The Best Shows on Disney Plus Right Now (October 2021)

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 (except possibly 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

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+.

Created by: Illana Peña
Cast: Tess Romero, Selenis Leyva, Gina Rodriguez
Number of seasons: 2

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 shying 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 father and son’s touching bond.

Created by: N/A
Cast: Bob Woodruff, Mack Woodruff
Number of seasons: 1

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 preteens.

Created by: Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman
Cast: Raven-Symoné, Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson
Number of seasons: 3

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. With Peggy Carter playing a big role in Marvel’s What If? series, there’s never been a better time to find out why she’s such an important character in the MCU.

Created by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Cast: Hayley Atwell, James D’Arcy, Chad Michael Murray
Number of seasons: 2

When Disney+ launched, classic variety series The Muppet Show was conspicuously absent from its library. That terrible mistake was finally addressed when all five seasons of the show were added to the streaming service in February 2021. The series joins the various Muppets movies and modern Muppets projects like Muppets Now on the service, and offers a great reminder of just how groundbreaking The Muppet Show was when it premiered in 1975. Over the course of its run, a long list of A-list celebrities joined Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the Muppets gang, including Steve Martin, Diana Ross, Elton John, and even Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill.

Created by: Jim Henson
Cast: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Fran Brill
Number of seasons: 5

Disney’s reboot of ’90s teen-doctor series Doogie Howser, M.D. isn’t a sequel or spinoff, but rather the story of another teenage prodigy who finds herself saddled with the nickname “Doogie” due to awareness of the classic ABC series in the show’s fictional world. Peyton Elizabeth Lee portrays Lahela “Doogie” Kameāloha, a graduate of Harvard Medical School at just 16 years old, who finds herself juggling the responsibilities of a medical career with the trials and tribulations of teenage life. Fortunately, the Hawaiian teenager has plenty of friends and family around her to help. With positive reviews for its first few episodes, the series has proven to be just as rewarding for the children of parents who grew up with Doogie Howser as it is for kids discovering the premise for the very first time.

Created by: Kourtney Kang
Cast: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Emma Meisel
Number of seasons: 1

The Star Wars saga continues in this series set after the overlapping events of Episode III — Revenge of the Sith and the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but before the events of the franchise-spawning Episode IV — A New Hope. The series follows the members of Clone Force 99, a unique group of clone troopers whose genetic mutations during the cloning process (which earned them the nickname “The Bad Batch”) gave them specialized abilities. First introduced in The Clone Wars, the characters were a hit among Star Wars fans, and The Bad Batch explores what happened to them after the war ended and Order 66 forced many of their fellow clones to kill the Jedi they served alongside.

Created by: Dave Filoni
Cast: Dee Bradley Baker, Michelle Ang
Number of seasons: 1

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

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 specialist 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

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

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 called 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

In Goof Troop, iconic Disney character Goofy lives in the idyllic town of Spoonerville with his son, Max, right next to another recurring Disney character: Big, burly Pete. Episodes revolve around the sort of 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 ran the show for only two years (1992 and 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

Widely regarded as the best Spider-Man animated series ever made, Spider-Man (also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series) premiered in 1994 during the height of the ’90s comics boom and managed to be one of the few superhero series of the era to be both critically and commercially successful, running for five highly acclaimed seasons. Over the course of the show’s 65 episodes, the series explored Peter Parker’s life both in and out of costume and took the unusual (at the time) approach of having lengthy, season-long story arcs unfold in addition to more traditional episodic adventures. Along with introducing a wide range of villains and supporting characters from the web-slinger’s Marvel Comics universe, Spider-Man also featured cameos from other prominent Marvel heroes, including the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, Blade, and the Punisher, among others. The series remains one of the longest-running Spider-Man shows to date, surpassed only by 2012’s Ultimate Spider-Man series.

Created by: John Semper Jr.
Cast: Christopher Daniel Barnes, Ed Asner, Jennifer Hale, Sara Ballantine
Number of seasons: 5

LeBron James is behind this documentary series that delves into the backstories of famous entertainers, taking them back to their hometowns and learning about their early lives, what inspired them, their struggles along the way, and how they got their big breaks. Along with the celebrities recalling events in their own words, loved ones are also interviewed to share their perspectives. The first 10 episodes feature a range of celebrity figures, from actor Adam Devine to singer Colby Caillat, dancer Julianne Hough, TV personality Nick Cannon, athlete Rob Gronkowski, and others.

Created by: LeBron James, Maverick Carter
Cast: Various
Number of seasons: 1

What if Peggy Carter got the super-soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers? What if T’Challa didn’t want to be Black Panther and became Star-Lord instead? What if various other key moments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe happened differently? That’s the premise of Marvel’s animated anthology series What If?, which explores the alternate histories that spin out of small changes in the MCU timeline that end up changing the franchise’s status quo in some big ways. Not only does the series offer some intriguing questions to ponder about the evolution of the MCU, but it also features many of the same actors from live-action Marvel films voicing the animated versions of their characters.

