Summary

  • Disney+ offers a rich library with thousands of TV episodes from Disney classics, Marvel, Star Wars, and more.
  • Original content on Disney+ includes Marvel, Star Wars, and popular network favorites.
  • Iconic shows like The Simpsons, Gravity Falls, and Doctor Who highlight the diverse range of TV options on Disney+.

There’s no shortage of choice among the best TV shows on Disney+. Disney+ comes with over 7,000 television episodes, and the House of Mouse’s streaming platform gives subscribers access to a wide range of TV shows from the Disney Vault. Many of its shows are based on beloved Disney classics like The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, but Disney+’s content isn’t limited to its own in-house properties. While its library is full of shows from the Disney Channel, it’s also packed with shows from the worlds of Marvel, Star Wars, and many other household names like The Simpsons.

On top of all the Marvel and Star Wars shows that are included, Disney+ regularly adds its own original series, making it a great source of entertainment no matter the genre. Disney+ boasts an impressive list of shows, augmenting its emphasis on Marvel and Star Wars, and this includes both new content and network favorites from the past. Subscribers can watch a number of both new and classic live-action shows, 1990s Saturday morning cartoons, and more, as the range of TV shows available on Disney+ right now is incredibly extensive even outside its flagship franchises.

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Best Animated Series On Disney+

The Simpsons (1989 – Present)

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The Simpsons

The Simpsons is a long-running animated TV series created by Matt Groening that satirically follows a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield. Homer, a bit of a schmoe who works at a nuclear power plant, is the provider for his family, while his wife, Marge, tries to keep sanity and reason in the house to the best of her ability. Bart is a born troublemaker, and Lisa is his super-intelligent sister who finds herself surrounded by people who can’t understand her. Finally, Maggie is the mysterious baby who acts as a deus ex machina when the series calls for it. The show puts the family in several wild situations while constantly tackling socio-political and pop-culture topics set within their world, providing an often sharp critique of the subjects covered in each episode. This series first premiered in 1989 and has been a staple of Fox’s programming schedule ever since.

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Cast

Tress MacNeille
, Julie Kavner
, Harry Shearer
, Pamela Hayden
, Nancy Cartwright
, Hank Azaria
, Dan Castellaneta
, Yeardley Smith

Seasons

35

Thanks to the widely publicized Fox-Disney deal, Disney+ has access to the longest-running American sitcom ever: The Simpsons, which has over 30 seasons available to stream on the platform. The legendary series got its start as part of The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987, and it has since become one of the longest-running primetime scripted shows in television history.

It is perhaps the most well-known of the best Disney+ TV shows, with over 700 Simpsons episodes streaming for fans to watch from the beginning, or simply to revisit the show’s many highlights. The Simpsons season 34 arrived on the platform in 2023, making 2024 the perfect time and Disney+ the perfect streaming service for returning fans of the show to catch up on what’s been happening most recently in Springfield.

Gravity Falls (2012–2016)

Gravity Falls TV Poster

Gravity Falls

When Dipper and Mabel Pines are dropped off to spend the summer with their uncle in Gravity Falls, they discover that all is not as it seems in this small town. When Dipper discovers a strange journal in the forest, the twins team up to solve the town’s mysteries.

Release Date

June 15, 2012

Cast

Jason Ritter
, Kristen Schaal

Seasons

2

Premiering on Disney Channel in 2012, Gravity Falls told the story of twins dropped off in the titular Oregonian town for summer vacation. Once there with their great uncle, Stan, they realize there is more to Gravity Falls, and plenty of nightmare fuel, than anyone could have expected.

Both seasons of the show have a 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting its quality.

Expertly blending mystery and comedy, Gravity Falls lasted for two seasons and 40 episodes, finishing up its run on Disney XD before getting added to Disney+ for new fans to discover. Both seasons of the show have a 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting its quality. While Gravity Falls ending after season 2 caused chagrin among some viewers, the dual chapters of this charming animated show wrapping up neatly also make it perfect for binge-watching.

Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir (2015-Present)

Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (2015)

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (2015)

Set in Paris, Miraculous follows teenagers Marinette and Adrien, who are chosen to wield magical jewels that transform them into the superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir. Unaware of each other’s true identities, they battle villains controlled by the sinister Hawk Moth, who seeks their powers.

Cast

Marinette Dupain-Cheng
, Adrien Agreste

Release Date

October 19, 2015

Seasons

5

Franchise(s)

Miraculous

While it debuted almost a decade ago, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is an animated French superhero show that’s slowly but surely gained a dedicated following. Among the shows on Disney+ it especially stands out, as it’s one of the few superhero adventures that isn’t tied in any way to Marvel or the MCU — though this isn’t to its detriment. Miraculous features an endearing ensemble range of unique superheroes, though mostly focuses on its two central heroes (the titular Ladybug and Cat Noir). However, what Miraculous does especially well is weave comedy and romance into its intense family-friendly action.

