The following contains spoilers for Raven's Home Season 5, Episode 19, "Keeping It 100," which aired Friday, Oct. 14 on Disney Channel.
Raven's Home recently celebrated its milestone 100th episode -- a landmark also reached by parent series, That's So Raven, in 2007. With a Season 6 renewal already announced, the spinoff series' lasting impact on Disney Channel is far from over. The historic episode pays homage to the path Raven-Symoné and That's So Raven paved over the last 19 years while looking ahead at Raven's Home's future. From practical production nods to pointed callbacks and wonderful cameos, "Keeping It 100" doesn't miss a beat.
Raven Baxter is an integral part of peak Disney Channel history and has been since That's So Raven's debut in 2003. Raven-Symoné has appeared as the titular character in other series on the channel, including game-changing crossovers like "That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana."
Raven's Home's Meta 100th Celebration
Beyond those special appearances, Raven-Symoné has portrayed Raven Baxter for 200 episodes across That's So Raven and Raven's Home. That impressive stat doesn't include an appearance on the franchise's first spinoff, Cory's House. "Keeping It 100" works double duty to celebrate Raven's Home's triumphs and further its narratives while looking back at That's So Raven's undeniable presence on Disney Channel. Most importantly, the episode honors the original series as the spinoff's foundation.
A well-planned, meta storyline about Bayside High School's centennial celebration creates the perfect opportunity for retrospection and forethought. With it, Raven's Home weaves in an homage to That's So Raven's Season 1 episode, "To See or Not to See," where, this time, Raven's son Booker steps into the leading role. He reckons with his visions' impact when his friends, like Raven's in the early 2000s, tell Booker they don't want any part in his visions. Plus, Mykal-Michelle Harris, who plays Raven's cousin Alice, deepens her connection to That's So Raven's history through a clever flashback. Both narrative tools express a strong sense of humor and an understanding of a multi-generational audience.
Raven's Home Looks Back to That's So Raven
Raven's Home doesn't need a high school celebration to reunite Chelsea and Raven for the first time since last season. Instead, Anneliese van der Pol's return allows the spinoff series to mention some of Raven's most memorable visions, from one involving a giant pizza to her very first. The flashback revisiting her first vision stars Mykal-Michelle Harris as Raven, fit with a change to That's so Raven's original 4:3 aspect ratio and a tint on the camera lens familiar to the early 2000s. The flashback also features younger versions of Victor, Chelsea, Alana and, presumably, Muffy and Loca.
The hilarious and heartfelt flashback doesn't only give Raven's visions an origin story; it does the same for her catchphrase, "Oh snap!" Furthermore, it supports Booker's storyline and continues to pass that baton as Booker learns that speaking up about his visions may be tough but right at the end of the day. Raven's Home continues to give That's So Raven characters new arcs, like the newfound frenemies era for Raven and Alana, while elevating characters created for the spinoff series that connect to the past, like Alana's daughter Cami.
"Keeping It 100" misses some key players from That's So Raven and Raven's Home's history (Raven's daughter Nia, for example), but this milestone captures both series' magic with familiar faces and locations. Whether it be the Baxter family house or the vents at Bayside High, this episode knows what it needs to do to appeal to its expansive audience, and it works in spades. Raven's Home is self-referential with a nod to the failed romantic venture between Alana and Lazlo, and it delivers a That's So Raven deep cut with a shout-out to Raven's old boss, Donna CaBonna. It's all about Disney Channel's history and future.
New episodes of Raven's Home air Fridays at 9/8c on Disney Channel.