Summary
- Disney+ lacks original shows compared to competitors, but it produces plenty of shows for fans of Marvel or Star Wars.
- The streaming service relies on its extensive library of Disney content and distributes some original shows on Hulu and FX.
- Notable shows in 2023 include Faraway Downs, Culprits, The Muppets Mayhem, and Goosebumps.
Disney+ doesn’t produce as many original shows as some of its competitors, so its best shows from 2023 are a mixed bag. Since its inception, the streaming service has primarily served as a repository for a century’s worth of Disney content, including the company’s more recent acquisitions, such as Lucasfilm, Marvel, and 21st Century Fox. The biggest original shows on Disney+ mostly fall under the umbrella of Marvel or Star Wars, but there are some notable exceptions.
Since Disney also owns Hulu and FX, plenty of their original shows find a home away from Disney+. Only Murders in the Building, The Bear and Futurama are just a few examples of shows which could have been streaming on Disney+, but the company had other plans. For a streaming service with so many movies and TV shows, it’s surprising how few originals Disney+ produces for itself, and the entirety of 2023 only garnered a handful of memorable shows.
15 Faraway Downs
Baz Luhrmann’s final cut of his passion project
One of the many criticisms levied against Baz Luhrmann’s wartime drama Australia is its overly long runtime, but Luhrmann doubles down on this with the streaming series Faraway Downs, which comes in at no less than four hours. Faraway Downs uses its extra time to explore the depths of its characters, and the series is closer to Luhrmann’s original vision than Australia, using hours of footage that he was forced to cut. This means there is even more gorgeous Australian scenery to luxuriate in, and more of a focus on First Nations people.
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14 The Crossover
Teen basketball drama for a younger demographic
LeBron James is among the producers of The Crossover, a coming-of-age tale about two twins in high school on the fast track to the NBA. The Bell brothers are prodigiously talented, but they also benefit from the fact that their father is a basketball legend. It’s clear what connection James has to the story. Despite its focus on basketball, The Crossover is at its most interesting when it explores more personal details of its characters, such as their love for poetry and art. The hip-hop soundtrack, including big names like Drake and Jay-Z, keeps things bouncing along nicely.
13 Secret Invasion
MCU Phase Five starts off slowly
Sadly, Secret Invasion falls short of its potential.
Marvel’s Secret Invasion wisely casts its focus on Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Nick Fury. Secret Invasion tries to combat superhero fatigue with more of a mature tone. There are discussions of torture and terrorism, and Fury himself is forced to contend with a legacy of broken promises and missed opportunities. Sadly, Secret Invasion falls short of its potential due to some slow, exposition-heavy dialogue and some moments with glaringly unrefined CGI. Overall, Secret Invasion seems like a good idea with half-hearted execution.
12 The Clearing
Australian psychological drama
The Australian drama The Clearing tells a sinister cult story based on a real-life doomsday cult known as “The Family.” The aim of the cult in The Clearing is to raise a new generation untainted by society’s prejudices and fears, and it tries to achieve this by abducting children and indoctrinating them into a new lifestyle. Miranda Otto plays the charismatic face of the cult, Adrienne, whose broad smile masks her nefarious lust for power. The Clearing implies much more than it shows about these hidden evils, and the result is an eerie drama, simmering with dread.
11 Culprits
British heist adventure with a charming cast
Netflix has become the home of heist dramas in recent years, with Money Heist, Lupin, and Kaleidoscope, but Culprits is a worthwhile addition to the genre from Disney+. The British crime thriller follows a gang in three timelines: before, during, and after the job. Culprits manages to weave these strands together expertly. Although it’s obvious that the job is a success, the story lines in the past reveal much more than just the end result. All the while, a mysterious killer begins to pick off the members of the gang, and the show erupts into stylized, crimson-blooded violence.
10 Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Animation for the true Star Wars faithful
More evidence, not that any was needed, that Disney is squeezing every last penny out of the Star Wars franchise. Star Wars: The Bad Batch is more geared toward diehard fans, although the show can still be enjoyed by casual viewers as an exciting adventure with a gang of misfits. The Bad Batch is a spinoff from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It follows a squad of genetically mutated clone troopers who take on dangerous mercenary missions as they try to outrun the Galactic Empire.
9 Goosebumps
The beloved books get another creepy adaptation
The spookiest show Disney+ offered up for Halloween in 2023 was Goosebumps, based on the best-selling books by R.L. Stine. The Goosebumps books have been adapted before, but the Disney+ version ditches the anthology format in favor of a serialized story about a group of high school students who re-open a cold case, and discover the dark secrets their parents have kept hidden from them. The cliffhanger ending of season 1 of Goosebumps means that the evil sorcerer Kanduu could be back for more paranormal scares next Halloween.