The pair have no idea about each other’s secret identities or that they’re both superheroes protecting Paris, leading to many hilarious moments throughout Miraculous.

Ladybug and Cat Noir are star-crossed lovers. Marionette (Lady-Bug’s alter ego) is head-over-heels for Adrien (the secret identity of Cat Noir) and the two go to high school together. The twist is that, in their superhero identities, Cat Noir is infatuated with Ladybug, who has no romantic interest in her heroic companion. The pair have no idea about each other’s secret identities or that they’re both superheroes protecting Paris, leading to many hilarious moments throughout Miraculous.

There are several spin-off movies in the Miraculous franchise that are also available to stream on Disney+.

Best Marvel Series On Disney+

Marvel Studio’s What If…? (2021-Present)

Though MCU fatigue may have set in, What If…? is always a fun show for any Marvel fan. The animated anthology series centers on the Watcher (Jeffrey Wright), an omnipotent being who sees everything that happens across Marvel’s multiverse. He narrates the show, which explores how major events in the MCU played out differently through various universes.

What If…? is a fun diversion where fans can still spend time with their favorite superheroes.

Each episode poses fun questions like, “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” and “What If… Thor Were An Only Child?”. As the cinematic franchise gets more and more confusing, What If…? is a fun diversion where fans can still spend time with their favorite superheroes. Season 2 of What It…? arrived in stages throughout December 2023, making 2024 the perfect time to catch up with one of the best Marvel TV shows on Disney+.

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Ms. Marvel (2022 – Present)

Ms. Marvel

Ms. Marvel is an action-superhero TV series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The show follows Iman Vellani, a 16-year-old high school student in New Jersey who is a huge fan of superheroes and has difficulty fitting in at school. When Iman is gifted a mysterious bangle from her grandfather, she discovers it allows her to utilize cosmic energy and construct what she can imagine. Now an accidental superhero, Iman will try to rise to the challenge and make a name for herself as Ms. Marvel.

Release Date

June 8, 2022

Cast

Matt Lintz
, Laith Naki
, Rish Shah
, Nimra Bucha
, Iman Vellani
, Yasmeen Fletcher
, Saagar Shaikh
, Travina Springer
, Zenobia Shroff
, Mohan Kapur
, Aramis Knight
, Azher Usman

Seasons

1

Ms. Marvel was one of the most anticipated new series on Disney+ before it premiered in 2022. The series, adapted from the comic book series of the same name, follows Kamala Khan, a huge superhero fan and young Pakistani woman growing up in New Jersey, as she discovers she has superpowers.

Ms. Marvel blends a somewhat typical superhero origin story with often-ignored storylines about growing up as a child of immigrants in modern America. The series is the winner of a 2022 Golden Tomato from Rotten Tomatoes for Best Superhero Series, beating out many more established shows that were eligible.

WandaVision (2021)

WandaVision Poster

WandaVision

WandaVision, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first TV show on Disney+, first aired in 2021. The series kicked off the MCU’s Phase 4 and brought back Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, and Paul Bettany as Vision. WandaVision strayed away from Marvel’s typical formula, this time formatting itself more like a classic sitcom as Wanda struggles to cope with the death of Vision. 

Release Date

January 15, 2021

Seasons

1

After a decade of dominance at the box office, the MCU could have easily played it safe with its Disney+ shows. However, it created the template for a more daring and innovative television offering with WandaVision, and the approach has paid off in spades. The first episodes paid homage to a different era of sitcoms while telling the Scarlet Witch’s story after she resurrected her husband Vision and became a mother.

It was quirky, cryptic, and set the stage for the next era of the MCU. This bold storytelling continued in shows like Werewolf by Night and She-Hulk, two of the best MCU releases of 2022, yet it wouldn’t have been possible without WandaVision‘s success.

Loki (2021-)

Loki Season 2 Poster

Loki

Having escaped from a different timeline, Loki stars in his own titular series, where he learns about the life of his predecessor and discovers the truth of time and space. In the show, Loki reluctantly becomes a part of the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an interdimensional governing body that keeps time in order. On the chopping block, Loki is given a chance to save himself by helping the TVA hunt down someone more dangerous than himself – another Loki.

Release Date

June 11, 2021

Seasons

1

It’s telling that, despite being predated by hits like WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, it was Loki that really kick-started the Disney+ post-Endgame MCU. Establishing the lore around the Multiverse, the series follows a variant of the original antihero, breaking off from the timeline when he stole an Infinity Stone.#

The series went on to introduce the world to the man who ended up known as Kang — the next big bad of the entire MCU. While not as critically acclaimed as the 2022 series Ms. Marvel (98% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to Loki’s 92%), it remains one of the most important shows to watch when following the franchise and one of the most enjoyable shows on Disney+ to date. Loki season 2 also arrived last year, so January 2024 is one of the best times for Disney+ subscribers who haven’t yet seen the Marvel show to jump on board.

