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That's So Raven is an American supernatural teen comedy sitcom television series. It debuted on Disney Channel on January 17, 2003 and ended its run on November 10, 2007. The show had a spin-off series, Cory in the House. The series was nominated in 2005 and 2007 for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Programming.

The show was set in San Francisco and revolved around teenager Raven Baxter, played by Raven-Symoné, her friends Eddie played by (Orlando Brown) and Chelsea played by Anneliese van der Pol, her family members; mother Tanya Baxter (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh) father Victor Baxter (Rondell Sheridan) and brother Cory (Kyle Massey). The title character drew on her psychic powers, ingenuity, and talent as a fashion designer as well as a variety of disguises to get into and out of amusing adolescent and pre-adolescent situations.

Reruns of episodes aired on the ABC Kids Saturday morning segment of Disney-owned ABC broadcast network in the United States until August 27, 2011, when the block was discontinued. No announcement was made as to whether the show would get complete season releases on DVD. That's So Raven garnered higher ratings than any other Disney Channel show and is also the first show in Disney channel history to make the 100 episode mark.

In October 2016, Raven-Symoné announced that there was a spin-off in the works. Symoné would reprise her role as Raven Baxter who would now be a single mother with two children, one who has psychic visions. Symoné had also stated that Anneliese Van Der Pol would also return as Chelsea. In April 2017, the spin-off was officially greenlit and ordered to series under the title Raven's Home.

Overview[]

Raven, a teenage girl, receives short psychic visions of future events when in deep situations. Attempting to make these visions come true can always result in trouble, and hilarious situations, for herself, her family, and her friends.

Production[]

The name for the main character changed several times prior to production, starting with Dawn Baxter in a show named The Future Is on Me. Names changed to Rose Baxter in a show called Absolutely Psychic but finally settling on Raven Baxter when actress Raven-Symoné won the lead part, with the show titled That's So Raven. Symoné originally auditioned for the role of the best friend, Chelsea. Raven-Symoné was credited simply as "Raven" throughout the series.

The show filmed a special pilot episode on April 12, 2001, and the first season was filmed from November 9, 2001 – June 2002.[6] The first season premiered on Family Channel in Canada in December 2001, on Disney Channel UK in September 2002 and in the United States in January 2003.

That's So Raven was responsible for many firsts for Disney Channel: the series was the highest-rated series in the history of Disney Channel and the first series to garner more than three-million viewers; the third longest-running original series in Disney Channel history, the first Disney Channel series to reach 100 episodes, the first Disney Channel series to produce a spinoff (Cory in the House) and one of the first four live-action original series, where the lead and most of the supporting main characters are minorities (The Famous Jett Jackson, Cory in the House, and K.C. Undercover being the others).

In addition, it was also the first Disney Channel sitcom to be shot on videotape, to use a multi-camera format, to be shot in front of a studio audience or use a laugh track,[citation needed] and to use the simulated film look created by FilmLook, Inc. (all of which has become standard on all Disney Channel comedies, though a 'filmized' appearance was given to all of the channel's videotaped sitcoms produced from 2009 onward, as the live-action Disney Channel Original Series begin being produced in high definition).

The first three seasons were produced by Brookwell McNamara Entertainment. The company later left at the end of season 3, being replaced by Warren & Rinsler Productions. Raven-Symoné then received a producer credit for the show's fourth and final season, with the credit being called "That So Productions". 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 became the head chef for the President of the United States, causing the two of them to move to Washington, D.C.

In the fourth season of That's So Raven and on Cory in the House, Victor states that Tanya (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh) is in England studying to be a lawyer. The show shot its final few episodes in January 2006, but they weren't all aired until a year later, with the series finale airing in March 2007 and the second-to-last episode shown that November. Opening sequence

Opening sequence[]

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 as well as Even Stevens. It was produced by Jeffrey "Def Jef" Fortson and Christopher B. Pearman and was performed by Raven-Symoné, Anneliese van der Pol, and Orlando Brown.

Each season had opening credits composed of footage from the episodes of that season. Each season also made an exception to the guideline by showing footage from the previous seasons, most of the time when it was needed. For example, if footage being shown was of the characters dancing, then footage of a character or characters would be shown. When originally broadcast, season two followed the guideline, but when season three began airing, the opening credits from season two were inexplicably replaced with the opening credits from season three for daytime network rebroadcasts and subsequent syndication.

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 four 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 at the beginning of the theme. Anneliese van der Pol sings the show's title in the chorus. A full-length version of this theme was heard in a music video that aired a few months before the show's U.S. premiere and also can be heard on the show's first soundtrack, released in 2004.

In Disney Channel Asia, an Asian version[clarification needed] of the show's theme song was made. The music video debuted on January 17, 2007, back-to-back with the 100th episode of That's So Raven. It also aired in China on CCTV as 那是因此掠夺.

Main Cast[]

Recurring Cast[]

Trivia[]

  • The name for the main character changed several times prior to production, starting with Dawn Baxter in a show named The Future Is on Me. Names changed to Rose Baxter in a show called Absolutely Psychic but finally settling on Raven Baxter when actress Raven-Symoné won the lead part, with the show titled That's So Raven.
  • Raven-Symoné was credited simply as "Raven" throughout the series.
  • Symoné originally auditioned for the role of the best friend, Chelsea.

Season One Slideshow (2003-2004)[]

Season Two Slideshow (2003-2004)[]

Season Three Slideshow (2004-2006)[]

Season Four Slideshow (2006-2007)[]

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