''Kim Possible'' is an American animated

action comedy Action comedy is a genre that combines aspects of action and comedy. The genre is most prevalent in film with action comedy films, though several TV series fit this genre. Film The action comedy film is a film genre that combines aspects of acti ...

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

television series created by

Bob Schooley Robert Schooley is an American screenwriter, television writer and television producer. He and Mark McCorkle are the creators of the 2002 animated television series ''Kim Possible'', which aired on Disney Channel. He was also an executive produc ...

and

Mark McCorkle Mark McCorkle (born August 1961) is an American screenwriter, television writer and television producer. Among others, he is co-creator of the popular Disney animated series, ''Kim Possible''. He frequently collaborates with fellow writer Bob Sc ...

for

Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Comp ...

. The

title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...

is a teenage girl tasked with fighting crime on a regular basis while coping with everyday issues commonly associated with adolescence. Kim is aided by her clumsy best friend and eventual love interest,

Ron Stoppable This is a list of characters appearing in the animated series ''Kim Possible''. Overview Team Possible Kim Possible * Voiced by Christy Carlson Romano and Dakota Fanning (young) * Portrayed by Sadie Stanley Kimberly Ann "Kim" Possible is a ...

, his pet

naked mole rat The naked mole-rat (''Heterocephalus glaber''), also known as the sand puppy, is a burrowing rodent native to the Horn of Africa and parts of Kenya, notably in Somali regions. It is closely related to the blesmols and is the only species in the ...

Rufus Rufus is a masculine given name, a surname, an Ancient Roman cognomen and a nickname (from Latin '' rufus'', "red"). Notable people with the name include: Given name Politicians * Rufus Ada George (born 1940), Nigerian politician * Rufus ...

, and ten year-old computer genius

Wade Wade, WADE, or Wades may refer to: Places in the United States * Wade, California, a former settlement * Wade, Maine, a town * Wade, Mississippi, a census-designated place * Wade, North Carolina, a town * Wade, Ohio, an unincorporated communi ...

. Known collectively as Team Possible, Kim and Ron's missions primarily require them to thwart the evil plans of the

mad scientist The mad scientist (also mad doctor or mad professor) is a stock character of a scientist who is perceived as " mad, bad and dangerous to know" or "insane" owing to a combination of unusual or unsettling personality traits and the unabashedly am ...

–supervillain duo Dr. Drakken and his sidekick Shego, as well as other foes. Veteran

writers Schooley and McCorkle were recruited by the network to develop an animated series that could attract both older and younger audiences, and conceived ''Kim Possible'' as a show about a talented

action hero An action hero (sometimes action heroine for women) is the protagonist of an action film or other form of entertainment which portrays action, adventure, and often violence. Other media in which such heroes appear include swashbuckler films, Wes ...

ine and her less competent sidekick. Inspired by the scarcity of female-led animated series at the time, ''Kim Possible'' is based on the creators' own high school experiences, and combines elements of action, adventure,

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

, romance and comedy to appeal to both girls and boys while parodying the ''

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...

'' franchise, spy and

superhero film A superhero film (or superhero movie) is a film that focuses on the actions of superheroes. Superheroes are individuals who possess superhuman abilities and are dedicated to protecting the public. These films typically feature action, advent ...

s and

teen sitcom A teen situation comedy, or teen sitcom, is a subgenre of comedic television program targeted towards young people. In general, these type of programs focus primarily on characters between 11 and 19 years of age and routinely feature characters inv ...

s. Distinct from other Disney Channel shows in its use of

self-referential humor Self-referential humor, also known as self-reflexive humor, self-aware humor, or meta humor, is a type of comedic expression that—either directed toward some other subject, or openly directed toward itself—is self-referential in some way, in ...

, Schooley and McCorkle developed fast-paced

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

-style dialogue in order to cater to adult viewers. Set in the fictional town of Middleton, Colorado, the show's setting and locations exhibit a

retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from history, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. In popular culture, the "nostalgia cycle" is typically for the two decades that begin 20–30 ...

-influenced aesthetic. ''Kim Possible'' is Disney Channel's second animated series, as well as the first one to be produced exclusively by

Walt Disney Television Animation Disney Television Animation (DTVA), formerly known as Walt Disney Pictures Television Animation Group and Walt Disney Television Animation, is the television animation production arm of Disney Branded Television, a sub-division of the Disney Ge ...

. It also became the first Disney Channel animated series to be produced in high-definition. The series premiered on June 7, 2002, and ended on September 7, 2007, after 87 episodes and four seasons. ''Kim Possible'' received critical acclaim, becoming one of Disney's top-rated and most popular series. During its run, a pair of made-for-TV films were made: ''

A Sitch in Time ''Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time'' is a 2003 American made-for-TV animated film by Walt Disney Television Animation. It is the first film based on the original television series ''Kim Possible''. The film was directed by Steve Loter for the Disne ...

'' (2003) and '' So the Drama'' (2005). Merchandising based on the series, such as home media releases, toys, and

video games Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...

were also made. A live-action television film of the same name was released in 2019.

Premise

''Kim Possible'' takes place primarily within the town of Middleton, USA and focuses on the life and adventures of

Kim Possible ''Kim Possible'' is an American animated Action comedy TV series, action comedy-Adventure fiction, adventure television series created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for Disney Channel. The Kim Possible (character), title character is a teen ...

, an accomplished high school student who fights crime on a regular basis, assisted by her best friend and sidekick

and

, his pet

. Ron's personal fears, insecurities, and clumsiness tend to jeopardize the success of their own missions. Kim and Ron are aided remotely by

, a 10-year-old computer genius who seldom leaves his bedroom and communicates with the duo via a device he invented himself known as a Kimmunicator. Together, the foursome is known as Team Possible. The majority of Kim's missions involve her traveling to various destinations around the world to rescue citizens from harm and fight a variety of villains, the most frequent of whom are Dr. Drakken, a

constantly plotting

world domination World domination (also called global domination or world conquest or cosmocracy) is a hypothetical power structure, either achieved or aspired to, in which a single political authority holds the power over all or virtually all the inhabitants ...

, and his superpowered sidekick Shego, who possesses the ability to generate powerful

energy In physics, energy (from Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια, ''enérgeia'', “activity”) is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of ...

blasts and emit them from her hands, making her the heroine's most dangerous opponent. Not yet of age to drive herself to most of her missions, Kim often relies on favors from various people she has assisted in the past for transportation. Attending Middleton High School alongside Ron, her best female friend

Monique Monique is a female given name. It is the French form of the name Monica. The name has enjoyed some popularity in the United States since about 1955, and is less common in other English-speaking countries except for Canada although mostly use ...

and rival classmate Bonnie Rockwaller, Kim lives with her family: father James, a rocket scientist, and

Ann Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in th ...

, a brain surgeon, as well as her younger brothers, identical twins Jim and Tim, both of whom possess genius-level intellect. Fully aware of their daughter's occupation, Kim's parents remain completely supportive of her crime-fighting endeavors so long as she continues to obey

curfew A curfew is a government order specifying a time during which certain regulations apply. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to ''not'' be in public places or on roads within a certain time frame, typically in the evening and ...

, but tend to be more-so concerned about the character's performance in school, as well as her love life. Lacking a

secret identity A secret identity is a person's alter ego which is not known to the general populace, most often used in fiction. Brought into popular culture by the Scarlet Pimpernel in 1903, the concept was widespread in pulp heroes and is particularly prevalen ...

, Kim is world famous and her profession is constantly acknowledged by both her classmates and teachers. ''Kim Possible'' also explores the highs and lows of Kim's life as a high school student attempting to navigate dating, captaining her high school's cheerleading squad, academics, sports, homework, exams and eventually learning to drive, all the while striving to maintain a healthy work–life balance; fighting crime typically comes to Kim more naturally than the more standard components of adolescence. As revealed in '' Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time'', Kim became involved in crime-fighting rather unintentionally. In a series of events prior to the beginning of the series, a pre-adolescent Kim, in search of a job, creates her own website, kimpossible.com, to promote her burgeoning babysitting and lawn mowing services, promoting it using the slogan "I can do anything". When he becomes trapped by his own laser security system, a billionaire accidentally contacts Kim while he was attempting to reach Team Impossible, to whose aid she immediately rushes. As news of the character's heroism spreads, her website is soon flooded with e-mails from around the globe requesting her assistance, and Kim ultimately decides to use her talents to help the world, becoming a superhero, even without superpowers.

Episodes

''Lilo & Stitch'' crossover

crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...

episode of '' Lilo & Stitch: The Series'' and ''Kim Possible'' aired on August 26, 2005 as part of the former show's second season. Entitled "Rufus", Season 2, episode 20 features

Lilo Lilo or LILO may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Lilo (name), a list of people with the nickname or surname * Lilo (footballer), Brazilian footballer Murilo Rufino Barbosa (born 1983) * Lilo (actress), stage name of German-born French actress and si ...

contacting Kim and Ron to help her rescue Stitch, who has been captured by Drakken and Shego in a partnership with Dr. Hamsterviel to clone Stitch for an army of obedient monsters. Meanwhile, Jumba mistakes Rufus for one of his missing experiments.