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Jessica Jones (2015–2019)

Originally produced as part of Netflix’s Marvel slate, Jessica Jones moved over to Disney+ after Marvel’s contracts with Netflix expired. The series examines exactly what happens to someone with superpowers when trauma and circumstance prevent them from being the superhero others might expect them to be.

Jessica is rough around the edges, a hard drinker, and someone who doesn’t have time for the petty squabbles of other people. Haunted by her history with David Tennant’s ghoulish Killgrave, Jones is one of Marvel’s most compelling heroes, and the show as a whole one of its most emotionally engaging and complex offerings.

X-Men ’97 (2024-Present)

X-Men 97 Disney Plus TV Series Poster

X-Men ’97

X-Men ’97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel’s revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.

Cast

Jennifer Hale
, Chris Potter
, Alison Sealy-Smith
, Lenore Zann
, Cal Dodd
, Catherine Disher
, Adrian Hough
, Ray Chase
, Chris Britton
, George Buza

Release Date

March 20, 2024

Seasons

1

Writers

Beau DeMayo

X-Men: The Animated Series was considered by many to be the definitive animated adaptation of a Marvel property — something Disney clearly recognized, as in 2024 the rebooted X-Men ’97 arrived on Disney+. Picking up directly where the original run left off, X-Men ’97 has been a celebrated return to form for one of Marvel’s most loved projects. Many of the original cast members have also returned, including Ray Chase as Cyclope, Jennifer Hal as Jean Grey, and Cal Dodd as Wolverine.

X-Men ’97 keeps the look and feel of X-Men: The Animated Series, but has already started to delve into storylines the original show didn’t or couldn’t cover, such as the Jean Grey clone Madelyne Pryor created by Mr Sinister. The show also introduces several new characters, such as Sunspot (Roberto da Costa), and gives several minor characters from the original show, like Morph and Bishop, an elevated presence.

Best Kids’ Series On Disney+

Monsters At Work (2021 – Present)

Monsters at work tv poster

Monsters At Work

Monsters at Work is a computer-animated series and a part of Disney’s popular Monsters, Inc, franchise. The series stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman as Mike and Sulley respectively, both of whom are reprising their roles from the Monsters, Inc movies. The first season arrived on Disney+ in mid-2021 and was fairly well-received by both viewers and critics.

Cast

Billy Crystal
, John Goodman
, Ben Feldman
, Mindy Kaling
, Henry Winkler
, Lucas Neff

Release Date

July 7, 2021

Seasons

2

2001’s Monsters, Inc. is one of the Pixar’s most celebrated releases, thanks in no small part to the unique setting and the performances of John Goodman as Sully and Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski. Disney have created several TV show spinoffs for their properties for Disney+, and one of the best is Monsters At Work — the small-screen followup to the 2001 original that returns viewers to Monsters Incorporated to find out how Mike and Sully are getting along running the company after ousting Waternoose and discovering that laughs provide far more power than screams.

John Goodman and Billy Crystal returned to reprise their roles for Monsters At Work, though unlike the movies, Mike and Sully aren’t the main focus. Monsters At Work instead spends most of its time telling the story of Tylor Tuskamn (Ben Feldman), a Monsters University graduate who finds himself on the facilities team after his education as a scarer is — thanks to the events of the movie — no longer helpful. Feldman, Goodman, and Crystal are joined in the cast by the likes of Mindy Kaling, Henry Winkler, Alanna Ubach, and more.

Bluey (2018 – Present)

Bluey TV Show Poster

Bluey

Bley is an Australian animated kids’ show centered on a family of talking dogs. Bluey is a female Australian Blue Heeler Cattle Dog, and together with her sister Bingo, Mum, and Dad, Bluey always finds herself in the middle of an adventure.

Release Date

September 30, 2018

Cast

David McCormack
, Melanie Zanetti
, Ninthe van Schie
, Brad Elliott
, Myf Warhurst
, Meg Washington
, Dan Brumm

The breakout star of recent pre-school programming, Bluey is a smash-hit Australian series beloved by parents and kids around the world. Following the titular puppy Bluey, the show delivers valuable life lessons about acceptance and curiosity in an energetic and heartwarming way.

Bluey has won a string of awards for its writing and accurate representation of family life — albeit through the lens of an anthropomorphic dog family. With three seasons available on Disney+, it’s a great introduction to the exciting and imaginative possibilities of TV.

