More Shows that Should Be Added to Disney Plus
I after I completed my last list, which consisted mainly Disney Channel shows, a few more shows popped into my head. I also remembered that Disney now owns Fox as well as ABC, so even more great shows popped into my head.
Some of these might not be on Disney Plus because of certain rights issues. I don’t know anything about those types of matters. I just think these are great shows that would make Disney Plus even better.
(Thankfully, some of these shows can be found on YouTube, thanks to some awesome people with VCRs. Of course, having them stream on Disney Plus with good quality would be even better!)
10. PB&J Otter
PB&J Otter was a cartoon about three otter siblings named Peanut, Butter, and Jelly. They lived a cute little fishing town inhabited by other cute little animals. It was created by the same makers of Doug and Allegra’s Window (anybody remember that one?). This show ran on Disney Playhouse and Disney Junior for quite some time. I think it’s only natural to include it on Disney Plus as well.
9. Braceface
Braceface initially aired on Fox Family, which later became ABC Family, and then aired on the Disney Channel. It’s about a teen girl whose braces somehow have an electric charge and constantly interfere with her life. It was executive produced and voiced by Alicia Silverstone. Other voice talents included Michael Cera and Kathy Griffin.
8. Second Noah
Second Noah was a great family drama about a married couple who took in stray animals and orphan children. Imagine if The Fosters lived in a zoo. The cast included a young James Marsden as the oldest adopted son. He sings in every single episode. That alone is worth the watch. Even though this was a great show, I doubt we’ll ever see it again. It was filmed at Busch Gardens in Florida before The Animal Kingdom had opened. Disney probably doesn’t want to promote its competition on its own streaming service. But one can dream... of James Marsden’s perfect singing voice.
7. The Koala Brothers
I am a grown adult but I will watch The Koala Brothers any day of the week. This claymation series takes place in the Australian outback, where two koala brothers fly their airplane to assist anyone in need of help. It features an adorable little community made up of a turtle postman, a storekeeper echidna, an ice cream truck driving emu, a forgetful cafe owner platypus, and more lovable creatures. It’s just a really adorable show that even adults can enjoy.
6. Brotherly Love
Brotherly Love originally aired on The WB and its reruns was aired on The Disney Channel for several years. Just like two other popular shows, Smart Guy (which is currently on Disney Plus) and Sister Sister. It featured Joey Lawrence has the oldest and estranged brother, who returns to help his two younger brothers (Matthew, Andy) and their auto mechanic business survive. The three brothers were played by real brothers in real life. It was a wholesome family show, with a cute Lawrence brother for every age group to crush on.
5. Higher Ground
This show. This show was amazing. It aired on the Fox Family channel for one year, then disappeared forever. But man, it was so good. It was set at a boarding school for at-risk teens in the mountains — like camping but with actual licensed counselors. It focused on a couple of counselors and their troubled teen students. It dealt with some very real issues, like sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, narcissistic/emotional abuse, neglect, self-harm, eating disorders, homelessness, gang violence, and prostitution. It never used these issues for shock value or preachy, saccharine plot lines. It never judged the teens for their hard lives, but portrayed them honestly. Anyone who’s lived through a difficult childhood will find themselves relating to these teenagers. The cast included a pre-Anakin Hayden Christensen (he’s seriously really good in this!), a pre-Criminal Minds AJ Cook, and a pre-Once Upon a Time Meghan Ory. It might be a little heavy for Disney Plus, so a disclaimer would be needed, just like when it originally aired on Fox Family.
4. Young Hercules
Following the success of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, Young Hercules was developed for a younger audience. Much of the crew went on to work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy either during or shortly after this series. It debuted on Fox Kids in the late 90’s and starred a teenage Ryan Gosling as young Hercules. It was super cheesy, which makes it even better. Who doesn’t want to watch a spray tanned, bleached blond, eyelined Ryan Gosling slay imaginary beasts?
3. Bear in the Big Blue House
Bear in the Big Blue House was a really great show for preschoolers. It ranks up there with Sesame Street and Blue’s Clues. It featured a big bear welcoming you into his big blue house. There you sing and play with his puppet friends and roommates. At the end of each episode, there’s a lovely goodbye song with the moon (yes, the moon sings). It’s a wonderful, entertaining show for little ones. Parents won’t mind watching it for the millionth time either. If Disney Plus is including Out of the Box, they should definitely include this one too.
2. Movie Surfers
Movie Surfers is basically a behind-the-scenes preview of soon to be released Disney movies. It includes footage of the making process, cast interviews, and occasionally performances from the soundtrack. The original cast included Christina Milian, who then went by Tina. It’s still going on today as minis during commercial breaks. Some very classic movies have been featured, including Mulan, The Princess Diaries, and Finding Nemo. More recent films have also been featured, such as as the live action Beauty and the Beast, The Muppets, and Moana. This would be a great addition to Disney Plus as it would get viewers interested in other movies available on the streaming service.
1. Disney Channel in Concert
This Disney Channel Special series started in 1997 and ran until 2001. It featured a live concert, behind the scenes footage, and interviews with the musical guest and family members. After their 1998 performance, *NSYNC’s debut album immediately skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts. After their tremendous success, many other young acts were quick to follow, including Britney Spears, LeeAnn Rimes, Jessica Simpson, 98 Degrees, and the Backstreet Boys.
