Many folks are probably about to spend a lot of time on Disney+ in the coming weeks. Moon Knight debuted March 30th and is releasing weekly hereafter. ICYMI this week’s Geek History Lesson episode is all about Moon Knight and Professors Jason and Ashley got to watch the pilot early. If you are interested in their reviews or thoughts head over to the Jawiin Discord and join in the discussion. If you are struggling with what to watch in between bouts of Mark Spector and Steven Grant struggling to deal with their shared existence as Moon Knight we wanted to give you other options!
Since Jason and Jeremy Jawing About Justice League celebrates Warner Bros. animation it only feels appropriate to see what Disney has to offer. If you haven’t listened yet, check out the pilot episode:
Since March is winding down and it’s the final days of Women’s History Month it only felt appropriate to pick shows centered around female leads. Since Moon Knight is a darker character we wanted to encourage levity with animated offerings.
Thus:
5 Cartoons with Female Leads
5. The Proud Family / The Proud Family: Prouder and Louder
In February of this year The Proud Family got the Ducktales treatment and came roaring back onto Disney+ with a vengeance! The original Proud Family cartoon was popular when Professor Ashley was in high school. It stars Penny Proud the plucky daughter of the Proud Family. Everyone in the Proud Family is a character: loud, quirky, and dysfunctional. Penny has to navigate adolescence, a complicated friend group (complete with frenemy: LaCienega Boulevardez), and finding her place in the world. It’s all wrapped up in stunning animation, frequent musical numbers, and a whole lot of love. It was the perfect animated sitcom now finding a new audience with an updated series.
4. Lilo and Stitch: the Series
Lilo and Stitch the movie is outstanding in its own right and one of the few animated-movie-to-cartoon-pipeline projects that is actually enhanced by the additional episodes to explore the world. The animation is not as strong as the original movie, but being set in Hawai’i helps by not only giving Lilo and Stitch many different environments they can visit, but keeping all the sets and background fun and bright. Lilo and Stitch is genuinely funny throughout the two seasons and most of the drama hinges of Lilo’s will to love and look after the innocent characters who come in and out of her life - much like her affection for Stitch in the first place. Plus the series introduces Experiment 624 a.k.a. Angel who is a popular part of Disney lore to this day.
3. Elena of Avalor
Bilingual icon! Step aside, Dora the Explorer, Elena of Avalor is here! It’s astonishing there isn’t a full length Elena of Avalor movie (either live action or animated), but Disney+ has three seasons of adventures for you to watch. Elena is an adventure-princess in the vein of Merida (Brave), and Moana (Moana). She lives in the intersection and family duty and a rip-roaring good time, often faced with having to decide between the two. The series has a strong focus on family and respecting your elders. It’s a perfect series to be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. Elena is known to befriend pirates, wield magic powers with the assistance of crystals, and celebrate Día de los Muertos with all the dignity and respect it deserves. If you loved exploring the mythologies in Coco and Encanto then Elena of Avalor will have your heart. It also deserves a lot of bonus points for teaching the viewers Spanish, like we alluded to in the opening of this paragraph. You’ll be educated and entertained - the same Venn diagram we are passionate about embodying on Geek History Lesson.
2. Kim Possible
In full transparency, there’s a big bias from us here. Kim Possible was a big inspiration for Jupiter Jet when we were developing who Jacky Johnson was. Kim Possible stars a character of the same name who opens a website where she can do anything - and immediately enters into the world of high-octane espionage! With her best friend and a guy-in-the-chair there’s nothing that can stop Kim from saving the world and graduating high school simultaneously. Plus, she has a nemesis. Nominally, it’s Doctor Drakken, but the true breakout star of Kim Possible is his henchwoman Shego. You will soon become as obsessed with Kim Possible as Shego is!
1. The Owl House
If Disney’s associated with the “Don’t Say Gay” bill has got you down The Owl House is the perfect thing to watch on the platform in defiance of the company’s complete lack of a stance. When the lead falls through a portal to a fantastical - and frankly scary - realm the world of witchcraft opens up to her. Luz, the protagonist, is a bisexual witch’s apprentice who takes viewers on a high-octane romp through self-discovery. The latest season of The Owl House even introduced Disney’s first non-binary character - Raine Whispers - who is powerful and self-assured. There is magic in our differences as human beings and The Owl House understands that. It presents the scary choices we are faced with in exciting ways. If you were a fan of Steven Universe, The Owl House is the spiritual successor to it.