One thing I’ve appreciated about Phineas and Ferb since childhood is how kind the narrative is to Candace (and all the other girls and teen girls, for that matter) Phineas and Ferb actually adore her. (I mean the third episode is about them carving her face into Mount Rushmore for her birthday) Her parents clearly love her. Perry loves her. Her friends, her Jeremy. I always forget Buford has a crush on her until he throws in the occasional line. Yes we have “the mysterious force” and her constantly being gaslit by seemingly the universe itself, but it is made abundantly clear that the gaslighting is entirely unintentional, on her family and friends part, excluding Perry I suppose.
One of the most iconic songs is about Vanessa and Candace meeting and wanting to help each other. Cause people do believe her. People do like her.
I just feel like it would be very easy, expected even to be like “hey, look at this buzzkill annoying loser older sister character!” Have Jeremy only like her when she’s pretending to be someone else, have an episode where Phineas and Ferb pull increasingly terrible pranks on her, Perry considers leaving her behind during an impromptu rescue cause she’s just so annoying.
I mean this was pitched to Disney. How mean spirited can your concept get under that brand before it’s rejected? However, Phineas and Ferb makes no attempt to push that envelope. You’re not supposed to hate Candace. You’re supposed to root for her, too.
Of all the “as a woman, I appreciate this.” moments you can have as a female artist cringey enough as this is to admit Phineas and Ferb is one of the cartoons I feel that with not gonna lie. 2nd dimension is supremely iconic for that reason too.
