#the proud family louder and prouder spoilers

[historyhermann]

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Spoiler-Filled Review

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, also called Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur or Moon Girl, is an animated superhero adventure series created by Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland. It is based on the 2010s Marvel Comics series, Moon Girl, by Brandon Montclare, Amy Reeder, and Natacha Bustos.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the twenty-? article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on April 24, 2023.

The plot of Moon Girl centers on a young girl named Lunella Lafeyette (voiced by Diamond White). She is secretly a superhero named Moon Girl, named after her favorite scientist, and a student by day. She uses a dimensional portal to bring a T-Rex named Devil Dinosaur (voiced by Fred Tatasciore), to the streets of New York City. Her best friend, Casey (voiced by Libe Barer) helps her, while she fights against villains like The Beyonder, a mischievous and curious trickster voiced by Fishburne.

Lunella's family have an important role in this series. Her grandmother Mimi, mother Andria, father James Jr., and grandfather "Pops" are protagonists. They are voiced by acclaimed actors such as Alfre Woodward, Sasheer Zamata, Jermaine Fowler, and Gary Anthony Williams. I personally remembered Williams for voicing characters in Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Resistance, Velma, The Cuphead Show!, and The Owl House, or when Zamata voiced Jade in the subpar film, The Mitchells vs. the Machines.

From the get-go, I knew that Moon Girl would have a superb animation quality because the show's production companies include the animation arm of Disney (Disney Television Animation), a Marvel Studios subsidiary (Marvel Animation), and two animation studios: Titmouse and Flying Bark Productions. The latter two are known for Star Trek: Lower Decks, Fairfax, The Legend of Vox Machina, Glitch Techs, What If...? and Pantheon.

Fishburne's own production company, Cinema Gypsy Productions, is helping produce Moon Girl. This could be part of the reason the series got a favorable reception from executives, resulting in renewal of a second season before the first season had premiered. The animation style is said to be inspired by Spider-Verse, pop art such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring, along with comic book and graffiti style, and other influences.

Moon Girl has an impressive cast including well-recognized names like Indya Moore, Craig Robinson, Pamela Adlon, Jennifer Hudson, Anna Akana, and Asia Kate Dillon. It includes actors of Indian, Iranian, Puerto Rican, Vietnamese, and Palestinian descent.

This is reinforced by executive producer Steve Loter, composer Raphael Saadiq, and producers Pilar Flynn and Rafael Chaidez. Loter is an executive producer of The Ghost and Molly McGee and has been recognized as a former Kim Possible producer. Saddiq previously did the discography for Lovecraft Country Season 1. Flynn was co-producer of Elena of Avalor.

Show director Trey Buongiorno previously been a storyboarder on Glitch Techs and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Samantha Suyi Lee storyboarded on Cleopatra in Space, Christine Liu on Steven Universe, Rodney Clouden on Futurama, and Ben Juwono on Big Hero 6. Show writers Jeffrey M. Howard, Kate Kondell, Halima Lucas, Liz Hara, Taylor Vaughn Lasley, Maggie Rose, and Lisa Muse Bryant have written for Elena of Avalor, Rugrats, Sesame Street, Broad City, and Kenan.

The cast and crew of Moon Girl support the series' aim to be something for "everyone" and have tones of "heart...comedy, incredible action and great music" as Loter put it. What he is saying has validity since the series is clearly smart, punchy, dynamic, dazzling, and enchanting, with a unique personality.

Representation in Moon Girl is central to the show's storyline. In an interview with the show's producers in February 2023, Loter noted that the show started with Laurence Fishburne loving the Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur comic series because he had read the original late 1970s Devil Dinosaur comic. Supervising producer Rodney Clouden said that it "means a lot" for the series to have the first Black female protagonist in a superhero series by Marvel.

Later in the interview, Clouden added that Lunella is more than young Black girl into science and math, but is about helping her community and family. This is because her brains are her superpowers, not any other special abilities. She is a 13-year-old who has teen problems that are relatable, and universal. This is done with the intention of making the series inspirational and creating "sophisticated and elevated children’s program", to summarize Clouden's words.

There is more beyond the interview with Loter and Clouden. Like The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Craig of the Creek, or My Dad the Bounty Hunter, the series has a Black-majority main cast. Moon Girl is different than those two series, in that it is centered on superheroes. There are very few other Black superhero animated series, apart from three prominent series, either Vixen in the 2010s, Static Shock in the 2000s, or Todd McFarlane's Spawn in the 1990s. Various additional Black cartoons aired since the 1970s, but few are in the superhero genre.

Moon Girl has outward LGBTQ representation. This includes Lunella's classmate, Tai, and living/A.I. supercomputer named LOS-307, which are both non-binary, and Brooklyn, an openly trans character. Furthermore, Casey has two dads: Isaac and Antonio.

The voice actors for Tai and LOS-307, Ian Alexander and Asia Kate Dillon, are non-binary in real life, while Indya Moore, the voice of Brooklyn, is trans and non-binary. In addition, Wilson Cruz and Andy Cohen, who voice Casey's dads, are both gay actors. It remains to be seen if any of the main cast will be shown as LGBTQ or not. Some fans have seen hints of romantic attraction between Casey and Lunella, shipping them either as "Lucasey" or "Mediamoon", but ship this has not been confirmed presently. Furthermore, it is possible that since Michael Cimino, who voices Lunella's loud friend, Eduardo, has seemed to say his sexual identity is fluid, this may be reflected in his character.

In watching Moon Girl, I was reminded by the fact that Moore previously voiced a trans character in animation (Shep in Steven Universe Future). Recently, Dillon provided the voice for the genderfluid and pansexual Val/entina Romanyszyn in the ever-controversial and problematic gen:LOCK. This series appears to be the first voice role for Cohen, but not for Alexander or Cruz.

This is not unique to Moore and Dillion. Diamond White has provided her voice for characters in Phineas and Ferb and Sofia the First. Tatasciore has voiced characters in animated series since the 1990s. Fowler prominently did voices for Tuca & Bertie and BoJack Horseman. Others have voiced characters in wide-ranging series including We Bare Bears, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Mira, Royal Detective, The Simpsons, and Hamster & Gretel.

The show's first episode began with a bang and pulled me in almost immediately. I've been lamenting the reality that few present series have roller-skating protagonists. This could be because wearing such shoes seem almost retro these days. It is part of Lunella's shtick, as she skates around fighting villains with the help of her dinosaur (Devil), using her gadgets for good.

Having a protagonist move around in roller skates puts in her good company alongside protagonists such as Sakura Kinomoto in Cardcaptor Sakura and Candace Flynn in Phineas and Ferb. Occasionally Kim Possible of Kim Possible and Milo Murphy in Milo Murphy's Law wear them. The same is the case for characters in the Steven Future Universe episode "Bismuth", possibly Jenny /XJ-9 in My Life as a Teenage Robot, and more directly, Neon Katt as shown in some RWBY volumes.

What further endeared me to Moon Girl was the setting, in New York's Lower East Side, and character's relatability. In the 44-minute first episode, Lunella almost abandons being a superhero, after Devil is seriously injured by Aftershock. She is reassured on her path by her wise grandmother, Mimi (voiced by Alfre Woodard). The latter makes even more sense after the revelation in the season one finale that Mimi knew that Lunella was Moon Girl the entire time!

I can see how Moon Girl is like the musical coming-of-age comedy, Karma's World, created by rapper Ludacris. Both series emphasize the importance of community, family, and history. The latter is manifested within Moon Girl with blending of the old with the new. Moon Girl uses a cassette player as a device. The show's fight scenes featured music which fits perfectly with the story and action, while in-keeping with the series style. As a person who enjoys interacting with "analog" technology, or possibly soon-to-be analog (CDs and DVDs), I liked this part of the story.

