It still feels surreal to be writing reviews for the spinoff of a show I was obsessed with as a child. One of the reasons I loved That's So Raven so much was because of the charming Devon Carter. And... because of Raven's many, hilarious disguises she used to try and prevent her visions from coming true. We got both of those this week, and boy am I feeling lucky (and nostalgic). Buckle in!
Raven and Devon were an item from seasons 2-4 of the original series. They were the cutest.
Even after Devon and his family moved away to Seattle, Washington, the couple stuck together and endured a long-distance relationship. I guess their relationship continued through adulthood, because look who showed up at the Baxter/Daniels residence!
D E V O N. And wow, does he still look De-Fine or what?! (Sorry, you'll be seeing a lot these puns throughout the review. I can't help it. I'm just too excited).
Devon, who happens to be Booker and Nia's dad, walks in to pick the kids up for school, just after Nia is preparing to talk to her mom (Raven) about how she feels there isn't enough space for her in their cramped apartment. She decides to keep her thoughts to herself when Raven expresses how happy she is to be living with Chelsea and Levi.
Raven and Devon chit chat, Devon sharing that he has an interview for a new weatherman position, and as Raven helps him with his tie she gets him to do a special forecast just for her. It's obvious she still finds him attractive, and for a moment i'm sad they couldn't make things work. Although, had they stayed together, Raven wouldn't have ended up moving in with Chelsea, and we wouldn't have this show. So, like, priorities.
As Devon is rounding up the kids, Booker has a vision of Levi talking about moving being the "only solution". He fears that Levi wants to leave their apartment - which is concerning as the episode opens with Levi telling Booker what he misses about his prior living arrangements (including a HUGE trampoline in his room). We find out that Booker has continued to keep his psychic powers a secret from his mom, as after the vision he talks to himself and heads to school.
After school, Booker wants to do what he can to make Levi feel more at home, so he decides to ask Raven to buy a $500 trampoline for them like Levi had before.
Don't let her smile deceive you. Raven says no, right away, and Booker, while having a stare down with his mom whose moved to the kitchen, decides to secretly buy it.
Uh oh. Hell hath no fury like Raven Baxter when she's been deceived.
Chelsea comes back with laundry, and has brought items belonging to "Swiz Money" instead of their clothes. Raven's thrilled. But probably not surprised.
Some time passes, and Nia tries to ask Booker for advice on how to talk to their mom about their tight living quarters. Booker tells her that he loves living with everyone, and Nia feels defeated. I can totally see why she'd be frustrated. Being a tween is hard as is, but then throw in having to sleep on a stinky couch every night. What will she do?
Booker surprises Levi with the new trampoline, and the boys have fun jumping on it - Booker telling Levi not to mention any of it to Raven. My hopes that she'll say "ya lil nasty" when she finds out drastically increase. Fingers crossed.
When Booker goes into the kitchen to find Levi some 'sparkling pineapple juice', Nia talks to him again about her feeling of not having enough privacy. Booker questions if Levi is suffering from a lack of privacy, and Raven holds up one of Nia's bras, trying to put it on as she and Chelsea giggle at how cute it is. Nia gets totally embarrassed (even though it's too funny), and Levi walks out asking what Nia is holding. Booker explains that it's Nia's bra...
... which he thought was one of his tank tops that had shrunk. Only on Raven's Home.
Nia, wanting to get away from the madness, rushes upstairs to the rooftop to hang out with Tess, who suggests Nia talk to her parents. She realizes she may not be able to talk to her mom, but maybe, her dad (AKA Devon) can help!
Back downstairs, Levi and Booker are hanging out on their new trampoline, where Levi explains how he loves living with Booker as he's like a brother. Awwwe. Then things take a turn when Booker realizes his vision wasn't about Levi wanting to move, but of Nia. The boys rush to their moms, saying that they can't find Nia and that she had been talking about her lack of privacy earlier. Raven is confused, and decides to track Nia's phone - discovering she's at the Parlez Vous Cafe. And then... another classic Chelsea/Levi moment - when Chelsea acts surprised that people can track each other's location through their phones, Levi responds "how do you think I find you when you get lost at the mall?" This humour deserves so much praise. Really. It's only episode two and the writers have already cranked out some amazing jokes.
Raven arrives at the cafe and spots Nia, learning that she's there with D̶i̶v̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶ Devon. She quickly hides behind the bushes; turns out she isn't the only one in their family who likes to spy.
Yup, that's him. Raven puts on an apron and pushes the cart Booker is in towards where Nia and Devon are. Oh, but before they head over Raven passes handfuls of macarons to Booker to smuggle out. Just another normal day for Raven Baxter! The duo arrive in front of Nia and Devon's table just as she's asking if she can move in with him.
Y'all KNOW Raven isn't about to let her little girl move away. A waiter hands Raven a card with a coffee order on it - so, rather than just go up and speak to Nia and Devon, she decides to watch from afar; getting Booker to make the coffee.
Devon tells Nia that the job interview he had was for a position in Texas, so she'd have to move away. She's not sure she wants to do that, but Devon still encourages her to talk to her mom. Booker then breaks the coffee machine, and this happens.
How does Devon have NO idea that Raven was behind this, given she's been wreaking havoc everywhere her visions lead her since day one? We find out later that Nia knew, though.
Raven and Booker rush home, Raven explaining to Chelsea that Nia may be going to live with her dad. Then... the last image we see of Devonderful. A moment of silence is necessary.
Raven and Nia talk about her feelings re: privacy, Chelsea continuously interrupting them and saying she wants to show them something, in true Chelsea fashion.
After Raven promises they'll fix the situation to make things more comfortable for Nia, the two follow Chelsea into the room she has converted into Nia's personal space. Aunt of the year award! (You have to wonder how she possibly did all this in like, an hour, but nevertheless). The room is precious, and so is Nia's expression.
Finally, Booker realizes his vision of what he believed to be Levi wanting to move out was, in fact, of him carrying a box to Nia's new room. Chelsea has already figured out her new sleeping arrangements:
Behold, the greatest roommates ever. Oh snap. Chelsea reveals she used the money from the returned trampoline to fund the bunk bed, and Raven rushes out of her bed to find Booker. She walks in on Booker and Nia hugging it out after Booker apologizes for shutting Nia down earlier when she wanted to talk. With that, we conclude episode two!
Out of everything this episode has to offer, the humour definitely takes the cake (again). I'm twenty, and I laughed out loud. So. Many. Times. I'm glad everyone is staying put in the apartment, and am still excitedly waiting to see how Raven finds out Booker is psychic. By the way, Raven didn't have a vision in this episode! The format of her visions and how she deals with them are very similar to Booker - they both have the vision, misinterpret what it meant, and end up causing mayhem in their efforts to resolve it. Can you imagine what would happen if they had the same vision, and each tried to resolve it simultaneously?! Perhaps that'll have to wait for when Raven finds out. It would be quite the spectacle.
Also... we're still waiting for Raven to say 'ya lil nasty'. My bet is before episode five.
Let me know your thoughts on the return of Devon, Levi's "shrunken tank tops" and if you think Swiz Money ended up getting his jersey back down below!
Catch Raven's Home Friday nights on Disney Channel.
