TV Episode Set Review: "Shake It Up": Volume One

Rated: TV-G
Starring: Bella Thorne, Zendaya, and Davis Cleveland
Released: 2010 - 2011 (original Disney Channel premieres)

Synopsis: Teenage BFFs Raquel "Rocky" Blue (Zendaya, Zapped) and Cecilia "CeCe" Jones (Bella Thorne) have finally fulfilled a lifelong dream: they've become dancers on Shake It Up, Chicago!, the hottest dance show around! However, being stars comes with a price, and they still have to face the normal problems that come with being a teenager.  In this inaugural volume, Rocky and CeCe enter a talent show in an attempt to one-up Rocky's longtime rival, discover that their friend Deuce (Adam Irigoyen) is in love with an adolescent gold digger, and attend an adults only party only to be busted by a cop (Anita Barone) who happens to be CeCe's mom!
As seen on the Disney Channel.

The Good: I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Nobody makes a sitcom like the Disney Channel these days.  The ones on the Mouse network are the closest modern equivalent to the old-school ones (Mork & Mindy, Home Improvement, Growing Pains, etc.) with which I grew up.  This first volume is insanely fun, with many cute moments, fabulous performances, wonderful dance numbers, and, best of all, pretty much squeaky clean content.  It's also fun to see the early days of Rocky and CeCe; since I wasn't "hip" to the show until late in its run, most of these episodes were new to me...but, I enjoyed every minute of them.

The Bad: As good as this is, there was a bit of "PG"-level crudity here and there, which wasn't necessary, especially considering how good the rest of the show was.  That, however, is a minor complaint.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: Discussion of an incident where a girl loses her top; a chest bump between two girls that goes wrong. 4/5
• Nudity: Occasional low-cut or off-the-shoulder outfits. 4/5
• Language: Nothing worse than name-calling. 4/5
• Violence: Comedic pratfalls; nothing more. 4/5
• Drugs: An adult party, which implies alcohol consumption. 4/5
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: None that I recall. 5/5
• Other: Some crude humor is present. 4/5

Conclusion: If you know me, you know I've been a big Disney Channel fan for well over a decade.  Say what you will about the network, but, they keep delivering the kind of programming I enjoy; as long as they do, I'll keep watching.  If you're not a fan of the Mouse channel's shows, I'm not sure why you're even reading this; those who are fans know what to expect...and that's just what they'll get, which isn't a bad thing.

Score: 4.5/5