The series has similarities with Karma's World and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder when it comes to episodes about the dangers of fighting online trolls, and themes of cooperation (rather than competition), friendship, self-acceptance, patience, and Black girl's hair. One episode even echoes the "Sugar Rush" episode of Elena of Avalor. Lunella speeds up tasks because they are taking "too long", reminding me of Elena using her powers to speed up the making of chocolate desserts. Another episode slightly mirrors Steven Universe finale "Change Your Mind" where Steven fuses with himself (Pink Steven), when Lunella comes back together with her hair, Mane (voiced by Jennifer Hudson), promising to take care of it.

Moon Girl has recurring villain-of-sorts, as noted earlier. He is one of the most playful I've seen in animation and is named the Beyonder. He is not conniving like Cece Dupree in Karma's World or downright evil such as Salem in RWBY. He can be playful and fun, but can do a lot from the snap of a finger. In fact, he even threatens to destroy all of humanity in the show's seventh episode, unless Lu "proves" to him that humanity is worth saving.

In another, he kidnaps Lunella's mother and Casey, threatening to send them to another dimension, where she will never see them again. He never considers how his actions will cause trauma, only claiming that what he is doing is "helping" her, which is questionable. Hopefully, Lunella doesn't have a meltdown like Ruby Rose in Volume 9 of RWBY, who takes her own life, or Steven Universe in Steven Universe Future who becomes a monster.

The ninth episode of Moon Girl mirrored some plot points in the classic Futurama episode "Time Keeps Slippin'" and the more-recent Cleopatra in Space episode "Do-Over". In all three cases, skipping forward in time goes horribly wrong, but with completely different results. In the case of Moon Girl, the episode points to the dangers of A.I., as shown by the Skipster App, and hints at possible future scenes in the show's second season.

The value of a work-life balance is emphasized through Lunella faking a sickness to get out of a photoshoot. This reminds me of the Cleopatra in Space episode "Cleopatra Needs Space". The difference is that Lunella lies to her friend Casey, claiming she cannot get of bed so she can have a break, while Cleo wants to get away from her two friends who are flirting with one another. However, Moon Girl doesn't as directly counter the issues with overwork, making it different, in that regard, from the isekai anime, I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, which emphasizes this theme repeatedly.

I further enjoyed the episode in which Lu rallies her community against the Muzzlers, two White home inventors, who are trying to gentrify the Lower East Side. The episode examines gentrification as much the Season 2 finale or three-part Season 4 finale of Karma's World, both of which approach the topic in their own ways. Moon Girl is more poignant on this topic than the construction by the golf-addicted Mafia in Birdie Wing, in which the protagonist's family are evicted, or that shown in City of Ghosts.

The last few Moon Girl episodes, which focus on value of chosen family, facing your fears, and being perfect the way you are, strongly end the first season. These episodes also center plotlines about Jewish traditions (since Casey is part Jewish) and the issues with clout-chasing. The latter is somewhat reflected in certain episodes of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

The two-part season one finale of Moon Girl is unique. The villain, Maris Morlak (voiced by Wesley Snipes), wants to construct a dimensional portal so he can gain recognition for his contributions from White leaders, which are those with authority.

Maris reveals that his work, and that of Lu's grandmother, Mimi, were ignored by their White bosses, with White scientists taking all the credit when speaking to the U.S. military generals. This story of casual and institutional racism is more relevant than ever, with  White supremacy currently running rampant across society. I liked how even though Mimi disagrees with his method (opening the portal), she agrees with his concerns, but says he doesn't need others to validate him.

The actions of Maris go beyond the actions taken by other series villains, such as the Rat King, Abyss, and Gravitas, and Odessa Drake. He has an army of followers to support him, called the Enclave, and is willing to do anything to achieve his goals. In fact, he is probably the most ruthless villain of the series, destroying Lunella's underground lab, even when Devil is trapped inside, causing Lunella to drop to her knees and think Devil died. Although this is not the case, it undoubtedly deepens Lunella's growing trauma, which may be addressed more in season 2.

The first season of Moon Girl ends on a cliffhanger, with Mimi and Lu turning off the dimensional portal from each side. It could possible provide fuel for crossover fan fictions to be written by dedicated fans. The second season of Moon Girl may feature more of S.H.I.E.L.D. and its Agent, Maria Hill (voiced by Cobie Smulders), tying the series more into the Marvel Universe.

The growing friendship between Lunella and Casey will likely be an important part of the next season. By the end of the season, Casey becomes almost becoming the equivalent of Tomoyo Daidouji in Cardcaptor Sakura, who made all of Sakura Kinomoto's Cardcaptor outfits. This is because Casey made the outfits that Lunella used as a superhero. In addition, it is possible that the Beyonder will have a bigger role in the next season, and there be more fourth-wall breaks. The series might even have a storyline akin to the OK K.O. episode "Your World Is an Illusion", in which K.O. realizes that his whole world is an illusion.

Moon Girl fills the void left by the season 2 finales of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on February 1 and Star Wars: The Bad Batch on March 29, and the series finales of The Owl House (on April 8) and Amphibia in May 2022. Unfortunately, with the last episode of Moon Girl airing on the Disney Channel on May 6, it may be some time before any other series with as strong plot, characters, animation, and writing airs on Disney+ or other Disney-related platforms.

Although Kiff and Hamster & Gretel have their merits, as do any of the other animated series on Disney+ or Disney Channel, none of them measures up to Moon Girl, or the quality of The Bad Batch, Amphibia, and The Owl House. The same may be the case for upcoming series such as Hailey's On It!, Primos, Iwaju, Cookies & Milk, Tiana, or Moana: The Series, something which can only be proven or disproven after said series begin airing.

Although the episode-dumps on Disney+, the equivalent of Stevenbombs, undoubtedly reduced the possible audience, Moon Girl remains a shining example of a recent animated series. It can be enjoyed by all, even though it is primarily aimed at children. It is for that, and reasons I have previously stated, I recommend this series and look forward to the second season.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is currently airing on Disney+.

[trashywritestrash]

Brutal

Pairing: Avengers x Singer-Songwriter!Stark!Reader (platonic/family)

Word Count: 1,220

Warnings: Swearing, no specific age is given for reader, but she's between 18 and 21. Probably bad writing, heavy dialogue, song lyrics… Idk if half of those are warnings, but that’s what I’ve got.

A/N: This isn’t going to be the best thing I’ve written by a long shot. This whole thing is just like a daydream I have sometimes and I was encouraged to just write it out because maybe that would help me unclog the writers block. Honestly, I’ve just been drained lately and I don’t have the energy to be creative, so I’m cranking this thing out in the hopes that it’ll spark something. I’d call this a crack fic but I don’t know if it’s unhinged enough to qualify.

Song Reference: Brutal by Olivia Rodrigo

gif by jameschildress

As the daughter of Tony Stark, you had been in the spotlight your entire life. So when you announced that you would be releasing your debut album as a musician, the internet was hyped up immediately. You didn’t need to promote it at all, but you still released small clips on social media and dropped a single before the release of the album.

The Avengers are close to you, they’re your big found family… But when they asked to listen to the album before the official release, you still said no. Obviously, they continued to ask and even attempted to bribe you, but you were adamant that they would have to wait like everyone else.

