own story. The show is indeed an entirely new creation from Katims. Credit: Peter Kramer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty (See Katims statement below for more on that.) While the character of Lou is not gay, Katims is not shying away from LGBT storylines....

Mr. Mazzu unleashes the theater kids to raid the city for set pieces, Oliver-style. However, for the first time in forever, things dont actually go Mr. Mazzus way. If only someone had made a suggestion like that weeks ago! Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC Elsewhere, Ms. Wolfe leaps off the top of an opera house. Mazzus new set-design concept, then, is salvaged items. The results are not so much salvaged items as stolen, but hey, a compromise is a compromise....

A viral video and a PTA petition spell the possible end for ‘Spring Awakening.’ 9 more days untilSpring Awakening. 14 more until the end ofRiseseason one. Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC Who will win rave reviews? The same cannot be said for the current state of Stanton High drama. Lets get right to it. Mr. Mazzu hears himself being discussed on local radio. The wild ride begins! The damage is already done: Parents have seen it....

As the drama club enters tech week, tensions and harmonies run high. No turning back now! gushes the man who cancelled a show that already had half a set. Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC Last week, he couldnt play football; this week, hes realizing he cant act. Robbie is colder than the Broadway communitys reception toTheLittle Mermaid(honestly it was fine!) Maashouss meltdown comes out of nowhere. Gordy is fairly meltdown-less, surprisingly; then again, hes not in tech....

Worlds collide when Robbie throws a football-drama party and Tracy gets Jane Austen-ed. The Mazzuchellis are off to Pittsburgh! Ms. Wolfe is off on a date! Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC The Tigers are off to the…playing field? PSA: Parties with theater people are weird. Through all of this, Robbie is more embarrassed than anything else. A line is drawn in the sand when the athletes begin to harass Michael about being transgender....

Dare I suggest that this weeks episode was the strongestRiseso far? Dare I pose that it was because it was the least Lou-heavy yet? Poor Simon says his parents only want him to receive the esteemed collegiate prep of St. Francis. Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC Jeremy is bummed, as he now has to cream away the bliss alone. Unsurprisingly, its Ms. Wolfe who shows the most heart when she tearfully embraces Simon in their farewell....