iTunes Episode Set Review: "That's So Raven": Volume One

Rated: TV-G
Starring: Raven, Orlando Brown, Anneliese van der Pol, Kyle Massey, T'Keyah Crystal Kemah and Rondell Sheridan
Released: January 17 - April 10, 2003 (original Disney Channel premieres)

Synopsis: Raven Baxter (Raven, The Cosby Show) may seem like a normal teenage girl, but she has a big secret: she can see the future! Though her psychic visions may seem like a gift, they often end up getting her into trouble.  Her friends, ditzy redhead Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol) and athlete/rapper Eddie (Orlando Brown, Family Matters), help when they can...but, sometimes, Raven finds herself in situations that are way too awkward! With the support of her family--mom Tonya (T'Keyah Crystal Kemah), dad Victor (Rondell Sheridan, That's Funny), and pesky little brother Cory (Kyle Massey, The Electric Company)--Raven realizes that, even though she may see the future, she still has a lot to learn! In these eleven episodes, watch as Raven tries to throw a birthday party for Corey, pretends to be her mother during a parent/teacher conference, and has dueling parties with her neighbor and longtime rival, Nicki (Kirsten Storms, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century)!
As seen on Disney Channel.

The Good: Though Lizzie McGuire was my official introduction to the world of Disney Channel sitcoms, it was That's So Raven that cemented my love for the network.  Hilariously funny, insanely cute, and largely clean, this is the kind of entertainment I like.  Sure, I've seen most if not all of these episodes before, but, I enjoyed watching them once again on my iPad! My two favorite characters are Cory and Chelsea; not only are they rather comedic on their own, but, the whole dynamic of "he loves her, she loves him not" between the two of them is fabulous.  I won't bore you with more gushing about one of my longtime favorite sitcoms, so...

The Bad: Here are my two (minor) complaints: First off, it would have been better if they had released an entire season instead of these "volumes".  Also, some weird captioning glitches could make things awkward for those who depend on SDHs; that is, subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: Kissing, flirting, and people are said to be "hot". 4/5
• Nudity: Occasional slight midriff and cleavage. 4/5
• Language: Other than one misuse of God's name, no profanity. 4/5
• Violence: Comedic pratfalls; no blood or gore. 4/5
• Drugs: None. 5/5
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: A bit of emotional intensity. 4/5
• Other: A bit of crude humor (i.e., Cory smelling his feet.) 4/5

Conclusion: This is one of my longtime favorites, so, how could I not like it? I'll admit my previous experience with it makes me biased, but, fans of Good Luck Charlie or Liv & Maddie should definitely check this one out; you'll probably be glad that you did.

Score: 4.5/5