Characters

* Kimberly Ann "Kim" Possible (voiced by

Christy Carlson Romano Christy Carlson Romano (born March 20, 1984) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing Ren Stevens on ''Even Stevens'' and voicing the titular character from '' Kim Possible'', both of which aired on the Disney Channel. Earl ...

): a confident and adventurous high school student who moonlights as a crime-fighter, dividing much of her time between saving the world and attending cheerleading practice. Although protecting the world comes to her quite naturally, Kim finds being a teenager much more challenging, struggling with issues that range from schoolwork to bullying, embarrassment, relationships, and self-doubt, continuing to become flustered around boys she likes despite her multiple talents and heroics. A straight-A student, Kim is also a perfectionist. Kim's

catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

s include "No big", "So not the drama", and "What's the sitch?", short for "situation". Combined, her first and last names are a

pun A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...

of the word "impossible". * Ronald "Ron" Stoppable (voiced by

Will Friedle Will Friedle () (born August 11, 1976) is an American actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Eric Matthews on the ABC sitcom ''Boy Meets World'' (1993–2000). In animation, he voices Terry McGinnis / Batman on ''Batman Beyond'' (19 ...

): Kim's sidekick; her childhood best friend (and boyfriend as of season four) who, unlike Kim, is cowardly, socially awkward, clumsy and (up until the final season) unpopular with his peers. Although Ron is far less competent within the realm of crime-fighting than Kim, he has proven his merit as a teammate on multiple occasions by gradually maturing and gaining confidence over the course of the series. Known for his catchphrase "Booyah", Ron suffers from a severe

fear Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...

of monkeys and serves as the show's

comic relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic epis ...

. His first and last names are a pun of the word "unstoppable". *

(voiced by

Nancy Cartwright Nancy Cartwright (born October 25, 1957) is an American actress. She is the long-time voice of Bart Simpson on the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', for which she has received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Perform ...

): Ron's pet

who accompanies Kim and Ron on their missions, traveling in his owner's pocket. * Wade Load (voiced by Tahj Mowry): a 10-year-old computer genius who informs Kim and Ron about upcoming missions from his bedroom, remotely assisting, guiding and equipping them with useful tools, weapons and gadgets, including Kim's Kimmunicator, via which he communicates and provides his teammates with vital information. Wade is also responsible for

maintaining ''Maintaining'' is a 2007-2009 comic strip by cartoonist Nate Creekmore. Creekmore is a two-time winner of the Scripps College Cartoonist of the Year and an Associated Press award for achievement in college cartooning. Creekmore's strip first ap ...

Kim's website. * Dr. Drakken (voiced by

John DiMaggio John William DiMaggio (; born September 4, 1968) is an American actor. His various voice roles include Bender on ''Futurama'', Jake the Dog on ''Adventure Time'', Marcus Fenix in the ''Gears of War'' series, Dr. Drakken on ''Kim Possible'', H ...

): born Drew Theodore P. Lipsky, Drakken is Kim's archnemesis and most resilient adversary. He is a

plotting

, although most of his schemes fail at the hands of Kim because he lacks both the patience and intelligence to perfect his ideas, which often suffer as a result of his own mistakes and oversights. His skin has permanently been turned blue as a result of a laboratory accident. Additionally, Drakken is a former college roommate of Kim's father James. * Shego (voiced by

Nicole Sullivan Nicole Sullivan (born April 21, 1970) is an American actress and comedian best known for her six seasons (1995–2001) on the sketch comedy series '' MADtv''. She also played Holly Shumpert in five seasons (2001–2005, 2007) of the CBS sitcom ...

): Kim's primary combatant and most dangerous opponent; a

supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are of ...

with the superhuman ability to generate powerful green energy blasts from her hands. Shego is Drakken's sarcastic – but far more intelligent – sidekick, who openly mocks the scientist with little regard for his seniority. The character finds herself making up for Drakken's incompetence on multiple occasions. Originally the lone female member of a team of superheroes known as Team Go alongside her four brothers, Shego eventually makes a full conversion to villainy after ultimately growing attracted to the evil she once fought against (in addition to finding her brothers annoying). Smart, athletic, and attractive, Shego is essentially a "dark reflection" of Kim, as well as the only character the heroine truly has reason to fear, although the two archrivals share a mutual respect for each other at the same time. Some episodes revolve around characters other than Kim and Ron, particularly villains, who have been provided with nearly as much

back story A backstory, background story, back-story, or background is a set of events invented for a plot, presented as preceding and leading up to that plot. It is a literary device of a narrative history all chronologically earlier than the narrative of p ...

as the heroes. Other significant

recurring character A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who frequently appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in more than one episode, sometimes being the main ...

s include Kim's parents, Drs. James and

Ann Possible This is a list of characters appearing in the animated series ''Kim Possible''. Overview Team Possible Kim Possible * Voiced by Christy Carlson Romano and Dakota Fanning (young) * Portrayed by Sadie Stanley Kimberly Ann "Kim" Possible is a ...

(

Gary Cole Gary Michael Cole (born September 20, 1956) is an American television, film and voice actor. Cole began his professional acting career on stage at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1985. On television, he has had starring roles in the ...

and

Jean Smart Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. After beginning her career in regional theater in the Pacific Northwest, she appeared on Broadway in 1981 as Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play '' Piaf''. Smart was ...

, respectively), and her younger brothers, twin geniuses Jim and Tim ( Shaun Fleming, 2002–06;

Spencer Fox Spencer may refer to: People *Spencer (surname) **Spencer family, British aristocratic family ** List of people with surname Spencer * Spencer (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia *Spencer, New ...

, 2007), to whom she refers as "Tweebs" (a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsmade up language known as "Twinnish". Kim shares a bitter rivalry with fellow cheerleader Bonnie Rockwaller (

Kirsten Storms Kirsten Renee Storms (born April 8, 1984) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Zenon Kar in the '' Zenon'' trilogy, Emily in ''Johnny Tsunami'', and Bonnie Rockwaller in ''Kim Possible''. Storms played Isabella "Belle" Bla ...

), who, unlike Kim, is selfish, inconsiderate, superficial, and has a tendency to be mean when angry – her "polar opposite", essentially representing the kind of person Kim could have been if not for her humility. Kim's best female friend is

(

Raven-Symoné Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday () (née Pearman; born December 10, 1985), also known mononymously as Raven, is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She has received several accolades, including five NAACP Image Awards, two Kids' ...

), who is occasionally forced into accompanying Kim on select missions when Ron is unavailable. With her fashion and

pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ...

expertise, Monique bridges the worlds between Kim's high school and crime-fighting lives, also serving as something of a guidance counselor. Although Drakken and Shego are Kim and Ron's most frequent opponents, the characters also battle a diverse cast of other villains, namely Monkey Fist (

Tom Kane Thomas Kane Roberts (born April 15, 1962) is a retired American voice actor. He is best known for his work in animation and video games, most notably in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Career Kane began his voice-over career in 1977, at fifteen ye ...

), a British nobleman with surgically implanted monkey hands and feet who seeks mystical power, and becomes Ron's nemesis due to his fear of monkeys; Scottish golfer Duff Killigan (

Brian George Brian George (born 1 July 1952) is a British actor. He is best known for his roles as Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt in ''Seinfeld'' (1989–1998), the Indian gynecologist father of Raj Koothrappali in ''The Big Bang Theory'' (2007–2019 ...

); father-son billionaires Señor Senior, Sr. and Señor Senior, Jr. (

Ricardo Montalbán Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino, KSG (; ; November 25, 1920 – January 14, 2009) was a Mexican and American film and television actor. Montalbán's career spanned seven decades, during which he became known for performances in a var ...

/ Earl Boen;

Néstor Carbonell Néstor Gastón Carbonell (; born December 1, 1967) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. He came to prominence for his role as Luis Rivera in the NBC sitcom ''Suddenly Susan''. He is known for his roles as Richard Alpert in the ABC ...

), who take up villainy as a hobby out of boredom; and

Professor Dementor This is a list of characters appearing in the animated series '' Kim Possible''. Overview Team Possible Kim Possible * Voiced by Christy Carlson Romano and Dakota Fanning (young) * Portrayed by Sadie Stanley Kimberly Ann "Kim" Possible is ...

(

Patton Oswalt Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is known as Spence Olchin in the sitcom '' The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and for narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–present) as ...

), a German mad scientist and Drakken's more successful rival.

Production

Conception and main characters

Long-time collaborators and veteran Disney writers,

and

had already been writing for

for several years, contributing to the network's male-led animated series ''

Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part o ...

