Top 20 Best Disney Animated TV Series
There's enough Disney for everyone, small and big screen! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most memorable and entertaining shows from Disney.
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00:00 I'll make you talk! It's only a matter of time! Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting
00:09 down our picks for the most memorable and entertaining shows from Disney.
00:14 This will not include any shows imported from other countries or studios. Sorry Bluey fans!
00:29 Number 20. The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
00:31 I was just passing by and I thought if it were not too much trouble might I borrow a small
00:39 smackerel of honey. A decade after the release of the many adventures of Winnie the Pooh,
00:45 Christopher Robin's silly old bear was given an all-new set of stories in the aptly titled
00:50 New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Although it ended in 1991, the series is still considered
00:56 a beloved adaptation by modern day fans, with Tokyo Disneyland releasing merchandise based on
01:01 one of its episodes as recently as 2021. The show was praised for its faithfulness to A.A.
01:08 Milne's original stories, as well as its instantly lovable cast of characters.
01:13 This included old favorites like Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore, as well as new additions like
01:18 Kesey, Rabbit's adopted daughter, who would go on to appear in the puppet-based series The Book of
01:24 Pooh. Number 19. Fillmore. Recess wasn't the only Disney cartoon that portrayed school as a
01:39 microcosm of the real world. Fillmore frequently dealt with metaphor and parody, translating serious
01:45 societal ills into a child-friendly setting. The difference being Fillmore's narrow focus on crime,
01:52 inspired by 1970s police procedurals. Smart, witty writing allowed the show's main character
01:58 to investigate attempted assassinations, chemical terrorism, and even police corruption without
02:04 threatening its place in a kid-friendly cartoon lineup. Its pilot episode even directly parodied
02:10 the R-rated Silence of the Lambs. Although the
02:21 series largely flew under the radar and was cancelled far too soon, its creator would later
02:27 make his mark on television in a big way, serving as a writer and showrunner for The Walking Dead.
02:32 Number 18. Amphibia.
02:40 Whether you're looking for a complex coming-of-age story in a fantasy setting,
02:50 or a lighthearted and comedic adventure, Amphibia has it all. Created by a former
02:55 Gravity Falls director, Amphibia's story began with a girl named Anne finding herself trapped
03:01 in a magical world of talking amphibians after opening a multi-dimensional music box.
03:06 The unconventional instrument is stolen by the character at the insistence of her friends,
03:11 Sasha and Marcy, who are also transported to the strange new amphibious land.
03:16 Coming from three very different perspectives, the girls are finally given a chance to grow,
03:30 on their own and together. It's a cleverly written and fast-paced story that has appealed
03:35 to child and adult fans alike. Number 17. Milo Murphy's Law.
03:41 Weird Al Yankovic stars as Milo Murphy in this entertaining animated series from the creator
03:55 of Phineas and Ferb. Milo is the descendant of real-world aerospace engineer Edward A. Murphy
04:00 Jr., who coined the adage "Murphy's Law," which states that anything that can go wrong, will go
04:06 wrong. As one might expect, this translates literally for the show's hapless protagonist,
04:11 whose entire life seems to be an endless parade of bad luck. Fortunately, Milo's perpetual positive
04:18 disposition and close friends Melissa and Zack help to even things out. The show is directly
04:25 connected to its creator's previous series, with more than a few fun easter eggs referencing
04:30 Phineas and Ferb's adventures, while also being a hilarious and charming show in its own right.
04:35 Number 16. American Dragon Jake Long.
04:42 This cool teen has a hidden hot temper. American Dragon Jake Long's title character is a Chinese
04:54 American kid living in New York City, whose grandpa has been preparing him to take on the
04:58 mantle of the American Dragon. This title naturally leads to a lot of action-packed
05:03 fight-and-chase sequences, as Jake attempts to safeguard the city's magical creatures against
05:08 the evil Hunts clan. There's just one catch. One of the Hunts clan's members is Jake's schoolboy
05:14 crush, Rose. This tricky dynamic complicates the show's good-versus-evil setup and creates a
05:27 compelling enemies-to-lovers drama that makes American Dragon stand out from its peers.
