Easily one of Disney Channel's most beloved shows from the early 2000s, "Kim Possible" ran from 2002 to 2007. Originally, the show was supposed to get cancelled in 2005, but because of popular demand, it was given a fourth season. Though the dedicated fan base has largely outgrown Disney Channel, the mention of "Kim Possible" instantly triggers feelings of nostalgia and conversations about what made the show great. Often, in those discussions, people note how relatable the show was for them, but personally I can't say the same. I loved the show, but between 2002 and 2007 I was still in elementary school, nowhere near high school or the high school-related issues Kim deals with in. Other cartoons with characters in my age range at the time were far more relatable, shows such as "Recess" and "Powerpuff Girls" (which has a surprising number of parallels with "Kim Possible, but more on that later).
However, once I entered high school, I would occasionally watch an episode or two of "Kim Possible" on YouTube and, in addition to the nostalgia, I found other reasons that I missed the show. Watching "Kim Possible" in high school is a totally different experience from watching it as an elementary school student. Besides being more relatable, I understood all the jokes and gained an appreciate for parts of the show that escaped my attention when I was younger. But, mostly, I miss "Kim Possible" for the same reason I miss a lot of the kids' shows I used to watch -- as you get older, the shows made for your demographic aren't like that. So, without further adieu, here are the 11 reasons why I miss Kim Possible.
1. The theme song.
It's catchy, it's memorable, and -- at this point -- it's down right iconic. Theme songs are often inseparable from the heroes they introduce (when you hear the theme song for "Indiana Jones," only one person ever comes to mind). This theme song definitely represents "Kim Possible" well. It's not a dark, bombastic score -- it's spunky and high energy, just like her. It's the perfect theme song for an awesome heroine, and I've yet to hear one like it since.
2. No secret-identity angst.
I love watching superhero shows, but honestly the secret identity angst gets a bit tiring. The hero must protect their secret, but at a significant cost to their personal relationships. Inevitably, you have several scenes with the love interest that basically boil down to this:
Love interest: You're keeping a secret from me, I know you are. But if you loved me, you'd tell me.
Hero: I love you but no. I'm not telling you.
Love interest: Fine, then I guess we're breaking up.
Hero: But honestly, were we even really together? And you say that now, but we both know this issue is going to be dragged out for the rest of the season.
Love interest: I don't even know who you are anymore.
And that's usually how it goes. But in "Kim Possible," everyone knew Kim and Ron were out saving the world, and it was regarded as perfectly normal. This phenomenon was also present in "Powerpuff Girls." It definitely removes that secret-identity angst and everything that comes with it. I would love to see that in shows now.
3. Cheesy? Sure. Cliche? Rarely.
Being a kids' show, inevitably there were episodes where a lesson was clearly trying to be given. In the episode "Ron Millionaire," Ron acquires a fortune overnight but quickly learns that friends cannot be bought. Also, the villains that Ron and Kim fight aren't frightening at all -- in fact, some are as cheesy as Dr. Doofenshmirtz from "Phineas and Ferb." All the same, the cartoon didn't engage in tropes that have, at this point, been between to death. For example, even though mean girl Bonnie was a cheerleader, so was Kim and a lot of her other friends. However, Kim's best friend, Ron, was an unpopular outcast.
I'd argue that this more closely represents real life than the "geeks-over- there, populars-over-here, we-never-interact" model because sometimes your friends, even your best friends, aren't as popular (or in the same social circle) as you. Additionally, for a majority of the show, Ron and Kim really were just best friends. In several episodes, when Kim dated other guys, Ron was totally cool with it. He's not the friend-zoned guy found throughout YA fiction and TV shows. Yet, the romance that blooms between him and Kim is completely organic, not forced. The show was refreshing and original, and for that it's remained memorable.
4. Actual high school issues.
Honestly, it's weird that a cartoon that has teenage protagonists who go on missions portray a more realistic picture of high school than regular TV shows aimed at an audience of high schoolers. In high school, I didn't have a long string of romantic complications that tried to overcome class issues (I'm looking at you, "Gossip Girl") or the constant need to perform songs and establish my music career (literally every other show on Disney Channel now). But, I did have to work with lazy partners for a school project, learn how to drive, and deal with embarrassment -- all issues covered in episodes of "Kim Possible." That's not to say that I don't appreciate dramas or want all TV shows aimed at teens to perfectly portray real life, but I don't like shows that present themselves as relatable or realistic when they really aren't.
5. Diversity.
Looking back on the shows I watched as a kid, a lot of them effortlessly featured diverse casts for all sorts of background. All different ethnicities and religions were represented, and while TV for older audiences have become more diverse in recent years, it is still lacking in comparison to kids' cartoons. Most notably, TV shows aimed at teens and young adults don't represent the disabled as much as shows aimed at kids.
6. Puns and other jokes.
If you watch "Kim Possible" when you're older, you definitely will understand all the jokes. As a kid, I never realized that the Animology craze featured in the episode "Animal Attraction" was a parallel for people's obsession with horoscopes. Also, I love all the puns (anyone want to go to Camp Wannaweep?).
7. Character first, girl later.
Sometimes, especially in kids' shows, you feel as though a character was written as a girl first and then a character second. For example, Smurfette is a female smurf before she is her own character, or Minnie Mouse is more so just the female version of Mickey. Kim Possible is first and foremost a character -- someone fun, responsible, and awesome. She's a hero who saves the world, and who also happens to be a girl.
8. Animation.
Let us just take a second to appreciate the high quality animation in "Kim Possible," especially considering that they could've gone for a lower quality production and (thankfully) chose not to.
9. Voice actors.
You could not find better voice actors for each of the characters featured in the show. Even Rufus, the naked mole rat, was given a distinct, memorable voice that perfectly fit his character.
10. Ron Stoppable and Rufus.
While we all want to be Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable is definitely the more relatable one. He gets lazy and most of the time things don't go his way. He's not a world-class fighter, and if he could spend all day eating Mexican fast food, he would. However, you find that over the course of the series, Ron Stoppable surprises everybody. In fact, whole episodes and the direct-to-TV movie propose the theory that Ron is a major factor in Kim's success. He may be a sidekick, but ultimately he's a crucial part of Kim's team. What's more, it's awesome that Ron has his own sidekick Rufus, who's actually more like a partner. Rufus is more than just a mascot--he is another character on the show. Rufus is cute and funny and the most loyal friend a person could ask for. (Also, it's awesome that Ron brought his pet to school and no one ever said anything).
11. Fun.
One cliche prevalent throughout the superhero genre, and one that I like, is the "dark past." Basically, the hero has some dark backstory or traumatic event from his or her past that either motivates him/her to become a hero or haunts him/her as he tries to be one. Kim Possible does not have a dark past, but she doesn't need one. She has a happy life, but goes out of her way because she want to help people and the world. She didn't become a hero because of an encounter with radioactivity or aliens or something -- she got her start as a hero because someone accidentally went on her website. As we get older, most of the shows targeted to us lose that light-hearted tone and that's perfectly fine, but I miss having shows that we just plain fun.