Created by: A.C. Bradley
Cast: Jeffrey Wright, various MCU actors
Number of seasons: 1

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

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: 2

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

Set after the events of 2001’s Monsters, Inc., this series follows newly graduated Monsters University alumni Tylor Tuskmon (Ben Feldman) as he tries to adapt to the changing world around him. With the city of Monstropolis now fueled by laughter instead of screams, Tylor toils away as a mechanic while dreaming of getting the chance to work with his idols, Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James “Sulley” Sullivan (John Goodman). The hit franchise continues in this series, which brings back many of the series’ veteran cast members.

Created by: Bobs Gannaway
Cast: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Ben Feldman
Number of seasons: 1

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay travels the world searching for culinary inspiration and adventure in remote or otherwise unlikely locations in this National Geographic series that premiered in 2019. His journeys take him everywhere from Peru and Morocco to the Louisiana bayou and the coasts of Norway as he learns firsthand about the relationships between cuisine and culture in the places he visits.

Created by: Gordon Ramsay
Cast: Gordon Ramsay
Number of seasons: 3

The leader of a secret organization recruits a group of children with special talents for a dangerous mission in this adaptation of Trenton Lee Stewart’s young-adult book series, which premiered in June to positive reviews from critics and general audiences alike. The series casts Arrested Development actor Tony Hale as the titular Mr. Benedict, who brings together the ragtag team of kids in order to save the world from a villain implanting subliminal messages in the world’s population. Kristen Schaal, MaameYaa Boafo, and Ryan Hurst play supporting roles in the series, while Mystic Inscho, Seth B. Carr, Emmy DeOliveira, and Marta Kessler play the kids tasked with stopping the nefarious plan.

Created by: Matt Manfredi, Phil Hay
Cast: Tony Hale, Mystic Inscho, Seth B. Carr, Emmy DeOliveira, Marta Kessler
Number of seasons: 1

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

Marvel’s Asgardian trickster finally gets his own solo adventure in this Disney+ original series that brings back MCU veteran Tom Hiddleston as the titular god of mischief. After the events of Avengers: Endgame cut Loki loose in the MCU timeline, this series explores what happens when the trickster finds himself forced to work with an interdimensional agency to prevent just the sort of chaos he’s accustomed to creating. Owen Wilson joins Hiddleston in the show’s cast, and new episodes of the series premiere weekly on Disney+.

Created by: Michael Waldron
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Number of seasons: 1

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

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

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

Reboots of beloved classic animated series don’t always work, but Disney managed to recapture lightning in a bottle with DuckTales, its re-imagined spin on the 1987 series with the insanely catchy theme song. Not only does the series give Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s adventures with Scrooge McDuck a modern makeover that’s as entertaining for adults as it is for kids, but it also introduces a few new characters to the mix — including young adventurer Webby Vanderquack — and features an impressive voice cast. That cast includes former Doctor Who star David Tennant as Scrooge, Danny Pudi as Huey, Ben Schwartz as Dewey, Bobby Moynihan as Louie, Kate Micucci as Webby, and Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack. A multiple award winner and critical darling, DuckTales proves that some stories never get old.

Created by: Matt Youngberg, Francisco Angones
Cast: David Tennant, Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, Bobby Moynihan, Kate Micucci, Beck Bennett, Toks Olagundoye
Number of seasons: 3

With Running Wild, popular outdoor survival expert Bear Grylls put a new spin on his reality series by inviting a celebrity (or two) on a new set of adventures in harsh environments around the world. After airing on NBC for its first four seasons, the popular show moved to National Geographic for its fifth and sixth seasons, which featured Grylls teaching Brie Larson, Dave Bautista, Channing Tatum, Danica Patrick, and other celebrities how to survive in various regions. Destinations in the fifth and sixth seasons — which are both available on Disney+ now — included Iceland, Panama, Sierra Nevada, and Moab, Utah, among other breathtaking — but dangerous — locales.

Created by: Delbert Shoopman
Cast: Bear Grylls
Number of seasons: 2

This anthology documentary series explores various topics within and around the Marvel Comics universe, its rich history, and the fans that have made it one of the most popular franchises in the world. While that’s all well and good, the series’ deep dive into Marvel’s legacy is a surprisingly deep, heartfelt journey through some of the brand’s iconic elements, strangest moments, and the ways it is evolving to better represent its diverse fanbase. Gillian Jacobs, Paul Scheer, and other familiar faces both host and direct episodes within the series, which explores such topics as the origin of “The Japanese Spider-Man,” the forgotten characters of the Marvel universe, and how female creators and the stories they tell are shaping Marvel’s future.

Created by: Marvel New Media
Cast: Various
Number of seasons: 1

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. 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