The best shows on Disney+ right now
It’s been nearly a year since Disney launched its streaming video service, Disney+, and it’s grown quite a bit in that time. Along with nearly all of Disney’s animated movies, the Disney+ library also includes many of the movies and shows of the Star Wars universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, plenty of National Geographic content, the entire Pixar library, and much, much more. (It also happens to be the streaming home of Baby Yoda, thanks to The Mandalorian.)
With so many franchises available on one service, it can be difficult to decide what to watch first on Disney+. That’s why we sifted through the Disney+ library to identify the best shows currently available on the service. If you want to broaden your search, we also have lists of the best movies on Disney+, as well as the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Amazon Prime, and plenty of other guides for Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max.
Once Upon a Time
When Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) finds herself passing through a quaint seaside town in Maine, her life takes a dramatic turn after she learns that the residents of the town are actually fairy-tale characters trapped in the real world due to an ancient curse. The seven-season series chronicled Swan’s experiences in and around Storybrooke involving all manner of heroes and villains from famous fairy tales, folklore, mythology, and Disney tales. One of the Disney-owned ABC network’s most popular, long-running dramas, Once Upon a Time put a fresh spin on many beloved characters with its clever interpretations of their adventures.
Created by: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Jared S. Gilmore, Robert Carlyle
Number of seasons: 7
X-Men: The Animated Series
Wolverine and the X-Men (also available on Disney+) might be the superior cartoon, but there’s still nothing quite like X-Men: The Animated Series. The phenomenally catchy theme song. The ludicrous Jim Lee-designed costumes. The weird, funny moments that have sparked a thousand memes. X-Men: The Animated Series doesn’t quite hold up — if it was ever any good at all — but it doesn’t matter. This Saturday morning cartoon was many fans’ first introduction to Marvel’s merry mutants, and it remains one of the most popular takes on the characters. Nostalgia: It’s powerful stuff.
Created by:Eric Lewald, Sidney Iwanter, Mark Edens
Cast: Norm Spencer, Cathal J. Dodd, Lenore Zann
Number of seasons: 5
Encore!
Disney favorite Kristen Bell executive produces and appears in this musical docuseries, where she reunites the casts of high-school musicals and has them re-stage their performances … decades later. What’s better is that this time, the cast gets the A-list treatment in the form of professional choreographers, voice coaches, and Broadway directors. The Disney+ version of Encore! launched nearly two years after Bell hosted an ABC pilot of the show back in 2017. The fully realized Disney+ show is a melodic whirlwind of laughs, tears, and that feel-good feeling that only Disney can blossom.
Created by: Jason Cohen
Cast: Kristen Bell
Number of seasons: 1
The Mandalorian
The first live-action Star Wars series got off to a surprising start, and things are only going to get wilder as time goes on. In this groundbreaking series from Iron Man director Jon Favreau, Pedro Pascal stars as a bounty hunter who travels through the Star Wars Universe’s seedy underbelly, brushing up against ex-Imperial warlords, former Rebel shock troopers, assassin droids, and all other kinds of ne’er-do-wells — all while protecting an adorable piece of precious cargo. Featuring the talents of Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito, and Taika Waititi — and that’s just in front of the camera — this series is something special.
Created by: Jon Favreau
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Gina Carano
Number of seasons: 1
Earth to Ned
This clever talk show is hosted by Ned, an extraterrestrial being who came to Earth intending to conquer the planet, but ended up falling in love with its pop culture and celebrities. The series premiered in September with a 10-episode first season that featured a wide range of guests, from Andy Richter and Community actress Gillian Jacobs to a special Star Wars-themed episode featuring Billy Dee Williams and BB-8. The entertainment of the unscripted interviews in each episode is only matched by The Jim Henson Company’s impressive puppetry that brings Ned and his supporting cast of animatronic characters to life.
Created by: The Jim Henson Company
Cast: Ned, Cornelius
Number of seasons: 1
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
Ever wondered about the science behind sneakers? What about the roots of America’s crush on coffee? These topics and more are addressed in each episode of this series, which has the inimitable Jeff Goldblum investigate the history of otherwise common objects and take a deep dive into what makes them so ubiquitous and — in many cases — beloved by so many people. No one can make the mundane more fascinating and entertaining than Goldblum, who meanders from one topic to the next — like denim or recreational vehicles, for example — on a journey of discovery that often reveals quite a bit about his unique perspective on life, too. There’s no show quite like The World According to Jeff Goldblum, because there’s no one quite like its titular host and star.
