Common Sense Media Review
Clairvoyant teen will have kids seeing Raven!
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 46 kid reviews
Kids say the show is an entertaining mix of humor and serious themes, tackling important issues such as racism and body image while offering funny, relatable characters. Viewers appreciate the comedic genius of the lead character, alongside memorable moments that resonate positively with audiences of different ages, though some parents express concern about the show's portrayal of psychic abilities and teen dilemmas.
- funny characters
- tackles real issues
- positive messages
- suitable for kids
- humorous plots
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
THAT'S SO RAVEN centers on a clairvoyant teen whose visions of the future usually spur a very unpredictable chain of events. Raven (Raven-Symone) is an energetic, expressive teen, who successfully exaggerates comedy. Along with sidekicks Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol) and Eddie (Orlando Brown), Raven always seems to be running in and out of trouble -- and learning a valuable lesson. Issues surrounding friendship, jealousy, crushes, sibling rivalry and parents are commonplace.
Is It Any Good?
Disney loves the formula of giving a normal kid something extraordinary or magical to contend with. And That's So Raven successfully fits the mold. The writers and actors aren't quite up to the demands of drama, though, and -- as virtually every story tries to weave Raven's dreams into the stuff that family and friendships are made of -- the series often gets too basic for its intended preteen audience.
Naturally, conflicts are swiftly resolved and everyone comes out the wiser. Trite as the show may be, Raven, her mischievous little brother, and her parents are all good role models and comedians who can shine when given good material.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Raven's psychic powers. The series treats her ability to see the future as quite plausible -- as opposed to make-believe -- and younger kids may be confused. How do kids think they'd cope with a similar ability? Would it be fun or problematic? Families might also talk about what makes Raven such a positive role model.
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 17, 2003
- Cast : Kyle Massey , Orlando Brown , Raven Symone
- Network : Disney Channel
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship
- TV rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Winner
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate