Disney has produced plenty of great animated TV shows over the years, from the 1980s to the 2020s. Starting with shows like Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers and DuckTales, Disney reinvented some of their classic characters for TV. Later, they started developing original TV concepts that didn’t rely on existing characters, but these shows became iconic in their own right.
Disney has never had quite as many iconic cartoons as other networks – like Cartoon Network, for example – because they also produced live-action TV shows for younger audiences. Still, there have been some animated classics over the years, from shows like Kim Possible and Recess in the 2000s to modern hits like Amphibia and The Owl House. Disney cartoons are often categorized by their sense of adventure, combining crowdpleasing humor with exciting stories.
10 Darkwing Duck
Darkwing Duck Is A Throwback Genre Parody That Still Amuses Younger Audiences
Your Rating 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Darkwing Duck Where to Watch stream
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buy Not available *Availability in US Cast Jim Cummings , Terence McGovern , Christine Cavanaugh , Katie Leigh , Susan Tolsky , Dan Castallaneta , Frank Welker , Danny Mann Release Date September 6, 1991 Seasons 3
Darkwing Duck began as a spinoff of the original DuckTales, but it has its own unique tone. Rather than swashbuckling adventure, Darkwing Duck is packed with fight scenes as the titular hero protects his city from criminals each night. The titular hero is a great slapstick character, often inadvertently injuring himself just as much as his opponents. Watching Darkwing Duck is almost like watching Donald Duck or some other cartoon character being thrown into a gritty crime thriller.
Watching Darkwing Duck is almost like watching Donald Duck or some other cartoon character being thrown into a gritty crime thriller.
Darkwing Duck is a great genre parody, filled with references to superheroes such as Batman, The Green Hornet and many more heroes who appeared in the “Golden Age” of comic books. This could easily fly over the heads of younger audiences, but Darkwing Duck manages to evoke a certain mood with such accuracy that it’s still funny to people who aren’t aware of these heroes.
9 Lilo & Stitch: The Series
The Series Puts A New Spin On Characters From The Movie
Your Rating 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Lilo & Stitch: The Series Cast Daveigh Chase , Chris Sanders , Tia Carrere , David Ogden Stiers , Kevin McDonald , Ving Rhames Release Date September 20, 2003 Seasons 2
There have been many Disney animated movies which have spawned spinoff TV series over the years, but not many of them manage to recapture the magic. Lilo and Stitch: The Series is one exception. It may not be quite as lively and heartwarming as the 2002 movie which inspired it, but it has a lot of fun sci-fi adventures, and it brings back the beloved characters from the movie for more laughs.
Related Every Lilo & Stitch Movie & TV Show, Ranked Since Lilo & Stitch’s release in 2002, the iconic Disney franchise has spawned several other films and TV shows, so there’s plenty of Stitch to enjoy.
Now that Lilo & Stitch has a live-action remake on the way, more fans could be returning to the animated series to get their fill of Stitch’s slapstick antics and his adorable dynamic with Lilo. The show follows the duo as they help Jumba and Pleakley track down the other genetic experiments which are causing havoc on the Hawaiian archipelago. This means that there are many more creative characters just like Stitch, with each one bringing new abilities to each episode.
8 Amphibia
Amphibia Is An Immersive Fantasy Adventure With A Lot Of Comedy
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buy Not available *Availability in US Cast Bill Farmer , Amanda Leighton , Justin Felbinger , Brenda Song Release Date June 17, 2019 Seasons 3
Before creating Amphibia, Matt Braly worked as a director on Gravity Falls, and his own show has the same creativity, humor and heart. Amphibia has gotten even more popular over the last few years thanks to Disney+, and it now has the type of audience it deserves. The show follows a young girl who is magically transported to a world of anthropomorphic frogs, where she has a series of adventures while trying to find her way back home.
Amphibia has both lighthearted standalone episodes and richly rewarding season-long arcs.
