When thinking of Disney's greatest smash hit series of the last decade, a commonly mentioned show is Raven Symoné's "That's So Raven." I remember living for the days when Disney Channel would play reruns of "That's So Raven," just so I could binge watch until I fell asleep. So, with that being said, it is no mystery that Millennials like myself are super excited for "Raven's Home" in which the star appears on Disney Channel again, but as a mom who is sharing a house with her best friend and all of their children! It's a crazy set up, but we all know this calls for great episodes. Along with Raven's great comeback, brilliant new child stars become apart of yet another great diverse cast of Disney channel. The simple existence of the show is a controversy in and of itself, but let's point out 5 more resilient reasons why.
1. Raven's Home doesn't depict the story of a traditional family home.
Which is good because it's only a reflection of the families that are watching the show in 2017. The dynamic of the sitcom's plot is super relatable, and most importantly, it shows kids that it isn't all that bad. With this in Disney's presence, the children's televisions station is becoming more versatile than ever.
2. Let's admit it: It's also a feminist show
Heck yeah it is! Raven and her best friend Chelsea are depicted as loving, single moms who are working together to provide the best life for their children. Even though it gets messy and complicated at times, the female characters definitely seem to figure it all out with a happy ending. With that being said, this show is an advocate for strong single mothers today.
3. It shows great diversity.
Not to mention, this isn't a show that depicts an all-Mexican, all-black, all-Asian, or all-white family. This is a show that depicts a black and white family coming together. What a time to be alive! Children seeing things of the like early on can grow to stray away from stereotypes and misconceptions of other races. Therefore, it is beneficial that Disney has shows like these to promote unity and understanding starting at an early age.
4. Years later, it's a comeback!
The fact that this is a follow-up show on Raven many years after "That's So Raven," just makes millennial viewers like myself excited about what's going to happen. It might even turn out to be a sequel with her kids making a comeback show in 30 years or so as well!
This is a brilliant and innovative effort to bring together two different generations of Disney lovers into watching one common show. Besides, who isn't interested in learning about what we missed from the time she went to college up to the time she got divorced and became a single mom? Genius, I tell you, genius.
5. It's risky, in a good way.
In this Disney show, the focus isn't just on the children. With prime attention given to Raven and Chelsea's dilemmas, executive producer Raven Symoné has been able to have various hidden naughty jokes throughout the episodes. This makes it entertaining to watch for the audience of my age group and not just the kids. At first, I got a little scared that parents might complain and demand the show be called off. But as of right now, it's still on and it's great!
The most important thing to remember is that a show like "Raven's Home" has become rapidly prosperous because its substance is real. This isn't a kid's show that demonstrates an idealistic lifestyle with small, middle school problems only. This is a show that truly puts out the struggles of modern-day single moms, diverse kids, and families that live all jumbled up together while going through financial struggles. I can't wait for the new seasons ahead because not only do I know that this show will teach valuable lessons to today's kids, but I also know that I will genuinely enjoy watching it. And you will too!