05:32 The show's second season thankfully recognizes the romance as the show's heart and cements the
05:38 series' spot amongst Disney Channel greats. Number 15. Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure.
05:44 Reuniting film actors Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure is the kind
05:49 of sequel that fans dream of. It brilliantly expands on the characters introduced in Tangled
05:55 as they settle into their new environment and features award-winning original music on par
06:00 with the songs of the film. In contrast to the Disney Princess series that came before it,
06:14 the show focuses on season-long story arcs in addition to traditional episodic adventures,
06:20 allowing Rapunzel, Eugene, and new additions Cassandra and Varian to grow as individuals.
06:26 Thrilling twists and compelling drama bookend each of the seasons, keeping new and old fans
06:31 alike on their toes until the very end. Number 14. Lilo and Stitch the Series.
06:51 Lilo and Stitch's once small ohana grows exponentially in this Disney Channel spin-off
06:56 of the 2002 film. The series, which begins with a direct-to-video film,
07:02 seeks to give names and faces to Stitch's 625 predecessors, whom he and Lilo refer to as his
07:08 cousins. Each experiment has its own unique look, interests, and powers, which the audience
07:14 discovers alongside the show's protagonists. It's a cute concept, not unlike a laid-back
07:20 and battle-free version of the then-popular Pokemon anime. Interestingly, the show also
07:25 provided Disney Channel with some of its best animated crossover episodes, featuring characters
07:30 from American Dragon and Kim Possible, as well as the typical fantasy-free Recess and the Proud
07:35 family. Number 13. Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Disney's very own magical girl show, and the first
07:49 show on Disney XD to be helmed by a female creator. Star vs. The Forces of Evil follows
07:54 reluctant mutant princess Star Butterfly, who is sent to Earth by her parents to continue training
08:00 after a magical mishap. There, she meets human boy Marco Diaz, with whom she has a series of
08:12 madcap adventures. Over the course of its four seasons, the pair's relationship became the show's
08:18 beating heart, which dismayed some fans and delighted others. Regardless of shipping drama,
08:23 however, the show's story-driven plots about Star's disenchantment with Mewni always spoke
08:28 to its true potential as a series, and ensured its longevity in the hearts of kid and adult fans
08:34 alike. Number 12. House of Mouse. If you ever
08:48 wish you could see all your favorite Disney characters together in one spot, House of Mouse
08:52 is the show for you. One of Disney+'s most glaring omissions, this unique animated series stars the
08:59 Fab Five as hosts and waiters at the titular cartoon club. While each episode introduces a
09:05 new problem for the gang to solve, the most memorable aspect of this cartoon is not its
09:10 plot, but its creative use of pre-existing characters to create new scenes. Everyone
09:15 from Pinocchio to the Haunted Mansion's hitchhiking ghost show up at Mickey's club throughout its 52
09:21 episodes, in two feature-length films. For lifelong Disney fans, it's like a dream come true.
09:27 Number 11. Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers. Before they were voiced by Andy Samberg and John Mulaney
09:41 in the darkly satirical live-action hybrid film, Chip and Dale were solving crimes with their
09:46 pals on the small screen in Rescue Rangers. Premiering in 1989 before being reran as part
09:56 of the Disney Afternoon lineup, this series rode the line between revolutionary 80s cartoon and
10:02 90s kid classic. Regardless of which generation you belong to though, there is no denying how
10:08 fun it was to tune into the show's small crime adventure setup week after week. Alongside the
10:13 rest of Disney Afternoon, Rescue Rangers' popularity eventually inspired comics, video games,
10:19 and a Disney park stage show featuring Gadget alongside Chip and Dale in their ranger outfits.