'', ''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

'' and ''

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command ''Buzz Lightyear of Star Command'' is an American animated science fiction action-adventure comedy television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation and co-produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It serves as a spin-off of the ''Toy Sto ...

'', each one spin-offs of their respective feature-length animated films. Although they had enjoyed working on those projects, Schooley and McCorkle were becoming interested in contributing to "something original". At the same time, the writers learned that Disney Channel had become interested in developing a show featuring ordinary children in extraordinary circumstances. Thus, the network commissioned Schooley and McCorkle to create an animated series geared towards the 9- to 14-year-old

demographic Demography () is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings. Demographic analysis examines and measures the dimensions and dynamics of populations; it can cover whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as ed ...

that was also capable of entertaining older audiences at the same time. While traveling in an elevator on their way back to their office from their lunch break, McCorkle said to Schooley, "Kim Possible. She can do anything", to which Schooley responded, "Ron Stoppable, he can't", and nearly the entire premise of ''Kim Possible'' naturally unfolded thereafter. According to Schooley and McCorkle, both lead characters' names indicate that ''Kim Possible'' "is going to be an arched show that is a little bit over the top, but also that the girl is going to be the action lead and the guy is going to be funny." Conceiving all main characters themselves, Rufus and Wade were eventually created and added to the roster, but the series essentially remains about Kim "who is incredibly competent in the action world but challenged in the real world" while "Ron would be challenged everywhere." With its main duo finally established, ''Kim Possible'' became the easiest show Schooley and McCorkle had ever developed. One of Disney Channel's earliest forays into developing an entirely original animated series "from scratch", ''Kim Possible'' was born out of the creators' realization that there were few animated series starring strong female characters at the time and created Kim as "a character that ... girls can look up to", inspired by their own young daughters. The creators were also influenced by their own childhood heroes

and

Captain Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk leads ...

from ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'', and wanted Kim to resemble a character their daughters could idolise similarly. Despite being a "strong female role model", Schooley maintained that heroism "doesn't help ima bit when she comes face-to-face with her latest school crush." Unlike traditional superheroes, Kim is entirely devoid of both superpowers and a secret identity; the creators avoided making the character "impervious" like most comic book superheroes tend to be because they wanted both her and Ron to remain relatable to younger viewers. Working completely independently from government spy organizations, Kim's crime-fighting abilities are drawn from real-life activities such as cheerleading and gymnastics, "something that any kid…in the world could do", according to the creators.

Casting

Much of ''Kim Possible''s cast consists of Disney Channel and ABC alumnae, as well as actors known for their roles on other popular animated and comedy series. After auditioning several actresses to voice the title character, then-16 year-old

was finally cast as Kim after first being introduced to Schooley and McCorkle by Disney Channel executives. Romano had already been well known to Disney Channel audiences for her portrayal of Ren Stevens on the series ''

Even Stevens ''Even Stevens'' is an American comedy television series that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 17, 2000, to June 2, 2003, airing a total of 65 episodes over three seasons. It follows the life of the Stevens, a family living in subur ...

'', and began voicing Kim while completing her stint on the show. Her first voice acting role, Romano immediately identified with her character because both were "dealing with teenage issues" at the same time, comparing Kim's challenge of battling both her personal life and villains to herself balancing schoolwork with her budding acting career; the actress was forced to forfeit her own senior prom due to ''Kim Possible'' commitments. Describing her character as "very ambitious, very skilled, very smart," Romano told ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' "I've tried to make her a good role model. Her confidence and her sincerity really shine through." One episode in particular, " Blush", was inspired by Romano's modesty and tendency to blush at the slightest compliment. Romano's performance as Kim was nominated for an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

. Recognized for his ability to play "over-the-top characters",

, best remembered for his performance as Eric Matthews on the sitcom '' Boy Meets World'', was cast as Ron. Actor

Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...

had auditioned for the role, as did actor

John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...

before he decided to pursue a professional wrestling career. Schooley attributes much of the show's success to Romano and Friedle's chemistry, explaining, "they add something to this that makes it more than a typical gag-oriented cartoon." NicoleSullivanByEricSchwabel

To prepare herself for the role of Rufus,

, best known for her long-running voice work as

Bart Simpson Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional character in the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in '' The Tracey Ullman Sh ...

on ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'', researched naked mole rats extensively to the point of which she became "a font of useless trivia" and knowledge. Cartwright cites Rufus among her two most difficult characters to voice due to the constant use of her diaphragm required to produce 18 mole rat sound effects. Her performance earned her a

Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program.

was cast as Drakken based on his vocal performance as Bender on the animated sitcom ''

Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years ...

.'' The creators mused, "Drakken is as funny as he is because of how funny John is. Like any of the great voiceover guys, he can do multiple voices. He also just has a terrific comedic sense", while director and animator

Steve Loter Steven Edward Loter (born June 17, 1973) is an American animator, storyboard artist, director, and producer. Information Loter is the director and producer of ''Kim Possible'', '' Brandy & Mr. Whiskers'', '' American Dragon: Jake Long''. Loter a ...

described both Friedle and DiMaggio as "experts in ad-libbing." Schooley and McCorkle had previously worked with

on ''Buzz Lightyear of Star Command'' and thus created the role of Shego with her in mind. Sullivan's first recording session opposite DiMaggio established a chemistry between the two voice actors and their respective characters, out of which Shego's signature sarcasm was introduced and eventually expanded upon. During the show's inaugural season, the actors generally recorded separate from each other, but Friedle, DiMaggio and Sullivan experienced opportunities to record together during the second season. Having been attending high school in New York at the time, Romano would mostly work remotely and usually be "phone patched in" whenever necessary; there is only one occasion during which the entire main cast recorded together.

Tahj Mowry, who plays T.J. Henderson on the sitcom '' Smart Guy'', voices Wade. In terms of recurring and guest roles, ''

Designing Women ''Designing Women'' is an American television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS from September 29, 1986, to May 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes. It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomason M ...

''s

voices Kim's mother Ann.

voiced Kim's high school rival Bonnie while portraying Belle on the soap opera ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

''. Prior to ''Kim Possible'', Storms had starred in Disney Channel's '' Zenon'' film series. ''That's So Raven''s

voices Kim's female best friend Monique, cast based on her reputation as a comedic actress and ability to deliver a punchline. Señor Senior, Sr. and Señor Senior, Jr. are voiced by Ricardo Montalban and

Nestor Carbonell Nestor may refer to: * Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology Arts and entertainment * "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses'' * Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, L ...

, respectively. Friedle's ''Boy Meets World'' co-star

Rider Strong Rider King Strong (born December 11, 1979) is an American actor, producer, director and screenwriter. He is best known for starring as Shawn Hunter on the ABC sitcom ''Boy Meets World'' (1993–2000), which he reprised in its sequel series '' G ...

voices Brick Flag, Bonnie's boyfriend.

Ashley Tisdale Ashley Michelle Tisdale (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress and singer. During her childhood, she was featured in over 100 advertisements and had minor roles in television and theatre. She achieved mainstream success as Maddie Fitzpatr ...

of Disney Channel's ''High School Musical'' film series and sitcom ''

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' is an American sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series aired on Disney Channel from March 18, 2005, to September 1, 2008. The series was nominated for an Emmy Award three times and was a ...

'' was offered the role of Season 4 villain Camille Leon. ''That's So Ravens Anneliese van der Pol voiced a guest role in the episode "And The Mole Rat Will Be CGI" as Heather, an actress hired to play Kim in a film adaptation of her life, serving as her first voice-acting role. Loter had always been interested in working with the cast of the television series ''

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the 1992 film of the same name, also written by Whedon, although the events of the film are not consid ...

'' but this idea never came to fruition; one particularly famous actor refused a villainous guest role in Season 4 because he was insulted to have been asked to voice an animated character on a television series.

Writing and development

Serving as executive producers in addition to writers throughout the entire series, Schooley and McCorkle oversaw the show for its entire duration to maintain consistency. As executive producers, Schooley and McCorkle were mostly involved in the writing process, focusing mainly on plot and dialogue, while storyboarding was chiefly handled by Loter. The writing staff consisted of both Disney Channel employees and freelance writers. Much of the series is based on both Schooley and McCorkle's own experiences growing up as teenagers in high school. Although essentially a

comedy series Television comedy is a category of broadcasting that has been present since the early days of entertainment media. While there are several genres of comedy, some of the first ones aired were variety shows. One of the first United States television ...

