Kim Possible: An Exceptionally Good Children's Show

I feel sort of embarrassed writing this. Part of it is that I am promoting an animated show that is most assuredly out of my age bracket, and one that belongs to the Disney channel at that. Most of what my children watch on the Disney channel seems deliberately bad, and I can't help but wonder why. Do the writers of Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Cory and the House get memos by their supervisors saying: "no, your script is too good, you must dumb it way down".

If that is the case, then Kim Possible must be the exception to that rule. However, Kim Possible does have a dumbed-down concept. Kim Possible (apparently, that is her real name) is a teenager who, for some odd reason that is not explained, is a secret agent. I guess "secret" is probably the wrong word, because everyone seems to know what Kim does. The first big mystery is why Kim's parents allow her to go on such dangerous missions. The second one is how Kim can have this action-packed life along with school and cheerleading.

Unlike other children's shows which ignore obvious logical fallacies, Kim Possible addresses them in a wonderfully satirical way. For example, when Kim Possible needs a ride to another far-off place for a mission, she hitches a ride with someone who usually says: "It's the least I could do for the one person who saved my farm", or some other favor that Kim has called in. This running gag on the show addresses that no one could truly live Kim's lifestyle. Fortunately, Kim Possible is such a fun ride that even I, who is usually critical toward television shows, am willing to totally suspend my disbelief. I've seen Kim Possible episodes that conflict with other episodes, but much to my surprise, the main characters actually mention this fallacy.

Kim Possible is also superior to most kids shows because it has more action and comedy than kids could possibly get. The animation is very minimalist, but for what it lacks in animation it makes up for with imagination.

The main character Kim is an excellent role model for the youth of today. She is no Barbie doll, but tough, sensitive, and smart at the same time. Even though her outfit is a midriff baring contraption, she doesn't come off as a "hottie" like Lara Croft. If anything, this show empowers women, maybe a little too much. Some of the men seem weak in comparison to Kim's mojo, and perhaps the show does this deliberately.

For example, Kim's sidekick, Ron Stoppable, is definitely the weaker vessel. Generally, Kim has to always bail him out of trouble, and one wonders why Kim even keeps him around. However, Ron's heart is ten times as strong as his brain, and he's so hysterically funny that he could easily have his own show.

Another weak male is Dr. Drakken, Kim's arch-nemesis. He reminds me a bit of Dr. Evil, who wants to be a criminal mastermind but never quite fits the bill. In fact, he's so unintelligent that he hasn't figured out that if he really wanted to get rid of Kim, he could just kidnap her father, mother, and her two brothers. He does have Shego, a female super-powered sidekick who can give Kim a run for her money.

Also along for the ride is Rufus, a cute animal sidekick. It seems like every cartoon has some cute animal like this. The Super-Friends had Gleek, the Thundercats had Snarf, and Kim Possible has chosen of all things, a naked mole-rat. Unlike most of these cartoon creature incarnations, Rufus is likeable. He's voiced by none other than Nancy Cartwright, who has made her name as the voice of Bart Simpson.

Kim Possible has a lot going for it, but the main reason why it works is because it satirizes things that kids are not going to get. For example, on one episode, Dr. Drakken calls Kim's grandmother as "one bad mother", at which Kim interrupts with "shut your mouth". It is a clear allusion to the lyrics from the Shaft theme song, which no one in Kim Possible's target audience would probably know. One wonders why the writers would include a joke that kids would not get, and perhaps this show is not made for kids, but their parents.

Oddly enough, one episode ended with what seemed like prophecy of the Paris Hilton arrest. After Kim beats a villain who looks like she could be a Paris Hilton look-a-like, her last line is: "Jail is so like...lame. Can't I go under house arrest at some place in Tuscany?" I rolled on the floor after hearing a line like that. The episode was somewhat new, but there is no way that could have been timed to go along with the Paris Hilton case.

I suppose that is the best way to describe Kim Possible: sheer unintentional brilliance.