8 The Artful Dodger
A fun twist on a familiar character
Thomas Brodie-Sangster, of The Queen’s Gambit and Love Actually, among others, stars as Jack Dawkins, a supporting character from Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist. Some of the other characters in The Artful Dodger are plucked from the novel, but the show tells a different story. Set after the events of the novel, Jack Dawkins is a surgeon living in Australia, but Fagin appears, all the way on the other side of the world, to try and lure him back into a life of crime. The Artful Dodger packs fresh twists into every episode, all at a rollicking pace.
The Artful Dodger premiered on Disney+ and Hulu simultaneously.
7 American Born Chinese
Chinese mythology comes to California
Fresh off her Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All at Once, Michelle Yeoh lends her talents to American Born Chinese as Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. Yeoh isn’t the only star in the cast of American Born Chinese. The show transplants elements of ancient Chinese mythology into a modern American setting, as a high school student discovers that his father is the Monkey King. American Born Chinese is a charming fantasy adventure, and it moves across cultural borders with grace and good humor.
6 The Mandalorian
Din Djarin and Grogu reunited for more interplanetary adventures
When the show sticks to high-stakes adventure, its slick space western style is irresistible.
Din Djarin’s emotional farewell to his ward Grogu remains the most moving moment in The Mandalorian, but season 3 opens with the duo already back together. To understand how this happened, fans need to also watch the much less interesting The Book of Boba Fett. Season 3 of The Mandalorian still has some incredible action scenes, but its overly reverent tone may turn away fans who aren’t so interested in the religious and cultural practices of the Mandalorians. When the show sticks to high-stakes adventure, its slick space western style is irresistible.
5 Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire
A kaleidoscopic anthology of African delights
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire presents visions of sci-fi wonderlands from African creatives. The anthology series covers a broad spectrum of sci-fi concepts, including aliens, advanced technology, and mystical spirits from beyond the grave. Each tale is rendered with a distinct art style, but every episode overflows with vibrant colors and pulsating action. African voices are woefully underrepresented in sci-fi movies and TV. Kikazi Moto: Generation Fire showcases the global appeal of ten boundary-smashing stories, and breathes new life into tired sci-fi tropes.
4 Ahsoka
A knockout cast and some pulsating action
Like 2022’s Andor, Ahsoka takes a character who most casual fans won’t care too much about, and thrusts them into the spotlight. At its best, Ahsoka replicates the bold, original storytelling of Andor and The Mandalorian, which are not afraid to forge their own path, despite the heavy weight of expectation all Star Wars projects must contend with. Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, and Hera Syndulla make a refreshing all-female team, and Ahsoka also has two of the best villains in Star Wars. Grand Admiral Thrawn’s nightmarish zombie stormtroopers have set up a tantalizing second season.
3 The Muppets Mayhem
A rainbow of musical silliness
The Muppets Mayhem chronicles the greatest rock band ever, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, as they take their magic into the studio to record an album for the first time. It’s a wonderfully goofy adventure for Muppet-loving children, but there’s also a lot for older audiences to enjoy. The Electric Mayhem are a hodge-podge of the Who, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and a number of other legendary bands. Watching them trying to navigate the modern music industry with brains made of felt is a joy for all ages.
2 Star Wars: Visions
The universe-expanding anthology pushes even further
Disney has made plenty of attempts to expand the universe of Star Wars, but none of them have been as interesting or as worthwhile as Star Wars: Visions. The first season of the anthology show focuses on anime, but season 2 lets animation studios from around the world bring their unique styles to a galaxy far, far away. Aardman Studios, creators of Wallace and Gromit, contribute a charming claymation short about a pod racer, but “Aau’s Song” is arguably the best episode of Star Wars: Visions season 2. It’s a beautifully crafted story with an ethereal soundscape to match.
1 Loki
Must-watch TV for Marvel fans
Season 2 of Loki sets up MCU Phase 5, but it manages to stay fresh and exciting, rather than being bogged down by confusing multiverse exposition. Loki and his team at the Time Variance Authority must adjust the Temporal Loom and protect the multiverse from chaos. Loki continues to reinvent a popular character, but Tom Hiddleston isn’t the only star. Owen Wilson, Sophia di Martino and Ke Huy Quan all contribute to the world of the show, helping a surreal, otherworldy setting feel relatable. After Loki season 2’s shocking finale, there’s no telling what the future of the show holds.
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