Amphibia has both lighthearted standalone episodes and richly rewarding season-long arcs. It also strikes the perfect balance between comedy and adventure. All in all, Amphibia has a little bit of something for everyone. The land of Amphibia is full of surprises, and it’s a joy to explore the strange world along with the characters. Anna and her friends may be trying to get home, but audiences will want to get lost in Amphibia.
7 The Owl House
The Owl House Is A Front-Facing Fantasy Series
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buy Not available *Availability in US Cast Sarah-Nicole Robles , Wendie Malick , Alex Hirsch , Tati Gabrielle , Issac Ryan Brown , Mae Whitman , Cissy Jones , Zeno Robinson , Matthew Rhys , Michaela Dietz , Elizabeth Grullon , Fryda Wolff Release Date January 10, 2020 Seasons 3
Even for those who haven’t seen a single episode of The Owl House, they may have heard about the show’s groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation. The Owl House is famous for being the first Disney property to feature a same-sex couple in big roles, and there are plenty more firsts, including Disney’s first non-binary character. The Owl House was cut short, leading to a truncated season 3, but it still offers a lot to enjoy.
Even for those who haven’t seen a single episode of The Owl House , they may have heard about the show’s groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation. ✕ Remove Ads
The Owl House is a fantasy series about young witches and wizards learning magic, but it’s far from Harry Potter. With a cute animation style and some exciting villains, The Owl House quickly developed a devoted following. The representation is just one part of what makes The Owl House so popular. It also has some hilarious dialogue and some interesting character development that gradually builds throughout the show.
6 Gargoyles
Gargoyles Is An Oddity For Disney
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buy Not available *Availability in US Cast Keith David , Jonathan Frakes , Jeff Bennett Release Date October 24, 1994 Seasons 3
Gargoyles is much darker and scarier than most other Disney cartoons, but this is part of what makes it so special. It seems closer in tone to other animated action shows of the 1990s like X-Men: The Animated Series, or the Saturday morning cartoons of the 1980s. The concept of Gargoyles is unique though, as it follows gargoyles who awaken after the sun goes down and fight to defend New York City from mysterious evil forces.
Related The 10 Best Characters In Gargoyles, Ranked The classic animated TV series Gargoyles has showcased a multitude of characters, but these 10 have emerged as the series’ finest.
Gargoyles is getting a live-action reboot, highlighting how much of an impact it had on young audiences in the 1990s. Part of this impact can be attributed to the fact that it was unlike anything else on the Disney Channel at the time, but it’s also an exciting, action-packed show that deserves to be appreciated for what it is. Gargoyles also has some visually striking sequences to accompany its dark mood.
5 Recess
Recess Is A Great Show With Several Movies
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Recess seems like a simple show at first, but the characters push a mundane concept to its limits. The main characters in Recess fall under broad archetypes of school children, including the performer, the geek and the athlete. The other characters that populate the playground are much weirder. There’s the school snitch, the king of the playground and even two friends known for simply digging holes.
Recess seems like a simple show at first, but the characters push a mundane concept to its limits.
Recess works so well because the playground is a microcosm of society, but it’s a society that’s more varied and more interesting than normal. This means that the show has room for both ordinary, relatable storylines and more outlandish, adventurous tales. This is illustrated by the first of a few Recess movies, which starts off as a story about summer camp but quickly evolves into an espionage plot in which the school board hatch a Bond villain-style scheme to block out the sun.
4 DuckTales
The DuckTales Reboot Is Even Better Than The Original
There have been two DuckTales shows, with one of Disney’s first animated TV shows in 1987 and a reboot in 2017. Both shows are exciting, funny and full of quirky characters, but the reboot is the one more likely to connect with a young audience today. It updates the show in a few ways, but it keeps the same sense of adventure that made the original such a big hit for Disney while it was taking its tentative first steps into TV.
Both versions of DuckTales are exciting, funny and full of quirky characters.
