Via GIPHY Raven taking off her sunglasses
"That’s So Raven" was literally the golden era of Disney/Family channel. Growing up, it was my favourite show. It was funny, educational, and relatable. Even my mom and dad enjoyed watch the show with my sister and I, which says a lot because they normally against kids shows. "That's So Raven" holds a special place in my heart for a few reasons, and here's why:
"That's So Raven" was a sitcom on Disney Channel/Family Channel that ran from 2003-2007. It was about the life of quirky, funny, and fashionable teenage girl, Raven Baxter (played by Raven-Symoné), who has the ability to see visions of the future.
According to Wikipedia, it was Disney Channel’s highest-rated show during its run and broke a record as the first show to produce 100 episodes, which is no surprise because it was widely considered to be the funniest kids show on television for four years!
I also loved Raven’s little brother, Cory Baxter (played by Kyle Mackey) who was my favourite supporting character on the show. He was a money-hungry, mischievous kid who will do anything to make some money. He was the original finesser and if the show was real I am very confident that he would probably be a millionaire by now.
via GIPHY Raven and her brother, Cory, dancing
Each episode, Raven learned a lesson that was applicable to many of the young viewers, including my sister and I; whether it had to do with boys, being a teenager, race, or friendship.
One of these lessons I remember occurred in that iconic episode that discussed race and discrimination where her best friend, Chelsea, and her wanted to get a job at a fashion boutique. I remember both Raven and Chelsea wanted part-time jobs and in their job interview Raven did all the tasks perfectly (e.g. folding, styling customers, etc.) and Chelsea did a terrible job. Yet, Chelsea is given a job because she is white and Raven is not given the job because she’s black. This is discovered because Raven had a vision that the manager said, “I don’t hire black people”. So they went undercover and exposed the manager for being racist. It was such an iconic learning lesson for me as a young girl.
This episode was also dedicated to black history month and it showcased different black heroes, highlighting their contributions to black people and all the world.
There was another episode where Raven pretended to be a Russian gymnast just to get a boys attention and the lesson was clearly that people, and especially young girls, need to be themselves and not pretend to be other people which is a very good lesson for all young women. There was also an episode about body positivity where Raven’s body is photoshopped to appear thinner and very different from her own, and she stands up for herself and says that all bodies and sizes are beautiful and should be accepted. Queen!
via GIPHY Raven standing up for herself at a fashion show and advocating for body positivity and inclusivity
She used to be known as Raven-Symone, the tiny child actress who played the spirited Olivia on ''The Cosby Show.'' That gig ended almost 11 years ago. Now she is simply Raven, and at 17, with a couple of pop music CD's and several television and movie appearances behind her, she is the star of a new half-hour sitcom. ''That's So Raven,'' created for a 6- to 14-year-old audience, will have its premiere on Disney Channel...
On the surface, the fictional Raven Baxter is a normal teenager -- a bit more gregarious than some, perhaps, and a lot more self-assured than most -- but, loosely speaking, normal. There is, however, one thing that sets Raven firmly apart from the other kids at the high school she attends in San Francisco, and it's not her prodigious collection of flashy, rainbow-hued jackets. Raven, it seems, has premonitions. They come in split-second assaults at the most inopportune times -- in the middle of a nasty argument with her social studies teacher, for instance, or during a smug display of superiority over her 10-year-old brother, Cory (played by Kyle Orlando Massey), who happens to be something of a smart-aleck himself.
''Her visions give her a real mysteriousness. They are the one thing that makes her humble,'' said Raven, who, in a recent telephone interview, was as talkative and insightful as her television persona. ''Raven doesn't want just anyone to know about her visions. She's afraid people will think she's a freak.''
The people who do know include her wise, even-tempered mother (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh) and her father, a bumbling chef (Rondell Sheridan). Her two best friends -- Eddie (Orlando Brown) and Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol) -- are also around to help or hinder Raven as she struggles to thwart the threats of failed Spanish tests, seething sibling hatred and other perils foretold in her visions.
This is Raven's first leading role, and Disney Channel executives have other plans for her, including a major part in ''The Cheetah Girls,'' an original movie based on the books by Deborah Gregory that will have its premiere later this year.
I'm an undergraduate student studying English Language and Literature and Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities whose personality as a child was shaped by the fictional character's Raven Baxter and Junie B. Jones. I like watching YouTube videos and listening to podcast on 2x speed, have 9 cats, and 2 dogs.Even with the new accessibility of Disney +, I still haven’t watched the reboot and do not plan do (especially considering how disappointed I was at the Gilmore Girl’s reboot - another show I adored growing up). I hope that maybe one day, I can share this show and the wonderful Raven Baxter with my own kids.
The black history month episode I was referring to for your viewing pleasure