There’s a lot the world doesn’t know about Disney Channel. It is quite a well-oiled machine, from developing original series to casting the right leads, to managing those leads’ lightning-fast ascents to stardom. Disney certainly has a more polished image than some other corporations, and it shows in their original programming.
In its early days, Disney Channel was designed to be the perfect place for kids and families to enjoy shows and movies together. While the achievement of this goal has ebbed and flowed over the years, a number of programs have successfully drawn in the whole family. As important as it is to focus on everyday routines from a kid’s point of view, Disney Channel also aims for a bigger purpose sometimes. Here are ten groundbreaking moments on the channel’s shows that we’re still talking about.
I Want a Bra!
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“A Rock and a Bra Place” from Lizzie McGuire is one of the most Earth-shattering episodes in the network’s history. While getting a first bra is a normal rite of passage for a young girl, it’s not exactly something Disney wanted to talk about all the time. In fact, writers Jeremy and Nina Bargiel have shared that Disney Channel only allowed the dialogue to include the word “bra” twice, and they couldn’t show a bra up close.
The writers and cast members discussed the episode before and after their recent virtual table read. Hilary Duff and Lalaine got personal and remembered how they were going through the same changes that Lizzie and Miranda were. Everyone also reminisced about the hyper-masculine plot that the girly episode required. In the episode, Lizzie and Miranda try to tackle bra-shopping on their own, but they end up returning to the wisdom of Jo McGuire in the end. Sam and Gordo help Matt become Jet Li’s sidekick, with some kung fu expertise from David Carradine, himself. It’s a special episode as it allowed Lizzie to grow up a little bit at a time.
Cheating
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One of the best break-up episodes is “Sibling Rivalry,” an Even Stevens classic. It has the ideal blend of silliness and real adolescent problems; Ren and Louis go head to head on a television show all about sibling rivalry, but Ren is about to lose the first boy she’s ever loved. Bobby Deaver and Ren seem like the perfect couple, and they certainly are cute together, but Bobby is bad news.
He is swayed by Mandy “Always Gets Her Man” Sanchez too many times and kisses her in this episode. Louis catches them in the act and decides to tell his sister in a caring way instead of embarrassing her on television. It’s one of the deepest moments between Ren and Louis, and it hit home for a lot of tweens.
Inner Beauty
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Another huge Lizzie moment was in a later episode called “Inner Beauty,” which was about Miranda’s struggles with body image and dieting. Miranda has started skipping meals and is obsessing about her weight, so Lizzie intervenes and helps her see that she is beautiful just the way she is, emphasizing that crash diets are dangerous.
It’s hard to tackle eating disorders in twenty-two minutes, but the writers did a good job in bringing a more serious matter to light. They also showed Matt’s artistic side by having the character develop a passion for turning trash to treasure. Very relevant.
Calling Out Discrimination
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A That’s So Raven episode called “True Colors” took on a very important issue back in 2005. Raven and Chelsea both apply for jobs in retail, and they’re excited at the thought of working together in a trendy clothing store. That all changes when Chelsea gets the job and Raven, the fashion expert, doesn’t. It turns out that the store manager is racist. Through one of her clever disguises and ornate plans, Raven and Chelsea reveal the manager’s discrimination on camera.
This episode must have been one of the most challenging to do sensitively and accurately, especially with the subplot of Cory learning about African American history. “True Colors” still stands out as a moment of truth which probably reached many homes that needed to hear it.
Class Disparity
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“He comes from champagne and caviar, and I come from beer and pretzels.” This line is from a very early episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody in which Maddie pretends to be rich to impress a date. The cute boy’s name is Jason, and he and Maddie have a lot in common, but she thinks she needs an appearance of wealth in order to be compatible with him. London helps her fake a lavish lifestyle, including a home in The Tipton’s imperial suite.
The beer and pretzels scene is really touching; it’s one of the times when Carey Martin takes on a motherly role with Maddie. It also shows sympathy to viewers who don’t have as much and reminds them that their value does not come from material things.
Grief
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Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart was usually pretty upbeat, but the show still allowed her to have complex feelings. In the show’s third episode, Miley and her dad let the audience in on a little more of their family history. It’s clear that Miley’s mother has passed away, and Miley really misses her when Robbie Ray starts dating again. To lighten the mood, Hannah and Jackson visit their dad’s date at the woman’s realty office and start prying into her personal life.
Miley later sits out on the deck and sings “I Miss You” while looking up to the heavens. Her dad explains, “What she and I had was special. I can’t replace that.” The family’s grief is an ongoing process throughout the series. It’s not brought up in every episode, but there are some meaningful flashbacks of Miley’s mom throughout the series, and she even appears in family members’ dreams with some helpful advice in certain episodes. This was a deep subject for a Disney show, and that made a difference to fans.
Divorce
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“Christmas at the Tipton” is memorable because it has an obvious nod to the story of Christ’s birth. The Tipton community sees a couple, whose names are Mary and Joseph, drop in and unintentionally birth Mary’s baby, and the mysterious event has the characters scratching their heads.
The episode is also a pivot point for the network because it seriously looks at divorce. Zack and Cody are hoping that their parents will get back together, but that isn’t going to happen. Tons of kids went through their parents’ divorces around the time the episode aired and probably found the episode helpful in a difficult time.
Introducing LGBTQ+ Characters And Couples
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Good Luck Charlie first introduced a same-sex couple back in 2014. The show’s final season featured one episode with lesbian moms, Susan and Cheryl, whose child has a play date with Charlie Duncan. The episode made quite a splash in the news as it was an unprecedented step for Disney.
The storyline unfortunately makes the moms’ presence a little awkward as Bob Duncan overcompensates for his “first time with two moms.” Overall, while the episode may not have handled the characters’ appearance in the best way, the episode was important for the channel.
LGBTQ+ Issues Explored
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In Andi Mack, one of the main characters is gay. Cyrus Goodman completes the typical Disney trio of two female best friends and one guy best friend. He comes out over the course of the series, and the show has been praised for how well it handled the storyline.
The important thing is that Cyrus continues to be cared for and respected by his loved ones. When he comes out to a character named Jonah, Jonah answers, “Cool.” This was inspired by a writer’s own journey and continues to be a groundbreaking moment for Disney Channel.
Puberty
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As recent as March 2020, Disney Channel has allowed one of their characters to get her first period. Periods were introduced on the network as a joke years before on Andi Mack. Now, on Sydney to the Max, Sydney has gotten her period.
It’s a timeless scene in which her friend, Olive, goes upstairs and calls to the bathroom to check on her, then hands Sydney the necessary supplies when Sydney explains what has happened. Sydney lives with her single father and her grandmother, so when Sydney and Olive still need help with the new development, they call for grandma.