Parents' Guide to

The Proud Family

By Betsy Wallace, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Relatable stories, good role models, zany comedy.

TV ABC Kids' Animation 2001
The Proud Family Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • The Proud Family TV Series: Scene #1
  • The Proud Family TV Series: Scene #2
  • The Proud Family TV Series: Scene #3

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age 8+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Angelistic-101
Angelistic-101 Adult
November 9, 2019
age 12+

A rare gem!

The Proud Family is a rare gem because it has a black girl as the protagonist (it's so hard to find shows with black characters as the protagonist instead of a side character) and it shows a modern black family with a mom AND a dad. A lot of shows have the father missing and just further plays on the negative stereotype that black men are terrible fathers. Penny is a 14 year old girl that struggles to get through junior high and faces many challenges, like bullying, sexism, equality, working a part time job and learning right from wrong. What makes The Proud Family so enticing is seeing a modern black family being loving and supportive towards each other. Penny's parents are very supportive and help her get through her problems. This series also celebrates black history and black excellence by showing black characters working together and combating serious issues, as well as celebrating traditions and cultural experiences through diverse characters. There are positive messages and role models in this series. There are some stereotypes in the show and sexist remarks that are made by male characters at times, like Oscar (Penny's father) making comments about his wife 'nagging' him and saying comments about women that are outdated and just rude. Gender roles like the women cooking and cleaning while the men sit on their butts and watch tv are present, but the women do put their foot down when necessary and call the men out on their problematic behaviour, like when they lie to get away from their parental duties. Innuendos are also present and suggestive language is bleeped out or whispered incoherently. Overall this series is a breath of fresh air when it comes to representation. Penny is the star of this series and this series centres around a black family, instead of the typical white family.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
NickyGreen
NickyGreen Parent of 6-year-old
May 28, 2022
age 14+

Disrespectful children

I watched this show when it was on the air when I was about 13ish. I haven’t seen it since and I can’t believe that it is back! The show glamorizes attitude, being disrespectful and sarcastic!!! The dad is loving and a good dad but they treat him as a joke, I want him to be a stronger role model, dads are amazing, she shouldn’t be the joke character.
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Many cartoons offer a mixed-race cast of sweet kids who all basically look and act the same and barely resemble real kids. THE PROUD FAMILY tries something different. The series features only one white character and attempts to bring African-American culture to the foreground. Destiny's Child sings the show's theme song, and other African-American artists and performers make guest appearances. Executive producer Bruce Smith began his own studio with the goal of producing ethnically diverse projects, and modeled The Proud Family partly on his own family.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (26 ):

Viewers who've been taught cultural sensitivity might wonder if it's OK to laugh when Penny (voiced by Kyla Pratt) gives her slim white friend Zoey (Soleil Moon Frye) a makeover and puts a pillow in her skirt to give her more backside. And parents may question the political point of having a famous basketball player named Wizard Kelly be obscenely wealthy, owning everything in town. When positive depictions of a culture are already underrepresented on television, is it OK for a cartoon to exaggerate cultural traits and poke fun at them?

Whatever your family thinks about the cultural and ethnic balances of the show, The Proud Family offers kids approaching or entering their teens relatable stories, strong parental role models, and zany comedy from the colorful family. Penny's mother and father (a veterinarian and snack maker, respectively) push her to do the right things socially and in school and in turn learn a lot about their daughter's independent character and maturity.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the media tends to depict minority groups. What stereotypes have you seen in TV shows and movies? Do you think any of them appear here? If so, how are they used?

  • Is it possible to use stereotypes positively?

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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