That's So Raven | |
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The That's So Raven logo with Raven-Symoné as Raven Baxter. |
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Format | Television series Sitcom |
Created by | Michael Poryes Productions Susan Sherman |
Starring | Raven-Symoné Orlando Brown Kyle Massey Anneliese van der Pol Rondell Sheridan T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh (1-3) |
Opening theme | "That's So Raven (main song)" by Raven-Symoné, Orlando Brown, and Anneliese van der Pol |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 100 (List of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
Michael Poryes Susan Sherman (season 1) Sean McNamara David Brookwell (seasons 1-3) Marc Warren Dennis Rinsler (season 2+) |
Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 25 or 30 minutes (with commercials) |
Broadcast | |
Original channel | Disney Channel |
Original run | January 17, 2003 – November 10, 2007 |
Chronology | |
Followed by | Cory in the House (2007–present) |
External links | |
Official website | |
IMDb profile | |
TV.com summary |
That's So Raven was an Emmy, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and Teen Choice Award Award-winning American television sitcom. The show premiered on Disney Channel on January 17, 2003, and ended on November 10, 2007. It is The Disney Channel's longest running and most successful series having been on since 2003 - 2007 and has aired 100 episodes.
Contents |
The plot revolves around teenager Raven Baxter, played by Raven-Symoné and how she gets herself, her friends Eddie and Chelsea as well as her family members, such as her brother Cory, out of various situations, usually by using her psychic powers and as a master of disguise. Her show is on Disney Channel and ABC Kids. It usually comes on after movies or in the afternoon,on Disney Channel. On weekends her show is on twice on ABC Kids at 10:00 a.m and 10:30 ET/PT. and Canada's hit channel, Family (TV channel).
The original name for the main character was Dawn Baxter, and the show was originally named The Future Is On Me. However, they changed the main character's name to Rose Baxter, and the show was called Absolutely Psychic. Finally, it was changed yet again to Raven Baxter when Raven-Symoné won the lead part, and the show was changed to That's So Raven. Raven-Symoné originally auditioned for the role of the best friend, Chelsea, who's played by Anneliese van der Pol. Raven-Symoné is credited as Raven throughout the series. The series was the highest rated show in history on Disney Channel, before Hannah Montana. However, it is still the longest running show in Disney channel history.
The show first premiered in September 2002 in the U.K. before premiering in the United States on January 17, 2003.
Seasons 1-3 were produced by Brookwell McNamara Entertainment. The fourth and final season was produced by Raven-Symoné. It became the first Disney Channel Series to create a spin-off, Cory in the House, which followed her younger brother, Cory, as his dad becomes the head chef for the President of the United States, causing the two of them to move to Washington D.C.
In the 4th season of That's So Raven and in Cory In The House, Victor states that Tanya (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh) is in England as a lawyer. In real life, Keymáh left for creative and personal reasons. The show shot its final two episodes in January 2006 but they weren't shown until a year later, with the series finale shown in March 2007 and the second-to-last episode shown that November.
The ratings for That's So Raven increased each episode to the point where they were around 10 million views putting it in the top 50. Raven said during one of her concerts that That's So Raven was number 1 on the Disney Channel their entire run. Hannah Montana has yet to beat That's So Raven highest rated episode which was 10.8 but came close with 10.7 million viewers.
The show's title theme song was written by John Coda, who also composed the music cues to signify scene changes and commercial breaks for this series and Even Stevens, was co-produced by Def Jef and Christopher B. Pearman (Raven-Symoné's), and was performed by Raven-Symoné, Anneliese van der Pol, and Orlando Brown.
Each season had opening credits composed of various clips from the episodes of that season. Season two followed the guideline when it first premiered, but once season three premiered, the opening credits from season two were replaced with the opening credits from season three, with no clips from season two episodes being shown at all. To this day, the season three opening credits are still being used in season two episodes. [1] Each season also made an exception to the guideline by showing a few clips from the previous seasons, most of the time when it was needed. For example, if the group of clips being shown was of the characters dancing, then a clip of a character or chacters would be shown.
Each opening sequence, before going to the title card, always ended with the main cast being together (in clips that were not part of any episode). Seasons one, two, and three were of the Baxters sitting on their living room couch, and season 4 was of the Baxters (with the exception of Tanya), Eddie, and Chelsea coming down the Baxters' living room stairs.
At the end of the opening credits, Raven stands next to the title card and says "Yep, that's me." This remained in season four, except with a new addition. Raven's catchphrase "Oh, snap!" was dubbed in right before she says "Yep, that's me."
Raven-Symoné performs most of the theme, while Brown performs a rap near the end of the theme and some scattered vocals in the beginning of the theme. Van der Pol sings the show's title in the chorus. A full-length version of this theme was heard in a music video which aired a few months before the shows U.S. premiere and also can be heard on the show's first soundtrack, released in 2004.
In Disney Channel Asia, an Asian version of the show's theme song was made. The music video debuted on January 1, 2007 back-to-back with the 100th episode of That's So Raven.
The show is one of the few Disney Channel Original Series to extend its contract from 65 to 100 episodes, next to shows like Kim Possible and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The last episodes produced were "The Way We Were," but then the crossover called "Checkin' Out" was produced as part of That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana. Although it was chronologically the last episode, it did not air last; instead, "When There's Smoke" aired last.
Season | Ep # | First Airdate | Last Airdate |
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Season 1 | 21 | January 17, 2003 | March 19, 2004 |
Season 2 | 22 | October 3, 2003 | September 24, 2004 |
Season 3 | 35 | October 1, 2004 | January 16, 2006 |
Season 4 | 22 | February 20, 2006 | November 10, 2007 |
Actor | Character | Status | # Episodes |
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Raven-Symoné | Raven Baxter | 2003 — 2007 | 100 |
Orlando Brown | Eddie Thomas | 2003 — 2007 | 99 |
Kyle Massey | Cory Baxter | 2003 — 2007 | 96 |
Anneliese van der Pol | Chelsea Daniels | 2003 — 2007 | 97 |
Rondell Sheridan | Victor Baxter | 2003 — 2007 | 87 |
T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh | Tanya Baxter | 2003 — 2005 | 66 |
Actor | Character | Status | # Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
David Henrie | Larry | 2004 — 2006 | 12 |
Bobb'e J. Thompson | Stanley | 2005 — 2006 | 10 |
Rose Abdoo | Senorita Rodriguez | 2003 — 2006 | 18 |
Lil' J | Devon Carter | 2004 — 2006 | 10 |
Adrianne Bailon | Alana | 2004 | 10 |
Ashley Eckstein | Muffy | 2004 — 2006 | 8 |
Andrea Edwards | Loca | 2004 — 2006 | 7 |
Anne-Marie Johnson | Donna Cabonna | 2006 | 11 |
Jodi Shilling | Tiffany | 2006 | 6 |
The That's So Raven franchise has been modeled after fellow Disney Channel hit Lizzie McGuire. Raven has a clothing line, DVD releases, novels, bedroom sets, a perfume, a GirlTalk board game,[2] three video games[3][4] and two soundtracks, That's So Raven: Songs from and inspired by the hit TV show and That's So Raven Too!.
In February 2005, That's So Raven toys were featured in the McDonald's Happy meal. In April 2005, a doll based on Raven Baxter was released[5] and another was released the following year. Also, two That's So Raven dolls have been released.
In September 2005, the show also spawned a fragrance and an MP3 player. That same month, the clothing line was shipped to Macy's stores. As of 2006, the That's So Raven merchandise has made $400 million.[6] The show released its fourth DVD in July 2006, entitled Raven's Makeover Madness. Sales have reached to in estimated 650 million dollars.
That's So Raven has spawned three video games:
(Released December 7, 2004)[7]
Episodes:
Special features:
(Relased August 17, 2005)[8]
Episodes:
Special features:
(Released November 1, 2005)
Episodes:
(Released December 6, 2005)[9]
Episodes:
Special features:
(Released July 18, 2006) [9]
Episodes:
Special features:
(Released January 16, 2007)[10]
Episodes:
Special feature
(Released January 28, 2008)[11]
Episodes:
Cory in the House is the first Disney Channel spin off and premiered on January 12, 2007. It was the one chosen out of the many pitched and proposed spin-offs that were to have aired after the completion of That's So Raven, including one about Raven going off to college and another centering around Donna Cabonna's ventures hiring a new intern at her office.The spin-off has not seen the same success as "Thats So Raven".
The storyline involves Cory and his father Victor adjusting to life in Washington D.C.; Victor has received a job as the Head chef to the President. The show takes place while Raven is attending fashion college and Cory's mom is still in London. Raven has guest-starred on the show.
The series is similar to its sister show, That's So Raven. Cory has two best friends, one a boy, Newton Livingston III (Jason Dolley), and one a girl, Meena Paroom (Maiara Walsh). Note that in "That's So Raven", the main character also has two best friends, one a boy and one a girl. Cory attends a middle school in Washington DC. Also in the series, the president's daughter, (Madison Pettis) Sophie, constantly pesters Cory, like Cory did to Raven in That's So Raven. Cory also participates in crazy situations in which he learns a moral lesson and will most likely get punished. Candy Smiles plays in Cory's love life multiple times, and Stickler continuously spies on the Meena, Newton and especially Cory.
On one episode, Raven Symone guest starred as Raven, who came to show designs of new tour guide uniforms to President Martinez. Unfortunately, she has a vision of a clock falling on the President, and tackles him, earning the Secret Service a chance to chase her around the grounds. Cory poses as his sister to display the uniforms, modeled by Newton and Meena. Raven is discovered outside the Oval Office window, and chased, until she actually does save Mr. Martinez from the clock. The episode ends with the credits sequence for That's So Pooshnick, a show from Meena's country about a psychic girl who can see the past and always ends up messing up trying to stop the vision from happening.
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