In The Auditions, Gina Porter first saw Ricky Bowen out in the hall talking to Big Red, Kourtney Greene and Nini Salazar-Roberts on the first day of school. Ricky Bowen and Gina Porter didn't officially met until auditions for High School Musical. During Auditions, for the school musical Ricky performs an original song and Gina is shown to be in awe watching his performance. They are labeled as outsiders being that Gina is a transfer student who moves around a lot and Ricky being a skater who doesn't like musicals but joins it in hopes of getting back together with his "ex". In The Read-Through, when Ricky was feeling insecure about staying in the school musical and drops out he goes to the skate park and surprisingly sees Gina who looks to have been waiting for him sitting on the steps with her headphones in. She asks him "Is it true that you dropped out?". He answers her with "Did Miss Jenn send you here?." Thinking that Miss Jenn probably sent her here to bring him back to the musical. Gina denies and says "Please, I think I scare her" indicating she came here on her own volition. Ricky agrees with her statement on her being scary. Gina encourages him though to stay in the school musical saying that "Outsiders keep everyone on their toes. You kept us real" Ricky looks deep in thought at what she says. In Homecoming, Ricky sees that Gina has brought EJ to the dance as her partner and tells her she could do better. She rebuttals him telling him "You're not the one to give relationship advice and when I want your opinion I'll ask." He goes around to say something that hurts her and she leaves the table. When he sees her pour a drink on EJ's head and storms off angry he goes off after her to see if she's alright and apologizes for what he said to her at the table. She asks him "Why do you care?" Relating to her problems and he answers with an uncertain "I don't know" but says "I thought we sorted got each other" Them being both outsiders to their receptive group. On the ride to her house, they share a moment with each other that leads to Gina kissing him on the cheek which leaves him speechless.
After homecoming, Gina and Ricky have grown closer and opened up to each other about a lot of things. However, they soon grew apart after Gina and her mom moved away. She did come back at opening night and they properly said their goodbyes with her saying she "wouldn't quit on them if she wasn't moving away." Ashlyn soon suggested that Gina stayed at her house for the rest of the school year, to which Gina obliged. She and Ricky still talked, but they weren't as close as before because he and Nini got back together.
During Season 3, while Gina is in a relationship with E.J. Caswell, they grow close again, with Ricky soon after rekindling his buried feelings for Gina during the season. As the season progresses, Gina and E.J. break up. In Let It Go, Gina confesses her feelings to Ricky again at the Frozen The Musical The Documentary red carpet and they share a kiss.
When confronted by E.J. who asked if she cared about Ricky, Gina answered with "What if I do?"
Ricky and Gina walked in the bomb shelter together
Big Red asked Ricky what happened with him and Gina on Friday, and Ricky said that he wasn't sure yet
When Ricky suggested an acoustic version of "When There Was Me and You," Gina voted for his idea while the others vetoed it
After they find out Miss Jenn could be fired they have a conversation about being scared that the musical could stop and they would no longer have somewhere to go after school
She then asks to hear his song idea and he plays it for her
After she complimented him on his guitar and he complimented her on her dancing and acting
He also made a joke about her pouring punch on EJ's head in the last episode
She said that she was hoping that he'd forgotten about that and he said he couldn't forget anything that happened at homecoming
After some awkward silence when Ricky then suggested that they do something to help save Miss Jenn
After the song and they saved Miss Jenn, Ricky and Gina hugged, him lifting her up in the air in a circle
Natalie pulled Gina away to the others, but a while later, he received a text from Gina saying that his dad rocked and that he takes after Ricky
They also walked, sat, or danced next to each other a few times throughout the episode
Gina came to Ricky's house unexpectedly, surprising Ricky and they jokes about his house being a mess
Then she talked to him about her not thinking her mother would get her something for valentine's day
He says that he understands missing your mom and they talk about telling each other things they don't tell other people
He then gets a call from Nini and leaves her to take it so Nini wouldn't know she was there
When Nini says she they can't hang out that day and hangs up he tells Gina that he wanted to play her a song and that it was a weird day
Gina suggests that he should play it over the phone because every girl likes a sweet gesture and that she knows from experience, referencing when Ricky serenaded her
He responds by saying he thinks she'll get her's too but she doesn't believe him
Then she goes out the door before Ricky could finish thanking her for coming
Ricky followed Gina's suggestion and sang his song over the phone.
