Wondering whether you should continue with your Disney Plus subscription? We have 50 reasons to stay, detailed below.
One of the most recent hot picks is Andor season 2, but we can't imagine too many Disney Plus fans have missed out on that arrival. It's a smash.
When looking for the best Disney+ shows to watch, you have to ask yourself a few questions. Am I after a Marvel show, a Disney or Star Wars classic or maybe something from the wealth of National Geographic content available on the service?
If you have answered yes to all of the above, then this is the best Disney+ shows list for you. The following guide has a number of Fox classics, marvellous Marvel tidbits and, of course, Star Wars.
It is worth noting that these shows are available on the UK version of Disney Plus - to get all of these shows in the US, you would need the Disney+/Hulu bundle.
The below is our pick of the best Disney+ shows that you will be able to watch right now.
Best Disney Plus shows
1. The Mandalorian
This is the big one. It's the first-ever Star Wars live-action TV show, focusing on the time between The Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. What's it about? Well, a lone gunslinger is on a mission to rid the Star Wars world of its vermin (and some good guys along the way, too).]
It's one of the most-expensive shows ever made and its series runner is none other than Jon Favreau. The series has already aired in the US and there is a second season on the way.
2. Only Murders In The Building
Only Murders In The Building takes a few episodes to get going but once it does you will fall in love with the characters of Charles, Oliver and Mabel (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez), amateur detectives that are trying to figure just who is a murderer in their apartment block.
Season 2 of this fantastic show is streaming now.
3. Loki
We were a little worried with its slow start but we shouldn’t have been - Loki is an amazing ride through the MCU, messing with timelines and cementing the character as the god of mischief. The script is brilliant, the cast stellar and the look has an amazing retro-future vibe.
4. Andor
Dropping three episodes at once was inspired as they play out like a movie and set the scene perfectly for the rest of the show.
A prequel to Rogue One, Andor has been created by Tony Gilroy and follows the exploits of Cassian Andor as he becomes a Rebel Spy. This is far grittier than any other Star Wars show so far - and all the better for it.
5. WandaVision
The jewel in the Disney Plus crown right now, WandaVision is a wonderful watch. It takes its time, going hard on its sitcom premise but then the mystery unravels and we are firmly in MCU territory. You'll be wishing each episode is much longer than its 30 minutes.
6. The Americans
If you haven’t watched this one yet, then you really need to. It’s about Russian sleeper agents living a normal-ish suburban life in the US during the Cold War in the 80s.
If you’ve recently seen Black Widow, then some of the plot points will be achingly similar. This is one that demands a binge-watch.
7. Daredevil
Daredevil is back streaming on Disney Plus. Having lasted its contract out on Netflix, its permanent home is now Disney Plus and we couldn't be happier. The show is our pick of Marvel shows that came from Netflix - although we would utterly recommend Jessica Jones, The Punisher and Luke Cage, too.
8. X-Files
When The X-Files works it is one of the best TV shows ever made. Mixing fantastic ‘monster of the week’ episodes with a bigger, event-TV arc, we saw Mulder and Scully investigate the paranormal for some 9 seasons. We reckon half of those are well worth the re-watch.
9. Hawkeye
Hawkeye is a charming Marvel TV show and it's all thanks to the character of Kate Bishop - played by the fantastic Hailee Steinfeld. She brings out the best in Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye in a show that balances both the characters and the set pieces well.
While there are familiar characters that make an appearance, they aren't shoe-horned in. We weren't expecting this, but Hawkeye is our favourite Marvel show since WandaVision
10. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
One of the best things Disney+ is doing is reprising Star Wars: The Clone Wars for one final season - something it badly needs.
The new season continue on after the cancellation in 2013 and will see the likes of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex back.
11. Moon Knight
And there was us thinking that Wandavision was going to be the weirdest Marvel TV show - with the arrival of Moon Knight, it has lost that accolade.
That's just how good Moon Knight is, a show about a superhero who suffers from multiple personality disorder. This one is an absolute joy.
12. The Simpsons
There was a little bit of controversy when The Simpsons launched on Disney Plus as Disney had made the older shows widescreen and this meant that key jokes were missing.
