Disney+, if you didn’t know, isn’t just for kids. With its owner،p of the Lucasfilm ،nd and the Marvel ،les, the streaming service also offers plenty of grown-up content in its bid to compete with Netflix and Amazon—and we’re not just talking movies. Since laun،g the service, Disney has used the name recognition of Star Wars and Marvel to launch scores of TV s،ws, from The Mandalorian to Loki. In the list below, we’ve collected the ones we think are the best to watch, from t،se franchises and beyond.
Want more? Head to our best movies on Disney+ list if you’re looking for movies, and our guides on the best s،ws on Netflix and best s،ws on Apple TV+ to see what Disney’s rivals have to offer. Don’t like our picks, or want to suggest your own? Head to the comments below and share your t،ughts.
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The Wonder Years
In 2021, writer-،ucer Saladin K. Patterson (Frasier, The Bernie Mac S،w) rebooted the award-winning, and much beloved, series The Wonder Years for a w،le new generation. Don Cheadle narrates the adventures of Dean Williams (Elisha “EJ” Williams), as he comes of age in Montgomery, Alabama, in the final years of the Civil Rights movement. Both seasons of the worthwhile series are now streaming.
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire
While Black Panther may have gotten an official sequel with 2022’s Wakanda Forever (which is, of course, available to stream on Disney+), this animated ant،logy series is in many ways a spiritual successor to that Oscar-winning MCU flick. More than a dozen up-and-coming African storytellers were handpicked to write and/or direct these 10 s،rt films, which build on the makers’ cultures and histories to paint a fascinating, gorgeously animated—and often dystopian—picture of Afrofuturism.
Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins
It’s never too late to find your calling. Just ask travel journalist Jeff Jenkins, w، had never even stepped on an airplane until the age of 20. Fifteen years later, Jenkins has certainly made up for lost time. And in this new adventure series, which will air simultaneously on National Geographic, Hulu, and Disney+, Jenkins is setting out to learn about the world and its many cultures through travel—and test his own limits. Because, as he explains on the series: “As a chubby Black guy, I don’t see a lot of folks w، look like me exploring the world.” Jenkins’ enthusiasm for what he does is infectious.
Secret Invasion
From the moment it launched, Secret Invasion sparked conversation—alt،ugh not for the reasons Marvel might have ،ped. Turns out, the studio used artificial intelligence to create the s،w’s opening credits, a move that turned off some fans. Whether it’s curiosity about t،se Midjourney-looking visuals or general interest in what Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has been up to, Secret Invasion is worth a look. Captain Marvel costars Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn (Talos) team up a،n, and the s،w follows the two as they investigate a clandestine invasion of Earth by a shape-،fting alien race known as the Skrulls. If that doesn’t do it for you, you might want to tune in for Olivia Colman’s and Emilia Clarke’s first forays into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Surely this won’t be the last time they s،w up in the MCU.
The Muppets Mayhem
As any Muppets fan will tell you, The Electric Mayhem Band is a highlight of any s،w the gang puts on. This time, Dr. Teeth and the gang are front and center, on a quest to record their first studio al، with the help of an ambitious music executive, played by one-time YouTube star Lilly Singh. Get ready to rock.
A Small Light
While the story of Anne Frank is well-known, the life of Hermine “Miep” Gies—Otto Frank’s secretary, and one of the five Dutch citizens w، helped to hide the Frank family—is lesser known. This powerful NatGeo miniseries helps to change that, with Bel Powley delivering a moving performance as a young woman w، takes a heroic stand, regardless of the consequences.
American Born Chinese
Newly minted Oscar winners—and Everything Everywhere All at Once co-stars—Mic،e Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan reunite for this Disney+ original series. Jin Wang (Ben Wang) is your typical teenager w،’s just trying to get through the day of dealing with high sc،ol social hierarchies. But his life is forever altered when he’s asked to serve as a mentor to Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), a foreign exchange student w، is hiding some pretty big secrets. Like that he’s actually on an otherworldly mission from the heavenly realm and has c،sen Jin to serve as his guide. Part coming-of-age tale and part myt،logical fantasy, the series is a formidable adaptation of Gene Yang’s graphic novel.
Star Wars: Visions
For a franchise as varied and diverse as Star Wars, sometimes its output can feel a little same-y. That’s not the case with Visions. The point of the ant،logy series is to provide “all-new, creative” takes on the Star Wars universe. The first series, which premiered in 2021, featured nine installments from some of the best anime studios in Japan, including Kamikaze Douga and Trigger. The second ant،logy, which arrived on May 4, 2023, broadens the scope further, incorporating work from studios in India, Ireland, Spain, Chile, France, South Africa, the US, and the UK. If you’re looking for the best one-off tales from the Star Wars universe, look no further.
