Best Disney Plus shows – originals and returning favourites

There's a reason everyone's talking about Rivals – it's the kind of light-hearted, soapy, sexy fun that TV needs a lot more of.

The series follows Tory politician and handsome ex-Olympian Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) as he plots to take over the TV airwaves with charismatic presenter Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner), upending the future plans of TV titan Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) in the process. What ensues is a fierce rivalry where nothing is left off the table but what makes this series really so moreish is the ensemble of characters at our fingertips.

From cheating neighbours to illicit romance and loveless marriages, we get it all and then some. With a catchy soundtrack, a star-studded cast and one hell of a cliffhanger ending, if you're looking for your next binge-watch then Rivals really should be top of your watchlist.

Morgan Cormack

You'll do yourself a disservice if you simply write Tell Me Lies off as a college-based drama for a younger audience. While it certainly does unfold at the fictional Baird College in upstate New York in 2008, the show also flashes forward to 2015 when our group of friends are much older and not really that much wiser.

The series centres on Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) who get into a heady, toxic relationship but when tragedy strikes, their lives are altered forever and secrets threaten to tear everything apart. While the series most certainly does focus on these two toxic leads, we also follow each of their friends, their own lives and scandals over the years making for the juiciest of drama.

Season 2 saw the introduction of Tom Ellis and the finale left on quite the shocker of a cliffhanger so all signs do point to another instalment – we'll just be crossing our fingers till then.

Morgan Cormack

Cast your mind back to 2021 and you may recall that WandaVision was kind of a big deal. Back when the MCU seemed unstoppable, that high-concept series introduced us to a delightfully wicked witch named Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), who was ultimately left cursed by an ultra-powerful Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

But what happened next? That's what belated spin-off Agatha All Along seeks to answer. The story kicks off with the title character in her own television-inspired delusion, until the arrival of an old nemesis and a goth teen send her on a perilous journey down the Witches' Road.

WandaVision creator Jac Schaeffer has returned to write and direct this follow-up, which retains the same potent mix of comedy, music and pop culture references as well as heavy emotional stakes as each of the main characters are faced with the demons from their past (metaphorical and, sometimes, literal).

Pairing the comedy duo Steve Martin and Martin Short with Selena Gomez might have seemed like a strange move when this mystery-comedy was first announced, but it has proven to be a stroke of genius.

The series has taken the world by storm, receiving critical acclaim and becoming part of a recent wave of comedic murder mysteries, alongside big-screen efforts like Knives Out and the BBC's recent Ludwig.

Now in its fourth season, the show is making full use of its star-studded Hollywood address book, with a revolving door of A-list guest stars appearing alongside series regular Meryl Streep (yes, you read that right).

If you want something quirky, intriguing, but with a genuine warmth to its overarching storylines, Only Murders in the Building is the one for you.

A superior true-crime drama, based on the non-fiction book by the late Rebecca Godfrey — played here as an ambitious young writer by Riley Keough. In 1997, Rebecca returns to her home town of Saanich, British Columbia, a nice but conservative place with venom brewing among the bored local teens. When one of them, nerdy Indian-Canadian Reena Virk, goes missing, Rebecca is pitched into a tragic story of rebellion and disaffection that mirrors her own troubled youth.

Fascinating characters are everywhere in a drama with a rare knack for capturing the dark, primal energy of apparently normal young adults — girls especially.

Jack Seale

A sweeping Holocaust drama, based on a true story and an all the more powerful tale of survival for being, first, a considered character piece. We take time to get to know the five adult siblings of the smart, caring Kurc family in Radom, Poland in 1938, as they gather for Passover — soon, they are under occupation and forced to find various ways to escape or hide.

The drama spreads across multiple countries as the Kurcs discover that almost nowhere is safe, while wondering if they’ll ever see their loved ones again.

Jack Seale

If Deadpool & Wolverine left you craving another Marvel romp, look no further than Disney Plus original Loki, which first established the Time Variance Authority that plays a crucial role in both stories.

Tom Hiddleston returns as the God of Mischief, who is plucked out of the MCU by the TVA having cheated death one too many times. He soon crosses paths with Agent Moebius (Owen Wilson), Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) and Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) among others, and starts to unravel the mystery of how they all ended up there.

Despite a change of talent behind-the-scenes and some real-world drama clouding production, Loki season 2 lived up to the success of the first, with Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) getting involved in another gripping adventure through time. Trust us: you will not be ready for the series finale.

James Hibbs and David Craig

Police procedural dramas continue to be some of the biggest hitters on TV, with this addition to the genre following Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (played by Ramón Rodríguez of The Wire fame).

Trent has the highest clearance of anyone in the GBI and is intent on making a difference in his career, ensuring that no person is abandoned like he was as a child in the overwhelmed Atlanta foster care system.