Gina received a box of chocolates just as she got a text from Ricky, so she thought it was from him.
She sent him a text to thank him for the chocolates, but a few moments later, it was revealed that it was her mom who sent it.
Ricky receives a message from Nini and Gina at separate times but only looks over when Gina's is sent
During the recap, Gina said that chocolate gives her heartburn because she was upset about her thanking Ricky for chocolates only to find out that her mom sent them
After Ricky laughed at her joke about Miss Jenn's story being scary she looked at him sadly
They had a conversation where Ricky tried to complement Gina and made a joke the chocolates situation after she was hesitant
In a confessional Gina said that she misinterpreted the situation and that she would never step on what he has with Nini
She also said that it was a running joke between them
Gina brushed Ashlyn off after she asked what the joke was about
When Nini showed up, Ricky and Gina both stared at her as if they've done something wrong.
Ricky, like everyone else, followed Gina's lead when they got locked up in the school during the snowstorm.
When Big Red tried to ask for Gina's opinion on what Ricky was planning to send to Nini, it seemed as if Ricky didn't want her to hear it.
Gina looked pained and told Ricky to never text or say what he was planning to send to Nini, ever.
Ricky said thanks for her opinion and said he was sorry. He didn't mean to suck her into their thing.
Gina changed the subject by telling him that she found a Twix bar near her locker and tried to pass it off as a joke. Ricky laughed and told her he goes big.
She stared after him as he and Big Red walked away
When asked by Carlos who is the reason she was having a confusing time, Gina said that it didn't matter.
When Ricky went to catch up to Nini at the bus station, Gina looked at him, hurt.
He looked at her, smiled, and said "Later," before going.
When Ashlyn asked what happened back there with Ricky and Carlos, Gina walked away after saying she was still figuring that out.
Ricky and Gina were both helping plan Carlos's QuinceaƱero.
Gina said that she doesn't know where she stands with most boys at her school, and she's most likely talking about Ricky.
Ricky approached Gina for advice on what to do with Nini. And then he went on to say that theoretically, if he and Gina were dating, would she be flattered if he did the same thing for her. She told him she would be, but reminded him that they were not dating and that there are better people to talk to about Nini.
Ricky was one of those who cheered when Gina performed "A Dancer's Heart."
Gina looked sadly at Ricky and Nini while Seb performed "The Climb.'
Gina stood behind Ricky when he showed them all the video North High made.
They both fooled around with the pool noodles.Flashback Scene
When Ricky asked Gina if she would be his partner in one of the exercises, she ignored him.
Gina was improvising with Ashlyn, and when Ashlyn said, "What is your heart telling you?" Gina looked at Ricky, who smiled back at her.
Ricky stood by the doorway while Ashlyn sang "Home" and looked at Gina, then at his necklace.
Gina told Ricky that he was amazing out there on stage, and he smiled at the compliment.
When Ricky said that it felt good to get something right for once and she must get that feeling all the time, she disagreed. She told him that she doesn't do anything right the first time and that her thing is that she just keeps pushing and never quits. He told her that he knew that she doesn't.
Gina started to cry as she says goodbye to him and he was teary-eyed as well.
Ricky told her to say what she wanted to say.
She told him that she wouldn't quit on what they had if she wasn't moving away. So now, she was going to give him a really tight hug and walk away with her head held high. When she said "Okay?" he nodded and said "Okay."
Ricky decides to comes to Camp Shallow Lake last minute. When Ricky shows up at camp the first people he sees are E.J. and Gina who were just having a moment and he says "Group Hug?"
They both get casted as Anna and Kristoff, the main romantic pairing in Frozen.
Ricky sees a shrine in the woods and decides to tell E.J. about it so they can go to look at it, who blows him off, so he instead goes with Gina to find it.
Ricky and Gina talk and joke during the walk on the woods, with Ricky admitting he's a little scared and putting Gina's hand on his chest to prove how fast his heart is going.
