The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is the latest revival of a television series to premiere recently, with the first two episodes debuting on Disney+ in February. Not only does Louder and Prouder debut 20 years after the premiere of The Proud Family, but it also happened to fall during Black History Month. This is extremely fitting, as the original Proud Family series managed to mix humor with stories that reflected a plethora of Black experiences and reached an audience that normally didn't tune in to the Disney Channel.
Both seasons of The Proud Family are currently available to stream on Disney+, and in honor of Louder and Prouder's premiere here are thirteen episodes that serve as an example of the series at its best. Whether you're looking to revisit the series before Louder and Prouder, or if you've never seen an episode, this list is a great place to catch up on the misadventures of Penny Proud (Kyla Pratt) and her family.
"Bring It On" (Season 1, Episode 1)
The pilot establishes the friendship/rivalry between Penny and LaCienega Boulevardez (Alisa Reyes), as both girls are gunning for the top spot on the cheerleading spot — hence the title, which referenced the movie of the same name. Things only get worse when LaCienega and her family move across the street from the Prouds. While LaCienega charms Penny's parents and her Suga Mama (Jo Marie Payton) grows infatuated with Lacienega's Papi (Alvaro Gutierrez), Penny grows infuriated and decides to turn to the neighborhood bullies, the Gross Sisters (Raquel Lee). "Bring It On" introduced the majority of the series' characters, and was a taste of things to come.
"EZ Jackster" (Season 1, Episode 5)
The Proud Family would continue to reference other movies, with an entire episode that paid homage to The Matrix. Penny and her friend Dijonay Jones (Karen Malina White) start working at a CD store (this was back before the days of Spotify and Apple Music) and Penny is distraught to learn that her paycheck is smaller than she thought it would be due to buying multiple CDs with her employee discount. Enter Mega (Ray J), a mysterious hacker who convinces Penny to use a site called EZ Jackster that illegally downloads music — much to the detriment of her family and friends. As you may have guessed, Mega is a dead ringer for The Matrix's Morpheus, and the end of the episode even pays tribute to the first Matrix as Penny flies into the atmosphere.
"Seven Days of Kwanzaa" (Season 1, Episode 11)
As befitting a series based on a Black family, an episode is dedicated to the holiday of Kwanzaa, which celebrates African principles and traditions. Penny's parents, Oscar (Tommy Davidson) and Trudy (Paula Jai Parker), take in a homeless family during Kwanzaa, while showing Penny the values that are celebrated throughout the holiday's seven-day period. Continuing the series' tradition of pulling from the bench of Black talent when it came to guest stars, the Prouds' guests are voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, Vivica A. Fox and then-Disney Channel royalty Raven-Symone.
"I Had A Dream" (Season 1, Episode 15)
The Proud Family wasn't afraid to tackle heavy subjects, especially when it came to Black history. Case in point: "I Had A Dream" revolves around Penny doing a report for Black History Month; when she gets caught in a windstorm, Penny is transported to an alternate-era 1950s where her friend Zoey (Soleil Moon Frye) has broken ties with her friends due to the fact that she's white. The entire episode revolves around Penny and Zoey overcoming prejudice and reforging their friendship, culminating with Penny reciting Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech.
"Romeo Must Wed" (Season 1, Episode 21)
Every high schooler who's ever put on a play has probably had to do their own take on Romeo and Juliet. Penny is no different, as she wins the role of Juliet in her school's play. While Penny has intense chemistry with her schoolmate Qwok (Dante Basco), who plays Romeo, trouble rears its head when Qwok reveals his parents have arranged a marriage for him. This throws Penny into a tailspin due to her feelings for him, but thankfully they have a happy ending unlike the titular lovers. The episode also starts to explore Trudy's side of the family, as she feels pushed aside by her sister Diana (Sheryl Lee Ralph), a famous actress who showers Penny with gifts and affection.