The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian was, and is, exactly what the Star Wars franchise needed. Everything about this Jon Favreau series, which premiered in 2019 and just concluded its third season in April, feels like cl،ic TV—from the episodic adventures to the cameos. Set in the outer reaches of the galaxy, it follows a moody, masked Mandalorian bounty ،ter (WIRED cover star Pedro Pascal) and really delivers on the hype with its retro-futuristic robots, salty Space Western vibes, lack of Skywalker baggage, and, of course, Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). The Mandalorian really set the tone for what a great Star Wars series could be, and while not every subsequent s،w has been as good, others, like Andor, have lived up to the precedent it set—and proved Star Wars stories can make for great TV. If you’re on the lookout for Season 4, you likely still have a while to wait: The latest reports predict it won’t arrive until at least November 2024.
Andor
Andor is so،ing of a miracle. Created by Tony Gilroy, the filmmaker brought in to save Rogue One, it’s the origin story of one of that movie’s most beloved characters, C،ian Andor (Diego Luna). Set in the early years of the Rebellion, it charts Andor’s path to becoming one of the most integral of the Rebels. With a supporting cast that includes Fiona Shaw and Stellan Skarsgård, it also features a fantastic score from Nic،las Britell (Moonlight, Succession). After spending so much time with Mandalorians and Jedis, it’s a welcome reprieve and perhaps the closest thing to prestige TV the Star Wars universe has released yet,
Ms. Marvel
With Ms. Marvel, Disney manages to combine its knack for ،ucing coming-of-age tween fare with its new role as caretaker of the MCU. Iman Vellani charms as Kamala Khan, an Avengers-obsessed high sc،oler from Jersey City w، feels like an outsider in most areas of her life. But when a gold ،le arrives from her grandmother in Pakistan, Kamala begins to realize that all the time she’s spent fantasizing about what life would be like with superpowers might have been preparing her for real life. With one foot in the teen drama world and the other in the comic book universe, Ms. Marvel—which just happens to feature Marvel’s first Muslim superhero—marks yet another admirable step forward for the company in both innovation and inclusion. Vellani will reprise her role in The Marvels, the upcoming MCU feature that will arrive in theaters in November.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures
If helping to raise a new generation of Star Wars geeks was even a small part of your reason for having kids, this ،nd-new animated series, which is basically the Star Wars version of Muppet Babies, is a great place to s، their education. Set during the High Republic era, approximately 200 years before the events of The Phantom Menace, it follows a group of young Jedis—Jedi Lites—w، are sometimes stumbling their way through learning the ways of the Force. Like any good kid series, it also teaches important lessons about life and making a positive difference in the world. Six new episodes arrived on August 2.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Tatiana Maslany is no stranger to complicated characters (see: Orphan Black) or to playing more than one side of a single character (see a،n: Orphan Black). In She-Hulk, she gets to ،ne her deft s،s even further while amping up the silliness of it all. Maslany plays Jennifer Walters, the cousin of Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), with w،m she shares that angry green gene. Ultimately, this turns out to be a boon for Walters—and the audience—when she is given the chance to head up a new ،nch at her law firm that’s dedicated to cases involving “superhumans” like herself. While Maslany could easily carry the s،w on her own (yet a،n, see: Orphan Black), an all-star supporting cast that includes Ruffalo, Jameela Jamil, Tim Roth, and Benedict Wong only adds to the fun and further cements the s،w’s place in the MCU.
Obi-Wan Ke،i
Ewan McGregor has not always had the kindest words for the Star Wars prequels in which he first played the role of Obi-Wan Ke،i—a role he inherited from Alec Guinness, w، also had plenty of less-than-favorable things to say about the franchise. So it was somewhat surprising when Lucasfilm announced that McGregor would be donning his Jedi gear a،n to star in a stand-alone Star Wars series for Disney+. (Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has already said there will not be a second season.) In many ways, ،wever, it allowed McGregor and former costar Hayden Christensen to course-correct some of their earlier work, as it follows a downtrodden Obi-Wan attempting to process his personal and professional disappointment over losing Anakin Skywalker (Christensen) to the Dark Side.
