DVD Review: "Cory in the House": Newt and Improved Edition

Rated: TV-G (US) / G (Canadian Home Video Rating)
Starring: Kyle Massey, Jason Dolley, and Maiara Walsh
Released: May 27, 2008 (DVD)

Synopsis: Raven Baxter's younger brother Cory (Kyle Massey, That's So Raven and Dancing With the Stars) now has a show of his own! His father Victor (Rondell Sheridan, That's Funny) was hired as the chef for none other than the President of the United States!  Together with his friends Newt (Jason Dolley, Good Luck, Charlie) and Meena (Maiara Walsh, Switched at Birth), they are in for some crazy adventures!  Whether it's a song-writing session that literally sends the two guys through the roof, or a old rivalry between two countries that is resolved through an embarrassing mishap, laughter and smiles are sure to ensue!

Plots: 3/5
This series seems to be a bit of a slack effort from the Disney Channel.  Though it has its cute and humorous moments, some of the antics are simply silly.  A teenaged guy keeping a promise he made to a girl when he was eight? A grown man stopping at nothing to win a game against a little girl?  Even for a Mouse network sitcom, this is ridiculous!

Production Values: 3/5
The acting is as good as one would expect from a Disney sitcom.  Still, having Cory do raps during scene changes is slightly annoying, and the overall feel is lackluster.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: It is implied that a boy accidentally moons someone in "Peace, Love, and Understanding".  The episode "Lip Service" is all about kissing, and a girl who has a boyfriend kisses another guy in one scene.
• Nudity: Boxers are seen in two episodes; short skirts are seen, too.
• Drugs: None.
• Violence: All slapstick, aside from a weird animation of a guy hitting himself with mallets during the closing credits of every episode.
• Language: Mild slang terms.
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: None that I saw.
• Other: See the above sections.

Conclusion: I had high hopes for this series; Cory was second only to Chelsea when it came to my favorite That's So Raven characters.  However, from now on, I think I'll stick to watching Kyle Massey alongside Raven-Symoné and Anneliese van der Pol, because this is definitely a sub-par effort.  Apparently, even regular Disney Channel fans didn't like it; only thirty-four episodes were produced instead of the usual sixty-five.  If you've seen this sitcom and loved it, then go ahead and buy this DVD; others should save their money for the upcoming releases of Austin & Ally, Shake It Up!, and Good Luck Charlie.

Score: 2.5/5