Back when I was a kid, I did not watch much television. However, one show that I would always make time to watch was Totally Spies. While it may seem slightly stereotypical looking back now as an adult, I believe it was a good TV show for me to be watching as a young girl who was just beginning to get an idea about the kind of person I could grow up to be.
The show features three common stereotypes for female characters – Sam is the smart leader of the group, Clover is a fashionista and Alex is good at sports. Of course, all of the girls are slightly boy-crazy with Clover being the most so. While I did not relate to that aspect of their personalities, I really did relate to Sam’s character.
Personally, I connected to the fact that she was so invested in her studies and often felt a lot of pressure to do well. Even though her character was older than me, I could relate to her struggles as I often put the same pressure on myself to do well academically, as I felt it was the only thing I was good at.
Seeing her have to take accountability for her actions during the course of the show helped me realize that there are things that matter more than being studious (such as being a good friend). Again, while these were stereotypical problems, it still encouraged me to reflect on the same issues that I saw within myself.
Additionally, the gadgets used in the show were cool.
While they were based off of items that are considered feminine within society (lipstick, makeup compacts, etc.), I think that they were relevant to things that most women would carry with them and have easy access to in a dire situation.
The introduction to these special gadgets was always very unique, and the way that they were used made sense in the plot and were creative.
Ultimately, Totally Spies deserves more recognition simply for the fact that it was one of the first shows to show ‘girl power’ in a productive way. All of the plot lines focus solely on the girls; expanding their characters and teaching them important life lessons. All of the girls had a central role and each brought a specific skill or perspective to the team that was important and necessary for them to complete their missions.
If you’re looking for a show to look back on that gives you some early 2000’s nostalgia – I suggest this one. Plus, the fashion is amazing and similar to what we are wearing today!