Kim Possible
Kim Possible is an American animated action comedy[1][2][3][4] television series created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for Disney Channel. The title character is a teenage girl tasked with fighting crime on a regular basis while coping with everyday issues commonly associated with adolescence. Kim is aided by her clumsy best friend, Ron Stoppable, his pet naked mole rat Rufus, and ten-year-old[5] computer genius Wade. Known collectively as Team Possible, Kim and Ron's missions primarily require them to thwart the evil plans of the mad scientist–supervillain duo Dr. Drakken and his sidekick Shego, as well as other foes.
This article is about the TV series. For the titular character, see Kim Possible (character). For other uses, see Kim Possible (disambiguation).Kim Possible
"Call Me, Beep Me!" performed by Christina Milian
"Call Me, Beep Me!" (instrumental)
United States
English
4
87 (92 segments) (list of episodes)
- Bob Schooley
- Mark McCorkle
- Chris Bailey (season 1)
22 minutes
June 7, 2002 –
September 7, 2007
Veteran Disney Channel writers Schooley and McCorkle were recruited by the network to develop an animated series that could attract both older and younger audiences, and conceived Kim Possible as a show about a talented action heroine and her less competent sidekick. Inspired by the scarcity of female-led animated series at the time, Kim Possible is based on the creators' own high school experiences, and combines elements of action, adventure, drama, romance and comedy to appeal to both girls and boys while parodying the James Bond franchise and spy and superhero films. Distinct from other Disney Channel shows in its use of self-referential humor, Schooley and McCorkle developed fast-paced sitcom-style dialogue in order to cater to adult viewers. Set in the fictional town of Middleton, the show's setting and locations exhibit a retro-influenced aesthetic.
Kim Possible is the second animated series, after The Proud Family, to air exclusively on Disney Channel, as well as the first ever show on the network to be produced by Walt Disney Television Animation as an original series. It also became the first Disney Channel animated series to be produced in high-definition. The series premiered on June 7, 2002, and ended on September 7, 2007, after 87 episodes and four seasons. Kim Possible received critical acclaim, becoming one of Disney's top-rated and most popular series. During its run, a pair of made-for-TV films were made: A Sitch in Time (2003) and So the Drama (2005). Merchandising based on the series, such as home media releases, toys, and video games were also made. A live-action television film of the same name was released in 2019.
Some episodes revolve around characters other than Kim and Ron, particularly villains, who have been provided with nearly as much back story as the heroes.[14] Other significant recurring characters include Kim's parents, Drs. James and Ann Possible (Gary Cole and Jean Smart, respectively), and her younger brothers, twin geniuses Jim and Tim (Shaun Fleming, 2002–06; Spencer Fox, 2007), to whom she refers as "Tweebs" (a portmanteau of "twin" and "dweebs"); the twins speak their own made up language known as "Twinnish".[9] Kim shares a bitter rivalry with fellow cheerleader Bonnie Rockwaller (Kirsten Storms), who, unlike Kim, is arrogant and has a tendency to be mean when angry – her "polar opposite",[17] which represents the kind of person Kim could have been if not for her humility.[19] Kim's best female friend is Monique (Raven-Symoné), who is Kim and Ron’s African-American classmate and is occasionally forced into accompanying Kim on select missions when Ron is unavailable. With her fashion and pop culture expertise, Monique bridges the worlds between Kim's high school and crime-fighting lives,[9] also serving as something of a guidance counselor.[17] Although Drakken and Shego are Kim and Ron's most frequent opponents, the characters also battle a diverse cast of other villains, namely Monkey Fist (Tom Kane), a British nobleman with surgically implanted monkey hands and feet who seeks mystical power, and Ron's nemesis due to his fear of monkeys;[23] Scottish golfer Duff Killigan (Brian George); father-son billionaires Señor Senior, Sr. and Señor Senior, Jr. (Ricardo Montalbán/Earl Boen; Néstor Carbonell), who take up villainy as a hobby out of boredom;[23] and Professor Dementor (Patton Oswalt), a German mad scientist and Drakken's more successful rival.[31][15][16]
Production[edit]
Conception and main characters[edit]