Created by: National Geographic
Cast: Jeff Goldblum
Number of seasons: 1
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The Clone Wars feature film, which also serves as the series pilot, is not good. The animated series that followed very much is. The Clone Wars might’ve started as a typical action-adventure cartoon, it quickly morphed into something much more complex: A thorough and nuanced examination of the horrors of war in the Star Wars universe. Throughout seven seasons, The Clone Wars both deepened and expanded the Star Wars franchise in all kinds of unexpected ways. Even better? The end isn’t really the end — the story continues in The Clone Wars‘ also-great follow-up, Star Wars Rebels.
Created by: George Lucas
Cast: Tom Kane, Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor
Number of seasons: 7
Prop Culture
Created, executive produced, and hosted by prop collector extraordinaire Dan Lanigan, Prop Culture follows Dan across the globe as he tracks down classic Disney film props. Each episode focuses on one Disney film and features conversations with the cast and crew of each famous flick, along with Disney Archive staff and other surprise guests. Fans of Mary Poppins will be thrilled when the character’s famous carpet bag makes an appearance. Other films of focus include Tron, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and The Muppet Movie.
Created by: Jason C. Henry, Dan Lanigan
Cast: Dan Lanigan
Number of seasons: 1
Goof Troop
In Goof Troop, Disney gives us a shot of Goofy in the suburbs. The iconic Disney character lives in the idyllic town of Spoonerville with his son, Max. These are Goofy’s stomping grounds, and it just so happens he purchased a home right next to another recurring Disney character — big, burly Pete. Episodes revolve around the hijinks that only Goofy could conjure, but the show is more than straight comedy. The storylines are well written, the new characters fit right in, and the art style is strong. Disney only ran the show for two years (1992 to 1993), but it gathered enough recognition to warrant two Disney film extensions: A Goofy Movie and An Extremely Goofy Movie.
Created by: Robert Taylor, Michael Peraza, Jr.
Cast: Bill Farmer, Dana Hill, Jim Cummings
Seasons: 2
Kim Possible
Middleton, USA. Happy homes, good schools, plenty of evil. Fortunately, an extraordinary, crime-fighting teen named Kim Possible (Christy Carlson Romano) lives just around the corner. Kim Possible episodes each follow a day in the life of the titular character. A day could be tough because of school or tough because of superhuman battles with the notorious Dr. Drakken. Luckily, Kim’s got best friend Ron (Will Friedle) and bedroom computer genius Wade (Tahj Mowry) to back her up. Together, they are Team Possible. Call her, beep her if you want to reach her. Kim Possible ran from 2002 to 2007 on the Disney Channel, becoming one of the network’s most popular animated series.
Created by: Bob Schooler, Mark McCorkle
Cast: Christy Carlson Romano, Will Friedle, Tahj Mowry
Number of seasons: 4
Boy Meets World
For seven seasons audiences watched Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), his on-again-off-again girlfriend Topanga (Danielle Fishel), his older brother Eric (Will Friedle), and his best friend Shawn (Rider Strong) navigate middle school, high school, and college, usually with the help of their teacher/principal/friend, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels). While Boy Meets World tackled heady issues like divorce, child abuse, and underage alcoholism, it was also a sweet and funny TGIF staple that earned legions of fans — not to mention a spinoff, Girl Meets World, which is also available on Disney+.
Created by: Michael Jacobs and April Kelly
Cast: Ben Savage, Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, Will Friedle
Number of seasons: 7
Agent Carter
A spinoff from Marvel’s Captain America films, Agent Carter stars Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, the love of Captain America’s life, in the aftermath of Captain America’s tragic accident at the end of World War II. Now, Agent Carter is virtually unstoppable in her fight against new atomic threats. After a career in New York, however, she relocates to Los Angeles for her most dangerous assignment yet. Working in the bright lights of Hollywood, she’ll need all of the help and cunning of her new friends and allies to take on her most sinister threat yet.
Created by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Cast: Hayley Atwell, James D’Arcy, Chad Michael Murray
Number of seasons: 2
Marvel’s Runaways
Focusing on the origins of the Marvel teenage superhero group Runaways, Marvel’s Runaways is set on the fringes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. No Iron Man or Thor here — just six extraordinary Los Angeles teens uniting to defeat their evil, criminal parents, collectively known as the Pride. After stumbling across a terrible secret and discovering their parents have been lying to them their entire lives, the Runaways investigate what their guardians are after and what else they might be hiding. From teen show expert EP Josh Schwartz (The O.C., Gossip Girl), Runaways walks a fine line between superhero glam and teen angst.
