The best shows on Disney+ right now (July 2024)

Let’s dispense with the fiction that Doctor Who on Disney+ is somehow a different series than the version that was revived on BBC in 2005. After all, showrunner Russell T Davies was the same man who reintroduced the Doctor to modern audiences 19 years ago. Ncuti Gatwa now stars in the series as the Fifteenth Doctor, a time-traveling adventurer who has a new companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson).

As a tradeoff for the larger budget on Disney+, Doctor Who only has eight episodes this season. But former showrunner and arguably the best Doctor Who writer, Steven Moffat, also contributed an episode this season. And that’s always something to be excited about.

Disney+ may be calling Renegade Nell a “historical adventure,” but we’re pretty sure that the fantasy label applies as well…unless there were female highwaymen with superpowers in the 18th century that we don’t know about. Louisa Harland stars as Nell Jackson, a young woman who is framed for murder. In response to that injustice, Nell reinvents herself as the country’s most notorious highwaywoman and fearlessly robs her targets on the road.

Nell’s life of crime is complicated by the arrival of Billy Blind (Nick Mohammed), a spirit who opens her eyes to a larger destiny. And when Nell discovers a plot against the Queen of England, she may be forced to become a hero as well.

Each season of National Geographic’s anthology series Genius has focused on a different historical figure. The fourth season, which is also the only season currently streaming on Disney+, shakes up the formula by putting the spotlight on two civil rights icons: Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Foe‘s Aaron Pierre).

Although King and Malcom X’s paths do intersect in certain ways, their stories are largely separate as the season follows their respective life stories from beginning to end. This duo didn’t share the same ideology, but the impact they collectively had on the nation was immeasurable.

Only two seasons of History’s Modern Marvels are on Disney+, but subscribers may be very interested in the two episodes that focus on toys and how they become collectibles. The rest of the episodes focus on more conventional Modern Marvels topics, like the most powerful trains and helicopters in the world. There’s also an exploration of “mad electricity,” and even a look into the technology behind car washes and coin-operated machines.

This is a science show for the whole family, but it’s also suitable for anyone who is just curious.

Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians is getting a second chance in Hollywood, courtesy of Riordan himself. The Adam Project’s Walker Scobell stars as Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old kid who has no idea that he’s a demigod and the son of Poseidon.

After discovering his true heritage, Percy is sent to Camp Half-Blood with his friend, Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri), where they befriend Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries). This trio is going to have to come together quickly, because Zeus (Lance Reddick) has accused Percy of stealing his thunderbolt. And if Percy can’t find the real thief, a war between the gods may be inevitable.

Dramas, action, and comedy might be what bring fans into the Disney brand, but Disney+ also offers some solid documentary material as well. That includes covering the company’s work, with Sketchbook proving to be a delightful instructional docuseries on bringing to screen several loved Disney characters.

The series also does well to highlight the talent behind the scenes that does so, with each episode bringing in a different artist demonstrating how they bring these characters to life, as well as how they found themselves working at the studio. Sketchbook should satisfy anyone that’s artistically inclined, as well as those that simply want to see the masters at their craft.