Long-time collaborators and veteran Disney writers, Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle had already been writing for Walt Disney Television Animation and Disney Channel for several years, contributing to the network's male-led animated series Aladdin, Hercules and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, each one spin-offs of their respective feature-length animated films.[11][32] Although they had enjoyed working on those projects, Schooley and McCorkle were becoming interested in contributing to "something original".[32] At the same time, the writers learned that David Stainton, the head of Walt Disney Television Animation, had become interested in developing a show featuring ordinary children in extraordinary circumstances for Disney Channel.[11] Thus, Stainton and network executives Gary Marsh and Anne Sweeney approached Schooley and McCorkle to create an animated series geared towards the 6 to 14-year-old demographic that was also capable of entertaining older audiences at the same time.[2] While traveling in an elevator on their way back to their office from their lunch break,[22] McCorkle said to Schooley, "Kim Possible. She can do anything", to which Schooley responded, "Ron Stoppable, he can't", and nearly the entire premise of Kim Possible naturally unfolded thereafter.[11] According to Schooley and McCorkle, both lead characters' names indicate that Kim Possible "is going to be an arched show that is a little bit over the top, but also that the girl is going to be the action lead and the guy is going to be funny."[11] Conceiving all main characters themselves,[4] Rufus and Wade were eventually created and added to the roster, but the series essentially remains about Kim "who is incredibly competent in the action world but challenged in the real world" while "Ron would be challenged everywhere."[22]
With its main duo finally established, Kim Possible became the easiest show Schooley and McCorkle had ever developed.[22] One of Disney Channel's earliest forays into developing an entirely original animated series "from scratch",[32] Kim Possible was born out of the creators' realization that there were few animated series starring strong female characters at the time and created Kim as "a character that ... girls can look up to", inspired by their own young daughters.[33] The creators were also influenced by their own childhood heroes James Bond and Captain Kirk from Star Trek, and wanted Kim to resemble a character their daughters could idolize similarly.[11] Despite being a "strong female role model", Schooley maintained that heroism "doesn't help [Kim] a bit when she comes face-to-face with her latest school crush."[18] Unlike traditional superheroes, Kim is entirely devoid of both superpowers and a secret identity; the creators avoided making the character "impervious" like most comic book superheroes tend to be because they wanted both her and Ron to remain relatable to younger viewers.[11] Working completely independently from government spy organizations,[34] Kim's crime-fighting abilities are drawn from real-life activities such as cheerleading and gymnastics, "something that any kid...in the world could do", according to the creators.[11]
Styles and themes[edit]
Episodes typically adhere to a simple, similar format, featuring a power-hungry villain who Kim and Ron must somehow prevent from taking over the world.[29] Although primarily an action comedy TV series,[46] Music in Television: Channels of Listening author James Deaville observed that Kim Possible adheres to the long-standing tradition of combining adventure with comedy in animated television.[60] According to Telebisyon, "The show is fairly action-oriented, but also has a strong, light-hearted comedic atmosphere".[66] In addition to action, comedy and adventure, Kim Possible's storylines also explore elements of romance and drama.[29][71] According to The Artifice, the show's unique brand of humor distinguishes it from the slapstick style associated with most Disney Channel sitcoms, namely Phil of the Future and That's so Raven,[14] although Ron can be considered a slapstick character.[72] The villains are also depicted as clever, yet comical.[16] With a tendency not to take itself seriously,[22] Kim Possible both parodies and pays homage to the spy, action and superhero genres,[66][73] its comedy benefiting from the show's emphasis on "over-the-top plots" and circumstances.[6] Shego's own family of superheroes, Team Go, is a deliberate parody of the Marvel superhero team the Fantastic Four;[30] the series also references the Tomb Raider and Mission: Impossible film franchises.[15] Self-referential in its humor that avoids talking down to viewers,[72][74] the series additionally parodies the teen sitcom genre,[53] teenage fads and trends in general, and sometimes makes fun of its own plot holes and oversights,[14] while occasionally adopting common cartoon and sitcom tropes.[9]