, Schooley and McCorkle also combined elements of

, relationships, and humor in order to appeal to both boys, who are primarily interested in action, and girls, who are more-so attracted to relationships and character development, aware of "ancient

truism A truism is a claim that is so obvious or self-evident as to be hardly worth mentioning, except as a reminder or as a rhetorical or literary device, and is the opposite of falsism. In philosophy, a sentence which asserts incomplete truth conditio ...

s" surrounding the belief that boys are generally less likely to watch a series starring a female lead, while girls seldom exhibit such reservations when the casting situation is reversed. Without alienating younger viewers, to whom the show refuses to "talk down", the writing in ''Kim Possible'' is "a little older than" that of traditional Disney animated series. While avoiding adult references, Schooley and McCorkle opted for a fast-paced

-style dialogue and rhythm that attracted adult viewers instead, ultimately resulting in

teleplay A teleplay is a screenplay or script used in the production of a scripted television program or series. In general usage, the term is most commonly seen in reference to a standalone production, such as a television film, a television play, or a ...

s that were typically five pages longer than traditional Disney Channel scripts. Additionally, the show heavily parodies the popular ''James Bond'' films. ''Kim Possible'''s showrunners were heavily influenced by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...

, particularly the ''

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...

'', ''

Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first s ...

'', and ''

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...

'' comic book series. One particularly strong influence is found in Dr. Drakken and James Possible's former friendship, whose relationship closely mirrors that of the ''Fantastic Four'''s Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom and Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, respectively. Some of the show's plots and ideas are drawn from the lives of both creators' daughters; the decision to have Ron eventually join his school's football team was inspired by Schooley's daughter being involved in her high school band, which resulted in them attending several school football matches. Citing Ron as his favorite character, McCorkle admitted that he reminds him of his high school self. Although not as strong an action hero as Kim, at the same time the creators were careful to highlight Ron's courage and attributes by emphasizing the fact that he constantly finds himself in dangerous situations. By the fourth and final season, the writers had taken into consideration male fans' requests to see Ron succeed more often than he had in earlier seasons, developing him into a more confident character as he gradually "come into his own" and becomes more of a partner than a sidekick. Drakken and Shego's relationship "weirdly" mirrors Kim and Ron's to some extent, with the female character remaining smarter and more competent than her fumbling male teammate. Initially envisioned as a "standard sidekick", Sullivan's sarcastic interpretation of Shego ultimately inspired Schooley and McCorkle to expand upon the humor revolving around the fact that Shego is barely able to tolerate Drakken. The creators had always intended for Kim and Ron to eventually become romantically involved but avoided this storyline in fear of "paint ngourselves in a corner", citing Sam and Diane's ill-fated relationship in the sitcom ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...

'' as an example. Throughout the first three seasons, the idea of Ron having feelings for Kim is alluded to, but he never pursues them for various reasons. Production on new episodes of ''Kim Possible'' had virtually ceased by the end of Season 3 when Kim and Ron finally become a couple, which McCorkle felt had ended the series perfectly in the film '' Kim Possible: So the Drama'', thus initially eliminating any need to determine how they were to proceed with them as a new couple. However, when the series was surprisingly renewed for a fourth season, Schooley and McCorkle were forced to confronted the challenge of writing for Kim and Ron as a couple for the first time but eventually grew to appreciate their "new dynamic", which provided the show with "new life" while allowing the writers to explore previously uncharted comedic territory. In fact, fans' interest in the new

power couple A supercouple or super couple (also known as a power couple) is a popular and/or wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or obsessive fashion. The term originated in the United States, and it was coined in the earl ...

's relationship was one of the main reasons the show was renewed. Schooley and McCorkle returned from other projects they had begun working on to complete the series. Schooley and McCorkle approached the challenge of portraying dating in a way that would appeal to both younger and older children by having the villains, particularly Shego, react to news of Kim and Ron's relationship with disbelief since "Ron is painfully aware that he is the luckiest man in the world ... for landing Kim", according to Schooley. Approaching their romantic relationship much like they did their friendship, the writers refused to treat the storyline like a

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...

in which the couple constantly breaks up and reunites, keeping their romance realistic by quickly abandoning "the lovey-dovey phase". To avoid alienating younger audiences, Schooley and McCorkle only slightly acknowledged the relationship, maintaining that Kim "still saves the world. We still have the villains, and we have the comedy with the villains and their bizarre schemes and how they get foiled." The fourth season introduces new villains such as Camille Léon, a

shapeshifting In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...

celebrity heiress, and Warmonga, a more serious villain who possesses "No funny clownish behavior, just evil." The villains also work together against Kim in different combinations. Kim is also given her own car while her brothers, having skipped several grades due to their intelligence, join her in high school despite being only 12 years-old, much to Kim's chagrin. Wade ventures outside his bedroom more often, occasionally assisting Kim and Ron in person. The recurring character Monique, who was created because Schooley and McCorkle felt that Kim would be more realistic if she were to have a female best friend in addition to Ron, is expanded from that of simply an observer of Kim and Ron's lives to a more involved member of Team Possible, broadening the ensemble. Ron's home life is also explored as he welcomes a younger sibling. The series ends with Kim and Ron graduating. Several Season 4 episodes were edited and shortened for time because they would run up to five minutes too long, forcing Loter to eliminate some sub plots and characters. Steve Loter documented the production of the final episode of season four, and thus the completion of the ''Kim Possible'' franchise, in a blog titled "So the Finale" hosted on

Blogger A blog (a truncation of "weblog") is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order ...

. It included behind-the-scenes and production information from the perspective of the crew as well as production sketches from one of several alternative endings that had been scripted. "So the Finale" maintained an open comment system allowing fans to express their views on the franchise and its closure.

Design and animation

Creating the ''Kim Possible'' universe and environment was very much a collaborative process between Schooley and McCorkle, Disney Channel, the character designers, and the cast, who were also encouraged to contribute their own ideas. Although Schooley and McCorkle participated in designing Kim, the majority of that particular task was the combined efforts of Loter, inaugural season director Chris Bailey, art director Alan Bodner and character designer

Stephen Silver Stephen Silver (born August 30, 1972) is a British artist, cartoonist and character designer. He is best known as the lead character designer for animated series such as ''Kim Possible'' and ''Danny Phantom''. History Silver started his profes ...

, each of whom had worked together on previous animated projects. Due to their extensive animation experience, Schooley and McCorkle were aware that "Kim had to be an appealing character", while Ron would be more-so "goofy-appealing". Evolving dramatically over the course of three months, Kim, who had originally been designed to resemble a "standard" athletic-looking blonde heroine, underwent several changes. At one point, the character's appearance was based on that of video game character

Lara Croft Lara Croft is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the video game franchise ''Tomb Raider''. She is presented as a highly intelligent and athletic British archaeologist who ventures into ancient tombs and hazardous ruins around t ...

from the ''

Tomb Raider ''Tomb Raider'', also known as ''Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'' from 2001 to 2008, is a media franchise that originated with an action-adventure video game series created by British gaming company Core Design. Formerly owned by Eidos Interactive, ...

'' franchise until Disney Channel abandoned this concept in favor of one more akin to that of a 14 year-old girl as opposed to a bombshell. Admitting that Kim would have been their dream girl in high school, the creators joked, "She would have been way out of our class though." A super suit designed for the character was introduced in early Season 4 but quickly abandoned once the writers realized that the costume would detract from the character's established "she can do anything" reputation. However, her original mission outfit consisting of a crop top and cargo pants is permanently replaced by a T-shirt and pants. Meanwhile, the outfits of Team Impossible were influenced by the X-Men's "classic" blue and gold uniforms. Loter typically visualized whatever script he was provided with after they had been written. With characters drawn with large heads and eyes, the show's colorful, "hip and retro" style is reminiscent of "campy"

spy film The spy film, also known as the spy thriller, is a genre of film that deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of John le Carré) or as a basis for fantasy (such as many James Bond films) ...

s released during the 1960s and 1970s. ''The New York Times'' observed that the show's retro setting is more similar to that of ''

The Jetsons ''The Jetsons'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It originally aired in prime time from September 23, 1962, to March 17, 1963, on ABC, then later aired in reruns via syndication, with new episodes produced ...

'' than ''The Simpsons''. Using a limited animation style, the characters wear a wide variety of costumes and hairstyles. Opting for a "simplicity that was the hallmark of" the 1960s, some of the architecture in ''Kim Possible'' is reminiscent of lairs owned by James Bond villains, while Bodner was inspired by the graphic design of posters Disney used during the same decade, as well a

Chuck Jones Charles Martin Jones (September 21, 1912 – February 22, 2002) was an American animator, director, and painter, best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of shorts. He wrote, pro ...

and

Maurice Noble Maurice James Noble (May 1, 1911 – May 18, 2001) was an American animation production designer, background artist and layout designer whose contributions to the industry spanned more than 60 years. He was a long-time associate and right-hand man ...

. In Season 4, some episodes were intentionally filmed in

multiplane The multiplane camera is a motion-picture camera that was used in the traditional animation process that moves a number of pieces of artwork past the camera at various speeds and at various distances from one another. This creates a sense of par ...

to achieve a more cinematic image. Additionally, Disney Channel's animated series '' American Dragon: Jake Long'' inspired the animators and artists to approach ''Kim Possible''s final season with an "edgier" design. Director Steve Loter declared that Season 4 was the "most international season" because Kim and Ron travel to more exotic countries. Four different animation studios animated the series: Rough Draft Korea, Starburst Animation Studios,

Toon City Toon City is a Filipino animation studio located in Manila. Its primary contractor is The Walt Disney Company and its DisneyToon Studios division, which produces animated TV series and direct-to-video films. They have also done a few commercial ...

and Hanho Heung-Up Co., Ltd.

