Walt Disney is Weeping in his Grave.
1.5
May I start of by saying that the reviews attacking Rocky for being a "lesbian" are just plain offensive. We get it. The show is an unceasing crapfest but you do not need to talk about your murderous desire to kill a 16 year old. The show may be godawful, but those kind of derogatory comments are deplorable. You're pathetic, get some help.
One good show Disney. Just ONE good show. Is that so much to ask for?
The acting in Shake it Up is unapologetically constipated, there are no other words for it.
Flynn - Some one seriously needs to shut him up before I do it for him. I know that the actor portraying Flynn is only 11 or so, but would it kill the producers to find a genuinely talented actor? No, I didn't think so.
Cece - Well, well, well. Some one who takes contemptibility to a whole new level and makes superficiality a high art. I'm really tired of the ubiquity of air , vacuous idiots in Disney's programming. A character can be hilarious, relatable and entertaining - all whilst having a decent sized brain. In Farm we have Paisley and Cameron, in Austin and Ally we have Dez, in Pair of Kings we have the Pair of Kings themselves, in Jessie we have Emma and Luke, and the most air headed amongst the air headed is Cece. Shopping. Boys. Fame. Fashion. Talk about "character depth".
Rocky - at least she serves as a decent role model some of the time. Zendaya's acting isn't bad (not marvellous though) and she is the more believable of the two lead characters. If dancing doesn't work out for her, than her career of choice would be medicine, law, neuroscience, political science etc. If dance doesn't work out for Cece, than she'll just have to join the Kardashians. At least one of them has ambitions, motivation and the ability to take their education seriously. That counts for something, but the "cookie cutter smarty pants" stereotype is getting old fast.
Deuce - Haven't got much too say about him. I could do without all the shady deals though.
Ty - by far the best dancer on the show and yet ironically he doesn't do much dancing in the show.
Tinka and Gunther - vexing as they are, they entertain you more than the leads - in a bad way.
Cece's Mom - I pity Cece in this regard. No discipline, no reprimand, no parenting whatsoever. If she is only a cop how can she afford such a capacious, extravagant apartment.
The set design makes you want to throw up but it looks like someone already did. The manuscript is so wooden it's no wonder that the stars can't exploit their full range of talents, however few of them they may have.
The clothes. No 12-17 year old dresses that way, apart from fashionista wannabes ( I guess they do fit in that category) and people with serious issues. TOO MUCH MAKE -UP! Looking at them on screen, you don't buy that they are every day teens.
Shake it Up is yet another Disney show that teaches kids that performing arts is all about "fame" and that any bobble-headed bimbo can be famous. It isn't easy, in fact that is probably the understatement of the century. Kids also don't have to be involved in music/dance to make a difference to this world somehow. Phineas and Ferb on the other hand are perspicacious, precocious, ingenious, creative, prodigious and inspiring. They are gifted academically, mechanically and creatively. As a student, even though they are cartoon characters, they inspire me to think outside of the box, break convention, to be independent and to actually use your brain outside of school!!!! They maybe 2- dimensional, but they have myriad more depth then the 3D rubbish that Disney Channel is pumping across the globe.
WHen Walt Disney started this company, it was an art. A fine art that was to be taken seriously and crafted meticulously. Both film and television. Even less than a decade ago, Disney used to make the best shows: That's So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Phil of the Future, Recess, The Proud Family, Bus Life, Kim Possible, The Emperor's NEw School, the list goes on. I'm not 14 yet and I remember these programmes, but turing on the TV in 2013 just makes me want to claw my eyes out the preponderance of the time.