They hear what they think is the Woman in the Woods and go to find it.
Once in the barn, having realized it was Ashlyn all along, Ashlyn says that there is always something new to learn, and Ricky looks over at Gina.
Afterwards, Ricky admits he's really proud of her, and that is a big deal the fact that he got the Anna part in the play.
Exiting the barn, they both say goodbye at each other, only to realize they are walking in the same direction.
Just before singing Fabulous, E.J. makes a comment about Ricky being Gina's "secret late-night hiking buddy", to which Gina looks at him with a confused look and Ricky answers "You're funny and you never make things weird".
While the rest of the campers are at the friendship circle and E.J. and Gina are talking on their own, Ricky is seen watching Gina from afar.
While Gina is reading the script in the readthrough, Ricky looks at her in awe.
Ricky and Gina, along with E.J., say that there is not drama going on, while hugging each other.
When they want to perform Love is an open Door, Ricky immediately jumps at the opportunity o singing it with Gina due to Jet's absence.
E.J. says to Ricky "Stay in your lane, Bowen", and Gina looks at him with a confusing glance again.
After E.J. and Gina sing Love Is An Open Door, Ricky can be seen jealous.
When Corbin asks him what did he though of it, he says that "she's amazing", just before adding that E.J. was also amazing, and storming off.
Gina finds Ricky practising his lines, and finds out about his bucket list. Teasing him about it, and trying to catch it.
E.J. appears from behind and gets jealous of their banter, afterwards revealing to Val that Gina might be "busy with someone else".
That night, Ricky finds himself between E.J. and Gina, and hears how Gina says she doesn't do well with liars. After this, he leaves to his bunk.
In his bunk, he finds Jet. Ricky scolds him for disappearing, saying that this is important, particularly to Gina, because she finally got the lead. Jet questions Ricky's motives for this, asking if he was truly that upset because he took off or it all of that was just about Gina, which Ricky denies saying they are just friends. Jet doesn't believe him, to which Ricky answers him that he doesn't know the whole story, before leaving.
Ricky gets the role of the jilted ex. Of Gina's jilted ex.
While Ricky is practising slapping with E.J., Carlos says that it looks very fake. So he says that E.J. has stolen the woman Ricky loves , to which Ricky answers with a "Gina?", saying that, as he is E.J.'s girlfriend he would have stolen her.
E.J.continues with the "ruse" saying that Ricky had held a torch for her for years, and that that's why he pretended to get lost in the woods with her. To which Ricky cuts him by slapping him for real.
While Ricky and Gina are rehearsing a scene along with Jet, Ricky, again, looks at Gina in awe while she acts.
They are seen talking before Carlos comes to talk to them about their roles.
Ricky is "supposedly" in love with Gina, while Gina is mad at E.J., and wants to make him angry.
Ricky talks to Corbin to see if he can delete his confession of the doc, which he says that he cannot.
Ricky and Gina, along with E.J. and Ashlyn, are part of the blue team.
Ricky and Gina bicker talking about basketball.
After Gina makes them win the basketball match, Ricky and Gina hug.
After Ricky makes a stupid joke with which Gina laughs, E.J. reveals that she hasn't laughed at any of his jokes since Monday, to which Ricky gives him advice.
After seeing Gina being rejected by Corbin to do the wildcat cheer. Ricky says that he will do it with her, for which Gina asks for his help.
Ricky helps Gina to set a promposal for E.J. for which he feels disastrous.
Ricky goes to his room to sleep, and Jet catches him crying. Ricky says that is because he "can't believe that he let Color Wars to slip through my fingers", but Jet immediately catches him, and knows it is about Gina.
Val says to Gina that when the right person comes along, she'll know, because the timing will just make sense. At that moment, Ricky appears.
Gina wishes "Happy Birthday" to Ricky after he leaves.
While Ricky is singing Kristoff Lullaby, he sings to Gina the part of "Everything I thought I did, you've gone and changed kid". Gina looks at him, with undecision and understandment in her face.
