15 Most Underrated TV Shows On Disney+

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Disney has been making entertainment magic for more than 100 years, but in recent years, Disney+ has become the go-to streaming service for fans who want to rewatch the movies and shows that they love the most. Some people head to the famed Disney princesses (which /Film has ranked), while others revisit live-action adventures like "TRON." It's easy to immediately go for the comfort food, but Disney+ offers more than the popular stuff that people make a beeline for.

Amid popular TV shows like "Boy Meets World" and "Lizzie McGuire" (which was cancelled twice), Disney+ has plenty of shows that didn't get the recognition they deserved when they premiered. This gave them an underdog status that could have been brought on by over-saturation of content or a storyline that was ahead of its time. These forgotten shows hold a special place within the Disney catalog, which is why Disney+ is now their home. 

However, mixed in with the constant uploading of new content, it can be tough to know which under-appreciated shows are worth seeking out. So we're helping you find these hidden gems by giving you a guide to the 15 most underrated TV shows on Disney+. 

Disney+ breathed new life into "Gargoyles" by including the series in its 2019 launch. As a fan of mystery and fantasy, I've always been captivated by this series that follows gargoyles who protect ancient Scotland before a spell puts them into a deep sleep that has them reawakening in modern-day New York City. Goliath (Keith David) and his crew set out on a new mission to help police detective Elisa Maza (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) solve cases, adding a crime-procedural twist that feels like it came out of "Law & Order." It's a story element that was not common in children's TV shows at that time, which gave the show an edgy reputation. 

While this is an action adventure series, "Gargoyles" also shines a light on racism and prejudice. These topics are a big part of the show's first episode, "Awakening: Part 1," which features the Gargoyles saving the people of Scotland. While many thank them for their bravery, others mock them and feed into stereotypes that frame them as human-eating monsters. These topics continue to be explored in the modern world, but Elisa's acceptance of the Gargoyles helps them find friendship in the darkness.

"Agent Carter" shows us what happened after "Captain America: The First Avenger," and it's all pretty important to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Peggy Carter (Haley Atwell) is grieving Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) as she takes a desk job at the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Meanwhile, Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) is accused of selling weapons to enemies, so he asks Carter and his butler Edwin Jarvis (James D'Arcy) to help clear his name. If they're not successful, Howard's legacy will be crushed and Tony will never have the career that will lead him to becoming Iron Man.

While "Agent Carter" is an important piece of the MCU that connects back to "Iron Man 2," it's not your average superhero show. It's a 1940s spy thriller firmly established in the series premiere, "Now is Not the End," as Peggy wears a Marilyn-Monroe-style disguise while inside a nightclub where under-the-table deals are being made. Speaking of Hollywood stars, the glitz and glam of California is explored in season 2, which also uncovers the extraterrestrial side of the MCU, helping Peggy realize that this universe is much bigger than she thinks it is. 

"American Born Chinese" expands the coming-of-age story by exploring generational gaps and cultural connections. The series based on Gene Luen Yang's graphic novel follows Jin Wang (Ben Wang) who wants to shed his Chinese heritage so that he can be popular, but his plan falls apart when he meets Wei-Chen (Jimmy Lui) who is fighting mystical forces under the guidance of Guanyin Pusa (Michelle Yeoh). However, Wei-Chen is running from his own legacy, which leads these teens to rely on each other. 

The show is not a direct adaptation, but that makes the story better while modernizing it. One big change is the depiction of Ke Huy Quan's character, who is meant to be an Asian stereotype on a fictional TV show. The graphic novel was released in 2006, and Quan explained that modifications were made in order to modernize the character while still making a point about the damage caused by stereotypes.

Another big change was expanding upon Jin's parents, especially his dad Simon (Chin Han). The graphic novel doesn't give him a storyline, but on the show, his timidness at work could cost him a promotion. This story runs parallel to Jin's as he also searches for his voice, offering a common thread between the two characters while strengthening the multi-generational aspect of this show.

"Renegade Nell" is a cross between "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Peter Pan." Like Jack Sparrow, Nell Jackson (Louisa Harland) is a witty wanderer, whose career as a highway woman takes a wrong turn. Nell returns to the family that she abandoned as she uncovers new powers that give her superhuman strength. She uses these abilities during a run-in with the entitled Thomas Blancheford (Jake Dunn), but he retaliates and frames her for murder. Now, she's the most dangerous woman around, and she must rely on her grit and a fairy spirit named Billy Blind (Nick Mohammed) to protect her family. 

While "Renegade Nell" is a fantasy adventure series, it also offers plenty of social commentary. The series is set in 18th-century England, a time where women's voices were not taken into consideration. The series doesn't shy away from pointing this out, especially when she is faced with a condescending robber during the premiere episode, "Don't Call Me Nelly." In fact, her powers usually kick when enemies underestimate her. It all makes for an empowering tale that can be super quirky yet endearing. 

