Review by Aaron Wallace

I'm not quite sure what it means to be "Raven." Webster defines it in its adjectival form as being shiny and black. Somehow I don't think that's what Disney was going for in the title of their breakout hit sitcom, "That's So Raven", nor were they likely referring to a tendency to steal or devour. Whatever it is, it's clearly done in abundance on the show that stars Raven-Symoné... oh wait. Now I get it. The show is so Raven, the Disney superstar who got her start on "The Cosby Show" and is apparently known and loved by many. It seems to be working for them. Though the series hasn't enjoyed the merchandising and feature film success that "Lizzie McGuire" once did (nor has Raven reached the Hilary Duff status of fame), it has become the Disney Channel's most popular series and the first of the network's sitcoms to be renewed beyond the standard order of 65 episodes.

The funny thing is that nearly every episode is exactly the same. Perhaps "That's So Repetitive" would be a better title. That doesn't seem to be a problem, though, because not only has the show met a tremendous amount of success, but it actually works rather well as a comedy too. I'm the first to decry the young actress/singer's overexposure by Disney, but there's no denying that it is precisely because of Raven herself that the show succeeds. Showing off life-long exposure to the entertainment world, Raven commands the art of comedic talent like few other her age. No matter how redundant the plot device may be, Raven delivers jokes freshly each time with body language and intonation that are laugh-out-loud funny.

It's almost a shame that it's a Disney Channel show to begin with. Granted, it wouldn't have seen the light of day on any other network, but that also means that there's a mandate from the big Ears to pander to a kiddy audience and in turn restrain comedy. "Raven" operates on an intriguing premise: a psychic teenager whose visions of the future aren't always as accurate as they seem. If only the folks behind the show would realize that they could capitalize on that idea while still shaking of the format from one episode to the next, they'd really be onto something. As it is, the show is enjoyable but unfortunately bland when viewed in succession.

Raven -- and in case you aren't yet aware, Raven-Symoné plays a character named Raven Baxter -- costars with her character's best friends, Eddie Thomas (Orlando Brown) and Chelsea Daniels (Anneliese van der Pol), both of whom add to the comedy but are a little less able to hide when they are muting themselves to keep in line with low-brow comedy. Their characters fit a little too snugly into sitcom archetypes but are defined enough to buy into. Corey Baxter (Kyle Massey) is hilarious as Raven's younger entrepreneurial brother, often scheming to prank his sister. Bobb'e J. Thompson sometimes shows up as Stanley, another young thorn in Raven's side who is out to woo her and make some money while at it. Rounding out the cast are the parents, Tonya (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh) and Victor (Rondell Sheridan) Baxter, easily the most annoying characters on the show as they are both far too generic and schmaltzy to be believable. The thing that often separates decent family sitcoms from great ones is the extent to which parental and/or other adult characters are involved and the weak and sparing employment of them is another thing that holds this show back.

Raven's House Party is the third compilation disc from Disney that puts just a few episodes of "That's So Raven" together with a too-high retail price. This time, it bumps the number of included episodes up from four to five, though one of them comes as a bonus feature. While the theme of the first two discs was weak and inconsistent, this one's was a complete mystery to me -- not once does Raven hold a party in her house -- until I broke down and read the back of the packaging. Apparently the common theme is that Raven sings, and indeed, she does do that in each of these episodes (and quite well, I might add). That's not much of a tie, but I'll let it slide because it just so happens to present some of the better episodes from the show and is episode-for-episode the strongest of the "Raven" compilations released yet.

Episode Descriptions

"The Four Aces" (22:34) (Not Yet Aired)
What happens when Della Reese guest stars on "That's So Raven" and sings jazz? The show produces one of its finest episodes. She plays a sassy and bitter star of the jazz world who hasn't performed since her father's death. Raven volunteers at the retirement center she now lives at and manages to coax some happiness and tells of her past from her, including one that reveals something about the Chill Grill (the Baxter family restaurant) that Raven never knew. Meanwhile, Corey haggles with Stanley over a gift for his girlfriend and Chelsea tries to outwrestle an elderly lady and fails.

"Too Much Pressure" (22:24) (Originally aired June 10, 2005)
Raven and Chelsea try to get a spot as a background dancer in the new music video by their favorite R&B star, Pressure (Kevontay Jackson). In order to get close, though, they have to get Corey to sign up for a bizarre dance class in the same studio.

"Double Vision" (22:16) (Originally aired December 17, 2004)
This episode actually shakes things up just a bit when Raven learns that Ben (Travis Van Winkle), the boy on whom Chelsea has a crush at their high school, is actually a psychic too. Chelsea, who is busy planning a concert by hippy singer Rayne Bow (Caitlin Crosby) doesn't like what she sees when the two of them try to combine their powers, though. Back at home, Corey frets over the nearing of his first kiss. The addition of another psychic character in this episode is an interesting one and would go a long way in spicing up the series. One hopes that Travis Van Winkle will be asked to return.

"Opportunity Shocks" (22:24) (November 5, 2004)
No one plays a tycoon like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"'s James Avery. Here, he's patent maverick Presto, who is renowned for his knack at turning inventions into financial successes. He's coming to the Chill Grill and the whole Baxter family. Somehow it ends up in a wacky dance-off that's something of a tangent, but a funny one.

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