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Wizards Of Waverly Place (2007–2012)

Wizards of Waverly Place TV Series Poster

Wizards of Waverly Place

Released in 2007, Wizards of Waverly Place is a comedy fantasy series created by Todd J. Greenwald for the Disney Channel. The series follows a trio of teenage siblings living in a magical portion of New York City as they train to harness their family’s magical legacy while trying to blend in with everyday people.

Release Date

October 12, 2007

Cast

Selena Gomez
, David Henrie
, Jake T. Austin
, Jennifer Stone
, Maria Canals-Barrera
, David DeLuise

Seasons

4

Wizards Of Waverly Place follows the somewhat typical Disney Channel blueprint of rebellious kids engaging in adventures away from the watchful eyes of their parents. The primary point of difference is that the three kids are training to be the family wizard. Not only did the series prove popular enough to get its own Disney Channel original movie, but it earned two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children’s Program.

Selena Gomez and the series were also consistently nominated for NAACP Awards during the run of the show for its highlighting of Latin American culture alongside the fictional wizard lore.

That’s So Raven (2003–2007)

rhat's so raven

that’s so raven

Starring Raven-Symoné as the lead character, Raven, That’s So Raven was created by Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman and ran for four seasons. The series revolves around the titular character who is a high school student with the ability to see small glimpses into the future.

Release Date

January 17, 2003

Cast

Raven-Symone
, Kyle Massey

Seasons

4

Family drama, teenage hijinks, and psychic phenomena combine to create the uniquely chaotic That’s So Raven. Protagonist Raven discovers she has psychic visions as a teenager, and though she tries to use them to her advantage, she almost always interprets them incorrectly.

The series was the first Disney Channel original show to make it to 100 episodes, and earned both a spinoff (Cory in the House) and a revival series (Raven’s Home). That’s So Raven was twice nominated for the Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Children’s Program and won several NAACP Image awards.

Best Star Wars Series On Disney+

Ahsoka (2023 – Present)

Ahsoka Poster

Ahsoka

Ahsoka is a Sci-Fi television series based in the Star Wars universe developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Starring Rosario Dawson, this series follows Ahsoka Tano as she works with Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), her trusty droid Huyang (David Tennant), and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) to prevent the return of the villanious Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka acts as a live-action continuation of the animated series Star Wars: Rebels.

Release Date

August 23, 2023

Seasons

1

Serving as a continuation of the acclaimed animated series Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka finally brings one of the franchise’s most popular small-screen characters to the fore. Set after Ezra Bridger’s heroic sacrifice in the Rebels finale, Ahsoka sees the titular Jedi fighting against a new threat to the galaxy in the aftermath of the Empire’s defeat.

With several characters reprising their Rebels roles, audiences could be forgiven for assuming that Ahsoka is a misguided attempt to recapture the earlier series’ magic. However, with a gripping story of its own and fascinating additions to Star Wars lore, Ahsoka is already a worthy addition to the franchise early in its first season.

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The Mandalorian (2019 – Present)

The Mandalorian Season 3 Poster

The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian is set after the Empire’s fall and before the First Order’s emergence in the ever-growing Star Wars universe. The series follows the travails of a lone gunfighter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic. Acting as the first live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian has become incredibly popular on Disney+, partly due to Mando’s relationship with Grogu, which the internet dubbed “Baby Yoda” upon his introduction in season 1.

Release Date

November 12, 2019

Cast

Werner Herzog
, Emily Swallow
, Pedro Pascal
, Nick Nolte
, Omid Abtahi
, Gina Carano
, Carl Weathers
, Giancarlo Esposito

Seasons

3

For a long time seen as one of the best Disney+ TV shows in any genre, The Mandalorian represents a radical and welcome addition to Star Wars canon. Starring Pedro Pascal as an armored bounty hunter, the ongoing series cleverly expanded Star Wars‘ famously fraught universe, expertly blending new and existing characters in an understated and celebrated narrative.

Tonally closer to a Western than some of the saga’s more bombastic entries, The Mandalorian is a perfect blend between spectacle and story, with iconic moments like Luke Skywalker’s return and Grogu’s infinitely memeable “Baby Yoda” persona cementing it in franchise folklore.

Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire (2024)

Star Wars Tales of the Empire Poster Showing Grand Admiral Thrawn, Ahsoka, Darth Vader, General Grievous, and Various Other Characters Inside the Imperial Logo

Tales of the Empire (2024)

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is an animated follow-up to 2022’s Tales of the Jedi. The series focuses on Barriss Offee, a former Jedi, and Morgan Elsbeth as they navigate their separate paths through the Galactic Empire. The series will also see the return of other iconic Star Wars characters such as General Grievous, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Darth Vader.