Yes. The Simpsons has lost its lustre of late but there are some fantastic classic episodes on show here and we are glad that Disney is embracing this Fox property.
13. Sons of Anarchy
Shakespeare on bikes is pretty much what Sons of Anarchy is. The sprawling tale of warring biker gangs had more heart in it than you ever thought possible, even if it was always peppered with a little bit of the ultra-violence.
Like The Americans, if you haven’t yet visited this one, then you need to immediately.
14. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi relies on you having prior knowledge of the Star Wars prequels to have full impact but there's a decent catch-up at the beginning of the show.
And what a show it is - strengthening Kenobi as a character (Ewan McGregor has honed his Kenobi and is sublime) and going in surprising directions to tell the tale. More of this please, Disney. All episodes are available now.
15. Dopesick
One of the best TV shows in 2021, Dopesick is the true tale of the opioid crisis in America, how it started from drugs companies pushing a seemingly non-addictive opiate, only to cover up the fact that the exact opposite was true.
The show looks at all aspects of the crisis, from the sales people pushing the drug, the doctors who prescribed it and those who got hooked on it. Powerful stuff.
16. Agents of SHIELD
While Agents of SHIELD looked like it was waning around the third season mark, we're glad the series was given a chance as it is a belter of a show. At first it piggy backs on the mythos of the MCU and then becomes its own thing entirely.
17. Agent Carter
A show that deserves more than its two seasons, this is the sort of thing Disney Plus is making right now: idiosyncratic storytelling which is set in the late '40s.
It's fantastic to see Hayley Atwell back as Peggy Carter and James D'Arcy does a decent turn as Howard Stark's butler.
18. 24
Yes, it got ridiculous but the early seasons of 24 were just magical. Kieer Sutherland has never been better than he was as Jack Bauer and while the premise of the show playing out in real time is now a little bit cliched, at the time it was a real, refreshing take on TV.
19. The X-Men Animated Series
This was a watermark for both Marvel and animated superhero adventures. The first few series of X-Men are an absolute joy. They don't shirk the violence or big adult themes of the comics so this isn't for small kids but it was a staple of 90s TV and is a must watch.
The latter series suffer from an animation change and a lack of budget but this is lightning in a bottle stuff and we're hoping Marvel takes some of the cues of this show if it ever decides to reboot The X-Men.
20. Reservation Dogs
This is a lot of fun. Created by Taika Waititi, the show is ground breaking as the majority of the cast are Indigenous American.
It's about a group of teenagers who live on a reservation who get up to no good so as the can get out and head to California. It's a fantastic crime caper that needs to be watched by all.
21. Scrubs
While it lost its way when it tried to reboot itself in Season 9, the show up until that point was bloody hilarious. Focusing on those who worked at Sacred Heart Hospital, the show had one of the best ensemble comedy casts going.
22. The Bear
One of the greatest shows on any service, The Bear is a stunning watch. Based around a world-class chef who moves back to home to take over his brother's sandwich restaurant it's packed with family trauma, friendship bonds and the sweaty anger you can only get while in the kitchen. Wonderful stuff.
23. Futurama
Unfairly seen as the lesser Simpsons, Futurama has outlasted that yellow shadow, thanks for the show ending when it did. It means that even though it is 10 seasons long, it’s not bloated - just great, spaced-out fun.
24. The Old Man
Jeff Bridges is fantastic as The Old Man in this crime thriller. He's an ex-CIA agent who has gone off grid, but now his past has come back to haunt him. The trope of a retired killer who is brought back into the game may be a tired one, but it works really well here. John Lithgow also stars, which is always a delight.
25. Atlanta
Atlanta is superb TV, focusing on two cousins that are trying to make it in the music business. This is Donald Glover’s baby and it’s a fascinating look at the struggles of trying to find fame. There are currently two series of the show but fingers crossed there will be more.
26. Alias
Before Lost, JJ Abrams gave us this glorious show about a secret agent for a shady agency turns double agent for the CIA. Cue many disguises by Jennifer Garner and over 100 episodes of brilliant, twisty TV.
