Television series

That's So Raven

Name: That's So Raven
Genre: Comedy, Children, Fantasy
Released: 2003
Cast: Raven-Symoné, Orlando Brown, Kyle Massey, Anneliese van der Pol, Rondell Sheridan

Comedy
Urban fantasy
Light-hearted

A buoyant live-action sitcom about Raven, a San Francisco teenager with occasional psychic flashes that show her the future. She uses this power to scheme and meddle, which predictably backfires into chaos. It's warmth and slapstick wrapped together—genuinely funny, never mean, and deeply interested in its characters getting better at being human.

TVMaze rating

3.5

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy bright, fast sitcoms built on a clever gimmick, where a teen's sudden visions set off a chain of mix-ups and every half hour ends on a neat, satisfying click.

Skip it if you find teen-skewing sitcom humor grating, since the broad physical comedy and slapstick reactions lean hard into the mugging and the storylines repeat familiar school and family setups.

What it asks of you: Each episode runs about half an hour and asks little more than a willingness to laugh along; it stays light and cheerful throughout, with a steady, quick rhythm across its four seasons.

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

If you liked this

The Owl House2020

A Disney animated series about a human girl in a magical realm, built on character development and genuine stakes. It has the same blend of comedy and heart, with Luz as charming and scheming as Raven, and the same gift for making mistakes matter.

But Animation instead of live-action. It demands more patience early on—the premise takes a few episodes to click into why you care about these specific people.

Kim Possible2002

Another Disney gem: a teenage girl navigating school, friendship, and impossible situations with style and wit. It has Raven's irreverence and physicality, plus genuinely clever writing that respects the intelligence of its audience.

But It's action-comedy rather than domestic chaos, so the stakes feel different. The tone is sleeker, less warm.

Even Stevens2000

Shia LaBeouf in a wild, imaginative sitcom about a teen newsmaker whose elaborate schemes always collapse beautifully. Same engine: good intentions, terrible execution, genuine affection between characters.

But It's broader and more absurdist. The comedy lands harder on the ridiculous and lighter on the human moments.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from That's So Raven

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Wonderfalls2004

Both center on a young woman whose unusual ability to see/know things makes her feel compelled to fix other people's problems, only to discover that meddling rarely goes as planned—but the attempt matters anyway.

A young woman in Niagara Falls starts receiving cryptic messages from inanimate objects. She uses them to meddle in strangers' lives with mixed results. Same DNA as Raven—special knowledge, good intentions, glorious chaos—but adult, darker, and genuinely surreal.

But It was cancelled after one season, so there's no satisfying endpoint. The tone is weirder and more dislocating than Raven's comfort-comedy warmth.

Lizzie McGuire2001

Hilary Duff as a girl navigating middle school with a sharp inner voice and a gift for accidentally making situations worse. It's anchored by real friendships and a protagonist you actually want good things for.

But The animated inner monologue device feels dated now. It's gentler than Raven—less mischief, more earnestness.

Good Luck Charlie2010

A family-centered sitcom with the same warmth and the same belief that flawed characters trying their best is enough. Genuinely clever humor mixed with moments that make you care about these people.

But It's more family-focused and less about teen shenanigans. The vibe is cozier, less wild.

Kenan & Kel1996

Two best friends on Nickelodeon getting into absurd situations with genuine chemistry. It has Raven's slapstick joy and its refusal to punish people for being silly. Pure comedic partnership.

But The humor is broader, less character-driven. It's more interested in the punchline than the person telling it.

Victorious2010

A Nickelodeon comedy-drama about talented teens at a performing arts high school. It has Raven's ensemble warmth and its understanding that friendships are the real story.

But It's split between comedy and drama, which can feel unfocused. Some episodes aim for sentiment and miss.

iCarly2007

Three friends running a web show from a Seattle apartment. It has the same chemistry-based humor and the same faith that watching people you like be ridiculous is entertainment enough.

But The plots are thinner. It leans harder on spectacle and less on character development or real stakes.

Schitt's Creek2015

Both are about flawed people—people who scheme and stumble and sometimes get it wrong—who are surrounded by people who love them anyway. Both believe in genuine transformation through community.

A wealthy family loses everything and has to rebuild in a small town they once mocked. What unfolds is a comedy about growth, humility, and discovering that people you didn't expect to love end up being essential. It has Raven's fundamental optimism and warmth.

But It's a dramedy, not a sitcom—the comedy is character-based and quiet rather than plot-based and loud. Early episodes feel slow if you're used to laugh-track timing.

Ghosted2016

Both find their heart in unexpected friendships between people who are not naturally graceful, who make mistakes loudly, and who believe in each other anyway. Both are genuinely interested in making you smile.

An absurdist action-comedy about two strangers who stumble into fighting ghosts in New York. It has Raven's pure joy in watching people be ridiculous together, with chemistry that makes you believe in the friendship instantly. It's loud and silly in the best way.

But It's a film, not a series—no room for character breathing room. It's very of-its-moment in its visual style and pop-culture references. Critics dismissed it; audiences loved it.