DuckTales follows Huey, Dewie and Louie as they embark on perilous adventures with their great-uncle Scrooge McDuck. Each of the show’s three seasons gives a little more attention to one of the triplets, so that they each feel like fully-formed characters by the end. They are just one part of the appeal of DuckTales, however, as they are constantly battling against a sea of colorful characters. Different episodes have child-friendly horror, exciting action and a touch of the occult.
3 Kim Possible
Kim Possible Mixes Action-Packed Espionage With Comedy
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buy Not available *Availability in US Cast Christy Carlson Romano , Will Friedle , Nancy Cartwright , tahj mowry , John DiMaggio , Gary Cole , Nicole Sullivan , Jean Smart Release Date June 7, 2002 Seasons 4
From the moment the iconic theme tune kicks in, Kim Possible delivers fans a weekly dose of action-packed adventure. The show follows the exploits of a high school student who leads a double life as a spy, often tasked with saving the world when she isn’t dealing with school drama. A 2019 live-action movie attempted to revive the franchise, but a string of negative reviews mean that Kim Possible may be gone for good.
From the moment the iconic theme tune kicks in, Kim Possible delivers fans a weekly dose of action-packed adventure.
Kim Possible has plenty of fun action scenes, especially with the supervillain duo Dr. Drakken and Shego. The show manages to balance out the drama with plenty of humor, however. A lot of this comes from Kim’s clumsy best friend and sidekick Ron Stoppable, who is accompanied by his naked mole rat Rufus. These supporting characters make Kim Possible what it is. The show is a great candidate for a reboot if Disney ever wanted on.
2 Phineas & Ferb
Phineas And Ferb Is Returning For More
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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Cast Vincent Martella , Dan Povenmire , Ashley Tisdale , Jeff Marsh , Dee Bradley Baker , Thomas Brodie-Sangster , Caroline Rhea , Alyson Stoner Release Date August 17, 2007 Seasons 6
According to the theme song, there are 104 days of summer vacation, but Phineas and Ferb make every day into a grand adventure. With their wacky inventions and creative schemes, the two step-brothers are always finding new ways to get into trouble. Their own creativity is merely an extension of the inventive nature of the show’s writing, which always delivers a high-concept adventure.
Phineas and Ferb balances the main plot with the surreal adventures of Perry the Platypus.
Phineas and Ferb balances the main plot with the surreal adventures of Perry the Platypus, the silent super-spy who often defeats Dr. Doofenshmirtz. These subplots often tie into Phineas and Ferb’s story of the week, but they can also be standalone helpings of hilarious action. There have been a few movies which have kept the franchise alive, and Phineas and Ferb is getting a reboot for a new generation of fans.
1 Gravity Falls
Gravity Falls Is Great For All Ages
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buy Not available *Availability in US Cast Jason Ritter , Alex Hirsch , Kristen Schaal , Linda Cardellini , Kevin Michael Richardson , Kari Wahlgren , John DiMaggio , Jennifer Coolidge Release Date June 15, 2012 Seasons 2
Gravity Falls isn’t just Disney’s best animated show; it’s also one of the greatest animated shows of all time. The story follows Dipper and Mabel Pines as they spend the summer with their eccentric great-uncle Stan in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, which is constantly plagued by all manner of supernatural beings. Gravity Falls ran for just two seasons, but this means that there’s no filler, and no time for the show to dip in quality.
Related 20 Shows To Watch If You Like Gravity Falls Disney’s Gravity Falls ended in 2016, and fans with a Mystery Shack sized hole in their hearts can check out these other shows.
Gravity Falls delivers plenty of great standalone episodes, but it also leaves a few breadcrumbs on the trial to its outstanding series finale. The three-part “Weirdmageddon” finale offers some of the best episodes of Gravity Falls, providing a hugely satisfying payoff for fans who watch the show the whole way through. Gravity Falls is consistently hilarious, but it also has the potential to get spooky, emotional and completely thrilling.