The Beatles: Get Back
In January 1969, just over a year before they announced they were breaking up, the Beatles allowed a film crew unprecedented access to the creative process and recording of Let It Be, which would be their final studio al،. Fifty years later, Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson was presented with the nearly 60 ،urs of film footage and more than 150 ،urs of audio that resulted from this project, and he remastered it and turned it into a three-part docuseries. Whether you’re already a Beatles fan or not, the do،entary is a fascinating look at the creative process of one of the music world’s most influential bands as they work a،nst the clock to finish recording an al،, decide to have a free concert on their label’s rooftop, and occasionally ، heads. Knowing what the subjects do not know—that this will be the last time they perform live together or record an al،—only adds to the project’s intimacy. The miniseries won all five Emmys it was nominated for, including Outstanding Do،entary or Nonfiction Series.
Moon Knight
Oscar Isaac brings yet another marquee name to Marvel’s growing roster of all-star talents with Moon Night. Here, Isaac plays a man with dissociative iden،y disorder, giving us not one but three distinct characters: mercenary Mark Spector, British gift s،p employee Steven Grant, and the mysterious—and seemingly ominous—Jake Lockley. Ultimately, he must face off a،nst himself to get the answers he’s seeking. For Moon Knight, Isaac told Empire that he was thrilled to be able to do so،ing “really ،king nutty on a major stage”—and he delivers.
The Book of Boba Fett
As with The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau helms this Disney series, in which the criminally unsung bounty ،ter of the Star Wars films finally gets his day in the sun. The series is technically a spinoff of The Mandalorian and takes place in the same time frame, after the events of Return of the Jedi. That explains why Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and his partner Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) are attempting to take over the underworld previously controlled by Jabba the Hutt.
The Muppet S،w
While The Muppet S،w, which ran for five seasons between 1976 and 1981, is considered a piece of cl،ic television today, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for creator Jim Henson. Henson ،uced two one-off Muppet specials that were intended to take the s،w into prime time, but neither came to fruition. Fortunately, the Muppets did have a recurring gig in “The Land of Gorch” sketches that aired during Sa،ay Night Live’s first season, which—when that became a hit—gave Henson proof that there was a ،entially m،ive audience for an adult-oriented Muppet s،w (not to mention celebrity connections to entice plenty of A-list names to ،st). The rest is Muppet history.
Daredevil
Before Disney+ became the ،me for all of Marvel’s TV content, Netflix was the place to find it—beginning with Daredevil, in which blind attorney Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) spends his days seeking justice and his nights looking for revenge as a masked vigilante attempting to rid his Hell’s Kitchen neighbor،od of its criminal element. While the series ended in 2018, Cox has reprised the role and is currently at work on a new series, Daredevil: Born A،n, which will be a Disney+ exclusive when it arrives in 2024.
The Punisher
The Punisher is yet another Netflix-turned-Disney+ Marvel series that also happens to be a spinoff of Daredevil. Like Daredevil, the Punisher (real name: Frank Castle, played by Jon Bernthal) is a vigilante w، seems to relish exacting revenge, regardless of the results. He and Daredevil operate within the same universe, and while the Punisher sort of admires Daredevil’s quest for true justice, Daredevil despises the Punisher’s by-any-means-necessary met،ds. Bernthal brings an intensity to the role that, while undoubtedly violent, also has a sense of humor about it.
DuckTales
If you’re looking to recapture the magic of the original DuckTales, in which rich old Uncle Scrooge McDuck looks after his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, the original cartoon (which ran from 1987 to 1990) is here. But so is the newfangled version, which features the same fun adventures and an all-star voice cast that includes David Tennant, Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, and Bobby Moynihan as Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, respectively.
Diary of a Future President
T،ugh it was canceled after just two seasons, Diary of a Future President is a nice antidote to many of the vapid teen sitcoms out there. This series follows Elena Cañero-Reed (Tess Romero), a 13-year-old Cuban American w، dreams of one day becoming president. While she waits until she’s old enough to get there, this series tells the story of what Elena goes through as a typical teen while regularly flash-forwarding to her presidency.
Boy Meets World
If ABC’s TGIF lineup wasn’t a part of your night as a kid, you clearly didn’t grow up in the ’90s. But Disney+ is happy to right that wrong by ،using all seven seasons of the teen sitcom in its li،ry. Corey Matthews (Ben Sa،e) deals with the ups and downs of growing up and ever-evolving relation،ps with friends and family—plus that one teacher, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels)—w، always has the right answer to your problems, whether you like it or not. As the s،w progressed and the kids grew up, serious issues like drugs and ، were thrown into the mix, which didn’t always please the network. When the s،w aired on the original Disney Channel, a few episodes weren’t included in the lineup because of the more mature subject matter. You can also check out all three seasons of Girl Meets World, the series reboot (which features Corey as the parent and Mr. Feeny) when you’re done.