Gina thought that Ricky sent her chocolates on Valentines day and thanked him for them, but found out that it was actually her mom. It became an inside joke between them that seemed to hurt Gina every time it was brought up.
The Hat[]
Gina knitted Ricky a hat on Thanksgiving and gave it to him as a friendly gift. As it turns out in the series finale, Gina has knitted in the tag of the hat, "If you're reading this, I love you too Ricky," confirming that she had real feelings for him since season 1.
Song[]
When There Was Me and You: Gina voted Ricky's acoustic song idea for this number and he performed it for her a few moments later.
What Do You Know About Love?: Gina and Ricky sang this duet while pretending to be in love with each other. Without realizing, neither of them were actually pretending.
Maybe This Time: Gina wrote the lyrics while Ricky made up the melody, and they sing it together in Gina's bedroom. The song is about finding the right timing for them to explore their relationship and hopefully get it right this time.
Can I Have This Dance: Gina and Ricky perform this at the read-through while they are secretly dating. Ricky admits that they stayed up all night practising.
Love You Forever: Ricky writes this song and performs it in front of the paparazzi while Gina is getting interviewed about the Romeo And Juliet movie. He uses references to their past and Ricky's past relationship with Nini, and their friends all join in to help sing.
Rina Cue: While technically not a song, the Rina Cue is a piece of music composed by Gabriel Mann for moments between the couple. It is used all throughout the show, making Ricky and Gina the only couple to have their own theme in the series.
5th Episodes[]
In season 1 episode 5, Ricky and Gina bond over home drama and their similarities in Big Red's car and Gina kisses Ricky's cheek. This is considered the start of the relationship.
In season 2 episode 5, Ricky and Gina 'end' their friendship after Ricky asks Gina for help with Nini, and Gina expresses that the night is about Carlos, not Nini. She begins to ignore him in the coming episodes. They aren't as close as they were before, and don't talk for the rest of the season. This is Gina's moment to get closer to EJ and Ricky's start to his troubles with Nini.
In season 3 episode 5, they sing 'What Do You Know About Love' and become closer. Ricky also confesses his feelings for Gina in this episode to Carlos whilst being caught on a hot mic by Channing.
In season 4, episode 5, Ricky drove to her house with a box of chocolates, the look identical to ones she received on Valentine's Day that she thought were from Ricky when in reality it was from her mom who found a way to send them last minute. He stops short after seeing Mack at Gina's house, and almost goes back to his car. Gina spots him and runs outside, telling him she finally told her mom about their relationship. They share a kiss in the rain, ending the episode.
6th Episodes[]
In season 1 episode 6 Ricky sang a song for Gina and they hugged after the flash mob along with having other smaller moment which you can find under the What Team? Moments section
In season 2 episode 6 it is revealed that Gina said that she wouldn't quit on them if she wasn't moving after their opening night of High School Musical
In season 3 episode 6, Ricky and Gina hug during the Color War after she scores a point in basketball. After the Color War, Ricky offers to do the Wildcats cheer with her, but she asks him to help her ask E.J. to Camp Prom instead. Afterwards, Jet finds Ricky crying because he let Gina "slip through [his] fingers.
In season 4 episode 6, it was revealed that Ricky and Gina first met before auditions for High School Musical. In the flashback, it is revealed Ricky stopped her in the hallway, asking her for a second opinion on the song Nini wrote. It was Gina that suggested that he sing it at the High School Musical auditions. After wishing him luck, she decided to sign up to audition as well. It is also when Gina confesses she doesn't want to be the first one to say "I love you" in their relationship.
Similarities and Differences[]
Similarities[]
They both have brown eyes.
They both live away from their moms at one point.
They both spent Spring Break with their moms.
They are both outsiders.
They both hate change.
They both inspired each other to audition for HSM in season 1.
Differences[]
Gina moved to Salt Lake in her sophomore year while Ricky had been there all his life.
Gina was already into theatre before going to East High, while Ricky only got into it in his junior year.
Gina says in season 4 that she likes to finish things as soon as possible, while Ricky states he likes to take his time.
Gina gets Straight Aās while Ricky has a GPA of 1.8.
Gina has an older brother while Ricky is the only child.