Based on the bestselling novels by Karin Slaughter, the series is gripping from the offset, with his close-knit team displaying hidden depths as they tackle tough crimes and open up about their own personal lives.

Season 2 is currently streaming on Disney Plus and a third was ordered earlier this year – this compelling drama is only getting started!

Morgan Cormack and David Craig

While other streaming services have hit animated shows such as Invincible and Rick and Morty in their libraries, most would agree that Disney Plus has truly become the king when it comes to the animated sitcom. Alongside hundreds of episodes of shows such as Family Guy and The Simpsons, the platform also has another mega-hit in its roster, in the form of Matt Groening's Futurama.

The show has such a dedicated fanbase that it has been brought back time and again from cancellation, proving that it really is one to watch. Fans have enjoyed the adventures of Fry, Leela and Bender for years now, with the show having an anarchic sense of humour, as well as the opportunity to go to far-out, absurdist places that other series daren't.

James Hibbs

The first live-action streaming series from Marvel Studios – and arguably still the best – served as a sequel of-sorts to Avengers: Endgame and a loose interpretation of classic comic book storyline House of M.

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reunite as Wanda Maximoff (AKA Scarlet Witch) and The Vision respectively, with the pair appearing to share an idyllic suburban life reminiscent of a vintage sitcom. However, it soon becomes apparent that things are not entirely as they seem.

Premiering after a Marvel drought and during a UK-wide lockdown, the initial interest in WandaVision was enormous, generating endless speculation from week to week on social media. The show's commitment to its sitcom homage during the first three episodes delighted some and frustrated others, but eventually gave way to blockbuster Marvel action.

If you've been considering a re-watch, now would be the perfect time as spin-off series Agatha All Along is just around the corner.

One of the most acclaimed shows on TV right now, The Bear has just released its third season, which is available to stream in full now on Disney Plus.

The show stars Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri as two chefs attempting to turn an old sandwich joint into a fine-dining restaurant, with plenty of soul-searching, stress and grief to muddle through along the way.

The show has consistently been put up for awards in the comedy categories, and it's easy to see why – it is often hysterically funny, in no small part thanks to the antics of Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Richie. However, it is also one of the most stirring, innovative and downright emotional dramas around right now, which gets right to the heart of the human condition.

The Bear is one of those shows which actually manages to exceed its own hype, meaning it's no surprise that it keeps managing to attract major A-listers for fun cameos along the way.

James Hibbs

As Disney has looked to expand on some of its popular film franchises with streaming shows in the advent of Disney Plus, one which has stood out above some of the others is Monsters at Work, the sequel series following on from Monsters Inc and its prequel, Monsters University.

The series, which takes the form of a workplace comedy, follows Tylor Tuskmon, a new employee at Monsters Incorporated who dreamed of being a scarer, but has to find a new purpose in life after the factory has switched to laugh power.

Featuring the returning voices of Billy Crystal and John Goodman as Mike and Sully, the series starts out a little shaky and formulaic, but really finds its footing in its second season, which also features some other fun character reprisals from the films. It's funny throughout, has a well-developed central arc for Tylor, and is well worth the time of both younger and older audiences alike.

James Hibbs

The longevity of Shonda Rhimes’s Seattle-set surgical drama is something of a medical miracle in TV terms. It launched almost two decades ago and consists of well over 400 episodes, all of which can now be found on Disney Plus – along with the latest season, which is dropping new episodes every Thursday.

The milestone 20th season looks poised to usher in some changes by its finale, with life at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital rarely quiet for long. But with US ratings dropping following Ellen Pompeo's stepping back, one has to wonder if it's almost time for this resilient series to be discharged. At this stage in the game, there'd be no shame in it!

Whatever happens, Grey's will always be able to boast some incredibly memorable characters and multiple heartbreaking twists, which kept viewers coming back year after year. If you're yet to experience them, maybe now's the time.

Michael Hogan and David Craig

If you’re a fan of a workplace comedy, then you need to start streaming Disney Plus mockumentary Abbott Elementary.

Created by and starring Quinta Brunson, the series follows teachers working in an underfunded state school based in Philadelphia as they try their best to teach their students with the few resources they have whilst navigating teachers’ lounge politics and educational bureaucracy.

With the likes of Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter and Sheryl Lee Ralph making up the ensemble cast, Abbott Elementary is your classic “nicecore” sitcom (the genre of television made popular by Ted Lasso), full of heart-warming moments, witty repartee and important criticisms of the American education system.

This excellent historical drama is based on CJ Sansom's Shardlake novels, and follows Tudor lawyer Matthew Shardlake, who is sent by Thomas Cromwell to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a monastery.

There's so much about this that works – sure, the murder mystery is a bit thin, but the historical detail, the political intrigue, the well-drawn, complex characters and the ominous, somewhat creepy atmosphere all work a treat, coming together in a bingeable, hugely enjoyable four-part series.

