Film

Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century

Name: Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
Genre: Family, Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction, TV Movie
Released: 1999
Cast: Kirsten Storms, Raven-Symoné, Stuart Pankin, Holly Fulger, Frederick Coffin

Space opera
Light-hearted

A gleefully silly time-travel adventure where a spirited 13-year-old space colonist gets exiled to 1999 Earth and has to save her orbiting home station. It's vibrant, earnest sci-fi kitsch with genuine heart—part fish-out-of-water comedy, part genuine stakes. Perfect for anyone who loved the optimistic futurism of late-90s Disney and isn't embarrassed to admit it.

TMDb rating

3.1

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you grew up on loose, goofy 1990s Disney Channel movies and want a bright, silly space romp where a headstrong kid's energy carries the whole thing.

Skip it if you want sharp writing or real stakes, since this is a light, breezy TV movie with broad jokes, gentle peril and a plot that mostly coasts on its cheerful lead.

What it asks of you: Under ninety minutes and easy going, it asks very little beyond a willingness to enjoy bright sets, big reactions and a cozy, predictable shape.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Goonies1985

Scrappy kids on an impossible quest, discovering hidden worlds and making jokes while genuinely in danger. Same spirit of adventure-as-belonging that drives Zenon, just underground instead of in orbit.

But Much darker tone and a few genuinely scary sequences—this isn't as bright or safely comedic as Zenon.

Space Cases1996

Nickelodeon's answer to sci-fi ensemble adventure. A ragtag crew of teenagers stuck on a spaceship has to problem-solve their way home. Same earnest optimism and found-family warmth.

But Only ran two seasons and ends unresolved, which can feel frustrating. Also very much a 90s Nickelodeon production, so the production values show their age.

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland1999

Another 1999 family film where a small protagonist travels to a strange realm, makes unlikely allies, and has to be brave to save the people they love. The tone is just right—silly but sincere.

But Aimed at a younger age group than Zenon, so if you're not in the mood for Sesame Street energy, the pacing might feel slow.

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Time Chasers1994

Both are 90s TV movies where ordinary young people discover they can alter the course of civilization through resourcefulness and belief in each other. Both prioritize earnestness and stakes over slickness.

A group of teenagers builds a time machine and accidentally creates a dystopian future they have to prevent. Direct thematic mirror to Zenon's stakes—young people discovering their actions reshape worlds. Wildly ambitious on a TV-movie budget.

But The special effects are genuinely distracting (in a bad way), and the pacing stumbles badly in the third act. Some scenes are baffling in ways that aren't intentional.

Explorers1985

Kids build a homemade spaceship and launch into genuine adventure. River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke, wonder and danger, big ideas executed on modest budgets. The DNA of Zenon is right here.

But Tonal whiplash in the final act—shifts from adventure-comedy into something much stranger and more melancholy than most people expect.

Sky High2005

A Disney teen superhero film with that same blend of humor, heart, and unironic enthusiasm for its own world. Fish-out-of-water protagonist learning to belong in an extraordinary place.

But Relies heavily on early-2000s pop-punk needle drops and celebrity cameos that date it badly. Some subplots feel thin.

Jetsons: The Movie1990

Optimistic vision of a space-faring future, colorful production design, family-centered adventure. Same retro-futuristic aesthetic that makes Zenon so visually charming.

But Animation is distinctly dated. If you're not already fond of the Jetsons franchise, the celebrity voice cast doesn't always elevate the material.

Agent Cody Banks2003

Family action-comedy with a young protagonist operating in an absurd spy world. Maintains genuine stakes while letting the comedy breathe. Same tonal balance as Zenon.

But Tries very hard to be cool and hip to Gen-Z kids, which hasn't aged well. Can feel like watching a commercial at times.

Harriet the Spy1996

A resourceful girl operating in a world that doesn't quite understand her, using ingenuity to solve problems. Some DNA overlaps, and Michelle Trachtenberg is wonderful.

But Slower paced and less sci-fi forward. If you want that space-station sparkle, this grounds itself very firmly in New York.

Castle in the Sky1986

Both celebrate worlds built in the sky and the people who belong there. Both are optimistic about technology and adventure. Both center young heroes who are curious, brave, and unexpectedly capable.

A Japanese animated adventure where a girl falls from a flying castle and teams up with a street kid to uncover aerial mysteries. Gorgeously imagined, genuinely exciting, and radiates the same sense of wonder. Miyazaki's optimistic futurism feels like what Zenon could have been in a different language.

But Subtitled (or dubbed in English), and the pacing is deliberately unhurried. If you're craving quick jokes and constant motion, this breathes differently.

Barbarella1968

Both are sci-fi adventures that refuse to be cynical. Both prioritize vibrant aesthetics and earnest heroism over realism. Both suggest the future might actually be worth wanting.

Campy, gorgeous, earnest space opera where a 41st-century agent travels through a candy-colored universe solving problems with style and positivity. It's what a 1960s utopian future looked like—and Zenon is what the 1990s thought that future should become. Surprisingly thoughtful under the glitter.

But Sexual politics and gender presentation are very much of their era. If camp sci-fi kitsch feels indulgent rather than fun to you, this will test that patience.