My Top 10 Animated Disney Shows

   Of all the TV stations I grew up with back in the 90’s, I watched Disney cartoons more than anything. For me, the 90’s was Disney channel’s golden age, featuring some of their most timeless TV shows, and any child who grew up with them will always have long lasting nostalgic fondness. Even into my adult years, Disney still manages to turn out some quality animated programs that still appeal to my inner child. So, for this list, I'll be counting down my personal favorite animated Programs from Disney, some new, but mostly ones that I grew up with. My only condition is that I won’t be including any “Star Wars” or “Marvel” branded shows, as I feel they belong on a different list all together.

 

#10 “Darkwing Duck” (1991-1992)  

Building on the universe of the already successful “Duck Tales” series came a highly original satire of the superhero genera simply called “Darkwing Duck”. While it’s clearly paying homage to Batman and other dark comic books, this show was also very clever with its approach by giving us a protagonist that was only fighting crime for fame and attention. 

Yeah … in a rare move by Disney, Darkwing Duck was the first ego driven hero, and it was hilarious for that. Not to say he wouldn’t do anything heroic, but sometimes you just need a stick in the mud to balance out all the other super heroes. With voice actor Jim Cummings on the top of his game in the role of Darkwing Duck, it made for a memorable character to stand apart from other Disney leads. Along with a solid line-up of supporting players, and fun gallery of villains, this series stands as a memorable childhood pass time, and still a classic all these years later.        

 

#9 “Aladdin: The Series” (1994-1995) 

Following after the events of Disney’s classic movie, Aladdin and friends travel the globe in search of new adventures, as well as protect their kingdom from various new threats. 

The movie “Aladdin” was already one of my favorite Disney properties, and it seemed like a good one to expand on. The Arabian Knights setting offered many possibilities for new adventures with our favorite characters from the film. The show also featured a colorful cast of memorable villains, giant monsters, and exotic locations. While the show hasn’t exactly aged as well as other Disney shows, it was still a lot of fun to grow up with, and still has some excitement that’s worth looking back on.   

 

#8. “Phineas and Ferb” (2007-2015) 

It’s Summer time, and when two brothers have nothing but imagination, and lots of time to spare … it’s time to get creative, fun, and do implausible things … like building a roller coaster in their backyard, or a star ship that’ll launch into space, or maybe even a Time Machine, because why not … and all while the parents are completely oblivious to what goes on around them. With such a simple formula and oddly designed characters, I never would have guessed that such a show could possibly appeal to me … but low and behold, this show was quiet the pleasant breath of fresh air. 

In many respects, it’s Disney’s equivalent of “Animaniacs”, in which a wild assortment of different characters lend themselves to creative formula’s, and brought to life with a healthy sense of comedy, catchy songs, bright colors, and very clever righting. The characters are all irresistibly lovable, and the mini-adventures they have at home brought my inner child to life, and to extent made me jealous I didn’t grow-up with this program. It was the Disney channels longest lasting animated program, and for good reason … as it gave me hope that kids for a new generation can have exceptional programs that are just as appealing as what I grew-up with.    

 

#7 “Kim Possible” (2002-2007) 

On the surface, teenager Kim Possible and her best friend Ron may appear like ordinary high-schoolers … yet secretly are spies, who go on various missions across the world, and battle a rouges gallery of colorful villains. 

When this show first came out, I was in Middle school, and wasn’t really watching cartoons for kids anymore. However, my little sister was watching it at the time, and I distinctly remember while I was working on homework, I’d scoot over to the couch and join her. It was both a comedy and action series, with something to appeal to a wide audience, and all these years later … it’s still a spirited animated series, with a rewarding sense of fun. The design and style of the show was very Anime inspired, the jokes worked, and the characters had their distinct screen appeals. It’s a show that’s been regarded as a classic, and for good reason, as it really is one of Disney’s best TV offerings.    

 

#6. “The Little Mermaid: The Series” (1992-1993) 

Set before the events of Disney’s 1989 classic “The Little Mermaid”, this series highlighted the early adventures that Princess Ariel and friends embarked on under the sea. This wasn’t the first, or the last Disney TV show to be adapted from one of their movies, but for whatever it’s worth, I remember watching this one far more than either the “Aladdin” or “101 Dalmatians” spin-offs. 

You wouldn’t think that a princess themed show would be that interesting to a small boy, but “The Little Mermaid” series was actually just as much for boys as it was for girls, if not more so. It gave us underwater adventures that revolved around defrosted Dinosaurs, fire breathing sea dragons, an ancient Cyclops, pirates and evil doctors. Fortunately, everything balanced out with its wholesome characters, a colorful underwater world, musical numbers, and good moral values for young viewers. If the movie was already a Disney staple, then this series was a solid continuation of what made it so great.