Finally, the album dropped. To celebrate, everyone gathered in the common area while you set up a camera to record their reactions as you all listened. In the living room sat your father, Pepper, Steve, Bucky, Sam, Natasha, Thor, Bruce, Clint, and Wanda. The “extended” team members like Peter Parker, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Carol, and Dr. Strange were listening on their own and simply texting you their thoughts.

“Okay, guys. Get your snacks and stuff now because I’m not going to wait ten minutes in between songs for you to grab something,” Tony bosses, completely impatient.

You chuckle, “You do know that I’m controlling the music, right?”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll have Friday override the speakers if I have to.”

“Alright, are we ready yet? Yelena is already trying to text me about it and I don’t want spoilers,” Natasha complains from her spot on one of the couches, bowl of popcorn in hand.

“Yeah, yeah, settle down.” Once everyone is sat, you take your spot on a stool by the camera, “Okay, if you need me to pause or rewind, raise your hand or something. Or listen to it again later on your own. I’ll pause between songs so you can get your comments and questions out. Sound good?”

Sam waves his hand, “We got it, just play it already, we’re tired of waiting.”

“Patience, Samuel. Alright, the first song is called ‘Brutal’.” You press play on your phone, which is bluetooth connected to the speakers in the room.

The song opens with classical instrumental music, surprising the group. They’ve heard the clips released on your social media, and this doesn’t seem to fit at all.

I want it to be, like, messy.

Suddenly the music is louder and faster paced, taking on a more punk rock sound. Tony grins wide, “That’s my kid!”

I’m so insecure, I think

That I’ll die before I drink

And I’m so caught up in the news

Of who likes me, and who hates you

And I’m so tired that I might

Quit my job, start a new life

And they’d all be so disappointed

‘Cause who am I, if not exploited?

Reactions across the room are mixed. Bucky and Steve look a little thrown off, not used to this type of music. Tony looks prouder than ever. Pepper and Sam look proud, but you can tell they’re not sure what to think about the tone of it. Natasha and Clint have “I told you so” written all over their faces. Thor is enthusiastic and smiling wide. And Bruce and Wanda seem to be trying to dissect and analyze the lyrics as they listen.

And I’m so sick of seventeen

Where’s my fucking teenage dream?

“Language,” slips from Steve before he can stop himself. “Also, you’re not seventeen anymore?”

“I wrote it a while ago and I decided to leave it like that. I wanted it to be truthful to where I was in my life when I wrote it.” The group nods as the song continues.

If someone tells me one more time

“Enjoy your youth,” I’m gonna cry

And I don’t stick up for myself

I’m anxious and nothing can help

And I wish I’d done this before

And I wish people liked me more

“Awe, sweetheart,” Wanda frowns. Everyone seems conflicted. Like they’re unsure whether they should be banging their heads or offering you hugs.

All I did was try my best

This the kind of thanks I get?

Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah)

They say these are the golden years

But I wish I could disappear

Ego crush is so severe

God, it’s brutal out here

You frown at how the mood was brought down by the lyrics. Quickly, you pause. “Guys, stop that. This is supposed to be a fun song.”

“It is fun, but you’re my daughter, of course I’m going to be concerned,” Tony pouts. “Why didn’t you talk to me about this stuff?”

“Because I didn’t feel like I needed to. I get these feelings out in therapy and in my songs, so it’s not like I’m bottling it in. I have some healthy coping mechanisms.”

Bruce takes the opportunity to speak up. “Some?”

“Nobody’s perfect, Bruce. You guys don’t need to know everything.” You chuckle to diffuse the tension, but resume the music before anyone can argue.

I feel like no one wants me

And I hate the way I’m perceived

I only have two real friends

And lately, I’m a nervous wreck

‘Cause I love people I don’t like

And I hate every song I write

And I’m not cool and I’m not smart

And I can’t even parallel park

“Are we not your friends?” Thor pouts, genuinely sad.

“You guys don’t count. You’re family.” That answer seems to appease them, but they’re clearly still concerned. The chorus plays once more before the music starts to wind down.

Got a broken ego, broken heart

God, I don’t even know where to start

The song ends, so you pause before the next one automatically starts. “What did you guys think?” You wait nervously for their response. They mean a lot to you, so you want them to like your music.

“I loved it, but the lyrics are kinda sad when I think about them…” Pepper admits cautiously, not wanting you to think she didn’t like it.

You give her a nervous smile, “I’m gonna be honest. Some of the stuff on here is sad. Some of it is probably gonna upset you… I don’t tell you guys everything, and there are some things in here that you guys don’t know about. I’m sorry about that; but the last thing I want is for you guys to pity me or anything like that.” Chuckling, you attempt to lighten the mood. “I’m an angsty girl. In this album I get a little sad, a little angry, a little petty, but try not to get too heartbroken over it. Please?”

“No promises, kid. We’re your family. We’re absolutely going to get protective.” Sam grins, keeping his comment lighthearted, even though he means every word.

“Fine, I’ll take it.”

Steve raises his hand patiently, “Are all of the songs this… upbeat?” He asks, unsure of what to call the sound.

“No, some of them slow down. But some of them are more punk like this. I won’t give you a heart attack.” He laughs at your joke, rolling his eyes.

“Okay, I think we’re ready for the next one,” Clint says, causing the others to nod. “Hit us with it!”

You laugh, pulling up your music app. “Okay, okay. Here we go…”

—————

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[mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune]

My Thoughts On Proud Family Louder & Prouder:  Maya Did The Right Thing (but I wish I could slap that blonde teacher.) And Other Stuff To Talk About...

[Note: Don’t Reblog Without Permission. also small spoilers about Proud Family Louder & Prouder Season 2 Episode 10, but I’m not going to give out too much from the episode....also going to talk about other stuff as well...........also reading this is optional, so you don’t have to if you don’t want to but only read this if you want to.] 

even if I need to try to find the episode where it was talked about some info that isn’t talked about, that I had found in two videos by two different youtubers...

but even if it is two different episodes, and I am going to watch all the episodes, and catch up with some that I haven’t seen yet.

Maya did the right thing in finding the truth in that episode, and while a uncle isn’t really a ancestor, but is more of a sibling of one’s ancestor or ancestress...

I kind of wish I could slap that blonde teacher for her little comment, like it doesn’t make sense for a black or white person to have a ancestor who is of a different race...

I am going to try to find the episode that had that one clip that had those two youtubers explaining how it was leaving out some info in history, maybe I should start from the first episode, and work my way from there.

also I don’t think my wanting to slap that teacher, even if I know it isn’t possible....has anything to do with my Irish or Scottish heritage, I know I have a mix of different ancestors from different places, same as other people on this planet.

and maybe there can be misunderstandings of white racism in the show, and they don’t mean for it to seem that way, plus we can’t just see one half of a whole picture, if we are kept in the dark about some parts of history how are we suppose to learn from it and grow as part of Omnimanity, you know like humans are part of Humanity, but also for non-humans that are from space, and plus humans that would make up Omnimanity....

also if there is a bubble around our universe, it would mean that one of the books I have is right, and our universe is under quarantine, I think it was in that book by Timothy Wyllie, the book is called Confessions Of A Rebel Angel...

or there could be a different reasons for the bubble besides quarantine....

I’m still going to view Watcher Angels and a few other Angels, as Eon-Boomers...and Georgia from that book will count as a Eon-Boomer....since she was part of that rebellion, or should I say Toxic-Rebellion... 

Devil from Cuphead Show, pretty sure he is both a Eon-Boomer and a Himbo.

he seems to have his adorable and clueless moments, and seems to give off that whole himbo thing...

anyway, maybe before we judge the Proud Family: Louder & Prouder for being “Anti-White” and some other stuff that has some humans triggered...