That sucks. Having you there kinda gave us all street cred. I mean, you're not a drama geek. You've never sang outside your showerā
Ricky
Did Miss Jenn send you here?
Gina
Please. I think I scare her
Ricky
You are a little scary.
Gina
You gotta be, dude. I'm a trasnfer student. You either eat or get eaten. That's why I was stoked when she [Miss Jenn] cast you. Outsiders keep everyone else on their toes. I mean it. You kept us real.
Ricky
It's probably better to have someone up there who could actually keep time. That five and six stuff..?
Gina
(chuckles)You don't need Carlos to tell you how to move. He bites other people's styles. You have your own.
Oh. That was actually it. The apology? Look. Who you hang out with or don't hang out with isn't any of my business.
Gina
Then why are you making it your business?
Ricky
Good question. I don't know. It's like... I'm an outsider to the theatre and stuff, right? And you're like an outsider to East High. I thought we sort of like, got each other.
I meant what I said, at the skatepark about you having your own style. I don't think I knew how much i meant it when I said it. Good night, Ricky. (leans in and kisses him on the cheek)
I thought I'd come walk you to Ashlyn's. But it's kinda freezing out so I made you this hat.(takes a knit hat out of her bag and hands it to Ricky)
Ricky
You made this?
Gina
I mean, when you spend enough time alone in the house, you'd pick up all sorts of crafts. (chuckles) on YouTube.
Ricky
Uh, yeah. Sorry, can I meet you there? (puts the hat on the table)
Gina
Is everything okay?
Ricky
Yeah.
Gina
(tilts her head)
Ricky
Okay. No. I guess my mom has a new boyfriend, and it's just... a lot. Sorry. I hate to be a downer.
Gina
Look, I... I get it.
Ricky
No offense, but, uh, I'm not sure you do.
Gina
Let me guess... You're mad at everyone and everything because just when you're getting used to things changing, they... changed again. Am I close?
Ricky
A little bit.
Gina
(chuckles) I'm not just a hat rack, my friend.
Ricky
Who told you aboutā
Gina
Ricky, I'm not sure you've noticed, but my family's just me and my mom. She works at FEMA so we basically move whenever disaster strikes. I've had a few feelings in my life.
Ricky
Yeah. No, of course. I'm sorry.
Gina
Don't be. I'm just saying you just gotta ignore it, and push through.
Ricky
You think I should text her 'Happy Thanksgiving' or something?
Gina
No. (goes up beside Ricky) What I think we should do is go to the party and spend a few hours being drama dorks as the good Lord intended. (looks into his eyes) Do what makes you happy.
After Season 1 finished airing, ET interviewed showrunner Tim Federle and asked about the Ricky and Gina pairing. Federle answered that when he saw the actors' chemistry when they shot the car scene in Homecoming, he wanted to keep writing toward it.[1]
In an interview with Hollywood Life about Season 2, the showrunner, Tim Federle teased that āGina goes on a big journey this season because itās all about what happens when you put down roots and start to slowly take your walls down. Ginaās always cut and run. When it got real, she got out of there. This is the season where she tries to run and struggles, too. She has to come face to face with things that could have been and might still be. I think Ricky is very much on that list."[2]
After Season 2 finished airing, Tim was interviewed by Decider and said, "We wanted Gina to go on a journey of figuring out if she belongs in one place, in East High, figuring out if thereās anything still left with Ricky [Joshua Bassett], which I personally think is still not really a full story yet. And ultimately, realizing that EJ is really reforming himself and deciding to be a good guy. He literally shows up for people he cares about. Around the spring break episode, we really wanted to lean into EJ as the kind of friend who shows up."[3]
When asked about Ricky and Gina's pairing in another interview with Hollywood Life, Tim said "I guess what I would say about Rina is, I think the reason people go to their high school reunions, even 50 years later, is because you never really graduate from high school. I do think thereās a lot between those two characters that is very much still on the table, even if theyāre not quite ready to see what that actually means."[4]
In the character introductions video, Ricky was the only one who said that Gina didn't intimidate him, while Gina said that Ricky intrigued her.