Music

Written by musicians

Cory Lerios Cory Charles Lerios (born February 12, 1951) is an American pianist and vocalist. He is a founding member of the platinum-record-selling soft rock band Pablo Cruise, and since the mid-1980s he has scored music for film and television. History L ...

and

George Gabriel George Gabriel (born April 22, 1971) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer. He has composed and scored music for television and film for 23 years. He began television composing in 1996 when he started working with the news music c ...

, the show's theme song " Call Me, Beep Me" (also known as "Call Me, Beep Me! (The Kim Possible Song)" or simply "The Kim Possible Song") is performed by American recording artist

Christina Milian Christine Marie Flores (born September 26, 1981), better known as Christina Milian (), is an American actress and singer. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but raised in Maryland, she signed a contract with Murder Inc. Records at the age of 19 ...

. Having already been working for Disney Channel at the time, appearing as a correspondent on the network's miniseries ''

Movie Surfers A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

'' after declining an offer to appear on their variety show ''

The Mickey Mouse Club ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' is an American variety television show that aired intermittently from 1955 to 1996 and returned to social media in 2017. Created by Walt Disney and produced by Walt Disney Productions, the program was first televised ...

'', Milian learned about ''Kim Possible'' from Disney when the studio called her in recruitment of an artist to record the new show's theme song. After meeting with the songwriters, who then proceeded to write the song, for the first time, Milian returned to the studio to record "Call Me, Beep Me" one week later. Romano also contributed vocals to the song. Described as a

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

-influenced R&B and

teen pop Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards preteens and teenagers.Lamb, Bill"Teen Pop" About.com. Retrieved January 28, 2007. Teen pop incorporates different subgenres of pop music, as well as elements o ...

track, "Call Me, Beep Me" is heard during the show's opening

title sequence A title sequence (also called an opening sequence or intro) is the method by which films or television programmes present their title and key production and cast members, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound (often a opening theme song with vi ...

, encouraging viewers and listeners to contact Kim for assistance should they ever find themselves in difficult situations, featuring the lyrics "Danger or trouble, I'm there on the double." The sounds of mobile devices and modern-day technology are incorporated throughout the song. Although "Call Me, Beep Me" begins "I'm your basic, average girl" in reference to Kim, these lyrics are

paradox A paradox is a logically self-contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to one's expectation. It is a statement that, despite apparently valid reasoning from true premises, leads to a seemingly self-contradictory or a logically u ...

ical because there is little basic or average about its protagonist. A music video was released for "Call Me, Beep Me", which features Milian and Romano recording the song in the recording studio interspersed with short scenes from the series. " Call Me, Beep Me" became a

Radio Disney Radio Disney was an American radio network operated by the Disney Radio Networks unit of Disney Branded Television within the Disney General Entertainment Content, headquartered in Burbank, California. The network broadcast music programmi ...

hit, remaining at number one for 12 weeks. The song's success ultimately benefited Milian's career as a performer; she explained, "I never realized that show would give me so much exposure. It's great because people have grown with me, even with that damn song. Didn't know so many people were watching ''Kim Possible'' like that. Because of that song, it actually inspired me to do my own musical animated artist because a lot of people thought I was Kim Possible." Milian has yet to perform the song live in concert but has expressed interest in recording a remix for fans. "Call Me, Beep Me" was the first song Lerios and Gabriel wrote together, and the songwriting duo has since gone on to collaborate on both scoring and writing songs for several other major television networks and programs. "Call Me, Beep Me" became so popular among fans of both the show that several of them proceeded to download it as their own cell phone

ringtone A ringtone, ring tone or ring is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming call. Originally referring to and made by the electromechanical striking of bells, the term now refers to any sound on any device alerting of a new incoming ...

s, including Milian herself. Composer Adam Berry was responsible for scoring the entire series. Berry was also responsible for creating music for the first three seasons of Comedy Central's ''

South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand ...

''. While the music in ''Kim Possible'' is mostly guitar-driven, Berry's scoring experience prior to the show had been exclusively orchestral, composing scores using only a keyboard. A guitarist since the age of six, Berry himself provided all the guitar and bass musical cues in ''Kim Possible''. Although discussing whether or not

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fu ...

featured in the series should be stylistically similar to the score, Disney decided to avoid limiting the show to then-current musical trends because, according to Berry, "trying to be current is one of the best ways to sound dated." While themes of

electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electro ...

are heard during the scene's fight sequences, guitar riffs of "Call Me, Beep Me" are reprised throughout episodes. Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell made a guest appearance in the Season 2 episode "

Queen BeBe The following is a list of episodes for the Disney Channel series '' Kim Possible,'' which aired from June 7, 2002, to September 7, 2007. A total of four seasons, 87 episodes, and three TV movies were produced. Series overview Episodes Season ...

" in December 2003. The third season introduced several character-specific songs. The title sequence was almost entirely updated with the premiere of the fourth season, though "Call Me, Beep Me" remained unchanged. An official ''Kim Possible'' soundtrack was released by

Walt Disney Records Walt Disney Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label releases soundtrack albums from The Walt Disney Company's motion picture studios, television series, theme parks, and traditional studio albums produced by its ...

on July 1, 2003, featuring "Call Me, Beep Me" and "Could it Be", in addition to other musical contributions from the cast of ''Kim Possible'' in addition to various Disney recording artists, including

Aaron Carter Aaron Charles Carter (December 7, 1987November 5, 2022) was an American singer and rapper. He came to fame as a teen pop singer in the late 1990s, establishing himself as a star among preteen and teenage audiences during the first years of th ...

. Romano also recorded a new song entitled "Say the Word" for the album. A combination of teen pop,

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, ear ...

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, an ...

and R&B music, the soundtrack also features appearances by musical groups

A-Teens A-Teens (stylized as A★TEENS or A*Teens) were a Swedish pop music group from Stockholm, Sweden, formed by Niklas Berg in 1998 originally as an ABBA tribute band called ABBA-Teens and was later renamed A-Teens. The band members were Marie Ser ...

Jump5 Jump5 was an American Christian teen pop group active from 1999 until 2007. The group was made up of five members from Nashville: Brandon and Brittany Hargest, Chris Fedun, Lesley Moore and Libby Hodges. After Libby Hodges left in 2004, Natash ...

(performing a cover of

Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. ...

's " Celebration"), LMNT and Smash Mouth, and Will Friedle and Nancy Cartwright's "Naked Mole Rap", a rapped tribute to Ron's pet Rufus, ultimately concluding with a "work-you-up remix" of the theme song by Tony Phillip. Aimed primarily at the show's young fan base,

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

writer Heather Phares reviewed the album as "a better than average children's soundtrack."

Style and themes

Episodes typically adhere to a simple, similar format, featuring a power-hungry villain who Kim and Ron must somehow prevent from taking over the world. Although primarily an action comedy TV series, ''Music in Television: Channels of Listening'' author James Deaville observed that ''Kim Possible'' adheres to the long-standing tradition of combining adventure with comedy in animated television. According to Telebisyon, "The show is fairly action-oriented, but also has a strong, light-hearted comedic atmosphere". In addition to action, comedy and adventure, ''Kim Possible''s storylines also explore elements of romance and

. According to ''The Artifice'', the show's unique brand of humor distinguishes it from the

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such ...

style associated with most Disney Channel sitcoms, namely '' Phil of the Future'' and ''

That's so Raven ''That's So Raven'' is an American television teen sitcom that was created by Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman, and aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between January 2003 and November 2007. The series centers on Raven Baxter (Raven-Sy ...

'', although Ron can be considered a slapstick character. The villains are also depicted as clever, yet comical. With a tendency not to take itself seriously, ''Kim Possible'' both parodies and pays homage to the spy, action and

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

genres, its comedy benefiting from the show's emphasis on "over-the-top plots" and circumstances. Shego's own family of superheroes, Team Go, is a deliberate parody of the Marvel superhero team the

; the series also references the ''

'' and '' Mission: Impossible'' film franchises. Self-referential in its humor that avoids talking down to viewers, the series additionally parodies the

genre, teenage fads and trends in general, and sometimes makes fun of its own

plot hole In fiction, a plot hole, plothole or plot error is a gap or inconsistency in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the story's plot. Plot holes are usually created unintentionally, often as a result of editing or the w ...

s and oversights, while occasionally adopting common cartoon and sitcom tropes. In addition to other "mainstays" of modern-day

youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood ( maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as being a young adult. Yo ...

