Comedy
Dead Boy Detectives
Dead Boy Detectives targets teens in style and story. But it comes with very adult, problematic content.
Wouldn’t it be so cool to look into the future and know what’s going to happen? You’d always know what was cooking for dinner. You could avoid that uncomfortable meeting at work. And you’d know exactly what Plugged In would say about every movie ever. What a life.
But looking into the future isn’t always that great. The ability apparently comes with its own set of difficulties, and you might discover that life isn’t always what you envision.
Raven Baxter and her family know all about the future (including its ups and downs) in Disney’s new series, Raven’s Home.
Raven’s Home is a spinoff from the Disney original series, That’s So Raven. The original focused on the titular star when she was an average high schooler, learning to navigate her world (and her visions) with the help of family and friends. Created in the early 2000’s, That’s So Raven had a 100-episode run, making it the longest-running show in Disney channel history.
Now Raven is back, but this time she’s a single mom living with her twins, Nia and Booker, her best friend, Chelsea, and Chelsea’s son, Levi. Together, the lot share space in a Chicago apartment as Raven and Chelsea work to raise their children, follow their dreams and, well, occasionally peer into the future.
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*Raven doesn’t think her kids need to know about her mysterious visions—until the day her son, Booker, has a glimpse into the future while at school. Good thing he has a pretty cool mom to help him figure it all out. He just has to convince everyone else that his visions are real.
Back in the day, That’s So Raven was a clean show that didn’t wade into drugs, sex or profanity. And although Raven’s abilities were supernatural, she used her abilities to help others and learn about herself.
Things are still pretty clean around Raven’s Home, but not everything’s the same. Raven, a divorced, single mom, wants what is best for her kids, and she tries to be a shining example. Her kids, Nia and Booker mimic their mom in sass, and are sweet, spunky and filled with jokes.Nia likes a boy or two, but Raven is quick to stop any flirtingAnd the twins have plenty of friends who crack jokes and have attitudes just like them.Mean words include “loser” and “weirdo,” tempers and attitudes can rise and potty humor abounds.
But in Raven’s Home, love, fun and family are still what matter most.
Raven takes Booker and Nia to Dr. Sleevemore, hoping that he can retrieve Booker’s lost visions (which have been medically extracted and misplaced)Along the way, Raven realizes that pursuing her dream as a fashion designer will motivate her own children to pursue their own dreams. Booker learns that visions, and psychic abilities, aren’t the only things that make you who you are.
Raven has strong opinions, and a strong attitude, often copied by her children. A girl and boy flirt, but parents don’t let the relationship go any farther. A mom complains about her job. A young girl sneaks into her friend’s home to steal something valuable. A boy passes out multiple times. A boy yells and repetitively calls other kids “losers.” Someone exclaims “what the founding fathers!”, a winking nod to potential profanity use. A mom refers to her son’s “tushie.”
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
Dead Boy Detectives targets teens in style and story. But it comes with very adult, problematic content.
An elf mage contemplates on connection and regret as she watches her human friends grow old and pass away.