Cast

Jason Isaacs
, Meredith Salenger
, Lars Mikkelsen
, Rya Kihlstedt
, Diana Lee Inosanto
, Matthew Wood
, Wing T.Chao

Release Date

May 4, 2024

Seasons

1

Directors

Dave Filoni

Star Wars: Tales is the animated anthology series set in a galaxy far, far away created exclusively for Disney+. The show debuted in 2022 with Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, and 2024 saw it return with a new batch of stories in Star Wars: Tales of the Empire. While Tales of the Jedi was set around the time of the prequel trilogy and explored the stories of characters like Count Dooku and Qui-Gon Jinn, 2024’s Tales of te Empire is split between two arcs that flesh out life characters tied to the reign of Palpatine.

The two central characters in Tales of the Empire are Morgan Elsbeth, who was first seen in The Mandalorian, and former Jedi Barriss Offee, who enters training to become an Inquisitor. Several popular Star Wars characters make an appearance, including Bo-Katan Kryze, The Grand Inquisitor, Gran Admiral Thrawn, and Darth Vader. Not only is Tales of the Empire another successful spin-off that builds on the rich lore of Star Wars, it’s also a showcase of two incredibly emotional tales with satisfying bite-sized character arcs.

Andor (2022 – Present)

Andor

Diego Luna stars as Cassian Andor in Andor, a Disney+ exclusive series set five years before Rogue One. The series follows the titular character as he transitions from a humble thief to a revolutionary icon of the rebellion against the empire. Cassian, a man who tries to keep himself out of confrontations post the destruction of his world, is shoved into the central conflict as he naturally slots into the role of leader. Andor will explore the rebellion’s burgeoning days and highlight pivotal events in the Star Wars Franchise before the construction of the Death Star. 

Release Date

September 21, 2022

Cast

Genevieve O’Reilly
, Adria Arjona
, Diego Luna
, Kyle Soller
, Alan Tudyk
, Stellan Skarsgård
, Denise Gough
, Forrest Whittaker

Seasons

1

Unlike anything else in the wider franchise, Andor is living proof that all the lightsaber duels and pod races are no substitute for exceptional storytelling. Starring Diego Luna, reprising his role from the much-lauded Rogue One, Andor is a tense, deliberately-paced political thriller that explores the consequences and course of rebellion from the upper echelons of politics to violent insurrection on the street.

After years of sub-par, seemingly unnecessary additions to the larger Star Wars story, Andor served as a welcome reminder that it’s still more than worthwhile exploring a galaxy far, far away.

The Acolyte (2024)

Disney’s steady conveyor belt of new Star Wars content on Disney+ shows no sign of slowing down, and the latest live-action story from a galaxy far, far away, 2024’s The Acolyte, is one of the most ambitious projects yet. Unlike shows such as Andor, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka, which take place during or between the nine movies in the Skywalker Saga, The Acolyte is set centuries before the events of Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. Seeing the Jedi during the High Republic era is both novel and fresh, and The Acolyte has already shown the potential this relatively unexplored (in terms of movies and TV shows) period of Star Wars lore is.

The setting isn’t the only reason The Acolyte already stands out among the Star Wars shows on Disney+ though. The show has been critically acclaimed for a variety of reasons. While the special effects and visuals are, as is to be expected, of an exceptionally high quality, new characters like Amandla Stenberg’s twins Osha and Mae, alongside Lee Jung-jae’s Sol, are some of the most intriguing new Star Wars characters Disney has introduced to audiences. With several episodes still due for release, The Acolyte is more than recommended for the Star Wars fans among the Disney+ subscriber base.

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Best Comedy Series On Disney+

Goosebumps (2023)

Goosebumps Disney 2023 TV Poster

Goosebumps (2023)

R. L. Stine’s horror book series receives its second television adaptation with the 2023 Disney+ series Goosebumps. The new series brings in the creative minds behind the first two Goosebumps films and centers on five teenagers who haphazardly unleash evil supernatural forces on their town. As they attempt to send them back to where they came from, they learn that their parents harbor similar secrets from their younger days.

Release Date

October 13, 2023

Cast

Justin Long
, Ana Yi Puig
, Miles McKenna
, Will Price
, Zack Morris
, Isa Briones
, Rachael Harris
, Rob Huebel
, Ana Ortiz

Seasons

1

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps was a popular series of horror novels for children, and it’s proven to be a bountiful well for movie and TV adaptations, with a Goosebumps TV series in the ’90s and two Hollywood films starring Jack Black in the 2010s. Now, Goosebumps has returned to streaming with another TV series.

Unlike the original 1995 show, the rebooted Goosebumps for Disney+ is not an anthology. It’s a serialized story that follows five high school students who investigate a 30-year-old murder of a local teen while uncovering secrets about their own parents along the way. Though it’s billed as a comedy, the 2023 Goosebumps series leaned into the horror a little more than the movies. However, there are plenty of Gen-Z quips to be had, so Goosebumps may be the perfect show for younger viewers to watch with their older siblings, or even parents, who have already read the books.

