The Disney Channel has created an unrivaled lineup of tween-appealing series to date and the jewel in the crown is undoubtedly Hannah Montana. Beginning back in 2006, Miley Cyrus assumed the role of Miley Stewart, a country girl from a little town in Tennessee with a big voice. In an effort to live a somewhat normal life outside of her pending superstardom, Miley created a stage persona known as Hannah Montana. The series, now finishing up the third season, has covered a wide variety of topics, including the loss of a parent, child-parent relationship issues and the everyday stuff that tweens and teens face in school on a daily basis. As the series has progressed, fans have watched Miley grow up. The writers have done a nice job in keeping the topics current, moving from classroom jealousy and childish pranks to dating, driving and growing up in general. The latest season focuses on issues such as making adult choices, decisions about love and following one's heart. Disney's upcoming DVD release, Hannah Montana: Miley Says Goodbye?, features six episodes from Season 3. These episodes feature a good cross-section of the types of issues Miley and her family face throughout the season.

While the above may make the Hannah Montana series sound overly serious and dramatic, it is first and foremost a tween comedy. The comical moments come often, usually centering around members of the supporting cast, which include Miley's on-screen brother Jackson (Jason Earles) and her best friend Lilly (Emily Osment), as well as father Robbie Ray (played by Miley's off-screen father Billy Ray Cyrus). The episodes featured include guest appearances from American Idol contestant David Archuleta as well as Cody Linley, who revisits his recurring role as Miley's on-again, off-again love interest Jake. Because of the abnormally long "seasons," the first episode featured actually aired in November 2008. Hannah Montana: Miley Says Goodbye? includes Season 3's final episode, which does not air until a week after the release of the DVD, so die-hard fans will be able to get an early look at Miley's pending decision. As the title suggests, the final few episodes of Season 3 revolve around Miley's thoughts about leaving the superstar life behind in order to return to her Tennessee roots. Thankfully, the season does not end with a cliffhanger and viewers will not have to wait for an answer to the question posed in the title.

As I have stated in previous reviews of Disney Channel series DVDs, I'm not a fan of releasing a DVD with only a few disparate episodes of a season that featured a total of 31 episodes over the course of 18 months. It is an obvious marketing ploy, but one that seems to maintain popularity. Hannah Montana: Miley Says Goodbye? is no different in that regard, but the catch with this release is that it does offer a sneak peek of the season finale prior to the television airing, so I suppose that is a marketable bonus. Other bonuses include an alternate ending to the hour-long "He Could Be The One" episode and a behind-the-scenes vignette entitled "Sister Secrets," hosted by Brandi Cyrus, Miley's older half-sister. Also included inside the box is a photo frame with a holographic image of Miley and her horse, Blue Jeans. Truth be told, even as a father of three approaching 40 who puts these DVDs on to review and just "plans to get through them," I find that the show manages to keep me entertained, which is a tribute to the writing and acting (or my juvenile sense of humor, maybe both). At $19.99, the price may be a little steep for 6 episodes and a few bonus features, but these DVDs make great birthday gifts and, for the die-hard fans, are surely must-haves.