"The Owl House" proves that life is all about perspective. The series begins with Luz (Sarah-Nicole Robles), a human teenager who accidentally ends up in the Boiling Isles, which is a land for witches and demons. It's smelly and dangerous, but to Luz, it's much more exciting than the human world. She's dreamt of becoming a witch and her dream could come true if Eda (Wendie Malick) will train her. Eda is a rebellious witch who doesn't understand why Luz thinks that this is all so special, but Luz's training helps her appreciate her life. 

"The Owl House" only lasted three seasons, but it makes the most of this short time by using each of Luz's challenges to explore new landscapes while also introducing new tricksters. While the show is filled with bright colors, it's not afraid to step into the horror genre, which is how we get some of the most disturbing parts of "The Owl House." While meant for kids, some of the jokes are geared toward an older audience, but this series does offer enough material for multiple generations.

Pepper Ann Pearson (Kathleen Wilhoite) is too cool for seventh grade, and she shows you why, as she shares a first-hand account of her life as a 12-year-old. Because the show is told from her viewpoint, her thoughts become the dialogue for each character, which helps you understand her true feelings about the struggles of teen life. 

For example, the second season premiere, titled "Quiz Bowl/License to Drive," features Pepper Ann as the alternate on her school's quiz bowl team. The team's teacher shares why each student was chosen, pointing out obvious things about their personalities before claiming that Pepper Ann is only there because he wants a break from her antics. The labels she creates for each student is how she perceives them, and the teacher's comment about Pepper Ann proves that she is feeling insecure about her quiz bowl abilities.

While discussing relatable topics, "Pepper Ann" offers plenty of fun that keeps the show engaging, and that includes exploring her imagination as she pictures a warrior princess as her confident alter ego. Of course, her imagination also helps her out when she doesn't feel her best, and it helps her find the silver lining in every problem. 

Before there was "A Goofy Movie" (Disney's unlikely cult classic) and "An Extremely Goofy Movie," there was "Goof Troop." The series takes classic characters and turns them into the stars of an animated series that offers a formula perfected by family sitcoms of the 1990s. Goofy (Bill Farmer) is a single father who is raising his son Max (Dana Hill). He has a positive attitude, but that doesn't always sit well with his neighbor Pete (Jim Cummings) who finds Goofy's accidental fumbles annoying. 

This plan for "Goof Troop" wasn't always in the cards, but the 1990s sitcom approach works because it highlights Goofy and Pete's strengths while honoring their past. In Disney's early cartoons, Goofy offered comic relief and Pete was a one-dimensional villain. While these characters had been examined in other projects before "Goof Troop," this series gives them a chance to act on their natural instincts in a way that creates a give-and-take that leads to lessons about life and family. 

"Raven's Home" is a spin-off of the Disney Channel series "That's So Raven," and it follows Raven Baxter (Raven-Symoné) as adult figuring out how her psychic abilities can both help and hinder the raising of her twins, Nia (Navia Robinson) and Booker (Issac Ryan Brown). Everything is going smoothly until Booker realizes he's psychic too. However, he doesn't know about his mother's abilities, and that leads to a whole bunch of mishaps that affect Booker as he learns about his powers. Plus, Raven is still palling around with her best friend Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol), who is living with Raven as she raises her son Levi (Jason Maybaum).

The premise feels recycled, but the writers find ways to freshen things up while giving longtime fans what they're hoping for. The decision to have Raven and Chelsea raising their kids under one roof is a smart move, because their friendship and comedic dynamic push each episode into hilarious chaos, just like on the original series. This living arrangement also capitalizes on the show's themes about appreciating the family your born with while cherishing friends who become family. 

"Secrets of Sulphur Springs" is one of the best horror shows you can watch with the whole family, and it's all thanks to a time-travel mystery that offers plenty of jump scares. Griffin Campbell (Preston Oliver) is not excited about moving into an abandoned hotel in Sulphur Springs. However, his new residence helps him gain a friend in Harper Dunn (Kyliegh Curran) who is interested in the ghost story that is attached to the hotel. Intrigue turns into exploration, and that's how they uncover a portal to the past. 

Time travel stories are nothing new, but "Secrets of Sulphur Springs" tells its story with a mix of suspense and horror that makes it feel like a lighter version of "The Haunted Mansion." While it offers a ghost story as compelling as the Disney attraction and its adaptations, it also offers other frights, including the sudden crashing of a chandelier that hangs in a space similar to the Stretching Room. 

As for the suspense, Griffin's dad Ben (Josh Braaten) Harper's mom Jess (Diandra Lyle) are very tense around each other, but they're tight-lipped about their pasts. This aspect is predictable in a time-travel show, but the kids find creative ways to get to the truth, making this a show worth watching. 

"Phil of the Future" went largely unnoticed when it premiered in 2004. The series follows the Diffy family as they leave their home in the distant future of 2121 to go on vacation back in 2004, but a time machine malfunction leaves them stuck in the past. It's a premise that offers all of the hallmarks of a time travel show, including futuristic technology and potential paradoxes, such as the upheaval of Curtis (J.P. Manoux). The caveman pal is a big part of the Diffy family, but his appearance in 2004 could drastically affect the timeline. The family knows that he should go home, but the possible consequences surrounding his removal from the Stone Age are never seen nor discussed, which is a missed opportunity for inventive stories. 