Created by: Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage
Cast: Rhenzy Feliz, Lyrica Okano, Virginia Gardner, Ariela Barer
Number of seasons: 3
Darkwing Duck
By day, Drake Mallard is a regular suburbanite who frets over his adopted daughter, Gosalyn. By night, he’s Darkwing Duck, a masked superhero who spends the midnight hours fighting crime alongside his pilot sidekick, Launchpad McQuack. Sure, sometimes Darkwing’s ego gets in the way of stopping evildoers, but when push comes to shove he’s not just the hero that St. Canard needs. He’s the hero that St. Canard deserves.
Created by: Tad Stones
Cast: Jim Cummings, Christine Cavanaugh, Terry McGovern
Number of seasons: 3
Gargoyles
Unlike the other Disney Afternoon cartoons, Gargoyles wasn’t afraid to go dark. Gargoyles‘ deep and nuanced characters, serialized plot lines, and pitch-black tone don’t seem out of place today, but at the time, there was no cartoon quite like it (give or take Batman: The Animated Series). While the third season suffered from some behind-the-scenes changes, the first two still hold up. If you have Disney+, they’re well worth revisiting.
Created by: Greg Weisman
Cast: Keith David, Salli Richardson, Jeff Bennett
Number of seasons: 3
Gravity Falls
When Dipper and Mabel Pines decide to spend the summer with their great uncle Stan, a huckster who runs Gravity Falls’ No. 1 tourist trap, the Mystery Shack, they don’t know what they’re in for. Gravity Falls is kind of like a kid-friendly mashup of the X-Files and Twin Peaks. It’s also equal parts thrilling and hilarious, and one of the best cartoons of the past 20 years. You’ll come for Gravity Falls‘ long-running mystery and bizarre creatures, but it’s the delightful characters that’ll keep you around. Gravity Falls is weird, but it sure has a lot of heart.
Created by: Alex Hirsch
Cast: Jason Ritter, Kristen Schaal, Linda Cardellini
Number of seasons: 2
Hannah Montana
By day, she’s regular teenager Miley Stewart. By night, she’s international pop star Hannah Montana — and almost nobody knows her secret. Sound like trouble? Oh, it is. Not only did Hannah Montana launch Miley Cyrus’ career (and helped revitalize that of her real-life and on-screen father, Billy Ray Cyrus), but it’s also the highest-rated show in Disney Channel history. If you grew up with Miley, Disney+ gives you the perfect chance to revisit the series: Every episode is available on Disney+ right now.
Created by: Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, Barry O’ Brien
Cast: Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment
Number of seasons: 4
Phineas and Ferb
Stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb are going to have the best summer vacation they can, the only way they know how: By building ludicrous and extremely dangerous contraptions in their backyard and avoiding the wrath of their older sister, Candace. Phineas and Ferb has the same energy as Family Guy (co-creator Dan Povenmire used to work on Fox’s animated sitcom), but it’s not nearly as raunchy, leading to a show that the whole family can enjoy. It’s a great time to catch up on Phineas and Ferb, too: A spinoff movie, Candace Against the Universe, is now available for streaming on Disney+.
Created by: Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh
Cast: Vincent Martella, Thomas Sangster, Ashley Tisdale
Number of seasons: 4
America’s Funniest Home Videos
Before the internet, silly videos went viral via America’s Funniest Home Videos. After 30 seasons, AFV isn’t quite the appointment viewing it once was, but Disney+ has a massive vault of episodes that will bring you back to a more innocent time, when kids, pets, and adults getting caught on tape in unfortunate situations was something truly special. Just because you can scroll through thousands of viral videos on social media doesn’t mean you’re going to find some of the gems of old-school AFV.
Created by: Vin Di Bona
Cast: Bob Saget, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tom Bergeron
Number of seasons: 30
So Weird
So Weird was never the biggest Disney Channel series, but over the years it’s become a cult classic. The title tells you why. In this X-Files-inspired series, a teenage girl tries to find a way to communicate with her dead father while touring with her rock star mom and ends up running afoul of ghosts, vampires, Bigfoot, angels, and all kinds of other paranormal creatures. If you want something darker than the typical Disney Channel fare, look no further. You’ve found it.
Created by: Tom J. Astle
Cast: Cara DeLizia, Mackenzie Phillips, Patrick Levis
Number of seasons: 3
The Simpsons
What’s left to say about The Simpsons? Bart, Homer, Marge, Lisa, and Maggie aren’t just cartoon characters. They’re cultural icons, not to mention stars of the longest-running sitcom in American history. Sure, by this point, there are probably more bad Simpsons episodes than good ones, but that doesn’t matter. On Disney+, you can revisit the glory days of seasons 1 through 10 as much as you want. Trust us. Those will never get old.