In addition to other "mainstays" of modern-day youth, technology serves an important role throughout the series, specifically the Internet and Kim's gadgets, the most significant of which is the Kimmunicator designed to help Kim communicate with Wade and grants her access to virtually any information she desires.[18] McCorkle elaborated on the show's emphasis on technology: "Using the Internet theme in the series became an easy launching pad partially because it is such a major part of the fabric of teen life and the interactive possibilities are endless ... It's as though we get to play James Bond's 'Q' for each episode -- the more imaginative the toy, the better."[18] Particularly desirable to younger viewers,[7] technology enables Kim to travel around the world effortlessly and, to some extent, mirrors children's ability to speak to anyone in the world via the Internet.[11] Kim's ability to travel virtually anywhere around the world within a short period of time is left largely unexplained;[23] BuzzFeed referred to Wade as an "example that sitting in front of your computer all day is actually the most powerful position to be in."[25] The fact that Wade never leaves his bedroom could potentially indicate that he suffers from agoraphobia.[17]
Hosting a diverse cast of strong female characters while confronting gender norms and barriers,[6][25][75] Kim Possible explores feminist themes,[23] specifically third-wave feminism.[72] Alongside several other female-led animated series that premiered throughout the decade, which had been experiencing a steady influx in media starring "Teenage Action Chicks with special powers",[76] Kim Possible is considered to be an example of both girl power and power feminism.[77] Similar to the animated shows Totally Spies, Atomic Betty, and The Life and Times of Juniper Lee, Kim Possible revolves around an attractive, intelligent, and strong female character whose public identity is meant to indicate that she should be received as a positive role models for young girls.[61] According to Betsy Wallace of Common Sense Media, Kim Possible "capitalizes on the female villain-fighting craze that sparked with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Alias", albeit simplifying the genre for a younger generation.[51] Agreeing that the series adopted the then-new "crime-fighting female" formula, Tracey McLoone of PopMatters admitted that Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alias and The Powerpuff Girls comparisons are inevitable, but at the same time observed that Kim is more confident than her predecessors, incorporating cheerleading and acrobatics into her fights against enemies, while using traditionally "girly" accessories such as lip gloss and makeup to her advantage in battle.[7] In comparison to Buffy, Kim also approaches her complicated lifestyle more joyfully.[52] Meanwhile, Nicole Rogers of the Wisconsin State Journal believes that Kim resembles what Sydney Bristow of Alias would be like had she been depicted as an animated high school student.[78]
Broadcast[edit]
Produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, Kim Possible's episodes are typically 22 minutes in length and occupy half-hour time slots.[27] Season 1 included a total of 21 episodes[4] and was initially scheduled to premiere in January 2002. The first episode, "Crush", premiered on Disney Channel on June 7, 2002,[20] followed by the airing of two back-to-back episodes, occupying the 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm time slot. In total, three half-hour episodes premiered back-to-back.[20] Following its premiere, Disney Channel aired one new episode of the series Friday nights at 6:30 pm, followed by rebroadcasts at the same time on Saturday and Sunday nights.[20][50] By 2005, the show's time slot had been changed to Friday evenings at 5:30 pm.[79] Episodes were also broadcast in syndication on several Disney-affiliated television networks including Toon Disney, weekdays at 7:30 am and weekends at 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and ABC's ABC Kids Saturday mornings at 11:00 am,[79] ultimately becoming the "lynchpin" of that particular segment.[80] In mid 2006, the series started airing on Disney Channel's website.[81] Internationally, Kim Possible aired on the Family Channel in Canada, while broadcasting on CCTV 12 in China, Dubai TV in Dubai in their respective local languages, Mandarin and Arabic and on ABS-CBN in the Philippines in Filipino language.[66]