 I still want to at least give that Velma Show a chance before I fully decide if I like it or hate it.....

also I do love Weird Al’s parody songs, and is it weird I don’t mind that a cartoon version of him seems to get on Velma, Daphne and Fred’s nerves...

I mean not everyone has to like his music, but I don’t mind that those three get bothered by it.....he and Jim Henson, are one of the few I’m proud to be distant cousins with, also just because I found that out, doesn’t mean we know each other, so don’t ask me to do any favors.

it’s like when you find out you are family to someone super famous, and some people believe you can have them meet them, when you know that isn’t possible because you haven’t even met them....

also if anyone should pick up on the Dark Crystal Age Of Resistance, maybe it should be Paramount, at least that is my view.....it does suck that they cancelled it on Netflix.

so help me if they do the same with Sonic Prime, they might not know what they have unleashed, because a lot of fans might get SUPER SONIC MAD....

so hopefully there be some sense in those who work at Netflix, to NOT let that happen....

and maybe some people only see the bad side of Maya, and not the good sides, and I believe that she did the right thing by pointing out that Grunkle of her Dad’s, wasn’t a good person and was a slave owner...

 and yeah, her Dad tried to deny the truth, which later on he does finally accept it, even if he didn’t like it.

and it took a squad of cops, and his children and their friends being in danger and being arrested, for him to finally accept that ugly truth.

sometimes there will be dark secrets in history that not every human will want to accept, like how there were white slaves, I saw a video that talked about it...

like if it were true that Jesus had a family with Mary Magdalene, that is a part of history that some humans don’t want to be seen as true, so they try to make it like it is 100% fictional.

and yeah Proud Family series is a Fictional World, and is a cartoon, and might touch on some real life problems and that can happen in any show or movie or video game....

I mean Tali and Ashley from Mass Effect Series, can be a bit of a Shisno. 

they only get more better, when they let go of their shisno ways.

and if it was possible to romance a Geth in the future, that would be great...

can just hold hands and watch some movies.

romance can be different for anyone, it doesn’t always have to be about s*x. 

but try telling that to some Acephobic jerks....

plus you can’t just “fix” someone who is Ace, plus my whole panic attack in the car that time, is separate from my being Aroaceflux, so it is NOT the same...

I just went through the fear during that time a few years ago, which if I remember right, it was around 2015.....and yeah the fear was being alone in the car....and the danger of being harmed, and is one of the reasons why I don’t like being outside alone without family and maybe friends, to trust....

 I haven’t had that panic attack of hyperventilating in the car since that one time.....but anyone can go through that, not just me.

and yeah I did hit my head on the ceiling of the car during that time.

I guess we can do stupid stuff when we either get really mad or scared.

even when it comes to some shows that show what seems to be “Anti-White” but we could turn out not be seeing the full picture, and only see what we assume is that way.

I want to at least try to give Proud Family: Louder & Prouder a chance, and see if some stuff that is pointed out about it, is right or wrong or somewhere in between.

I still wish I could slap that teacher, who I couldn’t help but have the word “Karen” pop into my head when listening to her....I kind of forgot her name...

I mean not all my ancestors were White or from America (some were from different places in the world.), and I have some Ancestors that had a freaking Harem, that is like a lot of Step-Grandmothers, which would be like a lot of Grandmother Day Cards to give out.

King Solomon being one of those who had a Harem, and lucky me I’m from the line from him, that doesn’t get the throne, once again that ain’t a a curse, that is a freaking blessing, so jokes on those who still view it as a curse. XD

 and yes besides talking about the episode from Proud Family: Louder & Prouder, I’m talking about other stuff, too.

also the episode isn’t that bad, it does show some ugly side where some humans don’t want to hear the ugly truth about a person, even their own distant nephew not wanting to accept the ugly truth.

 but things do work out in the end...and I’m not going to give out too much about the episode....

but I’m going to try to watch all the episodes, starting with the first episode and working up to the episode that had been brought up over on Youtube.

and it’s possible that even when we try to fight injustice and fight for a true cause that needs justice, there will be trouble trying to get some words heard and at times it can come out as a misunderstanding, and your words don’t really get through, because it can be misinterpreted. 

 or like if you try to tell someone the truth about someone who lived a long time ago, and it is a really bad and ugly truth, the one you tell it to might not want to accept it.

at least I can accept the truth about the whole Town Destroyer that had to do with George Washington, I think it had to do with his Grandfather....I will need to look it up again....

but yes that it one of ugly truths.

sometimes history isn’t going to be pretty, and there can be many things that we might not know about some history.

I think I want to at least give the new Proud Family series a chance, plus maybe there is a misunderstanding, I don’t know....but maybe things aren’t all as they seem.

I didn’t think I would have to talk about well, some possible problems that some humans point out in a show, I mean there was that whole problem I had with that one video that I found out about that had to do with Jenn Nizza, which I don’t 100% agree with her, only that I can agree that crystals can be misused, but it doesn’t mean using them and other gems are bad, if you use them in the correct way....I’m going to try to stay away from any videos with her in in for a while....like a super long while.

I don’t think that episode was too bad, but when Maya was arguing with that teacher, about her Dad being related to that one guy.....only for the mention that Maya is adopted, did that teacher lady seem to calm down and seem to find it making sense.....seriously, if it were possible, I would slap that woman over the head.

yeah I had a problem with that teacher, who once again I forgot her name...

and I know I took offense to her words, maybe because of my own mix heritage and what she implied.

maybe some will understand what I mean and why I would take offense to that woman’s words.

maybe I will wait until tomorrow to watch Proud Family: Louder & Prouder from the first season and first episode and work my way to the other episodes.

I just want to relax, and maybe play some video games, and try to take my mind off of stuff that has to do with Jenn Nizza, and some people pointing out the possible negative stuff about the new Proud Family series...

sorry if I can’t talk too much about the episode, but I do think it’s great that Maya stood up for what was right and one of her Dads finally accept the truth.

and I guess some will have a problem with certain words being used in it,

like “white privilege” for one, but maybe that word wasn’t really used seriously.

I’m going to check out a few art on here, then I’m going to go back on my Xbox One, and the next post I make is going to be a theory about either one of my favorite video games or shows.....I just want to try to relax....maybe I can talk more about the Proud Family, once I watch all the episodes.                                 

[peterstanslizzie]

When will Penny just dump LaCienega as a friend already?! 😠

Once again, LaCienega continues to show us how much of a trashy trifling person she is!

And I was just beginning to feel slightly sorry for her in episode 9 when her cousin LaBrea showed up...

How Penny can still tolerate and deal with this girl is beyond me 🤔

[blackfilmmakers]

I'm surprised Penny didn't say anything about that time she helped a circus tiger get back home

[tishrivers]

not the the proud family confirming why gross sisters are blue bc they ashy 😂😂😂

[icedmochasi]

Why there are things I love about the Proud Family reboot, I really don’t like what they have done with Sticky and Dijonay. For Sticky, I get that Disney wants to distance themselves from the original voice actor. But just replace the voice actor with someone else. Or, at least make Sticky’s goodbye somewhat emotional instead of everyone just moving on like he didn’t mean anything to them when they are all friends. As for Dijonay, I wish they would quit having her throw herself at boys who have no interest in her and have told her to stop. First Sticky, and now KG. It’s creepy, and if the situations were reversed no one would be laughing about Dijonay’s no’s being ignored. I was hoping the reboot would drop that character trait, but here we are. 

[what-goesaround-comesaround]

You know what?

Good for Sticky.

