5 Disney Channel Shows That Defined Our Childhood & 5 We Wish We Could Forget

Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Disney Channel Shows

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down five of Disney Channel’s greatest hits, and five of their biggest misses.

#5 Worst: “A.N.T. Farm” (2011-14)

Looking back on this early 2010s series that brought middle schoolers with “Advanced Natural Talents” into a high school level gifted program seems to raise more questions than answers. How were students like Chyna and Fletcher expected to take high school level math and science classes when their talents were arts-based? And where were the gifted high-school-aged students at this school? Though China Anne McClain’s performance stands out as particularly strong, the writing was a significant step down from predecessors like “Good Luck Charlie” and “The Suite Life on Deck”. “A.N.T. Farm” lives on as a standard teen sitcom with a strange and pretty flimsy premise.

#5 Best: “Gravity Falls” (2012-16)

When twins Mabel and Dipper Pines arrive in Gravity Falls, Oregon to spend the summer with their eccentric great uncle, they soon realize this is no ordinary small town. There’s a big mystery to unravel lurking beneath the surface, and it unfolds with so much more nuance and mystique that you’d expect from this silly little show. With its cozy setting, likeable characters, and well-crafted narrative, “Gravity Falls” quickly amassed a huge fanbase that’s still active today. Creator Alex Hirsch had planned out the entire story from the start, giving the series a cohesive feel and a satisfying ending. The show is also super rewatchable, with plenty of easter eggs to catch and ciphers to decode. Beloved by children and adults alike, “Gravity Falls” is one of the highest caliber shows Disney Channel has ever produced.

#4 Worst: “Shorty McShorts’ Shorts” (2006-07)

You might not remember this anthology short series, and that’s probably because Disney doesn’t want you to. Not for any conspiracy or controversy; it just very quickly became evident that this show was simply…not very good. Although it featured voice acting legends like Tom Kenny and Tara Strong, star power wasn’t enough to make up for the lack of clear plotlines and story development, and viewers quickly lost interest. Only 13 of the 22 total episodes produced were ever aired, and reruns were rarely shown before being pulled altogether. If Disney really wants us to forget this show, we’re happy to oblige.

#4 Best: “Even Stevens” (2000-03)

This early Disney Channel sitcom still holds up remarkably well today, and is full of sweet 2000s nostalgia. Shia LaBeouf was just 12 years old when he took on the starring role of Louis Stevens, but it was already evident he had serious natural talent. This family friendly series is easy to watch but still intelligently written and well performed. A highlight for many fans is the widely popular musical episode, “Influenza: The Musical.” Though network executives were originally skeptical, the massive success of the musical episode ultimately paved the way for the smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie “High School Musical.” “Even Stevens” is the OG, and we still look back on it fondly.

#3 Worst: “So Random!” (2011-12)

This sketch comedy show was a spinoff of the popular “Sonny With a Chance,” bringing its show-within-a-show “So Random!” to life, only without its star. Demi Lovato left “Sonny with a Chance” to undergo treatment for various complications in her personal life, and did not return for this spinoff. While “So Random!” had a handful of solid, funny sketches that we still remember fondly, most did not impress, and Lovato’s absence was definitely felt. It was also a departure from the direction Disney was looking to take with more serialized content, so it was understandably cancelled after one season. All that being said, “Socks With Sandals” still goes hard.

#3 Best: “Hannah Montana” (2006-11)

What girl in the early 2000s didn’t want to be a secret pop star living by the beach in Malibu? A young Miley Cyrus plays Miley Stewart, an ordinary high schooler who lives a double life as pop star Hannah Montana. The series was an immediate hit and launched a real life pop career for Cyrus, eventually leveling her up from a Disney star to a bonafide celebrity. The series was classic Disney fare, with wacky plots and zany hijinks, but it also had a surprising amount of heartfelt, touching moments that made the show truly memorable. “Hannah Montana” was more than just a show, it was an entire moment in youth culture that led to Miley Cyrus’ successful music career.

#2 Worst: “Dog with a Blog” (2012-15)

For many Disney Channel fans beginning to outgrow the network, this was the moment Disney jumped the shark. “Dog with a Blog” is about a talking dog named Stan and the family he lives with. Afraid of Stan being found out and experimented on, the children keep Stan’s ability secret from everyone, including their parents. The series feels like it was built solely upon the rhyme in the title, and yes, Stan does blog. Unfunny and poorly acted, “Dog with a Blog” tries to work with its lackluster premise with little success. Even back in the ‘60s they knew a talking dog wasn’t enough to base an entire show on… you had to at least have him help solve mysteries too!

#2 Best: “Wizards of Waverly Place” (2007-12)

Selena Gomez stars in this beloved series about a family of wizards living in New York City. Even back then, we knew this series was capitalizing on the “Harry Potter” craze but we didn’t care. It was funny and unique in its own right. A highlight was Gomez’s rebellious attitude and dry wit as Alex Russo, which was a stark contrast from the usual Disney Channel heroines of the past. Overarching plotlines like the looming family wizard competition and Alex’s romance with Mason kept the show engaging for viewers and drew high ratings for especially plot-significant episodes. At the heart of the show is the Russo family dynamic, which felt incredibly genuine and relatably imperfect, a testament to the show’s strong writing.

#1 Worst: “Bizaardvark” (2016-19)

This series follows two best friends, Frankie and Paige, who gain internet celebrity through posting songs and funny videos. Viewers noted the show’s similarities to Nickelodeon’s “iCarly,” although in many episodes the writing fails to really “get” internet culture. The show was negatively received even before its most controversial star, Viner and YouTuber Jake Paul, started making headlines for his obnoxious behavior off-set. It led to Paul being fired during the show’s second season, but that still wasn’t enough to revive the series, and “Bizaardvark” was cancelled after season 3. Thankfully, Olivia Rodrigo managed to make it out unscathed, going on to star in “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” which helped launch her successful music career.

#1 Best: “That’s So Raven” (2003-07)

This show has everything: high school drama, psychic powers, and killer Y2K fashion – all with an outstanding cast, hilarious jokes, and stellar storylines. Raven Baxter’s psychic visions provide interesting and varied plotlines for each episode, but the iconic characters are what make this series truly memorable. Raven, Eddie, and Chelsea’s friendship feels incredibly authentic due to the fact that the actors were close friends off-set. “That’s So Raven” was twice nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program, and it still holds up today as an example of exceptional children’s television. The lasting fondness audiences hold for this series also led to the popular reboot “Raven’s Home,” which ran for six seasons.


What was your favorite and least favorite Disney Channel show growing up? Let us know in the comments!