I was never one to indulge in comfort food television. You know the fluffy, creamy stuff that slides down so easy that you never have to think twice about digesting?
In fact, I’ve always considered myself a part of the television elite. I try to relegate the memories of poor writing, directing and acting on television solely to social make-fun situations. Well, it turns out the joke is on me.
In an effort to eliminate anything Family Channel-related, for fear that I’d be inundated with excessive doses of Hilary Duff or Little Sister Spears, I prejudiced myself against the best of fluffy TV. Even the bad have their goods is what I’m saying, and when it comes to family television, I just can’t get enough of That’s So Raven.
Those of you who just threw any credibility associated with my name out the nearest window should hop out and try to catch it again.
Despite its vision-of-the-day plot antics, lack of extended narrative arc and magical ability to solve every problem in the span of a commercial-free 20 minutes, Raven remains a truly humorous homage to the likes of TV greats like I Love Lucy.
Once you get over the fact that you’re watching a grown-up version of little Olivia from the Cosby Show, or, the punny eponymous title, you start to appreciate just how Raven Simone develops its own blend of comedy, farce and teenage-antics to the point of mastery.
Simone plays a teenager that receives visions about the near future. Though her world isn’t burdened with any great responsibility beyond the likes of what boy she’ll take to the prom next week, the episodes still remain entertaining and refreshing. Why? This kid doesn’t talk like she’s a grad-student at Harvard University, didn’t grow up in the O.C., or any of the other teen scenes that have dominated TV over the last few years. Raven, instead, mirrors a Lucy-like character, often finding herself in strange, yet humorous situations that entertain viewers because they aren’t the pinnacle of seriousness.
What makes Raven more effective than Lucy, however, is that she is clearly an adolescent, and epitomizes the histrionic, somewhat out-of-this-world decisions teenagers tend to make. The visions are a means of allowing kids to understand that decisions have consequences, in a very roundabout, non-Seventh-Heaven way. Where Lucy’s melodrama made me believe we’d all end up with some form of adult-crazy (what woman that age consistently acts like that?), Raven’s comical dilemmas encourage growth, while providing the viewer with a wholesome G-rated message. If that doesn’t do it for you, a combination of Raven’s impeccable delivery and physical comedy should.
It may not be the type of television everyone looks for–heck, it’s not even the type that I always look for, but when it comes to Raven, fluffy almost always remains fun.
