Disney Cancels “Raven’s Home” Spinoff “Alice In The Palace”

Last year, it was revealed that the Disney Channel had ordered a pilot for “Alice In The Palace”, which was a spin-off of “Raven’s Home” and that it would be made by Raven-Symoné, who has an overall deal with Disney.

The show picks up when Alice, played by Mykal-Michelle Harris, Raven’s young cousin, returns to England and reunites with Duchess Clementine, who is also portrayed by Harris, a young royal who looks exactly like her. In the process, Clementine gets a taste of the fun side of “normal” life, while Alice gets a taste of the finer side of “regal” life.

When the show was announced, Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, said:

“Raven is a true trailblazer who constantly pushes creative boundaries in acting, producing, and directing.  For six incredible seasons, Raven’s Home has been a cornerstone series for Disney Channel, bringing joy, laughter, and tackling real-life issues in a relatable and meaningful way for kids and families. We are delighted to continue our close relationship with Raven for many years to come, starting with new spin-off Alice in the Palace.”

While Disney filmed a pilot, there hasn’t been much news on the Disney Channel series, until earlier this month, when Mykal-Michelle Harris confirmed on social media that the show is not moving forward to a series.

“Everyone has been asking soooo…I want to say thank you so very much to EVERY SINGLE PERSON who worked on my very own pilot that I not only played the titular character on… but also played opposite myself as another character (Alice and Clementine) AND was a PRODUCER on. It was for sure a dream come true to make ‘Alice in the Palace.’ Ultimately, Disney Channel decided to take the strategy in a different direction that did not include our show.”

While Mykal-Michelle Harris might not be getting her own Disney Channel show, the good news is that she was recently cast in the upcoming “Oswald The Lucky Rabbit” series for Disney+.

Roger’s Take:  It’s unfortunate for those involved in the creation of the show that “Alice In The Palace” isn’t going ahead, but this is one of the reasons why studios make pilots before deciding whether they should invest in a show.  Ultimately, the pilot obviously highlighted some concerns that this show wasn’t going to work, for many reasons.   There’s a reason why so few live-action comedy shows are created now by the Disney Channel, most of which are down to a change in viewing habits, as streaming offers kids all the choice they want.  Had this been twenty years ago, this type of show probably would have gone ahead, but now, kids just aren’t watching this type of show in big enough numbers to warrant the expense. 

Previous seasons of “Raven’s Home” and the original series, “That’s So Raven”, are available to stream on Disney+ now.

What do you think of Disney not moving forward with “Alice In The Palace”?  Let me know on social media!