, technology serves an important role throughout the series, specifically the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, p ...

and Kim's gadgets, the most significant of which is the Kimmunicator designed to help Kim communicate with Wade and grants her access to virtually any information she desires. McCorkle elaborated on the show's emphasis on technology: "Using the Internet theme in the series became an easy launching pad partially because it is such a major part of the fabric of teen life and the interactive possibilities are endless ... It's as though we get to play James Bond's ' Q' for each episode -- the more imaginative the toy, the better." Particularly desirable to younger viewers, technology enables Kim to travel around the world effortlessly and, to some extent, mirrors children's ability to speak to anyone in the world via the Internet. Kim's ability to travel virtually anywhere around the world within a short period of time is left largely unexplained;

BuzzFeed BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III to focus on tracking viral content. Ke ...

referred to Wade as an "example that sitting in front of your computer all day is actually the most powerful position to be in." The fact that Wade never leaves his bedroom could potentially indicate that he suffers from

agoraphobia Agoraphobia is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives their environment to be unsafe with no easy way to escape. These situations can i ...

. Kim is raised in a

nuclear family A nuclear family, elementary family, cereal-packet family or conjugal family is a family group consisting of parents and their children (one or more), typically living in one home residence. It is in contrast to a single-parent family, the larg ...

. Unlike popular animated sitcoms such as ''The Simpsons'' and ''

Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their ch ...

'', both of Kim's parents are intelligent, accomplished and attractive; Kim's own intelligence is often attributed to the fact that she is born to a rocket scientist father and neurosurgeon mother. Kim's inherent confidence is a Possible family trait; her father James, who views women as equals, proudly reiterates the phrase "Nothing is impossible for a Possible" on numerous occasions. In her younger years, Kim's grandmother "Nana" Possible fought crime much like Kim herself. ''Kim Possible'' approaches the subject of the

friend zone In popular culture, the friend zone (or friendzone) is a relational concept, describing a situation in which one person in a mutual friendship wishes to enter into a romantic or sexual relationship with the other person, while the other doe ...

via Kim and Ron's relationship, discussing male-female friendship in a manner reminiscent to that of the romantic comedy '' When Harry Met Sally...'' (1989). According to Sarah Freymiller of ''Bustle'', the protagonists friendship evokes that of

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...

and the Joker, "Kim holds the functional and social power, while Ron exerts more of a calming, occasionally slapstick influence on the show ... he is the intelligent, kind chaos in her highly-organized life." Kim and Ron are solely platonic friends for the show's first three seasons and remain best friends even after they start dating in Season 4, defying the popular belief that "being romantically involved is worth more than being in a friendship." The series avoids the popular " Will they or won't they?" trope often used in television shows, keeping them as a couple for the remainder of the series. Having grown up together and learned from each other's mistakes, Kim and Ron ultimately make up for each other's shortcomings. According to Feminist Fairytales, "Ron has a very relaxed attitude towards life which often provides a balance to Kim's assertive nature and perfectionism, while Kim helps Ron become much more independent and self-reliant." Freymiller also believes Ron might have been conceived because "the creators sensed that television would only be able to accept a strong female character if she had a male counterpart," eliminating fears Kim might be perceived as too bitchy, complementing her actions as opposed to dominating. Hosting a diverse cast of strong female characters while confronting gender norms and barriers, ''Kim Possible'' explores

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

themes, specifically

third-wave feminism Third-wave feminism is an iteration of the feminist movement that began in the early 1990s, prominent in the decades prior to the fourth wave. Grounded in the civil-rights advances of the second wave, Gen X and early Gen Y generations third-w ...

. Alongside several other female-led animated series that premiered throughout the decade, which had been experiencing a steady influx in media starring "Teenage Action Chicks with special powers", ''Kim Possible'' is considered to be an example of both

girl power Girl power is a slogan that encourages and celebrates women's empowerment, independence, confidence and strength. The slogan's invention is credited to the US punk band Bikini Kill, who published a zine called ''Bikini Kill #2: Girl Power'' i ...

and power feminism. Similar to the animated shows ''

Totally Spies ''Totally Spies!'' is an animated spy-fi series created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel mainly produced by French animation company Marathon Media and French broadcaster TF1, with seasons 3 to 5 being co-produced with Canadian com ...

'', '' Atomic Betty'', and '' The Life and Times of Juniper Lee'', ''Kim Possible'' revolves around an attractive, intelligent, and strong female character whose public identity is meant to indicate that she should be received as a positive role models for young girls. According to Betsy Wallace of Common Sense Media, ''Kim Possible'' "capitalizes on the female villain-fighting craze that sparked with ''

'' and ''

Alias Alias may refer to: * Pseudonym * Pen name * Nickname Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film * ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006 * ''Alias the J ...

''", albeit simplifying the genre for a younger generation. Agreeing that the series adopted the then-new "crime-fighting female" formula, Tracey McLoone of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...

'' admitted that ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ''Alias'' and ''

The Powerpuff Girls ''The Powerpuff Girls'' is an American superhero animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera (later Cartoon Network Studios) for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Telev ...

'' comparisons are inevitable, but at the same time observed that Kim is more confident than her predecessors, incorporating cheerleading and acrobatics into her fights against enemies, while using traditionally "girly" accessories such as lip gloss and makeup to her advantage in battle. In comparison to Buffy, Kim also approaches her complicated lifestyle more joyfully. Meanwhile, Nicole Rogers of the ''

Wisconsin State Journal The ''Wisconsin State Journal'' is a daily newspaper published in Madison, Wisconsin by Lee Enterprises. The newspaper, the second largest in Wisconsin, is primarily distributed in a 19 county region in south-central Wisconsin. As of September ...

'' believes that Kim resembles what Sydney Bristow of ''Alias'' would be like had she been depicted as an animated high school student. According to

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's Monique Steele, ''Kim Possible'' is "all about how girls kick butt"; Kim constantly rescues Ron, saving him from peril on numerous occasions throughout the series. Writing for Wewomen.com, Carla Cain Walther observed that the series "scoffed at the '

damsel in distress The damsel in distress is a recurring narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has either been kidnapped or placed in general peril. Kinship, love, or lust (or a combination of those) gives the male protagonist the motiv ...

trope Trope or tropes may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trope (cinema), a cinematic convention for conveying a concept * Trope (literature), a figure of speech or common literary device * Trope (music), any of a variety of different things ...

used in action films" by having Kim save Ron "using her ingenuity and strength", reinforcing the idea that girls are capable of helping themselves. Identifying Kim as a

postfeminist The term postfeminism (alternatively rendered as post-feminism) is used to describe reactions against contradictions and absences in feminism, especially second-wave feminism and third-wave feminism. The term ''postfeminism'' is sometimes confuse ...

heroine because she is intelligent in addition to being "shaped like

Barbie Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched on March 9, 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. ...

" and having a male assistant similar to female executives, ''

'' Julie Salamon joked that "Kim's job seems to be making the world safe for cheerleaders again, following the path forged by

Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, she ...

in ''

Legally Blonde ''Legally Blonde'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic in his feature-length directorial debut, and scripted by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith from Amanda Brown's 2001 novel of the same name. It stars Reese Wit ...

'' on behalf of sorority girls." Tor.com's Sarah Gailey observed that while Shego proudly spends much of her time lounging poolside and deciding what she does and does not want to do, Kim is forced "to leap into action regardless of whether she's tired or sad or sick or, heaven forbid, too busy". ''

Bustle A bustle is a padded undergarment used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skirt from dragging. ...

''s Sarah Freymiller wrote that "Kim offers a model for femininity that both bolsters and works against the typical 'high school cheerleader' stereotype", citing cheerleading as an outlet the character chooses willingly. Kim is not a

tomboy A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...

; Julia Pugachevsky of

credits the series with "show ngthat you could be traditionally feminine and strong at the same time." Conversely, ''Geek Chic: Smart Women in Popular Culture'' author S. Inness argued that ''Kim Possible'' reinforces that "girls can do anything they choose" but must look a certain way in order to do so since its female character participate in

consumerism Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the su ...

and normative femininity that its male characters do not, such as shopping and spending much time on their appearance. Inness also felt that show's feminist potential is compromised by the fact that Kim mostly surrounds herself with male companions as opposed to female, "contradict ngthe messages of female

solidarity ''Solidarity'' is an awareness of shared interests, objectives, standards, and sympathies creating a psychological sense of unity of groups or classes. It is based on class collaboration.''Merriam Webster'', http://www.merriam-webster.com/dicti ...

". Steve Loter documented the production of the final episode of season four, and thus the completion of the ''Kim Possible'' franchise, in a blog titled "So the Finale" hosted on

Broadcast

Produced by

, ''Kim Possible''s episodes are typically 22 minutes in length and occupy half-hour time slots. Season 1 included a total of 21 episodes and was initially scheduled to premiere in January 2002. The first episode, " Crush", premiered on Disney Channel on June 7, 2002, followed by the airing of two back-to-back episodes, occupying the 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

time slot Broadcast programming is the practice of organizing or ordering (scheduling) of broadcast media shows, typically radio and television, in a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or season-long schedule. Modern broadcasters use broadcast automation ...