Disney have confirmed that Goosebumps season 2 is in development, though it will follow completely new characters and have an anthology approach to its storytelling, more in line with the popular show from the 1990s.

The Orville (2017 – Present)

The Orville

Created by Seth McFarlane and set in the 25th century, The Orville follows the crew of the titular ship and its captain, Ed Mercer (McFarlane) as they explore the galaxy. Inspired by Star Trek, it also spoofs the sci-fi classic, taking a comedic approach to its serialized story and science-fiction premise. Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, and Scott Grimes star alongside McFarlane as part of an ensemble cast.

Release Date

September 10, 2017

Cast

Halston Sage
, Adrianne Palicki
, J. Lee
, Seth MacFarlane
, Chad L. Coleman
, Peter Macon
, Penny Johnson Jerald
, Larry Joe Campbell
, Scott Grimes
, Mark Jackson

Seasons

3

Sci-fi parody is always a risky gamble, as unless it’s handled well it risks coming off as cheap or gimmicky. Thankfully for The Orville, if there’s anyone who knows how to pull off almost any kind of pop-culture-lambasting humor, it’s creator Seth Macfarlane. The Orville stars Macfarlane as Captain Ed Mercer of the USS Orville, and is — at its core — a parody of popular franchises like Star Trek. While The Orville never shies away from its roots, it also has more than enough to keep viewers hooked on its own merits, be it the storylines or the many well-rounded characters.

The Orville season 4 has been stuck in limbo for a while, but demand for it hasn’t waned. The Orville is a comedy, but it never veers into outright silliness, and knows when to bring heartfelt dramatic moments too. While Macfarlane is primarily known for Family Guy and the Ted movies, with The Orville he shows that he’s also more than adept at subtler humor too — which, considering that The Orville is also heavily rooted in sci-fi, is incredibly impressive.

The Orville won the Saturn award for Best Science Fiction Television Series in 2018.

Black-ish (2014–2022)

Black-ish tv series poster

Black-ish

Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross star in Black-ish, a sitcom that follows the lives of the Johnson family – an affluent black family that all have their own comedic mishaps and incidents they tackle while dealing with culturual and social issues of its era and beyond. The show ran for eight seasons before it concluded in 2022.

Release Date

September 24, 2014

Cast

Anthony Anderson
, Marsai Martin

Seasons

8

Though it often follows a typical sitcom blueprint, Black-ish stands apart for showcasing storylines that are unique to the Black American experience. Anderson’s Dre starts off the series wanting his family to assimilate less into white suburban society and embrace their ethnic roots, and the series both maintains that narrative while highlighting representation throughout.

Over the course of its run, Black-ish earned more than two dozen Primetime Emmy nominations and more than 50 NAACP Award nominations

It also explores dramatic subjects like deaths, postpartum depression, and more, expertly balancing comedy with drama. Over the course of its run, Black-ish earned more than two dozen Primetime Emmy nominations and more than 50 NAACP Award nominations, highlighting its importance.

Boy Meets World (1993–2000)

boy meets world

Boy Meets World

In this coming-of-age sitcom, Cory Matthews navigates middle and eventually high school, exploring his relationships with his friends and family and learning life lessons along the way.

Release Date

September 24, 1993

Cast

Ben Savage
, William Daniels
, Will Friedle
, Rider Strong
, Lee Norris
, Lindsay Ridgeway
, Danielle Fishel
, Alex Désert
, Maitland Ward

Seasons

7

Originally a cornerstone of ABC’s successful TGIF programming block, Boy Meets World remains a highly influential and affecting comedy. The show follows main character Cory and his family as he navigates the transition from his teenage years to adulthood. The series was a ratings success through all seven seasons, and the move to Disney+ is welcome news both for old fans and new audiences.

Boy Meets World was also a contemporary critical success, with the cast receiving several Young Artist Awards. There was even a spin-off that arrived 14 years after the show ended called Girl Meets World, which had Cory and Topanga as parents.

The Muppet Show (1976–1981)

Kermit the Frog on The Muppet Show.

The Muppet Show

Release Date

September 5, 1976

Cast

Jim Henson
, Frank Oz
, Jerry Nelson
, Richard Hunt
, Dave Goelz
, Steve Whitmire
, Louise Gold
, Kathryn Mullen
, Eren Ozker
, John Lovelady

Seasons

5

Created by visionary Jim Henson, The Muppet Show is an endlessly inventive musical extravaganza. Led by the iconic Kermit the Frog, Henson’s hilarious and heartfelt show saw a wealth of human celebrities like Mark Hamill and Steve Martin interact with the eccentric puppets. With memorable members like Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy, the show was a success and led to several movies. Not only did Disney+ provide a home for the original The Muppets, but it also rebooted the franchise with Muppets Now in 2020.