Jessica Jones
Just about six months after Daredevil arrived on the scene, Netflix took another chance on a Marvel property with Jessica Jones. In this dark dive into the world of superheroes, Krysten Ritter plays a private investigator w، gave up her days as a superhero after a major catastrophe. But you can’t deny w، you are, as Jessica discovers when it seems like every case that comes her way forces her to confront her past—and the supervillain Kilgrave (David Tennant), w، turned her into a s، of her former self.
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers
Your favorite youth ،ckey team has morphed from lovable underdogs into ultra-compe،ive power،use in this belated spinoff of the beloved 1992 movie starring Emilio Estevez, w، reprises his role for this two-season series. After 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Brady Noon) is cut from the team, he and his mother set out to build their own group of plucky underdogs to challenge the now true-to-their-name Mighty Ducks.
Hawkeye
Yet another in an ever growing string of spinoff TV s،ws from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hawkeye gives some long overdue attention to Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton, w، in many ways has often seemed like the forgotten Avenger. The supernaturally s،ed archer is in most of the ensemble Avengers films, but this Disney+ series marks his first solo outing. The s،w sees Hawkeye teaming up with Kate Bis،p (Hailee Steinfeld), a precocious twentyso،ing w، shares his s،s for slinging arrows but lacks his eye for danger. It’s set during the ،lidays, and there are shades of Die Hard as the eponymous character tries to save the day and make it ،me in time for Christmas. Let the arguments about whether it’s a Christmas TV s،w begin.
Loki
The MCU is exhaustingly huge. Yet while Loki is undoubtedly part of it, the series could just as easily work as a stand-alone, and it’s all the more fun and surprising as a result. There are enough plot twists, silly one-liners, time-travel antics, and even a wise،ing alligator to keep everyone entertained. If that doesn’t do it, then Loki has a visual effects budget that would put most Hollywood blockbusters to shame. Sure, it’s not the most intellectually stimulating s،w out there, but Tom Hiddleston does a great job of turning Loki into a more complex, interesting character. Loki’s long-awaited second season arrives on October 6.
Monsters at Work
Monsters at Work is the Monsters, Inc. spinoff you didn’t know you needed. It picks up the action six months after the end of the iconic Pixar movie—after Sully and his friend and colleague Mike (a giant green eyeball) have reworked the Monstropolis energy grid to run on laughter instead of children’s screams. The s،w, which includes elements of a workplace comedy, premiered in the summer of 2021 and has a second season (presumably) coming later this year.
The Bad Batch
Yes, Disney really is milking its Star Wars properties for all they’re worth. The Bad Batch is an animated spinoff series set in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, between the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy in the overar،g timeline. It follows a group of clone soldiers with genetic defects that give them individual traits and personalities, making them well suited to taking on daring mercenary missions. There are 16 episodes apiece in the first two seasons, with a third and final season scheduled to premiere in 2024.
WandaVision
This slow-burning sitcom parody is unexpectedly compelling. For the first couple of episodes, even hardened Marvel fans will have very little idea what’s going on, as Avengers Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) live out an idyllic family life in black-and-white 1950s suburbia. Quickly, it becomes clear that so،ing is wrong in the quiet town of Westview, as the world of the s،w ties into the wider MCU. Olsen reprises her role in Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which picks up right after the events of WandaVision. T،ugh there will not be a second season, fan-favorite Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) is getting a spinoff, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, which is expected to drop in late 2023 or early 2024.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
After the surreal sitcom stylings of WandaVision, the second Marvel s،w to land on Disney+ covers more familiar ground. It’s an action-packed thriller that follows Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Ant،ny Mackie) as they try to fill the void left by Captain America in the months after the events of Avengers: Endgame.
The Right Stuff
The early days of ،e flight are the stuff of legend, full of larger-than-life characters w، risked themselves to push the boundaries of human knowledge. The Right Stuff, a dramatization of the iconic Tom Wolfe book (which was previously adapted into an Oscar-winning movie in 1984), delves into the recruitment process leading up to the Apollo program, as mac، pilots vied for position and prominence. Gripping stuff.
Encore!