Typically, series that originate on Disney Channel seldom surpass three seasons (65 episodes) before they are canceled,[24] a rule that had been practiced since the late 1990s.[82] In 2005, production halted following the premiere of Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama after airing three seasons and 65 episodes.[66] However, the success of So the Drama bolstered the show's popularity overseas and ultimately encouraged Disney Channel executives to renew the series for a fourth and final season.[32][83] On November 29, 2005, Disney Channel ordered 22 new episodes of Kim Possible in response to the series' success and popular demand from fans,[66][79][84] who had been heavily petitioning for the show's renewal online and via e-mail.[24][33] One of only a handful of television series revived by cult following,[82] Kim Possible was the first Disney Channel Original Series to air more than 65 episodes;[85] its order to produce 22 new episodes as opposed to the usual 13 to 18 was also unprecedented for a revived program.[41] After a year-long hiatus,[49] Season 4 initially premiered exclusively on Disney Channel's website before finally returning to the network on February 10, 2007,[19] prior to which an image of a watch-sized rendition of the Kimmunicator had been leaked online.[43] Originally, the episodes were not aired in chronological order, a decision Loter detested.[43] After running five years,[86] four seasons and 81 episodes (87 including the films),[27] the hour-long series finale, "Graduation", aired on September 7, 2007, ending Kim Possible.[87]
Kim Possible aired weekdays on Disney XD in the United States. When the series returned to Disney XD in February 2014, fans flocked to Twitter to voice their approval.[72] The series also airs on Disney-affiliated channels around the world in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, India, South Africa, and several Eastern European countries. On May 2, 2016, the series began airing on Disney's Freeform network as part of the late-night That's So Throwback block.[88] The series began airing on Disney XD in 2018, though only including random episodes from Seasons 1 and 4. Eventually, the reruns shifted to include episodes from all four seasons, still out of order, beginning with reruns aired beginning and after July 30, 2018 until August 2018. In addition to maintaining consistently high ratings throughout its four-season run, Kim Possible was the longest-running Disney Channel Original Series until it was surpassed by Phineas and Ferb in 2012.[27][89] The show can now be found on Disney+.[90]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
In the days leading up to Kim Possible's premiere, television critics speculated whether or not the show would attract a large enough male audience despite its female lead to prove successful.[47][91][92] Ultimately, Kim Possible premiered to both widespread acclaim and strong viewership.[85][92][93] The first season currently holds a perfect 100% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.[94] The series continued to garner critical acclaim throughout its run,[27][41][95][96] earning particular praise for its dialogue, humor and animation,[66][92] as well as appeal towards both younger and older viewers.[83]
Describing the show as "infectious", Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, "Blessed with a modern sense of humor and hip -- but not too hip -- vocabulary, Kim Possible should appeal to the tweens ... it clearly targets", believing that its animation, "speed with which stories unfold and especially the dialogue makes Kim Possible an early summer TV treat."[13] Writing for The New York Times, television critic Julie Salamon enjoyed Rufus' role, penning, "I probably would have liked Kim Impossible even if one of its lead characters hadn't been a naked mole rat. But the cheerful presence of Rufus ... in this new animated series from Disney signals that the show's executive producer and director, Chris Bailey, doesn't mind getting cute in obvious ways."[52] Similarly, USA Today's Alex Kane wrote that the show "is ultimately made memorable by its charming cast of characters, including a naked mole rat named Rufus".[15] In his book The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present, television historian Tim Brooks appreciated the show's "marvelous sense of humor about itself."[24] Ted Cox of Daily Herald stated that the "good things about [the show] outweighs the bad" and welcomed the show as a change to the "male cartoon dominance".[97] Evan Levine of Newspaper Enterprise Association stated that the show has a "nice mix of humor and adventure", praising the humor as "genuinely funny moments that parody everything from adventure movies to family relationships."[98]
Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret News praised Kim Possible for being "an entertaining show that should indeed appeal to tweens, younger kids and even their parents" that "plays with the superhero format in a way that doesn't take itself too seriously but doesn't play down to the viewers."[22] Tracy McLoone of PopMatters reviewed, "Kim Possible includes adult-friendly humor, in the event that parents feel the need to watch tv (sic) with their kids. But nobody in or watching the series will ever be offended or over-stimulated, or even surprised."[7] While accepting Kim as a positive role model and admitting that the series teaches "good lessons" at times, Besty Wallace of Common Sense Media expressed concern over the show's violent action sequences, explaining, "lessons may get muddled and nearly lost as the heroes shimmy up rope ladders dangling from helicopters and dodge spinning tops of doom."[51] Wallace concluded, "As long as you're not expecting too much in the way of educational value, you'll probably have plenty of fun with this one."[51] Writing for Bustle, Sarah Freymiller opined, "Ultimately, Kim Possible was just a solid show" that "didn't skimp on plot or dialogue in favor of Wile E. Coyote explosions, and its tongue-in-cheek humor allowed it to be self-aware and hip at the same time."[72]
Conversely, Girlfighting: Betrayal and Rejection Among Girls author Lyn Mikel Brown was less receptive towards Kim herself, criticizing the show for promoting the beautiful and thin heroine as "your basic average girl" and apparent reliance on Ron's intelligence, as well as the fact that her "biggest threat" is Bonnie as opposed to evil. According to Brown, "Being the kind of girl who's accepted or befriended by boys underscores a girl's power and sets her against other girls."[99]
Ratings[edit]
Kim Possible's premiere received a 2.2 Nielsen rating, totaling 1.8 million households and 2.5 million viewers.[50][100] At the time, the series had the highest-rated premiere of all the Disney Channel shows.[100] It also became the first Disney Channel series to debut at No. 1 in the US and the top-rated show among tweens 9 to 14, girls 6 to 14, and girls 9 to 14.[100][101] In terms of ratings, Kim Possible continued to perform consistently well into its second and third seasons.[71][102] By 2003, Kim Possible was Disney Channel's highest-rated animated series for kids 6 to 11 and tweens 9 to 14.[103] In 2005, Richard Huff of New York Daily News confirmed that the series was a "huge hit" with both boys and girls.[104] On March 26, 2007, Thomas R. Umstead of Multichannel News stated that Kim Possible is one of the shows that contributed to the viewership growth of Disney Channel for the past three years.[81]
On April 8, 2005, the premiere of Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama was cable's top program of the date, receiving a 3.6 household rating (3.1 million viewers).[105] Ratings remained strong into the final season.[1] Internationally, the show proved particularly popular in Germany and Japan.[41]
Related media[edit]
Films[edit]
The success of Kim Possible spawned two animated—as well as a live action—television films based on the series, becoming the first animated series to be adapted into a Disney Channel Original Movie.[108] The first, Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time, is science fiction-themed and premiered on Disney Channel on November 28, 2003, following Kim as she travels both back in time and into the future to save the world.[71] Dubbed an "extended episode",[102] the film also explores the character's origin, revealing how both she and Ron became crime fighters, and features an all-star cast.[43][71] The second, Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama, was released on April 8, 2005, on Disney Channel.[119] It was originally going to be the series finale,[66] but due to popular demand the series was renewed for the fourth season.[66][79][84]
On February 7, 2018, Disney announced on Twitter that they were moving forward in making a live action Kim Possible film and were beginning casting.[120] On April 25, 2018, Disney Channel announced on its Public Relations Twitter account that the movie was set to premiere sometime in 2019 and that Sadie Stanley and Sean Giambrone would portray Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable respectively.[121] On May 25, 2018, TVLine revealed casting for six key roles in the movie including Alyson Hannigan as Dr. Ann Possible, Connie Ray as Nana Possible, Todd Stashwick as Drakken, Taylor Ortega as Shego, Ciara Wilson as Athena and Erika Tham as Bonnie.[122] On June 22, 2018, it was announced that Issac Ryan Brown will portray Wade.[123] In August 2018, it was announced Christy Carlson Romano had joined the cast of the film, with Patton Oswalt reprising his role as Professor Dementor.[124] A trailer was released on December 7, and the film itself premiered on February 15, 2019.[125]