[geekgirles]

In the English dub of the latest The Proud Family episode, does Lamor Morris also tell Oscar to go smell shit, or is it only in the Castilian Spanish dub?

[big-brainrot-hours]

Hi there! Quick brainrot (request?) remember how u said that the constellations we have in-game reflect themselves on the sky? What if, hold with me pls, what if Tartaglia of all people suddenly gets more stars to light up on his constellation, we know the bastard is incredibly powerful in-lore (by human standards he probably tops the list, abyss slip and slide aside, he is still the most human out of all the harbingers), so what would happen if his corner suddenly lights up like a christmas tree out of nowhere. Imagine the sheer smugness, he was a powerhouse before now he is just unstoppable and rubs it on the others faces. (perhaps he has more constellations than even the archons, who just stop and wonder, wtf did he do to gain the creator's favor? the answer is being a little shit-)

I LOVE both him and Xiao lmao, I find interesting that those two are the only characters that change their playstyle at c6 (power level spike aside) and congrats on the blog! hope u have a good day!

asdfadfasdf this is so funny to me. Imagine seeing a literal warcriminal who tried to drown an entire nation getting constellations before you do lmao

Warnings: spoilers for childe’s story and liyue story, sagau

Headcanons under the cut

— — — — — — —

So, an extra bit of constellation info, when a character gains constellations, not only does the constellation in the sky light up, but the stars show themselves on their body as well. For each constellation they get, four-pointed stars run down their backs, right over their spines.

Anyway-

True to his hyrdo vision, Childe strives to be the best there is in the things he’s passionate about. In his case, his passion is for battle.

When he fell into the abyss at 14, he never thought he’d escape. Even after he had met his teacher and started training, he still had his doubts. However, these doubts left him soon after he got a vision while down there. His family had always been very religious, and had often lectured him on how the creator holds love for all in Teyvat, but this was just further proof of that in his eyes. This was the creator telling him that he would make it through this, that he would find his way out. And that’s when he threw himself into his training, how he shed himself of his nervousness and embraced the chaotic warrior stirring in his heart. The creator blessed him with this power, so it’s only fair that he makes them proud. He will take over this world and prove his strength, just for them.

It isn’t until long after everything in Liyue happens that he gets his constellations. It was late at night, on a ship heading back towards Liyue for another mission, when he suddenly felt a burning heat in his chest and down his spine. Tearing his shirt off, he looks at his back in the mirror, and bursts into manic laughter when he sees the glowing stars running down his back. His laughter gets even louder when he runs outside and looks up at the sky, seeing a spot in the stars glowing and outlining themselves just for him. He’s had a lot of accomplishments in his life, but he’s never been prouder than at this moment.

Next time he’s in Liyue, he quickly challenges Zhongli to a fight, who is taken off guard by how much stronger Childe is now. The fight eventually ends in a tie. Zhongli, weakened by the recent loss of his gnosis, was surprised that he hadn’t completely beaten Childe as quickly as he used to. He asks Childe how he won, and the only thing the harbinger does is turn around to show him his back, the faint glow of the markings he gained shining through his clothes.

Zhongli is quickly filled with jealousy. Everyone knew what those stars meant. How did Childe, the man who summoned an ancient sea god to destroy an entire nation, manage to get them? Even at this point, Zhongli himself had only had four. Word quickly spreads to the other archons, and they all stress themselves out over finding a pattern in those the creator blesses.

The jealousy of the archons only fuels Childe more, and he strives to become even stronger to defeat all of them one day. And he views his constellations as the creator’s way of agreeing with his ambitions.

As for the being smug part, you are absolutely right. Honestly, any chance he gets he’s bragging about how the creator blessed him with more strength and was happy to do so. This causes other humans to be more afraid of him than they already were, but that doesn’t matter to him. People were already wary of him before, this is nothing new, but it’s even better because he has the creator on his side now.

And when he finally does meet you in person, his first question is if you have anyone you’d like him to fight for you. He’s extremely eager to show off how he’s honed the powers you’ve given him and to see your reaction in person.

[viva-la-topknot]

Oh My Gosh The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Is So Pretty

Spoiler Warning: This review talks about and shows the art, story, and other details of all three of the first episode of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

This is a snippet of a longer review I made mostly for my own entertainment, but I wanna share me geeking out about the way the show looks here on my Tumblr.

The show is really nice to look at. Pretty color pallets, interesting textures, consistent background style, and the shading. Oh my gosh the cell shading.

The show has lots of little stylistic flairs that are just fun to look at. Like how the line art of the backgrounds [and sometimes the foregrounds] don’t match the color that fills them in, like they’re on to layers that are slightly offset, but that the outlines are the thing that determines where that thing is in space.

Check out this scene of Oscar in his car here to see what I mean about the cell shading.

So the yellow circle is where the light source is coming from. If we just look at the cell shading Highlights, the lighter part of the left side of Oscar’s face, the top of his left arm and hand, those are all lit up from the cell shading. But his torso doesn't have a highlight because it’s below the window of the car, where the car door would be blocking it, and his right arm doesn't because the rest of his body is covering it. I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever seen cells shading like this in a cartoon. The highlights also change color depending on the lighting, it’s awesome!

Let’s take an example from Family Guy for comparison. All three characters are lit consistently from the moonlight coming in through the window, but Quagmire shouldn’t have any highlights on him below the neck, because that’s where the window stops. He’s lit on his left arm, leg, and foot. They're all highlighted but he should only be lit from the neck up because everything below that would be shadowed by the wall under the window.

Or how bout this shot from Kipo: Age of Wondersbeasts where Kipo’s left leg is lit as if the guitar wouldn’t be blocking the light, and how the shading is consistent from just before this bird shows up and there’s a big, sunny hole in the wall to after the bird shows up, where the bird should be blocking most of the light the scene is lit from.

I’m making a big deal of pointing this out because I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen lighting like this in a cartoon. It’s fantastic. It shows a really deep understanding of how light works and how to light a scene, and Proud Family: Louder and Prouder has tons of little details like this.

There’s this spray paint texture that keeps showing up throughout the show. They use it for depth, for texture, and for visual flair.

Here’s some dry brushstroke type paint to make Penny’s bonnet have a fabric texture.

Here’s a more textured paint look used to make Maya’s jeans look distressed.

Here’s some more dry brush style to show the curl texture of the girls’ natural hair.

There’s a couple different ones here, with the texture used on the trees being consistent from tree to tree and a different one for the roofs.

Look at how amazing Michael’s hair looks! The spray paint texture at the roots of his locs gives his hair texture and depth, they even gave him a lighter version of his base brown on the sides of his head to give all his hair some texture.

And here on Penny’s coat, they’ve used something chunky and multi colored with a splatter texture [reminds me of Procreate’s Splatter brush if it had a baby with the Flicks brush, Splatter’s color mix and Flicks’ texture and shape] to make glitter.

They sometimes also use texture for hair and don’t use an outline, which I’m partly pointing out so that we can appreciate the mix of lineless and lined styles in this show, and mostly because I had to show you Baby Penny because she is the cutest thing I’ve seen all week.

I really like all these textures they’ve put into the art, it gives the show a look that feels, approachable? Familiar? To a digital artist like myself. I can see myself emulating some of these techniques in my own art.

The fun and consistent characters carry over from what I remember of the original show [I re-watched most of the first season before the reboot came out so my memory on this count might be inaccurate], as does the fun and absurd cartoon sitcom writing. I’m glad they went for a chill cover of the OG theme song because trying to do better than it would probably have been impossible. Both the baby’s updated character designs are super cute, as are the main teens. Most of them aren’t /that/ different, other than Michal and Zoe most of the teen’s updates are in proportion and simple outfit changes.