10:25 Number 10. The Owl House. Protagonist Luz Naceda and Amity Blight broke new ground for LGBTQ
10:38 plus representation when they became the first same-sex couple made up of lead characters in
10:43 a Disney-owned property. The pair would also provide Disney with its first same-sex kiss
10:48 between two protagonists while recurring character Rain Whispers became the studio's first ever
10:53 non-binary character. This massive step for Disney's TV animation department was only made
11:04 better by the show's commitment to engaging storytelling and character development. One
11:09 of the channel's most lore-heavy shows since Gravity Falls, The Owl House built up a complex
11:14 magical world that its human protagonists discovered alongside its viewers. Unfortunately for the
11:19 viewers, the show was unceremoniously cut short, leading to what some considered a rushed final
11:24 season. Number 9. Star Wars Rebels. Although live-action Star Wars series like The Mandalorian
11:44 and Andor have taken Disney+ by storm, the franchise's animated stories shouldn't be
11:49 discounted. Rebels is one of Lucasfilm Animation's most impressive achievements, giving audiences a
11:55 glimpse into life in a galaxy far, far away 14 years after the rise of the Galactic Empire.
12:02 It stars a ragtag group of rebels headed by orphaned teenager Ezra Bridger, who grow up to
12:07 become a makeshift family by the series' end. Their story allowed for an easy introduction
12:13 to the world of Star Wars for new fans, while cameos by beloved heroes and villains were
12:17 enthusiastically welcomed by older ones. Number 8. Darkwing Duck. When a Rocky and
12:37 Bullwinkle reboot fell through at Disney due to a misinterpretation of the studio's rights to
12:42 the characters, a DuckTales spinoff was proposed as a replacement. Inspired by select episodes of
12:48 the popular series, Darkwing Duck was born, starring a new character by the name of Drake
12:53 Mallard. Though it would never reach the same level of popularity as its inspiration, the show
12:58 held its own as a witty slapstick superhero series with a lovable cast of anthropomorphic
13:03 avians. Despite its comedic angle, its action-packed fight sequences would add a necessary
13:09 punch to the Disney afternoon lineup, an iconic programming block that it would continue to be
13:15 part of for five years after its final episode. Number 7. Gargoyles.
13:35 While other Disney cartoons may be able to point to a handful of scenes that felt too intense for
13:41 their target audience, few shows on the network were as consistently dark as Gargoyles. The series
13:47 didn't pull any punches when it came to depicting conflict, choosing to show blood, and even
13:52 including Nazi adversaries for its protagonists to face when they travel back to the 1940s.
14:03 A cast of fleshed-out characters and the addition of romance added depth to the darkness and made
14:09 the show a weekly must-see for an older demographic. It's admittedly hard to imagine this
14:14 show airing alongside the likes of Timon and Pumbaa in Jungle Cubs, but we're very glad it did.
14:19 Number 6. The Proud Family. At a time when most black characters were relegated to sidekick or
14:26 background roles, The Proud Family burst onto the scene with a diverse cast headed by a young black
14:32 girl and her chaotic family. The show was a frequently funny and always heartfelt coming-of-age
14:38 story that interpersed African-American culture and history into its episodes. This included some
14:44 pretty significant cameo appearances from the likes of Alicia Keys, Kobe Bryant, and even famed
14:50 R&B singer Lou Rawls. For its efforts, the show received several NAACP nominations,
15:02 ultimately winning for Cedric the Entertainer's hilarious performance as Oscar's brother,
15:06 Bobby Proud.
15:07 Number 5. Recess.
15:16 When the bell rings for recess, the kids of Third Street Elementary School are set free.
15:28 From their teachers, that is. On the playground, a new social order has been created,
15:33 with sixth-grader King Bob serving as its purportedly impartial ruler. Series protagonists
15:39 TJ, Mikey, Spinelli, Vince, Gretchen, and Gus serve as the show's beacons of individuality,
15:45 often fighting against what they consider to be injustices. On its surface, the show is a
15:51 fun ensemble-based cartoon with an interesting premise for kids, but for adults, the seemingly
15:56 simplistic show will gain new meaning as they catch more of the series' metaphorical plotlines
16:02 meant to mirror the world we live in.