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Best Drama Series On Disney+

Alias (2001-2006)

alias

Alias

Created by J. J. Abrams, Alias is a Science Fiction, Thriller, and Action television series that ran for five seasons between 2001 and 2006. Starring Jennifer Garner in the lead role, the plot revolves around a young woman who must disguise her identity as a CIA agent.

Release Date

September 30, 2001

Seasons

5

The action thriller Alias was among the first small-screen hits for the now-acclaimed director J.J. Abrams, and despite concluding almost two decades ago, it remains one of the most captivating shows currently on Disney. Alias originally aired on ABC and focuses on Sydney Bristow, played by Jennifer Garner. Sydney is an agent of the CIA leading a double-life, presenting herself as having a normal career to her friends and family while, in reality, she’s working with the intelligence service to bring down the sinister terrorist organization SD-6.

Alias is filled with dozens of shocking twists and turns throughout, and in many ways laid the blueprint for many modern mystery-filled thrillers that came afterward. The show won multiple awards, including several Emmys and a Golden Globe for Best Actress awarded to Jennifer Garner. Critics almost universally praised Alias when it was on the air, especially highlighting its action sequences and fleshed-out characters.

Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)

Once Upon a Time Poster

Once Upon A Time

Once Upon a Time is an adventure fantasy-drama series created for ABC that features fairy tale characters and their Disney incarnations in a modern setting. When Emma Swan and her son Henry accidentally drive into the town of Storybrooke, they soon discover the inhabitants are those from fairy tales, and they have no knowledge of the modern world inhabited by Emma and Henry. Robbed of their pasts and given new identities by the Evil Queen known as Regina, the hope of the town’s residents lie solely in the hands of Emma, who has stronger connections to the town than she knows.

Cast

Ginnifer Goodwin
, josh dallas
, Lana Parrilla
, Robert Carlyle
, Jennifer Morrison
, Jared Gilmore

Release Date

October 3, 2011

Seasons

7

Showrunner

Adam Horowitz

Created by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, the creators of Lost, the ABC series Once Upon A Time originally ran between 2011 and 2018. With seven seasons and 155 episodes, Once Upon A Time is one of the best dramas to binge on Disney+. What makes it so appropriate for the platform, however, is that the story revolves around fairytale characters and their real-world counterparts, many heavily inspired by the versions of them created by Disney over the years.

Snow White, Prince Charming, Pinocchio, Belle, and even the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz all crop up at various points throughout the seven seasons of Once Upon A Time.

The story is mainly told from the perspective of 10-year-old Henry Mills who, upon moving to a new town with his mother Emma Swan, realizes that the inhabitants are all in fact famous figures from various fairytales. Snow White, Prince Charming, Pinocchio, Belle, and even the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz all crop up at various points throughout the seven seasons of Once Upon A Time. Disney+ subscribers seeking a more grown-up take on many of the characters that crop up in Disney’s animated movies will be sure to find Once Upon A Time delightful.

Renegade Nell (2024)

Renegade Nell (2024)

Renegade Nell (2024)

Renagade Nell is a Disney+ original series created by Sally Wainwright. The series follows a young woman named Nell Jackson who becomes a wanted outlaw after she is framed for murder. During her journey, she encounters a magical spirit named Billy, who reveals her true destiny.

Cast

Louisa Harland
, Frank Dillane
, Alice Kremelberg
, Enyi Okoronkwo
, Jake Dunn
, Bo Bragason
, Florence Keen
, Pip Torrens
, Nick Mohammed
, Joely Richardson
, Adrian Lester

Release Date

March 29, 2024

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Sally Wainwright

Renegade Nell is one of several British TV shows to make a splash after arriving on Disney+, and this particular historical drama is helped in now small part thanks to Louisa Harland — best known for playing Orla in the hit comedy Derry Girls — in the lead role as the titular Nell. The show is set in the 18th century in England, although it’s a whimsical adventure story at heart that never trades trying to adhere to historical accuracy for a good story.

For example, Nell is assisted by a magical sprite named Billy Blind, so from the off it’s clear that Renegade Nell isn’t as grounded as many other period dramas. The story focuses on Nelly “Nell” Jackson, who is framed for a murder she didn’t commit. After being branded as a criminal, Nell makes the reasonable decision to actually become one, and Renegade Nell documents her journey to becoming the most feared Highwaywoman in England.

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials & Doctor Who Holiday Special: The Church On Ruby Road (2023)

Doctor Who Season 14 Poster

Doctor Who

The latest season of Doctor Who introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday. Their first adventure begins with “The Church on Ruby Road,” where they face powerful new foes and unravel the mystery surrounding Ruby’s origins. The Doctor grapples with the aftermath of a unique regeneration event and battles enemies more formidable than ever before.