The show is just super pretty and I look forward to getting to look at more episodes of it.

- Topknot

[historyhermann]

My Dad the Bounty Hunter Review

My Dad the Bounty Hunter is a coming-of-age animated sci-fi adventure series by Everett Downing Jr. and Patrick Harpin. Both have worked in the animation industry for many years, often as storyboarders or writers. However, this is their first series they have created on their own. This review will have spoilers.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the twenty-fourth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on February 14, 2023.

This animated series centers on the story of Terry (voiced by Laz Alonso), a Black father who has a secret job: he is a bounty hunter named Sabo Bok. One day, his children, annoyed by his constant disappearances, stowaway in his flying car, and find themselves in a spaceship. Terry is forced to care for his precocious daughter Lisa (voiced by Priah Ferguson), and his nerdy, but anxious, son Sean (voiced by Jecobi Swain). All the while he faces his former business partner, Gorlox (voiced by Rob Riggle), and the Conglomerate, represented by The Fixer (voiced by Jim Rash) who is a bit like Agent Smith in the Matrix franchise.

Personally, I was not planning on watching this series, and knew even less about it, as no one has even bothered to create a Wikipedia page for it! In an effort to watch more shows made by Black creators, I decided to give this series a chance, and I was impressed by what I watched. The voice actors and animation was top notch, as is the music selection.

In some ways, My Dad the Bounty Hunter felt familiar. That's because voice actors like Yvette Nicole Brown, Kari Wahlgen, Yvonne Orji, Christian Lanz, Keith Ferguson, Andrew Morgado, and SungWon Cho, who voice Krs, Lootbat, Tess and other assorted characters in this series, are all well-known voice actors. They are known for their roles in The Ghost and Molly McGee, Velma, Fairfax, Elena of Avalor, Victor and Valentino, Craig of the Creek, High Guardian Spice, Gen:Lock, and The Cuphead Show.

Furthermore, the plot line of this series reminded me, in more ways than one, of episodes of Dogs in Space and Cleopatra in Space, which share some of the same voice actors. It even made me think of the first season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, when Omega and the Bad Batch are on the run from various bounty hunters who want to kill or capture Omega.

Since the series is for all ages, there rarely blood spilled, just some laser battles, fights, and the like. Sure, no one is invincible, but also, no one gets seriously hurt, apart from Terry crash-landing on a planet and some scuffles. There aren't assassinations on the scale of the Immediate Murder Professionals in Helluva Boss or mass murder akin to the season one finale of Invincible.

All in all, I found My Dad the Bounty Hunter a fun watch. Even so, I would have preferred, just as I did with Season 2 of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, for 1-2 episodes to air every week, rather than all the episodes dropping at once on February 9th. That would allow for more time to take in what is happening in each episode. On the other hand, the series almost seemed to be designed for a binge, since a lot happens in a short period of time, assisted by music and fast-pacing. The series was undoubtedly affected by the fact that, reportedly, 99% of it was produced "at-home" because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was nothing to dislike when it comes to the show's cast. This is despite the fact that this is Laz Alonso's first major voice role, while Jecobi Swain and Priah Ferguson are new to voice acting. They only voice characters in Hamster & Gretel and Firebuds. The same can be said for the more seasoned voice actors, including, apart from those I mentioned earlier, Jamie Chung (as Vax) and Maddie Taylor (as Torga). There are other new voice actors such as Leslie Uggams (as Grandma), Everett Downing Jr. (as Bogdog), and Devin Bright (as Player 2). This gives the series life and makes the characters much more relatable.

Just as The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is likely to garner a Black audience, the same is the case for My Dad the Bounty Hunter. It is designed for families, especially, like many other all-ages series currently out there. In addition, characters like Lisa, who is sassy and intelligent, may become beloved. Some might even connect to the fact that she organized a gambling den at her local school and held high-stakes poker games. She is like Maya in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, in that she when she gets passionate and determined, no one can stop her. In fact, Lisa becomes skilled with a sword, and plays a vital role, especially when helping her dad out of some tough situations, as does her brother Sean.

As I've said in other reviews, 3-D animation is not always my favorite. For instance, I think the Tales of Arcadia can be a bit hard to watch at times due to the animation style. However, the animation is done very well in this series. It is as strong as the flowing animation in D4DJ. Computer generated images can be good if they are animated with a distinct style, but traditional, 2-D animation, is just as good. The series was supposed to be 2-D originally, but it cost less to do 3-D, as they didn't have to build sets, while flashback scenes were 2-D, which separated "the present from the past" as Harpin noted.

Due to the fact that My Dad the Bounty Hunter is only 10 episodes, there isn't much time for lore, or even exploration of everyone's backstory. There's some backstory given for Terry, Tess (Terry's wife), and a bit for Lisa, but that's it. Even so, this doesn't take away from some of the messages in the series, emphasizing the importance of family, togetherness, and overcoming obstacles. This creates a wholesome series which sticks with you, episode-to-episode.

This fades away when the story centers on brutal exploitation of the Chillas by the Conglomerate. These creatures are imprisoned and forced to mine minerals for no pay (i.e. as slaves), with the materials only used to make the Conglomerate that much richer. Unlike Qui-Jon Jinn, who only freed Anakin from slavery on Tatooine, Lisa, with the help of Vax and her comrades, frees all of them. She ultimately convinces her dad, Terry, to side with her, once he realizes he is doing the wrong thing.

Watching My Dad the Bounty Hunter made me think of the exploitation of the worms in Futurama, especially exemplified by Slurms MacKenzie, who caused the caves to collapse, when he parties one last time. There are similarities to the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi in more ways than one, or rescue missions in Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which ends up freeing those imprisoned, often by the Galactic Empire, even if it puts their lives in jeopardy.

The season one finale of My Dad the Bounty Hunter leaves the door open for more seasons. It remains to be seen if Netflix will go that route, or whether it will treat it like City of Ghosts, a curiosity which executives deemed as needing no continuation. I remain hopeful that despite all the shenanigans going on at Netflix right now, they will renew the series.

After all, since the series is based on the dynamics within the family of co-creator Everett Downing Jr., there is likely more to explore in that realm. There are other plotlines which could be told in a second season. Perhaps Lisa will have a boyfriend, or even a girlfriend, and family conflicts may erupt, changing this from a happy family-friendly series into a more mature one.

Even so, it is likely, more than not, that a second season would continue to portray a loving Black family, and have additional sci-fi elements, which the creators said they incorporated into the series the best they could. When asked about another season, one of the co-creators said he would like to focus on Tess and "give her a shot in the captain’s seat."

Furthermore, since the first season of My Dad the Bounty Hunter was said to be a "love letter to animation, science fiction, and Black families" rolled into a wild action-comedy, it is possible that another season would go even further. There is a lot which can be done with animation, unlike any other medium, which makes it apt for storytelling. Of course, not every animated series is superb, and some are subpar. But, when animation is done well, it shines like nothing else. This series shines.

This series is unique, even on Netflix. While the streaming platform hosts shows like Princess Power, Ada Twist Scientist, Dogs in Space, Hilda, The Dragon Prince, Bee and Puppycat, and Dragon Age: Absolution, nothing even comes close to this series. The same can be said for the upcoming Agent Elvis and Mulligan.

The only comparison with this series is on other streaming platforms, specifically in the Star Wars franchise, a flagship grounding Disney+ in the streaming wars. Perhaps, My Dad the Bounty Hunter is being used to compete with those series. Although, if that is the case, it would be absurd, since the other series are much longer lived, and likely have more money behind them.