The stars are all excellent, particularly the central trio of Arthur Hughes, Anthony Boyle and Sean Bean. Here's hoping they get to return for a second season filled with further mysteries in the future.

James Hibbs

Get ready to have that theme tune stuck in your head once more, as X-Men: The Animated series has been revived in the new, hugely popular X-Men '97. Picking up right where the original show left off, this new iteration brings back many of the same voice actors and sticks to the show's original animation style, while dusting off the cobwebs and giving everything a fresh lick of paint.

What has been created is a hugely nostalgic experience for fans of the original show, but also a dramatic, exciting and fresh new adventure in its own right, which continues to take the characters to unexpected places and deliver shocking moments that no one will see coming.

James Hibbs

When this new comedy series debuted last year, it quickly became a fan-favourite and now, we've got a second instalment full of superpowers, surprises and hilarious mishaps as we follow Jen (Máiréad Tyers) on her own powers journey.

The 25-year-old shop worker faces her own fair share of problems, not least that she's yet to develop any powers when those around her are practically showing them off. With her infectious wit, Tyers is a delight to watch in the lead of this series which may seem like it's all caught up on the superpower elements, but actually speaks more to identity and feeling like the odd one out.

Morgan Cormack

A mysterious ship marooned in a nearby village, a Lord struggling for power and decades-long rivalries converge in this epic new series. Based on James Clavell’s novel of the same name, this new series blends action, adventure and history for one hell of a watch. Standout performances come from Hiroyuki Sanada as the enigmatic Lord Yoshii Toranaga, while Anna Sawai and Cosmo Jarvis’s budding relationship as John and Toda is enough to keep us tuning in, eager to see whether there’s more to Sawai’s translator than meets the eye.

While it’s definitely not going to be the show you turn to for a relaxing watch, the drama packs a punch with its sprawling cast, battles and cinematography that will likely make this a series people are talking about for the year to come.

Morgan Cormack

If you’re in the mood for a good thriller, Homeland has just landed on Disney Plus — with all eight seasons set to take viewers on quite the rollercoaster.

The series follows CIA officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), who in the first season is reassigned to the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center in Langley, Virginia. Carrie comes to suspect an American soldier, Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), who has returned after being presumed dead in Iraq, could actually be part of a sleeper cell planning a terrorist attack.

While there are eight seasons to get through, this is one that keeps you on your toes and delivers some surprising cliffhangers, with standout performances from Danes and Lewis, as well as supporting cast members Mandy Patinkin, Morena Baccarin and more.

Morgan Cormack

In an age of many book-to-TV adaptations, it can often feel like some series were best left in their written form – but the same can’t be said of Black Cake. Here, Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel comes alive with vibrant locations like Jamaica and California interspersed with scenes in London and Scotland. A widow named Eleanor leaves her two children in complete confusion after leaving them audio recordings detailing her life story, one that started out in Jamaica as a girl named Covey.

The series features plenty of soap opera-style reveals, twists and turns but manages to pack in some pretty heavy themes of racism, sexual assault and immigration that will make this wide-spanning tale one that is ever topical and important.

Morgan Cormack

While a Charles Dickens adaptation may not be everyone’s idea of a raucous TV ride, this new series does away with expectations and provides a lively new spin on some beloved Oliver Twist characters. At the end of the well-known tale, The Artful Dodger was sentenced for his crimes and shipped off to Australia, and this series fills in those blanks, providing a new story about the fate of Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins.

Led by Thomas Brodie-Sangster, the show is fast-paced, as we follow Jack as a surgeon with a penchant for his criminal past – even more so when Fagin (David Thewlis) makes an appearance and the sneaky duo are reunited.

Morgan Cormack

It’s quite wild to think that it’s been four years since Modern Family concluded with its 11th and final run – but, at long last, we can binge-watch the entire 11 seasons on Disney Plus.

The final instalment brings with it plenty more barrels of laughs, but is also that bit more poignant, as we see the likes of Luke, Haley, Alex, Manny and Lily face the trials and tribulations of being teenagers and fully grown adults, a far cry away from their baby-faced season 1 characters.

As per usual, the Pritchett, Tucker and Dunphy clans go through many arguments, trials, tribulations, romances and new beginnings – but in the most hilarious ways possible.

Morgan Cormack

The key names on the credits for this highly stylised new drama are those of the creators and directors, Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij: their previous collaboration, Netflix’s The OA, was seen by viewers either as an utterly baffling mess, or as one of the greatest television shows of all time.

This one looks to have a higher budget, since the icy, remote, futuristic mansion in which its set is so impressively realised. Living there is a mysterious, reclusive billionaire played by Clive Owen, and among the guests invited to come and stay for reasons unclear is hacker and amateur sleuth Darby Hart, played by former Crown star Emma Corrin. When someone gets killed, everything quickly gets intensely weird.

Jack Seale