TV Article!
Guest Post by Zeeshan Lalani 10/1/20
BINGE WATCHING WORTHY TV SHOWS ON DISNEY PLUS
This fall, Disney+ has plans to remedy its greatest weakness: the lack of binge-worthy live action series that audiences over age 12 will enjoy.
To be sure, the family-friendly streaming service has several series that work well in small doses: “Rogue Trip”, “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian”, “Brain Games”, “Encore”, “Cosmos”, “Shop Class”, and “America’s Funniest Home Videos” come to mind. Disney+ also has dozens of bingeable animated shows, and laugh-track Disney Channel entries amuse some pre-teens.
However, competitors Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Peacock all have 20 to 40 or more must-see TV series that aren’t cartoons. Later this fall, Disney+ will add National Geographic’s big-budget limited series “The Right Stuff,” along with ABC’s “Dinosaurs,” (4 seasons) and, hopefully, a new Marvel Studios series or two. However, one of the problems one can face is not being able to watch Disney Plus from outside the U.S. because it is only available in specific countries. For that, one would need a VPN for Disney Plus.
For now, here’s our list of 7 quality live action series with wide appeal…
1 The Mandalorian (Season 2 Coming in October)
This $100 million Western-style space opera has maintained Disney+ trends since its production, from director Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and executive producer Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Set after the collapse of the Monarchy and before the advent of the First World, The Mandalorian follows the tribulations of a solitary gunfighter in the far reaches of the cosmos who becomes The Child’s guardian (known to fans as “Baby Yoda”) far from the nascent Republic’s jurisdiction.
- Agent Carter (2 Seasons)
Peace has dealt a significant blow to Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) when she finds herself oppressed as the men return home from fighting abroad throughout World War II. Working for the clandestine S.S.R. (Strategic Scientific Reserve), a forerunner of S.H.I.E.L.D., Peggy needs to balance administrative duties and go on classified missions for Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper). In the aftermath of losing the love of her life, Captain America AKA Steve Rogers, she navigates life as a female secret agent. This series also shines a light on the conclusion of the film Avengers: Endgame, which is linked closely to the Captain America films.
- Once Upon A Time (7 Seasons)
“Once Upon a Time” shows a reality where the stories of fairy tales and every-day real life clash. In her life as a bail bondswoman, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) is doing well when Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) unexpectedly turns up — the boy she gave up a decade ago. He claims she is the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), who spirited her away before a spell could be cast by the Wicked Queen (Lana Parrilla), freezing the realm of fairytales in time and taking them to today’s Storybrooke, Maine. Something about the story intrigues Emma, so she humors the boy and decides to take him back to his family in Maine. Captain Hook, Belle, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, and many more reimagined Disney characters appear in the show’s 7 seasons. All 7 seasons arrive on September 18 for U.S. Disney+ subscribers.
- The Imagineering Story (Limited Series)
This 6-part series of documentaries explores Walt Disney Imagineering’s history, present, and future with the noted filmmaker Leslie Iwerks. Thanks to the Disney ties of her family — her grandfather was an early Disney animator and her father was a former Imagineer— Iwerks offers viewers an all-access pass to how Disney’s groundbreaking theme park attractions are made… including a few errors and low points that have taken place over the decades.
- Boy Meets World (7 Seasons)
“Boy Meets World” elevates the classic sitcom format of producers Michael Jacobs and April Kelly with writing and performances that deepen as the program progresses. It chronicles the ups and downs of Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), his best friend Shawn (Rider Strong), girlfriend Topanga (Danielle Fishel), brother Eric (Will Friedle), and the lessons they learn from their coach, George Feeney (William Daniels), one of the few ABC series on Disney+. In later seasons, the characters face more serious problems as they try to balance college with relationship troubles and serious issues like divorce and grief. For 3 seasons of Girl Meets World, also on Disney+, Disney Channel carried back some of the characters.
- Prop Culture (1 Season)
Prop Society goes behind the scenes of favorite films such as Mary Poppins, The Muppet Movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and The Narnia Chronicles: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in eight half-hour episodes. Host and prop curator Dan Lanigan recovers lost movie items, tours private collections and helps return parts to their former glory from the Walt Disney Archives. Lanigan has indicated plans for a second season, but Disney+ hasn’t revealed it yet. “To get a second season, you have to watch the first season! ” Lanigan said in March.
- Hostile Planet (Limited Series)
This six-part documentary series draws attention to the most remarkable stories of animals who have responded to the most inhuman genetic curveballs, which seem almost mystical. With Planet Earth and other high-end nature shows, and an immersive look at the wilds of nature, the cinematography and pace of this show is on par.
We spoke with many entertainment editors and critics, and they all mentioned the above listed series or shows as best. In fact, the editor from StreamingRant told us, “Hostile Planet is my personal favorite, and I consider it the best Nat Geo show on Disney+.”
These seven shows on Disney+ are worth watching, but you can only watch them from certain regions, due to geo-restrictions. However, VPNs can give you a way around those. VPNs are one way to bypass geo-restrictions and to watch some amazing content, great stories and perfect plots from some super amazing content creators and filmmakers. Please be careful, though, because some VPN use can get you into trouble.
Proofread and Edited by Suzanne
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