Release Date

December 25, 2023

Cast

Ncuti Gatwa
, Millie Gibson
, Susan Twist
, Michelle Greenidge
, Angela Wynter
, Jemma Redgrave
, Yasmin Finney
, Anita Dobson

Seasons

2

Doctor Who first premiered on November 23, 1963, and in 2023, the iconic BBC sci-fi show celebrates its 60th anniversary with three specials — The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder, and The Giggle — available to watch internationally on Disney+. The specials see Tenth Doctor actor David Tennant making his debut as the Fourteenth Doctor, and in The Star Beast, he’s reunited with Catherine Tate, who reprises her role as companion Donna Noble.

With its whimsical yet thrilling sense of adventure, there’s a reason why Doctor Who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running sci-fi series in the world.

Wild Blue Yonder sees the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna adventuring in the TARDIS to try to save the universe, while The Giggle finds the Doctor facing off against the villainous Toymaker, played by Neil Patrick Harris in his Doctor Who debut. With its whimsical yet thrilling sense of adventure, there’s a reason why Doctor Who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running sci-fi series in the world. While it keeps things fresh by casting different doctors, Doctor Who struck gold with Tennant, and it’s a delight seeing him back.

On Christmas Day, Disney+ hosted the first official Doctor Who holiday special since 2017, The Church on Ruby Road. The Christmas special stars Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor in his first full-length episode, and he stars opposite Millie Gibson as his companion, Ruby Sunday.

Percy Jackson And The Olympians (2023)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Poster

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Based on the novel series by Rick Riordan Percy Jackson & the Olympians is an action-adventure fantasy television series created for Disney+. When Percy Jackson is framed for the theft of Zeus’ almighty thunderbolt, Percy must clear his name, all while harnessing the powers inherited by his father, Poseidon, at a camp created for demi-gods.

Release Date

December 20, 2023

Cast

Walker Scobell
, Leah Sava Jeffries
, Aryan Simhadri
, Jason Mantzoukas
, Megan Mullally
, Glynn Turman
, Adam Copeland
, Virginia Kull
, Lance Reddick

One of the best series available on Disney+ right now began in December 2023 — Disney’s second adaptation of the acclaimed Percy Jackson novels by Rick Riordan. After a less-than-stellar attempt at bringing the characters to life in a series of movies in 2010 and 2013, Disney has rebooted Percy Jackson & The Olympians again in 2023 but this time as a TV show.

The series arrived January 2023 and has almost instantly received solidly positive reviews, with the adaptation’s faithfulness to the source material compared to the movies being especially noteworthy.

American Born Chinese (2023)

American Born Chinese Poster

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese is a Disney+ original series that is based on graphic novels from author and illustrator Gene Leun Yang. The show follows Jin Wang, a typical teenager trying to juggle school and home life, who is thrown into the middle of a battle with Chinese mythological gods.

Release Date

May 24, 2023

Cast

Ben Wang
, Michelle Yeoh
, Stephanie Hsu
, Josh Duvendeck
, Celeste Den
, Ke Huy Quan
, James Hong
, Poppy Liu
, Ronny Chieng
, Jimmy O. Yang

Seasons

1

Based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese brings Chinese gods into the modern day, exploring often-ignored aspects of Chinese mythology in the process. The story follows Jin Wang as he seeks to improve his social status in high school, but finds his attempts halted by a new student. The new student is actually the son of someone Jin believed was only a myth – the Monkey King.

American Born Chinese has been hailed by critics as one of the best new TV shows on Disney+

When the two team up, Jin has to suddenly deal with ancient gods in his life as well as the trials of high school. American Born Chinese has been hailed by critics as one of the best new TV shows on Disney+, exploring themes of identity and acceptance alongside some great martial arts sequences.

Love, Victor (2020–2022)

Love Victor Movie Poster

Love Victor

Love, Victor is a spinoff of the 2018 film Love, Simon, starring Nick Robinson. Instead of focusing on Simon’s story, Love, Victor centers on Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino), who, after moving to a new city, must juggle the stresses of high school as he figures out his sexual identity. The series ran for three seasons between 2020 and 2022 on Disney+ and Hulu.

Release Date

June 17, 2020

Cast

Michael Cimino
, Ana Ortiz
, George Sear
, James Martinez
, Anthony Turpel
, Mateo Fernandez
, Mason Gooding
, Bebe Wood
, Rachel Hilson
, Isabella Ferreira

Seasons

3

Inspired by and set in the same universe as the hit movie Love, Simon, Love, Victor is another acclaimed Hulu series that has made its way to Disney+. Starring Michael Cimino as the titular character, the teen drama tackles the trials of tribulations of teenage love, mixing often hilarious comedy with the melodramatic tragedy that often defines early relationships.

Also offering a nuanced discussion of sexuality, Love, Victor was a smash critical hit on release. The second season earned a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, giving Disney+ yet another can’t-miss show.

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