The Friday Show has long been a cherished tradition at Hingham High School, designed to brighten students’ Friday mornings. This weekly broadcast, airing during an extended passing time between A and B blocks, features a mix of interviews, skits, and highlights of HHS activities. The show is produced by students in the Television Production (TVP) class, with a new group taking over each semester to create fresh content.
Reflecting on its early days, history teacher Mrs. McCash recalled, “Before there were projectors in the school, you had to put the TV on channel 102 or 104, and the episode would start at the same time [for all the classes].” This sense of shared experience, deeply rooted in school culture, underscores The Friday Show’s lasting significance.
At the start of each semester, the TVP crew typically needs time to learn the ropes of filming, editing, and producing. However, this year’s fall semester class hit the ground running, dedicating extra time outside of class to film and edit content. Senior Bilyana Wilkin noted, “the shows were great right off the bat whereas in previous years it has taken more time to get the show up and running.” Wilkin’s remarks highlight the team’s passion and determination seen by students to deliver quality content, especially given the looming pressure of senior year and the desire to leave a mark.
The Friday Show is made by the students sitting in the editing room suggesting ideas to the teacher a week before the show’s release. Then, for the next week, half of the class films while the others edit the episode. Some students use their free time to film and their study period to edit. Then multiple teachers must approve the episode before the school can see it.
In order to make sure aired content is school appropriate, it needs to be viewed by at least one administrator. Principal Dr. Buckey explained this process, saying “I receive the Friday show on Thursday night, and I often share it with the two assistant principals because there are a lot of things about Hingham that I may not understand. It is a challenge; there seems to always be an effort to slide something in that is inappropriate.”
Despite their strong start, recent weeks have seen the absence of The Friday Show, leaving students disappointed. Rumors in the hallways suggest the TVP class struggles to keep up with production, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. TVP students have maintained their enthusiasm and work ethic, continuing to create high-quality content. However, their work has faced setbacks due to administrative disapproval of completed episodes. Dr. Buckey says there was, “only one week there wasn’t enough turnaround time for the edits to be made, most often Ms. Garland is able to edit the show before it airs.”
Senior TVP student Olivia Dorn says, “It’s frustrating because we put so much time and effort into our ideas and editing. I understand that some things need to be cut, but there are a few [clips] I believe should have been able to be shown.” Earlier in the year, the class produced creative skits such as a wing-eating contest at Buffalo Wild Wings and sampling foods at Costco – both filmed outside of class, showcasing their commitment. These skits were a hit among students, with freshman Michael Fallon describing the Buffalo Wild Wings contest as “a really good skit,” and freshman Annick Rankin calling the Costco segment “really funny.”
The repeated disapproval of episodes has taken a toll on the TVP crew’s morale. TVP student Senior Aydin Beck shared, “Our morale has gotten worse as The Friday Shows keep getting disapproved, and we lost motivation to make good content.”
Students outside of TVP also contribute to the show, participating in filming, interviews, or holding props like signs saying “Friday Show” or “Wait For the Bell.” Senior Maya Aughe, who filmed a segment for a recent episode, shared her disappointment: “I am not part of the TVP class, but I took my own time out of my day to get really good interviews. I was really sad not to see the final product on Friday morning.”
The Friday Show has become more than just a source of entertainment – it plays a key role in fostering community and spreading school-wide messages. Senior Matt Ruli observed, “The Friday Show brings a sense of community and gives students a joke or topic to talk about all day at school on Friday. Taking that away diminishes our school spirit.”
Its impact is felt across grades, with freshman Gabby Richton noting, “As a freshman, [The Friday Show] helps me find out about the things that are happening around the school.” Many upperclassmen know that around this time The Friday Show mainly focuses on Mr. Canniff’s advertisements of the wrestling team, but without it, students are at risk of not joining the team as well as getting involved in other school activities. Caroline Connolly discussed that she “asked a Freshman class if they knew the Holiday Fair and many of them said no. [She] believes[s] The Friday Show is crucial in spreading information about events happening around the school.”
The challenges faced by the TVP class this semester highlight the complexities of balancing creative freedom with administrative oversight. Yet, the dedication of these students demonstrates their commitment to creating content that resonates with the entire school. Their hard work and enthusiasm should not go unnoticed.
Dr Buckey says he “would like to see the Friday show highlight all the amazing stuff [at Hingham High School]; the people, the programs, a student-athlete profile, or a team profile. I get the ‘Saturday Night Live’ take and I want to preserve the fun but I don’t want it to all be negative.”
By fostering an environment where creativity is celebrated and collaboration thrives we can ensure “The Friday Show” remains a cornerstone of HHS for years to come. Many students and I look forward to the upcoming Friday Shows and hope they maintain the consistency and quality they did at the beginning of the year.