 

#5 “Tangled: The Series” (2017-2020) 

From one Disney Princess adaption to another, this series follows after the events of the movie “Tangled”, and follows Princess Rapunzel, as she and friends venture out into the wilderness, go from one exciting encounter to another, and all while solving a complicated mystery surrounding both her long hair, and mysterious magic rocks that have appeared across the land. 

All the charm and appeal of the movie affectively caries over into this series, with the characters developing further, along with equally engaging new characters, and a surprisingly compelling story at the center, with many unexpected twists, and thrills along the way. The songs are arguably the best of any animated Disney program, the tone wasn’t afraid to get a little edgy at times, and in the long run, it expands the setting in a way that makes the Tangled universe one of Disney’s greatest. If you liked the movie, be sure to give this series a watch, because it went the extra mile, and crafted something that was a hundred times better than it even needed to be.   

 

#4. “DuckTales” (2017-2021) 

The original 1987 cartoon “DuckTales” was a Disney channel staple for over a decade, then this new series grabbed all its winning ingredients, injected it with new life, and ran to the moon with it! Like the original, this series follows the many adventures of the elder Scrooge McDuck, along with his three nephews Huey, Dewey & Louie, and his surgent doubter Webby, as they travel the glob to uncover ancient mysteries, search for riches, foil the schemes of villains, and strengthen their bonds of family through the experiences. 

Oh … and that theme song … still the dang catchiest theme song ever. It had the same timeless charm of the original show, lased with contemporary appeals, high-comedy, layered storytelling, and it highlights that a reboot of an older show can still have value … as well as arguably surpass the original classic in the process … as far as I’m concerned, it beat the original by a mile.

 

#3. “Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers” (1989-1990) 

Sometimes, smaller scale crimes may go unnoticed by the police, and that’s when a special team of little woodland critters come together to take action, solve mysteries, and go on one exciting adventure after another. 

Oh … I love “Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers”, with its cute animal leads, colorful animation, fast paced adventures, and insanely catchy theme song, this is the show that literally made Disney Channel a house hold station for me as a kid. Seriously, that theme song was just so catchy that after all these years, it’s still bouncing around in my head. As part of the Disney Afternoon line-up, Chip and Dale paid tribute to Indiana Jones and Magnum P.I., respectively, solving crimes too small for the full-grown police to handle. 

It may sound silly giving these classic Disney cartoon characters a detective makeover, but it was all done so well. Each mystery had their own moral tied in, and the new supporting characters like Gadget, Monterey Jack, and Zipper have been ingrained in my mind as classic Disney figures in their own right … especially with Gadget standing out as one of the cutest characters I’ve ever seen, and even the shows villains are memorable in their own distinct ways. “Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers” is simply that rare, special animated program that appeals to me as an adult, just as much as it did when I was a kid.

 

#2 “Gravity Falls” (2012-2016) 

In the strange little town of Gravity Falls, twin siblings named Dipper and Mable spend their summer going on wild and hilarious supernatural adventures. Watching over the kids is their cranky old uncle named Stan, who makes his living as an expert con-artist. This show came well after my childhood had passed, but positive word of mouth got around to me, and upon my first viewing, I realized this series was right up my alley. 

It’s got the spooky appeal of shows like “Goosebumps” or “Courage the Cowardly Dog”, with the brilliant comedy one would expect from shows like “The Simpsons”. Unlike other Disney programs, I was quite surprised with just how funny this show got, as well as how exciting it got. It had an engaging mystery plot, which was slowly unraveled, and it just had a splendid cast of characters that I loved going on adventures with. I loved the atmosphere, I loved the creepy moments, the cast was solid, and the series makes for a modern Disney Channel classic in its own right.

 

Before I reveal my #1 favorite, here are some quick honorable mentions ...

“Legend of the Three Caballeros”

“The Lion Guard” 

“DuckTales”

“Quack Pack”

“TaleSpin”

 

#1. Gargoyles (1994-1996) 

Urban legends come to life in the city of Manhattan, as criminals and outside forces threaten all in their path. The only hope comes in the form of a clan of stone Gargoyles, who come to life every night to protect their city, all while unraveling fantastical mysteries, and exploring new landscapes. Interesting that my favorite Disney TV show is nothing like traditional Disney material. To be honest, “Gargoyles” was in a whole different league, and far too good for the Disney channel of its day. 

This was like the “Batman” of Disney cartoons, focusing on dark, complex, melodramatic storytelling, and episodes chalk full of action, adventure, mystery, mythology, and history. The show had a short run, but it still left a big impact, focusing on a tight group of memorable characters, fascinating villains, thrilling battles, and layered story arcs. It had a different look, took risks, and should be cited as one of the great classic action series of the 90's. Calling “Gargoyles” my number one favorite animated Disney channel show is honestly an understatement, because it's still to this day one of my personal favorite TV shows of all time.

Thanks for reading my countdown, and continue to enjoy the shows you love!