Created by: Matt Groening
Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith
Number of seasons: 31
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
Back before Cole Sprouse was chewing the scenery on The CW’s sexy Archie comics adaptation, Riverdale, he and his real-life brother Dylan played twins who lived in the fictional Tripton Hotel, where they hatched schemes alongside classmates and hotel staff. The Suite Life was nominated for three Emmys, regularly tops lists of the best-ever Disney Channel series, spawned both a movie and a sequel series, and helped launch the careers of young stars including the Sprouse brothers, Ashley Tisdale, and Brenda Song.
Created by: Danny Kallis, Jim Geoghan
Cast: Cole Sprouse, Dylan Sprouse, Brenda Song
Number of seasons: 3
The Proud Family
The Proud Family was groundbreaking TV for the Disney Channel. Disney’s first animated show centered entirely on an African-American family, The Proud Family is a delightful, sometimes zany coming of age show following the precocious Penny as she navigates the early years of adolescence. Balancing family, friends, school, and everything else teens do is always easier said than done but it certainly doesn’t help that Penny’s multi-generational household seems to have a knack for getting into larger-than-life hijinks.
Created by: Bruce W. Smith
Cast: Kyla Pratt, Tommy Davidson, Paula Jai Parker
Number of seasons: 2
Wild Chile
Marvel at the beautiful wildlife in Chile as you travel on a virtual safari alongside guide Rene Araneda and oceanographer Susannah Buchan. Released in 2018, this miniseries includes episodes that look at animal and plant life on both land and sea, and will appeal to any nature and animal lover. Hailing from the U.K., the series is offered in eight parts.
Created by: N/A
Cast: N/A
Number of seasons: 1
Rogue Trip
After being injured in a roadside bombing while working as a correspondent in Iraq, ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff developed a new lease on life and opted to face fear head-on instead of shy away from it. Part of his journey includes this National Geographic series where he, along with his son Mack, visits six regions that are known for conflict. As the pair go to Colombia, Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Ukraine, viewers will not only learn about the regions and their cultures and history, but also get to experience their touching bond.
Created by: N/A
Cast: Bob Woodruff, Mack Woodruff
Number of seasons: 1
The Imagineering Story
In addition to being one of the world’s most beloved movie studios, Disney is also the owner and operator of some of the world’s most beloved theme parks. Originally planned as a feature documentary, this series was revamped into a six-episode docuseries to be a part of Disney+’s launch. Narrated by Angela Bassett, it takes an in-depth look at the history and creation of the Walt Disney theme parks around the world, including the recent addition to California’s Disneyland: Star Wars’ Galaxy’s Edge.
Created by: Leslie Iwerks
Cast: Angela Bassett
Number of seasons: 1
Muppets Now
Muppets Now is a must-watch for any fan of the Muppets, one that brings together iconic characters in an improvised setting that’s filmed like a series of shows, including a game show, cooking show, and talk show. In the first episode, “Due Date,” Kermit the Frog has trouble interviewing RuPaul because of constant and frustrating interruptions, while in another segment, the Swedish Chef appears on a baking show with disastrous, yet hilarious, results. The first season spans six episodes, all of which are available to stream on Disney+.
Created by: Andrew Williams, Bill Barretta, Sabrina Wind
Cast: Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson
Number of seasons: 1
Raven’s Home
Raven’s Home is a current Disney Channel show and sequel series to That’s So Raven (2003-2007). Taking place a decade after the latter, Raven’s Home finds the titular Raven (Raven Symoné) as a divorced single mother of two, rooming with best friend, Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol), and her own kids in Chicago. Fans of That’s So Raven will be pleased to know that yes, Raven is still psychic. And now her son is, too. Raven’s Home brings all the familiar hijinks and psychic vision plotting of the original Raven, while effectively tackling the modern-day struggles of both parents and their pre-teens.
Created by: Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman
Cast: Raven Symoné, Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson
Number of seasons: 3
Diary of a Future President
Diary of a Future President follows Elena (Tess Romero), a 12-year-old Cuban American girl, a middle schooler with dreams of becoming a future POTUS. The show features voice-over work and flash-forward appearances from Gina Rodriguez, playing the adult Elena, as she reads from Elena’s middle school diary and leads a political campaign. Rodriguez produces through her own I Can & I Will production company, alongside CBS Television Studios, with episodes premiering on Disney+. The show does a good job of balancing coming-of-age tribulations with witty humor. It’s sharp and heartfelt writing, for sure, which helped to net Diary a second season through Disney+. No news on production as of yet.
Created by: Illana Peña
Cast: Tess Romero, Selenis Leyva, Gina Rodriguez
Number of seasons: 1
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