My headline gives Kim Possible nowhere near the amount of love it deserves. KP is not only one of the best cartoons of all time, but it is one of the best shows of all time. This show is a comedic action show that shows the life of a completely normal teenager named Kim. She goes to school, struggles to fit in with her classmates, is a cheerleader, and, oh, wait-saves the world anytime she needs to (which seems to be often- oh, how we need her today). Here are some reasons why it is one of the best cartoons of all time.
1. It is good for kids of all ages. Kim Possible aired in 2002, when I was a wee six years old, and it quickly became a staple in my household. There were few cartoons my mom allowed us to watch, but this passed her test. I was a six year old girl who loved to watch this show, and had three siblings of varying ages and genders when it first came on- ages 12, 10, and 3 (shoutout to Madeline, Abe, and Spencer) and we all loved watching it- it was one of the few shows we could all agree on, which was a rarity, and I'm sure it saved my mom from going crazy a few times. It is a completely wholesome show, but not boring at all, and obviously, since all of the very opinionated kids in my family could enjoy one show without constant bickering, it's a show good for all ages.
2. It has stood the test of time.Even as my family grew up, we would still quote Kim Possible, and I've even heard my mom and dad mention it. Then, as fate would have it, my mom and dad had another kid when I was 12, meaning a whole new round of kids’ shows would pop up in our lives. While my little sister AnnaMarie grew up with a bunch of newer shows that none of us did, she still watched Kim Possible, even several years after it went off the air. A couple years ago, when she was 10, she started getting really into it, and we were all thrilled that she had such good taste and continued on one of our many Maingi family traditions. If a kid in 2020 can enjoy a show that we all did in the early 2000s, you know it’s quality television. We’re all always happy when we walk into our family home and see Kim Possible playing.
3. Kim Possible is feminist and ahead of its time. This show aired in 2002, people, and it portrayed a girl as a badass who always saved the world at the drop of a dime, while her sidekick was a scaredy cat guy who usually caused more trouble than he did help, although he had good intentions. This role reversal may be more frequent today, but a lot of things have changed since 2002, and to have a narrative where the girl is the one who knows how to beat the bad guys and has the guy as the timid one is a huge stand against gender roles. On top of challenging gender roles, it is also feminist in that it has positive, and more than one portrayal, of people of color. One of the main characters is a 10 year old black boy who is a genius who helps send Kim on missions, and Kim has a black girl friend her own age named Monique. Having this type of positive representation on the show is something that really does matter, and has made a difference in many young lives.
4. It’s just plain funny. As I mentioned above, it is still quoted in my house upon occasion. There is so much meme-able content, and if I knew how to make memes, you can be sure that my social media feeds would be plastered with them. There are countless comedic moments that I, a 24 year old woman, still find as funny today as I did when I was a kid.
All in all, this show challenges typical portrayals of teenage girls- especially cheerleaders- and shows girls that they can do anything boys can do and has good POC representation. It’s a show that’s suitable for all ages, makes you laugh, and has stood the test of time. I couldn’t ask for much more from one of the best shows to ever exist. Thank you, Kim Possible.
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