. In total, three half-hour episodes premiered back-to-back. A ratings success, ''Kim Possible''s premiere became the most-watched of any Disney Channel Original Series. Following its premiere, Disney Channel aired one new episode of the series Friday nights at 6:30 pm. By 2005, the show's time slot had been changed to Friday evenings at 5:30 pm. Episodes were also broadcast in

syndication Syndication may refer to: * Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system * Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips * Web syndication, ...

on several

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

-affiliated television networks including

Toon Disney Toon Disney was an American multinational pay television channel owned by Disney Channels Worldwide, a subsidiary of Disney-ABC Television Group. The channel's target audience was children ages 2–11, and children ages 6–13 during the Jetix ...

, weekdays at 7:30 am and weekends at 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm, and ABC's ABC Kids Saturday mornings at 11:00 am, ultimately becoming the "lynchpin" of that particular segment. Internationally, ''Kim Possible'' aired on the Family Channel in Canada, while broadcasting on CCTV 12 in China,

Dubai TV Dubai TV is a TV channel offered by the Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI). It replaced Emirates Dubai Television on June 14, 2004. Dubai TV broadcasts programmes predominantly in Arabic. The programming caters to family Arab audience specifically ...

in Dubai in their respective local languages, Mandarin and Arabic and on

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company unde ...

in the Philippines in Filipino language. The show proved particularly popular in Germany and Japan. In terms of ratings, ''Kim Possible'' continued to perform consistently well into its second and third seasons. Typically, series that originate on Disney Channel seldom surpass three seasons (65 episodes) before they are canceled, a

rule Rule or ruling may refer to: Education * Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE), a university in Cambodia Human activity * The exercise of political or personal control by someone with authority or power * Business rule, a rule pert ...

that had been practiced since the late 1990s. In 2005, production halted following the premiere of '' Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama'' after airing three seasons and 65 episodes. However, the success of ''So the Drama'' bolstered the show's popularity overseas and ultimately encouraged Disney Channel executives to renew the series for a fourth and final season. In December 2005, Disney Channel ordered 22 new episodes of ''Kim Possible'' in response to the series' success and popular demand from fans, who had been heavily petitioning for the show's renewal online and via e-mail. One of only a handful of television series revived by

cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

, ''Kim Possible'' was the first Disney Channel Original Series to air more than 65 episodes; its order to produce 22 new episodes as opposed to the usual 13 to 18 was also unprecedented for a revived program. After a year-long hiatus, Season 4 initially premiered exclusively on Disney Channel's website before finally returning to the network on February 10, 2007, prior to which an image of a watch-sized rendition of the Kimmunicator had been leaked online. Originally, the episodes were not aired in chronological order, a decision Loter detested. Ratings remained strong into the final season. After running five years, four seasons and 81 episodes (87 including the films), the hour-long series finale, "

Graduation Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...

", aired on September 7, 2007, ending ''Kim Possible''. ''Kim Possible'' aired weekdays on

Disney XD Disney XD is an American pay television channel owned by the Disney Branded Television and Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution units of The Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven yea ...

in the United States. When the series returned to Disney XD in February 2014, fans flocked to Twitter to voice their approval. The series also airs on Disney-affiliated channels around the world in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, India, South Africa, and several Eastern European countries. On May 2, 2016, the series began airing on Disney's Freeform network as part of the late-night ''That's So Throwback'' block. The series began airing on Disney XD in 2018, though only including random episodes from Seasons 1 and 4. Eventually, the reruns shifted to include episodes from all four seasons, still out of order, beginning with reruns aired beginning and after July 30, 2018 until August 2018. In addition to maintaining consistently high ratings throughout its four-season run, ''Kim Possible'' was the longest-running Disney Channel Original Series until it was surpassed by ''

Phineas and Ferb ''Phineas and Ferb'' is an American animated musical-comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series was originally broadcast as ...

'' in 2012. The show can now be found on

Disney+ Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...

Home media

Reception

Critical response

In the days leading up to ''Kim Possible''s premiere, television critics speculated whether or not the show would attract a large enough male audience despite its female lead to prove successful. Ultimately, ''Kim Possible'' premiered to both widespread acclaim and strong viewership. The first season currently holds a perfect 100% score on

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...

. The series continued to garner critical acclaim throughout its run, earning particular praise for its dialogue, humor and animation, as well as appeal towards both younger and older viewers. Describing the show as "infectious", Rob Owen of the ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the Alle ...

'' wrote, "Blessed with a modern sense of humor and hip -- but not too hip -- vocabulary, ''Kim Possible'' should appeal to the tweens ... it clearly targets", believing that its animation, "speed with which stories unfold and especially the dialogue makes ''Kim Possible'' an early summer TV treat." Writing for ''

'', television critic

Julie Salamon Julie Salamon (born July 10, 1953) is an American author and journalist, who has been a film and television critic for the ''Wall Street Journal'' and the ''New York Times''. She is the author of twelve books, for adults and children. In 2021, she ...

enjoyed Rufus' role, penning, "I probably would have liked ''Kim Impossible'' even if one of its lead characters hadn't been a naked mole rat. But the cheerful presence of Rufus ... in this new animated series from Disney signals that the show's executive producer and director, Chris Bailey, doesn't mind getting cute in obvious ways." Similarly, ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'''s Alex Kane wrote that the show "is ultimately made memorable by its charming cast of characters, including a naked mole rat named Rufus". In his book '' The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present'', television historian Tim Brooks appreciated the show's "marvelous sense of humor about itself." Scott D. Pierce of the ''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

'' praised ''Kim Possible'' for being "an entertaining show that should indeed appeal to tweens, younger kids and even their parents" that "plays with the superhero format in a way that doesn't take itself too seriously but doesn't play down to the viewers." Tracy McLoone of ''

'' reviewed, "''Kim Possible'' includes adult-friendly humor, in the event that parents feel the need to watch tv (sic) with their kids. But nobody in or watching the series will ever be offended or over-stimulated, or even surprised." While accepting Kim as a positive role model and admitting that the series teaches "good lessons" at times, Besty Wallace of

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

expressed concern over the show's violent action sequences, explaining, "lessons may get muddled and nearly lost as the heroes shimmy up rope ladders dangling from helicopters and dodge spinning tops of doom." Wallace concluded, "As long as you're not expecting too much in the way of educational value, you'll probably have plenty of fun with this one." Writing for ''

'', Sarah Freymiller opined, "Ultimately, ''Kim Possible was'' just a solid show" that "didn't skimp on plot or dialogue in favor of

Wile E. Coyote Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner are a duo of cartoon characters from the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of animated cartoons, first appearing in 1949 in the theatrical cartoon short '' Fast and Furry-ous''. In each episode, ...

explosions, and its tongue-in-cheek humor allowed it to be self-aware and hip at the same time." Conversely, ''Girlfighting: Betrayal and Rejection Among Girls'' author Lyn Mikel Brown was less receptive towards Kim herself, criticizing the show for promoting the beautiful and thin heroine as "your basic average girl" and apparent reliance on Ron's intelligence, as well as the fact that her "biggest threat" is Bonnie as opposed to evil. According to Brown, "Being the kind of girl who's accepted or befriended by boys underscores a girl's power and sets her against other girls."

Awards and nominations

Legacy

Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed '' polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two ...

'' writer Petrana Radulovic observed that the series "bears a weighty legacy" due to being "a staple of many childhoods ... Unlike many other action comedies at the time, ''Kim Possible'' centered around a capable heroine, and many boys and girls alike watched the show. Because it is such a beloved childhood show, the nostalgia value is high." One of Disney Channel's most popular and successful original shows, ''Kim Possible'' remains the project for which Schooley and McCorkle are best known. Few anticipated ''Kim Possible'' would become as successful as it ultimately did, proving popular among both male and female audiences. Explaining ''Kim Possible''s universal appeal, the creators said, "Whenever there's an action complement to a show, boys get excited, and when Kim does her martial arts and when she's doing one of these incredible stunts, boys love to watch it ... And one of the things that we've always found is that boys of any age ... love humour and characters that are a little goofy, sort of silly and weird. When we tested it, the kids were like: 'Oh, Ron's stupid funny' and that became sort of a buzz phrase." ''Kim Possible'' was greeted with a level of enthusiasm that had not been experienced since the Disney Afternoon Lineup, becoming Disney Channel's most successful post-1990s show. Disney Channel Worldwide President

Rich Ross Rich Ross is the former Group President of Discovery Channel and Science Channel. Earlier in his tenure at Discovery he also oversaw Animal Planet and Velocity (TV network). Previously he was the Chief Executive Officer of Shine America, respo ...

extolled ''Kim Possible'' as a "stand-out" among both the network's live action and animated catalog. The series maintains "legions" of devoted fans. A poll conducted by Disney Channel revealed that ''Kim Possible'' viewers voted for Season 3's "

Emotion Sickness "Emotion Sickness" is a song by the Australian alternative rock band Silverchair. It was released as the first song on their 1999 album ''Neon Ballroom''. At 6 minutes long, it is the band's third longest song. Australian pianist David Helfgott ...