"Hooray for Iesha" (Season 2, Episode 6)
In the age of streaming services and social media, it's fairly easy to see a reboot or revival of a classic TV series. "Hooray for Iesha" was actually ahead of the curve, as it features Penny and her friends attempting to get their favorite show "Iesha" back on the air (continuing the trend of referencing other shows, "Iesha" was a parody of then-hit UPN series Moesha starring Brandy.) Penny goes to intense lengths to get the show back on the air —boycotting the business ventures of local billionaire/basketball champion Wiz Kelly (Aries Spears) and even camping out on a billboard. Various fandoms have often launched online petitions and even gone as far as to harass creators online in order to either get a TV show or film released (or potentially altered), so Penny's behavior seems mild in comparison. And she eventually does get the show renewed, but learns the hard way never to meet her heroes as Iesha's actress Sunny Stevens (Gabrielle Union) is less than happy to return.
"Tween Town" (Season 2, Episode 10)
Of all the guest stars to come on The Proud Family, the most surprising — and most entertaining — has to be Al Roker. In the Proud Family universe, Roker appears to have some sort of magic powers, and enjoys making Faustian deals with unwitting parties. The first example comes after Penny is grounded by her parents for going to a teen-based club; in her frustration, she wishes all adults would disappear — and Roker grants her wish! However, Penny and her friends start missing their parents, which leads to Penny challenging Roker to a game of double dutch in order to break the deal. The deal ends up being null and void when Penny's uncle Bobby (Cedric the Entertainer) is revealed to still be in her house.
"Twins to Tweens" (Season 2, Episode 28)
Roker would return in the episode "Twins to Tweens," once again playing off Penny's frustration with her family. When Penny wishes her twin siblings Bebe and Cece (Tara Strong) were old enough to take care of themselves, Roker ages them up into teens. This ends up having a double-edged effect, as Penny misses her siblings the way they were. Roker is slated to return for Prouder and Louder. One wonders what sort of bargain he'll trick Penny into this time.
"Wedding Bell Blues" (Season 2, Episode 19)
Throughout The Proud Family, Oscar and Suga Mama butted heads over nearly everything, which usually resulted in Oscar suffering some form of injury. But deep down he cared about her and "Wedding Bell Blues" definitely proved it. When Suga Mama starts dating the mysterious Clarence St. John (Roscoe Lee Browne), Oscar objects — especially when he learns that Suga Mama has spent ridiculous amounts of money on her new beau and that Clarence has apparently mooched off a string of other women. However, it turns out that Clarence is a widower with dementia — and doing the right thing, Suga Mama lets him go. It's one of the few episodes where Oscar and Suga Mama end on good terms.
"Culture Shock" (Season 2, Episode 23)
Continuing the series' trend of shining a light on other cultures, "Culture Shock" has Penny visiting a Muslim family as part of a cultural exchange program at her school. The episode came out at a time when most Muslim characters on TV were usually depicted as terrorists after the events of 9/11; seeing a positive and well-rounded portrayal of a Muslim family is truly uplifting. And once again, it shows that the series wasn't afraid to zig where other shows might zag.
"A Star Is Scorned" (Season 2, Episode 1)
This episode finds Penny discovering the pitfalls of fame and fortune, as she and her friends form their own singing group. However, Wizard Kelly decides that Penny should be a solo act and convinces her to drop her friends. Ironically, this reflected the career of Destiny's Child, as they started to pursue solo careers before finally disbanding in 2006. The irony grows extra thick as Destiny's Child even provided the theme song to The Proud Family!
"Behind Family Lines" (Season 2, Episode 5)
The theme song for The Proud Family talks about the ups and downs of family, and if ever an episode reflected that dichotomy, "Behind Family Lines" is it. Trudy and Oscar's extended families come to town for Bebe and Cece's baptism, and immediately get off on the wrong foot. Trudy's family is more refined and cultured while Oscar's family is exuberant and down to earth. It eventually falls to Penny to mend fences when an argument goes too far. This episode may be the most guest-star packed venue yet, with Mo'Nique, Anthony Anderson, and David Alan Grier providing voices for the extended members of the Proud Family.
"One In A Million" (Season 2, Episode 11)
One constant of the series involved Oscar trying — and failing — to start his own snack business. In "One In A Million," it's revealed that his misfortunes began in high school, when he lost a game of basketball to none other than Wizard Kelly. When Penny wins a chance to make a half court shot and win a million dollars at a basketball game, Oscar sees it as redemption — despite Penny wanting to go with any other choice. In the end, she picks her father to make the shot — and make it he does. However, it turns out that the "million bucks" were just "Wizard Bucks" to be spent at any of Kelly's businesses.