Variety
There’s nothing wrong with shows that touch on real-life issues
BY SYDNEE WALCOTT
While movies and television shows are mainly supposed to entertain people and be an escape from reality, there’s nothing wrong with having some which touch on relatable topics.
As a child, cartoons have always been something I have always enjoyed watching, and The Proud Family happens to be one of my favorite cartoons from my childhood.
Airing episodes from 2001 until 2005, The Proud Family is one of the few shows that featured Black representation.
As a person of color, I enjoyed watching the show because of its Black representation and also for its comedy.
The Proud Family was also one of those shows I would watch along with one of my parents as they would recognize some of the voice-actors, and because they also featured songs my parents knew from their childhood.
However, the show isn’t only known for its Black representation and comedic moments.
The Proud Family was also ahead of its time by touching on many real-life issues. Some of these issues include having an understanding of knowing who to call a friend, racism, sexism, homophobia, and Islamophobia.
In 2022, the show came back under the name, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
Just like its predecessor, the revival continues to feature its comedic moments, old-school songs, and touch on social issues.
The second season aired on Disney+ on February 1st, and some viewers weren’t fond of the most recent season.
According to reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the reboot’s second season received bad audience reviews as many found the show to be “too woke” and shouldn’t be for children for that reason.
The second season saw a heavy focus on addressing social issues. Some episodes addressed colorism, preferences, slavery, and America’s racist history.
The Proud Family was always known for being woke, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Just because a show is mainly for a young audience, it doesn’t mean that it can’t teach children about tough topics.
We have shows such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, That’s So Raven, Static Shock, and Sesame Street that also address social issues.
It’s great to have shows that can help us escape from reality at times, but there are times when we need to get in touch with reality and develop an understanding of issues that need to be acknowledged and addressed.