‘Raven’s Home’ banks on nostalgia

“Raven’s Home,” the sequel to “That’s So Raven,” is the latest cookie cutter situation comedy from the Disney Channel. It features the same over-the-top comedy, rapid pacing and family dynamics elements that have become so familiar.

Despite the lack of originality, the question isn’t why Disney is doing a sequel but more what took it so long? It doesn’t take someone with psychic abilities to know that if “Raven’s Home,” starring Raven-Symone, attracts an audience even close to the numbers who watched “That’s So Raven,” the channel will have another hit.

That’s not to say “Raven’s Home,” which debuts Friday night, has the kind of quality writing or acting to be a success. During the run of “That’s So Raven” from 2003-07, it was the highest-rated series in the history of Disney Channel. The story picks up with Raven now the mother of 11-year-old twins Booker (Issac Ryan Brown) and Nia (Navia Robinson). They share an apartment with Raven’s free-spirited friend, Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol), and her 9-year-old son, Levi (Jason Maybaum). Raven still hasn’t told her children that she has psychic abilities but that may change as those skills have been passed down to her son.

What will end up being the key is whether the writers can stay true to keeping the spirit of the show focused on the youngsters or if the stories will shift too much to the adults. They have found the perfect humor level for van der Pol as she’s the court jester in a room full of comedians. Her insecurities and inabilities play perfectly into a world where the youngsters should always be the heart of the story.

It’s going to take a few episodes to see if RavenSymone will be able to step back into the role.