The Prouds are Proud to be back!
Louder and Prouder is a revival of its original predecessor “The Proud Family'', seeing many changes from its 17-year absence, including the introduction of social media, modern technology and LGBTQ+ topics.
Louder and Prouder is a revival of its original predecessor “The Proud Family'', which aired on Disney Channel from 2001 to 2005 and concluded with “The Proud Family Movie.” The first episode aired Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2022, with a second of the show was confirmed Sunday, April 24. Since returning, Louder and Prouder has seen many changes from its 17-year absence, including the introduction of social media, modern technology and LGBTQ+ topics.
Redelia Shaw, an SMC Professor in the Communication and Media Studies Department, had many positive things to say about the revival’s launch. When asked why she was into Louder and Prouder, Shaw said “diverse casting and their experiences, as well as people of color in animated storytelling, given that there isn’t too much of that in cartoons” was a big reason why.
Shaw also felt that she could relate to certain characters on the show, such as the mother Trudy Proud, and grandmother Suga Mama, as these are characters that “have a backbone, are sturdy, and come off as hardworking and as strong women.” These personalities were a huge factor in Suga Mama being her favorite character, as Shaw had described Suga Mama being someone who is “powerful and strong but also puts her foot down when necessary.”
Shaw found this strong feminine personality to be different from other characters such as Oscar Proud, who is Trudy’s Husband, Suga Mama’s son and the father for the main character, Penny Proud.
Not only has Louder and Prouder impacted SMC Faculty, but students have also had a chance to share their input on it. Kerrington Dillon, a SMC Media Communications Major, grew up watching the original sitcom, where she could relate to the main character Penny Proud.
“Penny Proud is my favorite character because I’ve seen her grow up since the original,” said Dillion. “To now see her grow into a teenager shows that she’s more understanding than before.” To Dillion, seeing the show return after a long absence “shows how much of an influence it has with a fun cartoon feel.”
Dillon also went on to talk about some of the strengths and weaknesses from what she’s seen of the show, including what the revival did well. “I think that this show can relate to me through the everyday experiences that one encounters, and this revival does a good job of implementing real world scenarios that are not so serious,” said Dillion.
Many fans that remember the original theme song may recognize that the theme song in the revival is slightly different, which Dillion saw as a weakness. “[The] change of the theme song is a slower version and doesn’t really go with the intro,” she said.
No matter what one may think about “The Proud Family'', one thing can be agreed on by many fans, which is that Louder and Prouder has seen many changes since its predecessor and those changes are of great value to many of its fans and viewers.