In the early 2000s, the show didn't stand a chance due to Disney Channel's packed lineup, which included "Kim Possible" and "That's So Raven." Since the launch of Disney+, it's gained a new audience as millennials search for nostalgic shows. While its premiere date alone makes "Phil of the Future" nostalgic, its premise offers plenty of 2004 Easter eggs like pom-pom pens and the cartoon sound effects that were a staple of 2000s sitcoms.

"Parallels" is a suspenseful time-travel adventure that is perfect for superhero fans. The series begins as four teenagers are having a birthday party in a bunker next to the site of a scientific experiment. Once the experiment occurs, the group is split in two with some staying in their current timeline and others ending up in a parallel dimension. As they work to find their way home, some of the kids discover new abilities that give the series a superhero vibe while showing how their insecurities have manifested into powers. 

The initial timeline swapping is a little muddled, and you won't really understand what's happening until episode 3, "Lost Time," but the series manages to pick up the pace and connect the dots. Bilal's (Timoté Rigault) mother, Sofia (Naidra Ayadi), is an integral part of connecting those dots, because the disappearances were caused by an experiment at her worksite. Her scientific know-how helps these kids see the bigger picture, which offers a surprise ending that makes this sleeper a must-watch. 

Six years after "The X-Files" premiered, Disney put its own stamp on the paranormal mystery genre with "So Weird." The series follows 14-year-old Fiona Phillips (Cara DeLizia) who writes a blog about the realms and species she encounters while touring the country with her mom, a musician named Molly (Mackenzie Phillips). 

Like the long-running "Supernatural," "So Weird" is a big family road trip with each episode focusing on a different legend or being, but it covers much more ground by telling stories that are family friendly stories based in horror, fantasy, and science-fiction. It also gives the show the opportunity to appeal to a wide audience. However, some episodes are more intense and feature grotesque creations, like the "Troll," the 19th episode of season 2, which may scare some little kids. 

While this is a paranormal show at its core, it's also a story about family, which is highlighted in Fiona's relationship with her mom and her brother Jack (Patrick Levis), who have each other's backs no matter what weird adventure comes their way. 

Like many kids of the 1990s, I'm a huge fan of "The Mighty Ducks" movies. These are underdog stories that find a group of novice youth hockey players becoming friends and using that friendship to help them overcome the odds. It's an inspirational sports story that fits perfectly within Disney's catalog of feel-good flicks, and the House of Mouse found a way to unconventionally capitalize on its success by creating "Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series." The show is about humanoid ducks who love hockey, but when their home planet is taken over by Lord Dragaunus, the last of the Saurian Overlords, they find refuge on Earth, along with a chance to keep playing hockey while still fighting off their cosmic rivals and other assorted sci-fi villains.

While "Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series" is drastically different from the live-action movies, it is still an underdog story. The team is underestimated by the Overlords, but they prove them wrong by using teamwork and friendship to defeat their foes. It's the same attitude that they take to the rink as they show the world that a group of humanoid ducks can in fact form a successful NHL team, all while saving the world. 

Before swinging into danger with Spider-Man, Zendaya was taking on top secret missions on "K.C. Undercover." The series premiered in 2015, just a few years after the conclusion of "Shake It Up." Zendaya plays K.C. Cooper, a genius high schooler who finds out that her parents are spies — and they want her to join the ranks. The series feels like a reimagining of "Kim Possible," since K.C. is an overachiever who struggles with the ups and downs of high school. It's also interesting to note that K.C. is a tech wiz, much like Kim's tech guru Wade Load, making K.C. a lethal combination of both Kim and Wade.

While "K.C. Undercover" can be compared to other Disney shows, it still makes its own unique mark by offering a spy plot that involves both of her parents while leaving out her brother Ernie (Kamil McFadden), which is an interesting choice that seems to go against the themes of togetherness displayed in most Disney shows. Nonetheless, "K.C. Undercover" is a hidden gem that is one of Zendaya's best TV series.

"Doogie Kamealoha, M.D." reimagines Neil Patrick Harris' signature series "Doogie Howser, M.D." in a way that adds extra layers to the kid-genius storyline. Peyton Elizabeth Lee plays Lahela "Doogie" Kamealoha, a 16-year-old doctor who is so passionate about helping others that she pauses her driver's test to help a crash victim in the series premiere, "Aloha– The Hello One." It's a moment that shows how big her heart really is, and that kindness and care, combined with being a 16-year old child prodigy, really makes her stand out.

Like Doogie Howser, Lahela is navigating teenage life and adult responsibilities, but "Doogie Kamealoha, M.D." adds an extra family element as Lahela works for her mother, Dr. Clara Hannon (Kathleen Rose Perkins). This puts an extra emphasis on family that wasn't always seen on the original show, and it also showcases how important family is within Pacific Islander heritage. It's just one of the cultural aspects that are highlighted, making this a show that celebrates the bright minds of tomorrow and Hawaii's rich culture.