27. The Bad Batch
It’s by no means perfect, but we like what Disney has tried with The Bad Batch - breathing life into new Star Wars characters - supercharged clones! - and creating new adventures for them to go on. Dave Filoni is the boss of this one, which means you know you are in good hands.
28. Spider-Man TV Series
This is a bit of an oddity. Most will know the Spider-Man 60s series, this is an update to that which seemingly uses the same animation and has a cracking theme tune. It's hokey in places and don't come for the animation. But there is a lot of heart here and it's been a show that has produced a number of Spider-Man memes which is a bonus.
29. Bob's Burgers
One of the very best animated shows. The beauty of Bob’s Burgers is that it’s utterly absurd but the characters are so lovable that you want to revisit them more and more. There are over 10 seasons to get through and each one is an absolute joy.
30. Shogun
An epic win for Disney+, Shogun is the kind of show it's worth signing up to a streaming service just to see. It's an adaptation of a 1975 novel by James Clavell.
A British sailor washes up on the shores of Japan in the 1600s as civil war threatens to break out. TV history buffs will know there's also a celebrated 1980 version of this tory. But this new Disney+ take is even stronger.
31. The Book of Boba Fett
We weren't totally convinced by The Book of Boba Fett when it first launched. The initial episodes are a little slow, but when it gets going it's got some great scenes and brilliant callbacks to the Original Trilogy. We ended up loving the thing, although The Mandalorian is better in the quality stakes.
32. Gravity Falls
Forget all the Marvel and Star Wars stuff, Gravity Falls is perhaps the best thing on Disney Plus. It's a charming animated show based around a tourist attraction (and trap) called Gravity Falls.
It's old-fashioned storytelling at its finest and does the thing that all cartoons should: never panders to kids but nods brilliantly to the adults.
33. The Walking Dead
All 10 seasons of The Walking Dead are now available to stream. While the show has certainly lost its edge - and many of its characters - those who have stuck by it swear it’s still one of the best things on TV. We’re not so sure but revisiting the earlier seasons of this zombie opus is a grizzly joy.
34. Star Wars Rebels
We weren't convince initially about Star Wars Rebels. The animation in the first episode was a little baby ish and it felt that Disney was pushing this at a too-young audience.
But how wrong we were. The storylines grew, and drew from, the Star Wars mythos in the latter seasons and the character portrayed here are stronger than some in the live-action movies. This is a Star Wars show to cherish that managed to land the ending.
35. What We Do in the Shadows
A vampire show with a difference, What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary following the lives of a group of vampires who live in Staten Island. It was a spin-off of a 2014 movie but, five seasons in, the show has really eclipsed its inspiration.
The true strength here is the joy you can find in just spending with the ensemble. Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Natasha Demetriou and Harvey Guillen star.
36. Disney's Ducktales
Ducktails is one of those shows that isn't as good as you remember it. But, and it's a big but, it's still one of the most fun cartoons around and we are so glad to see it back on TV, thanks to Disney Plus. Altogether now: "Duck Tales! oo woo oo. Every day they're out there making. Duck Tales! oo woo oo"
37. Ms Marvel
Ms Marvel is a breath of fresh air for Marvel, taking the teenage kicks of Spider-Man and mixing it with some fantastic representation, it's a giddy look at Kamal Khan, a superhero fan who becomes a superhero herself. We can't wait to see what actress Iman Vellani does with The Marvels movie as she is a revelation in this show.
38. Get Back
Over the course of three feature-length episodes, director Peter Jackson and his visual effects team has brought to life one of the most fractious times in the life of The Beatles.
Essentially, we see the end of a band who is still bringing out some of the greatest music of all time. Get Back is a stunning documentary of The Beatles and while it takes its time to tell its tale, you will still be wanting more
39. American Dad
Like The Simpsons/Futurama debate, American Dad pips Family Guy for us. The adventures of CIA agent Stan Smith gets us every time, even though the early seasons do feel a little like a Family Guy rip-off. When it finds its feet, though, it’s glorious.
40. The Dropout
The true tale of Elizabeth Holmes who fell from grace as one of the most hyped people in Silicon Valley is pretty jaw dropping. Amanda Seyfried is fantastic as Holmes, the CEO who styled herself on Steve Jobs and ultimately duped investors about her revolutionary blood testing technology.