16:03 Number 4. DuckTales. It's difficult to reboot a show as iconic as DuckTales,
16:21 but the 2017 version of the show may be even better than its popular predecessor.
16:26 Huey, Dewey, and Louie have been given distinctive personalities in this modern retelling,
16:31 and Webby finally feels like a full-fledged character instead of a female sidekick.
16:36 The show also thankfully manages to avoid the kind of racial insensitivity
16:46 that led to some of the 1987 series' episodes being omitted from Disney+.
16:51 Although this reboot was primarily made to attract newcomers to the old franchise,
16:56 it's not without its nods to the 80s and 90s Disney eras. Eagle-eyed fans have noticed cameos
17:02 from Max Goof, Bonkers, and even the characters of the one-off TV special, Fluffy Dog.
17:08 Number 3. Kim Possible. You know the drill. Call her, beep her, if you want to reach her,
17:24 if you want to page her. Well, maybe we need to travel back to the 2000s for that one.
17:29 That is when Kim Possible was popular after all.
17:32 Although the show was far from the first about a female action hero,
17:43 it set itself apart from its peers by making its protagonist a regular girl.
17:48 Kim had no special powers. She was just a cheerleader with an arsenal of spy gadgets,
17:53 a relatable heroine, and girls and boys alike loved it. The series was the first from Disney
17:59 Channel to debut at number one in the US and had the highest rated premiere for the channel
18:04 at the time of its release. Number 2. Phineas and Ferb. Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today.
18:18 There's 104 days of summer vacation, and if anyone knows how to spend them, it's Phineas and Ferb.
18:26 The stepbrothers spend their finite days of freedom creating their own forms of adventure
18:30 and excitement, accomplishing everything from becoming a one-hit wonder to producing their own
18:35 animated cartoon. Meanwhile, the boy's pet platypus Perry misses out on these day-long
18:41 activities for adventures of his own with the hilarious incompetent Dr. Doofensmurf.
18:45 What kind of a plumber are you? A platypus plumber? Perry the platypus plumber?
18:52 Though the series originally ended in 2015, future seasons were announced to be in the
18:57 works in 2023, and honestly, we can't blame Disney for wanting more. The show is timeless,
19:04 with catchy songs and brilliant humor sure to entertain kids for generations.
19:09 "He'll twist your melody, he'll turn you cat, and he'll boost my sweet old world, ah, ah, ah."
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19:34 Number 1, Gravity Falls. Could it have been anything else? After a short period of cartoon
19:39 releases that flew under the radar, Gravity Falls re-established Disney Channel as the
19:44 place to watch children's animation. "Who's that?" "Well, time to spill the beans.
19:48 Beans." The show's twin protagonists were instantly likable, and its ever-unfolding mystery
19:56 provided welcome fodder for animation fans of all ages to dig into and dissect. Bill Cipher's
20:01 addition to the cast provided a genuine threat to the typically lighthearted series, while
20:06 mysteries surrounding Dipper and Mabel's grunkle Stan had fans questioning who could really be
20:11 trusted. "Why would they call him unnamed? Unless Stan isn't Stan?" The series has also continued to
20:20 make an impact on the Disney brand well after its finale, with shows like Amphibia and The Owl House
20:26 coming directly from former Gravity Falls crew. "Trust us, we beat him before, and we'll beat him
20:32 again!" Did we miss any of your favorite animated shows from Disney Channel, Disney XD, or even ABC's
20:39 One Saturday Morning? Let us know in the comments down below. "Dipper and, Dipper and, what's your
20:45 core for seventh grade? No, it's cooler than Dipper and..." Did you enjoy this video? Check out these
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20:57 [Music]