In the end, while My Dad the Bounty Hunter is not my favorite series ever, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and I'd definitely recommend it, as it can be watched in its entirety during a morning, or an afternoon.

My Dad the Bounty Hunter is currently streaming on Netflix.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[dancefairy1023]

That old Towne Road

 I have been watching the new rebooted series Proud Family “louder and Prouder” with a critical yet optimistic eye. The resurrected show was always going to be met with people trying to nit pick at it as well as challenge the new design and writing. The goal for them being to determine the show should have never been brought back, and claiming the previous version was best. This is a pattern with most rebooted movies and shows. After watching every episode of the new season, especially the last episode, I personally have decided to give more reboots in the future a chance! The creator of the Proud Family, Bruce W. Smith, has maintained the integrity of the show while still improving so many different things in the process. One of the greatest triumphs so far, would be the immense character development for so many of the cast that we had nothing but questions about. Why is Lacieniga so mean to penny? Why does Suga mama treat bobby one way and Oscar another? Does Bobby have any substance besides just eating? I feel like all of this was answered within this very first season! My true elation with the show came with Suga mama’s episode, spoilers ahead for those who have not seen it! In the first few moments of the episode we find out Suga mama’s actual name is Charlette! It was presented so randomly and was such a mysterious piece of information for 20 years! I was invested for the rest of the episode after this. What else were they going to reveal? Trudy was busy at work looking up her family tree. She was a bit befuddled when she found that Oscar’s family tree only had three branches! Like many African Americans in the United States,  we struggle finding our ancestral roots due to the destruction of records as well as people during the 400+ years of slavery. Many of us are left to assume we are descended from African “kings and Queens” who were stolen from their home. Trudy had to spend one thousand dollars to track down and find Suga mama’s family. We go on and figure out that Suga mama does not want to deal with her family what so ever and has to literally be tied to the roof of the car to go to Oklahoma for the family reunion that They all get invited to. Penny is intrigued by the events, but is more distraught at not getting to go on her class trip to Washington D.C. The road trip to Suga mama’s home state of Oklahoma was filled with much joy as the family reintroduced the nation to the Shibuya roll call game. When they make it to their destination they are met with a very disgruntled Great Granpa Towne and three men who we later find out are Suga mama’s younger brother’s. Her father has to be at least 90 or more as I’ve personally calculated Suga mama’s age to be around her mid seventies. The only one that seems to be appalled by their Pa’s behavior, is the youngest brother whom has never met his oldest sister before. Suga mama was reluctant to speak but expressed she was happy to see her father again. She knows he is a jerk for something we as the audience don’t know yet, but she still loves him. That is how generational trauma tends to work. Pa’s current love interest welcomes the Proud family onto the remote property and begins introducing them to their family. Penny and the twins have cousins their age who get on their nerves in their own ways. Penny cannot get any cell service to keep an  eye on her boyfriend, and her country cousins aren’t making things any better by making fun of her for her electronic dependency. The twins meet their match in their country twin cousins. in the musical interlude there is even a slight joke about “kissing cousins” as the girl of the country twins kisses Bebe on the cheek. The most shocking reveal in the episode, was when we see Suga mama besting her brothers at every challenge put in front of her. sometimes she cheated, but we later find there is a reason behind her trickery at times. She has been beating her eldest younger brother at everything the entire day and all he does is complain that she thinks she is better than everyone at everything. She tells him that she will gladly beat him in the past, present and the near future in the family rodeo games. Her father interrupts their exchange to let her know that rules have not changed since she left. No girls are allowed to compete in the family rodeo, only boys. We are launched into a flashback where we see a younger version of Suga mama( who looks a lot like an adolescent Penny) and her eldest younger brother. He is crying hysterically as their father is yelling at him to ride a bucking bronco better. the poor child is unable to even stay on the animals back and cries out in sorrow. His cries are only met with yells in his face. To protect her brother as well as show her father her talent, Charlette rides the bucking bull until it gets too tired to buck any longer. Little Suga is proud of herself and tells her father that she can carry on the family tradition of winning in the rodeo. As good as she is, he refuses because though she is his eldest child, he resents her being a girl, and tells her no for what I presume is the millionth time. “Pa you NEVER change I CAN’T STAND YOU!!” quoting her granddaughter’s catch phrase we all know too well. We then switch back to present day where we find Suga mama alone, and for the first time on screen, we see her cry a genuine tear for herself. For so long she has held onto how her father treated her. She does not like anyone who exerts masculine authority over a woman, thus why she is always at odds with Oscar over the things he tries to keep Penny and Trudy from doing. It is no surprise that Oscar is fitting in perfectly with his newfound family, but it can only be because Suga Mama taught him everything she knows. This chilling cliffhanger ending is the puzzle piece we have been missing for 20 years about the Prouds. My theory is that the climax will further explain the complexity of Suga Mama’s character as well as her and Oscar’s dynamic of violence towards each other. Perhaps some sort of healing can take place for them and more playful banter between them will ensue after this. I am excited to see what season two is going to bring and who else will be fleshed out. 

[owlphibiaisthebest15]

Disney TVA Characters with confirmed Autism.

[historyhermann]

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Season 2 Review

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is a coming-of-age animated sitcom and adventure by Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar, two well-known producers. It is a revival and soft reboot of The Proud Family, a classic Disney series by Smith which aired in the early 2000s. This review will have spoilers.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the twenty-third article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on February 13, 2023.

This animated series centers on Penny Proud (voiced by Kyla Pratt), a 16-year-old Black girl in the town of Smithville. She attempts to navigates her home life, filled the antics off her father, Oscar (voiced by Tommy Davidson), who owns a failing snack business, her mother, Trudy (voiced by Paula Jai Parker), a well-off veterinarian, her grandmother, Suga Mama (voiced by Jo Marie Payton), and her two siblings, Bebe and Cece. At high school, she has four friends-of-sorts: Michael Collins, Dijonay Jones, Zoey Howser, and LaCienega Boulevardez. They are voiced by EJ Johnson, Karen Malina White, Soleil Moon Frye, and Alisa Reyes respectfully. All the while, two new kids, Maya and KG, raised by two dads (Barry and Randall), try to adapt to their new life in Smithville.

The show's first season broke ground for featuring openly gay characters, unlike in the original series, such as Michael, who is also gender non-conforming. His voice actor even considered gender transition. This character is joined by an interracial couple: Barry and Randall Leibowitz-Jenkins, who voiced by two gay actors (Zachary Quinto and Billy Porter). They are the adopted fathers of Maya and Francis "KG", voiced by Keke Palmer and "A Boogie" Dubose. Palmer previously voiced Izzy Hawthorne in Lightyear, a lesbian character who has a wife named Alisha. She has also stated that she does not want her sexuality to be defined by labels and that people should be fluid when giving themselves labels.

The series has been swept in the culture wars, with claims it is promoting the "gay agenda" or is "anti-White". In reality, there are various White characters, including Zoey and Barry, and often promotes themes of racial togetherness, rather than division. Additionally, Michael is the only protagonist in the series who is part of the LGBTQ community. Barry, Randall, and Makeup Boy (voiced by Bretman Rock), with the latter beginning to date Michael later in the second season, are only recurring characters. In fact, Penny and Dijonay both have boyfriends, Darrius St. Vil (voiced by Chance the Rapper) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Brown (voiced by Asante Blackk), by the end of the season. Furthermore, Zoey is sweet on Myron (voiced by Marcus T. Paulk), and Maya romantically connects with one of the Chang Triplets, Billy.