41. Ahsoka
After making their live-action debut in Mandalorian: S2, Rosario Dawson is back as Ahsoka in a series that follows the ex Jedi as she embarks on bringing down the Empire. It's a great show but we recommend you swat up on Star Wars Rebels before jumping in, which is a rather excellent animated show.
42. Mr Inbetween
Ray Shoesmith is a hitman. But he's also a father, a partner and a brother. Mr Inbetween shows the sides of life movies featuring hitmen usually don't: what they do the other 90% of the time.
This Australian show is a dark comedy devised and written by its lead actor Scott Ryan. And unlike so many shows these days, its episodes are only up to a half-hour long. Refreshing.
43. Lost
Sorry, haters. We love Lost and are not ashamed of lapping up every bit of the show when it first aired. Granted, it never really fulfilled its purpose by the end - you could say it ‘lost’ its way - but from season to season there was always a fun, new mystery to wrap your head around.
44. What If...
This show explores alternatives futures, and pasts, in the Marvel Universe. What would have happened if Peggy Carter became Captain American instead of Steve Rogers? What would happen in there were a zombie outbreak in the MCU? What is Thor was an only child, with no Loki to mischief the place up? What If… offers two nine-episode seasons of these antics, with a third on the way.
45. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The adults can probably leave this one, unless they were big fans of the books back in the day. But if you’re looking for a largely wholesome show for a set of tweens, Percy Jackson and the Olympians fits the bill.
Percy Jackson discovers he’s related to a Greek god, and must return Zeus’s lightning bolt in order to avoid a war between the Olympians. Grand stakes, then, but Percy Jackson has a light touch laced with comedy.
46. X-Men ’97
Disney has resurrected one of our favourite childhood animated shows, and it’s a direct follow-up of that 90s X-Men series. Continuing the trend set by shows like Invincible and Blue Eye Samurai, X-Men ’97 is excellent.
More than just an exercise in nostalgia, it features sharp writing and probably eclipses the original if we all agree to take off those rose tinted glasses for an episode’s 30-minute runtime.
47. It’s a Sin
This 2021 mini series was originally broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK, but came to Disney+ in mid-2022.
It’s an affecting and engaging look at a group of friends embedded in London’s gay scene during the peak of the AIDs crisis. It’s a Sin is just five episodes long, but is sure to sit in the memory longer than some epic multi-season story arcs.
48. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Skeleton Crew gets back to several important elements from the earliest roots of the Star Wars franchise: fun, adventure and a child-friendly sensibility. A group of four kids find a space craft in their home town, and end up lost in space after getting it working.
Jude Law also stars, as a space pirate and the kids’ guide. The show is a blast, and highly enjoyable as long as you’re not wedded to the idea Star Wars is all about serious lore.
48. A Thousand Blows...
From the creator of Peaky Blinders Steven Knight, A Thousands Blows is a period film about crime and boxing. It’s set in London’s East End towards the latter end of the 19th century.
Hezekiah and Alex are immigrants from Jamaica, thrown into the deep end and get tangled up with the criminal underworld. And that includes an all-female crime ring and Henry “Sugar” Goodson, played by a rather buff-looking Stephen Graham.
49. Rivals
Rivals is quite unlike almost all the other shows on Disney Plus. It's an adaptation of a Jilly Cooper novel from 1988. Don't know Cooper?
She has written dozens of streamy romance novels, a towering figure in this often derided genre. But Rivals is an absolute blast. It's a tale of warring TV executives, of affairs and searing rivalries. Alex Haskell stars, alongside David Tennant, Victoria Smurfit and Danny Dyer.,
50. Wu-tang: An American Saga
The Wu-tang Clan are one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time, with a legacy that spans hundreds of records thanks to the genius of Rza who set out to create a collective of like-minded hip-hop heads.
This dramatisation does a decent job of helping you understand the poverty the group grew from and how their combined love of hip-hop and kung-fu created the band we know today
- These are the best Disney Plus movies to watch
- How to watch the Marvel movies in order.