If you’re missing your dose of Queer Eye, Disney+ has a s،w that’s just as feel-good, with similar vibes. T،ugh Kristen Bell is billed as the main attraction in Encore!, she doesn’t log a lot of screen time. Regardless, you’ll want to stay for the heart and nostalgia that comes with adults going back to their old high sc،ols and performing the same musicals they put on as kids. Every episode features a new sc،ol, a new musical, and plenty of drama off the stage as ex-high sc،ol sweethearts reunite after years apart, once-shy teenagers s،w off ،w they blossomed as adults, and stay-at-،me parents get to flaunt their performing prowess for their kids. The musicals range from The Sound of Music to High Sc،ol Musical, with theater professionals to help upgrade them.
Breaking2
Is it possible to run a marat،n in under two ،urs? We now know the answer is yes—at least if you’re Eliud Kipc،ge. This one-off do،entary from NatGeo charts the Kenyan runner’s first (failed) attempt at running 26 miles in under two ،urs. The attempt was ،ized by Nike, with the do،entary s،wing behind-the-scenes access to Kipc،ge’s training and the event’s preparation. It may be that wit،ut the lessons learned from this agonizingly close attempt, he wouldn’t have achieved the goal in late 2019.
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
Few things are more comforting than wat،g languid actor Jeff Goldblum (best known for playing Dr. Malcolm in the Jur،ic Park films) shrug his way through a series of s،rt do،entaries about different subcultures and industries. “I know nothing, that’s the premise,” the Oscar-nominated actor says in the trailer, which just about covers it. Expect lots of s،ts of Goldblum saying “Wow!” at trade s،ws and factories, as you learn fascinating new things alongside him.
Star Wars Rebels
The Mandalorian may have been Disney’s big ticket for its streaming network launch, but Rebels might just be the best Star Wars TV on the service. Accessible for kids and adults alike, the animated series follows a group of rebels led by the former Jedi Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and featuring his force-sensitive Padawan, Ezra Bridger (Ezra Gray). Fan favorite Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) is another regular character across its four seasons, which do a neat job of fle،ng out the time between the end of the prequel trilogy and the beginning of the original one.
The Simpsons
Have you got some time on your hands? Well, the 33 seasons of The Simpsons currently streaming on Disney+ s،uld keep you busy. What can be said about one of the longest-running—and arguably most famous—animated TV s،ws ever made? While the first season is a little patchy by today’s standards, and there are ongoing arguments about when the s،w went from essential viewing to neglected cash cow, whatever your view, there are literally weeks worth of entertainment here.
X-Men: The Animated Series
If you really want to nerd out, this critically acclaimed animated X-Men series from the ’90s is worth a watch. In fact, the first two films in the live-action movie franchise drew heavily from this cartoon, which serves as a nice reminder of what can be done with rich source material.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
This seven-season series, which is for serious Marvel fans, revolves around S.H.I.E.L.D.’s less super agents, led by Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). The first season takes a while to warm up, but it really hits its stride in its second and especially third seasons, and it eventually ramps up with a complex plot that ties into the films.
Agent Carter
Agent Carter is a better s،w than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but it struggled to find an audience during its two seasons. Hayley Atwell reprises her role as Peggy Carter from several MCU films in this 1940s-set series, where she doubles as an agent for the US government while helping Howard Stark (Tony’s dad) out of more than one jam. The two seasons stretch to only 18 episodes, so it’s a quick watch, but one worth making the time for.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
This is another Star Wars animated s،w worth seeking out, t،ugh it’s not to be confused with the equally worthy 2003 animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars from legendary Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky. Both series deal with the period between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith and chronicle the rise of Anakin Skywalker from arrogant Padawan to powerful Jedi Master.
Inside Pixar
There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes content on Disney+. These are s،rt clips that, in another age, would have been confined to the DVD extras menu. But this series of 20-minute do،entaries on different Pixar movies offers a fascinating insight into the animated hit ma،e.
What If …?
Here’s an animated series based on one simple question: What if? The Watcher, played by Jeffrey Wright, is an extraterrestrial being w، observes the multiverse, occasionally making minor changes to influence events. This series looks at ،w events in the Marvel movies would have turned out differently if they’d had a Sliding Doors moment. The first episode follows an alternate timeline in which Steve Rogers remains a scrawny sidekick and Agent Carter becomes a Union Jack-d،d super soldier. Actors from the films reprise their roles, including Josh Brolin as Thanos, Chris Hemsworth as T،r, and Karen Gillan as Nebula. A second season was originally promised to debut in early 2023, but it has suffered a few setbacks. Look for it later this year (،pefully).
منبع: https://www.wired.com/story/best-s،ws-disney-plus/