Like the original The Proud Family, the series is not neutral when it comes to politics. It often focuses on racial injustice, whether noting past bans on interracial marriage, reparations, prejudice of Black people toward White people, anti-Black racism, sexism, or White skin privilege. This is interwoven with an emphasis on the importance of Black history, friendship, family, indigenous rights, harmonious neighbors, paying people fairly, respecting people for who they are, going beyond the color of their skin, and the folly of celebrity worship. Many books are name-dropped throughout the series, like Africans and Native Americans, as are the names of intellectuals such as Michelle Alexander, Robin DiAngelo, Elizabeth Acevedo, Leslie T. Chang, Saeed Jones, and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Many of these names are displayed during the English class taught by Kwame (voiced by Leslie Odom, Jr.).

Similar to season one, the second season of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder provides more background about the characters, whether about Suga Mama's short-lived romance with an indigenous cowboy named Quanah (voiced by Wes Studi), and how Barry and Randall met, or the history of the Soul Vibrations band composed of Oscar and his brothers, and Giselle. As Penny says, in one episode, "you can't know yourself unless you know where you come from". This interconnected with the meaningful, and well-done, episode in which Bebe is diagnosed with autism, with the Proud family trying to figure out what to do with him, and coming to accept him, even if he requires more attention from them.

Other episodes focus on family conflict and fissures between friends, and neighbors, all of which are resolved before the end of each episode. This includes an episode when everyone is enamored with LaCienega's uncanny athletic ability (because of her big feet) and realize they have gone into a frenzy, another about Oscar, Felix, Puff, and Suga Mama fighting one another in an absurd parody of TV court shows, and one in which animals protest the awful Proud Snacks created by Oscar Proud. One of my favorite episodes in Season 2 featured a Princess Ball, with references to other Disney princesses: Penny dressed up as Princess Tiana, Dijonay as Cinderella, LaCienega as Princess Elena, Michael as Pocahontas, Maya as Beyonce, and Zoey as Princess Merida.

There are many notable characters in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder like the Principal Hightower (voiced by Patricia Belcher), who insults and demans the students, reporter Vanessa Vue (voiced by Brenda Song) or incredibly wealthy Wizard Kelly (voiced by Aries Spears) who is shown as too tall to fit on the screen. However, in this season, Maya comes into her own, especially in the season two finale. In the episode, the ghost of Emily (voiced by Storm Reid), a Black girl enslaved by the town's founder, Christian A. Smith, guides her, revealing her diary which proves that Smith is a slaveowner, contradicting the common town myth.

In an interesting depiction of wealth-as-power, Wizard Kelly orders the police, clad in riot gear, to stop Maya, and her friends, who are protesting a ceremony dedicating Smith, with chants and placards. As a result, all of them, and their parents, are thrown in the city jail, despite the efforts of Barry to protect his children. His detective badge shown to mean nothing, as the police, who are serving as Kelly's goons, step over it with their boots.

Although Maya is just as determined as Wednesday Addams, in Wednesday, she does nothing equivalent to her. The latter, with the help of Thing, lights the statue of Joseph Crackstone, the Pilgrim founder of Jericho, on fire, causing it to melt. In fact, Kwame counsels his students to not pull down Smith's statue. This makes it ironic, then, that some reactionary media and personalities are all up-in-arms about the series, acting like it either "ruins" the original, or is "causing" division. Where were these people when Wednesday came out? They could have said some of the same things about that series, but they did not.

In many ways, the Season Two finale of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder sets the series apart from methods of police control over the citizenry depicted in Velma or the incompetent police force shown in The Simpsons. That is because this series emphasizes how some can control and distort history to their benefit, covering up what they don't want others to see. There is no acceptance of the town myth which Lisa Simpson conceded to in The Simpsons. Instead, the town's name is changed to Emilyville and a new statue is erected. In a possible indication of the long-standing nature of the existing economic system, Kelly becomes the mayor of the town, and faces no consequences for cracking down on Maya, her friends, family, or other town residents.

This series features many guest stars like Jane Lynch, Gabrielle Union, Al Roker, Ceelo Green, and Andre Jamal Kinney, along with other lesser-known ones like Forrest Goodluck, and sports stars Laurie Hernandez, Gabby Douglas, and Dominque Dawes. Of the guest characters, I liked Dr. Lord (voiced by Holly Robinson Peete) best as she gives Penny a chance to talk about her experiences as the oldest child in the family, in which she is given additional responsibilities.

All of the episodes of the second season of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder all aired on February 1st, unlike the previous season, which aired over a two month time period. There's strong animation and backgrounds which make the show stand out, as does the voice acting and music selection, which fit with stories and characters. It is unfortunate this 10-episode season isn't spread out across two months, because it would be easier to watch the series and take in all that happens. Even so, this season is much less glitzy than season 1 and that is to the show's benefit.

Furthermore, I appreciate that the series did an episode based on the little-remembered, or regarded, but wild, The Proud Family Movie, which seemed like an episode from Milo Murphy's Law, especially when they are fighting the Pistachions. In some ways, the episode reminded me of the annual Treehouse of Horror episodes of The Simpsons.

It is hard to know where The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder goes from here. If it follows the recent pattern of Disney series, such as Amphibia and The Owl House, it will have at least one more season. If that was the case, it would have one more season than the original series. However, it would need another 32 episodes to match the original, which aired from 2001 to 2005. This revival is different because the episodes range from 27 to 30 minutes, similar to the first season.

This series comes at the time that Disney is producing and airing series with diverse casts, like The Ghost and Molly McGee. In fact, this year, Iwájú, Kiff, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Primos, and Hailey's On It! are set to air. Disney has also contracted to produce series such as Cookies & Milk, Moana, and Tiana. On the other hand, Disney series with similar casts such as Mira, Royal Detective and Amphibia ended last year, while The Owl House is set to end this spring.

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is more unique, incorporating perspectives of Black creators, unlike Hamster & Gretel, Phineas and Ferb, Kim Possible, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which likely have mostly White writers rooms and have casts largely composed of White characters. As production coordinator, Breana Navickas, recently wrote, the show's writer's room is Black, and much of the staff is Black and "a mix of asian folks, latine folks, white folks". This shows in this season even more strongly than in the first season, with the series establishing itself more, and putting the original into the dustbin.

This series is not alone. Craig of the Creek, Victor and Valentino, Carmen Sandiego, Arcane, and Glitch Techs are all recent series with diverse stories and characters. As such, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, comes at an opportune time, when some executives are cutting back resources dedicated toward animated series, or squeezing workers in tough working conditions.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the second season even more than the first, and hope that Disney orders another season sometime this year, considering the amount of people watching it. There are so many more stories to tell with these characters. This could include Penny getting new, and non-toxic friends. Even so, I doubt this will happen because the plot of the series depends too much on their existence to bring in new friends, just as Futurama would fall apart without the antics of the Planet Express crew keeping its current members. In addition, considering the issues with colorism in the original The Proud Family, and somewhat replicated in the first season, it was good to see that the Gross Sisters (Nubia, Olei, and Gina), all by Raquel Lee, only had a small part in this season. The fact that Maya had a bigger part in the season, instead of the Gross Sisters, is a welcome development.

One of the series' downfalls is repeating elements of narrative set-up in the original series. Although I still believe the series could be stronger if it focused on older versions of the cast, the second season made the characters, at their current age, workable. It didn't fall into simple tropes used in Kim Possible and Totally Spies!, both animated series centered in school environments.

Seasons 1 and 2 of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is currently airing on Disney+. While you are at it, you can watch The Proud Family and The Proud Family Movie on Disney+ too!

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

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Young Love Spoiler-Filled Review

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