" as their favorite episode of the series. ''Kim Possible'' is considered to be one of Disney Channel's most beloved programs. ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...

'' ranked ''Kim Possible'' the fourth on greatest Disney Channel Original Series, calling it an "animated gem". ''Kim Possible'' was placed at number nine on ''TV Guide'''s ranking of "The Best Disney Channel Shows".

ranked ''Kim Possible'' 13th in its article "15 Disney Channel Series We Wish We Could Watch Again". According to a 2019 article by ''

Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...

'', ''Kim Possible'' is the sixth highest-ranked Disney Channel Original Series on

IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

, with a score of 7.2 at the time of publishing, praising its combination of "a strong female lead, a dude instead of a damsel in distress, and a slew of colorful villains to fight". On June 7, 2022, Romano and Friedle appeared on ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. ...

'' to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ''Kim Possible'' and discuss its impact. On that same day, a special ''Kim Possible''-themed episode of Romano and Friedle's podcast ''I Hear Voices'' was released. At the beginning, Romano and Friedle interview creators

and

, as well as voice actors

(Shego) and

(Drakken). At the end, the four actors performed a brand new ''Kim Possible'' scene written by McCorkle and Schooley and directed by original ''Kim'' voice director Lisa Schaffer. The scene begins with Kim and Ron hanging at Bueno Nacho before entering Drakken's lair and tricked into being guests on Drakken and Shego's podcast. As usual, Kim and Ron escape but not before Kim gets into fisticuffs with Shego (with Drakken and Ron providing commentary on the fight).

Related media

Films

There have been two full length animated ''Kim Possible'' films, and one live action feature length film: * '' Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time'' (2003) - Animated * '' Kim Possible: So the Drama'' (2005) - Animated * ''

'' (2019) - Live action The success of ''Kim Possible'' spawned two animated—as well as a live action—

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

s based on the series, becoming the first animated series to be adapted into a

Disney Channel Original Movie Many television films have been produced for Disney Channel, an American family-oriented basic cable channel and former premium television channel since its launch on April 18, 1983. Until October 1997, films were released under the banner na ...

. The first, '' Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time'', is

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

-themed and premiered on Disney Channel on November 28, 2003, following Kim as she travels both back in time and into the future to save the world. Dubbed an "extended episode", the film also explores the character's origin, revealing how both she and Ron became crime fighters, and features an all-star cast. The second, '' Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama,'' was released in 2005 and was originally going to be the

series finale A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...

, but due to popular demand the series was renewed for the fourth season. On February 7, 2018, Disney announced on Twitter that they were moving forward in making a live action ''

'' Disney Channel Original Movie and were beginning casting. On April 25, 2018, Disney Channel announced on its Public Relations Twitter account that the movie was set to premiere sometime in 2019 and that

Sadie Stanley Sadie Anne Stanley (born November 15, 2001) is an American actress and singer, who began her career as the titular role in the 2019 Disney Channel original movie, ''Kim Possible''. She is also known for her recurring role as Brea Bee on '' The ...

and

Sean Giambrone Sean Giambrone (born May 30, 1999) is an American actor. His on-screen roles include Adam F. Goldberg in the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' and Ron Stoppable in the Disney Channel film ''Kim Possible''. His voice acting credits include Yumyulack Solar ...

would portray Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable respectively. On May 25, 2018, TVLine revealed casting for six key roles in the movie including

Alyson Hannigan Alyson Lee Hannigan (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress. After starting her career at age four with appearances in commercials, she moved to Hollywood at age 11 and soon got an agent. Hannigan began her film career with supporting ro ...

as Dr. Ann Possible,

Connie Ray Constance Ray (born July 10, 1956) is an American actress and playwright. Among her highest-profile appearances are ''Thank You for Smoking'' (2006) and '' Stuart Little'' (1999), and the television drama '' ER'' (1997). She also appeared in '' ...

as Nana Possible,

Todd Stashwick Todd Stashwick is an American actor and writer. He is known for his roles as Dale Malloy on '' The Riches'' and Deacon on '' 12 Monkeys''. Early life and career After performing at several local improvisational theaters, he was hired to tour wi ...

as Drakken, Taylor Ortega as Shego, Ciara Wilson as Athena and Erika Tham as Bonnie. On June 22, 2018, it was announced that Issac Ryan Brown will portray Wade. In August 2018, it was announced

had joined the cast of the film, with

reprising his role as Professor Dementor. A trailer was released on December 7, and the film itself premiered on February 15, 2019.

Miniseries

The live action film was followed by the miniseries ''Kim Hushable'', released on Disney Channel’s YouTube account with five 4-minutes episodes between June 5 and 24, 2019.

Video games and merchandise

The success of ''Kim Possible'' spawned its own video game series; a total of six video games were released, supported by various gaming consoles and platforms: * ''Disney's Kim Possible: Revenge of Monkey Fist'' (GBA) – released, November 13, 2002 * ''Disney's Kim Possible 2: Drakken's Demise'' (GBA) – released, September 15, 2004 * ''Disney's Kim Possible 3: Team Possible'' (GBA) – released, August 21, 2005 * ''Disney's Kim Possible: Kimmunicator'' (DS) – released, November 9, 2005 * ''Disney's Kim Possible: Legend of the Monkeys Eye'' (PC) – released, May 16, 2006 * ''Disney's Kim Possible: What's the Switch?'' (PS2) – released, October 19, 2006 * ''Disney's Kim Possible: Global Gemini'' (DS) – released, February 9, 2007 * ''Disney's Kim Possible'' (Java ME) – released in 2007 * Additionally, Kim, Ron, Dr. Drakken, Shego, and Duff Killigan are all playable heroes in ''Disney Heroes: Battle Mode''. Rufus also appears in Ron's blue skill. In 2003, Disney began using the popularity of both Disney Channel's ''Kim Possible'' and ''

Lizzie McGuire ''Lizzie McGuire'' is an American comedy television series created by Terri Minsky that premiered on Disney Channel on January 12, 2001. The series stars Hilary Duff as the titular character, who navigates the personal and social issues of her t ...

'' in an attempt to revive the company's struggling merchandising division, which had been suffering from a declining interest in movie and television

tie-in A tie-in work is a work of fiction or other product based on a media property such as a film, video game, television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property. Tie-ins are authorized by the owners of the original prop ...

s. In June 2004, McDonald's customers received ''Kim Possible'' memorabilia ranging from

action figure An action figure is a poseable character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are usually mar ...

s to spy gear and accessories with their purchase of a

Happy Meal A Happy Meal is a kids' meal usually sold at the American fast food restaurant chain McDonald's since June 1979. A small toy or book is included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a red cardboard box with a yellow smiley fac ...

. Customers were given a choice of eight different interactive toys to choose from, including a magnetic

drawing tablet A graphics tablet (also known as a digitizer, digital graphic tablet, pen tablet, drawing tablet, external drawing pad or digital art board) is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images, animations and graphics, with a spec ...

designed to resemble the Kimminucator and action figures of Kim, Ron, Rufus, Shego, and Monkey Fist.

Epcot attraction

Based on the series, the ''Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure'' was an interactive attraction that took place in several of

Epcot Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Inspired by an unre ...

's World Showcase pavilions in

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, ...

. The attraction is an electronic scavenger hunt that has guests using special "Kimmunicators" (in actuality, modified

cell phone A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive telephone call, calls over a radio freq ...

s) to help Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable solve a "crime" or disrupt an evil-doer's "plans for global domination." The "Kimmunicator" is able to trigger specific events within the pavilion grounds that provide clues to completing the adventure. Launched in January 2009 and presented by

Verizon Wireless Verizon is an American wireless network operator that previously operated as a separate division of Verizon Communications under the name Verizon Wireless. In a 2019 reorganization, Verizon moved the wireless products and services into the div ...

, the ''Adventure'' is included in park admission. The attraction was closed on May 18, 2012, to make way for a similar attraction themed around the character of "Agent P" from Disney Channel animated television show ''

''. The new attraction, now called ''Disney's Phineas and Ferb's Agent P World Showcase Adventure'', opened in June 2012.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim Possible 2000s American animated television series 2000s American high school television series 2002 American television series debuts 2007 American television series endings American children's animated action television series American children's animated adventure television series American children's animated comedy television series American television series revived after cancellation Animated television series about teenagers Disney Channel original programming English-language television shows Espionage television series Teen animated television series Television series by Disney Television Animation Television series created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle Television shows adapted into video games Television shows set in Colorado Crossover animated television series