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disney series with time travel

The Best Time Travel Shows to Watch on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon, and More

We've all dreamed of living in another period

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Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, Outlander

At this point, there's no shortage of shows that deal with time travel in some capacity. It's a popular subject, and for good reason! Now more than ever you might be looking for an escape from your daily life, or from this era altogether, and no one in their right mind could blame you for that. If you're of the belief that existing in one timeline is overrated, you've arrived at the right list.

Some of the shows here are action-packed dramas, while others take a more whimsical approach to history, but all of them are absolutely binge-worthy masterpieces. Whether you want to travel back hundreds of years or just a couple of decades, you'll find the perfect time travel show recommendation in the list below!

Looking for more recommendations of what to watch next?  We have a ton of them!  And if you're looking for more hand-picked recommendations based on shows you love,  we have those too .

Tom Hiddleston, Loki

Tom Hiddleston, Loki

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU for short) already know that Loki ( Tom Hiddleston ) is a master trickster. He is literally the god of mischief, and for years his role in these movies was relegated to villain, nuisance, and foil to his brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth), but with Loki , he races through time and space in a series that puts him at the forefront of his own story. The series is a crime thriller that follows an alternate version of Loki who stole the Tesseract in  Avengers: Endgame , an event that basically broke reality. And, as these things go, it's now his responsibility to fix what he started. He's recruited by  Owen Wilson 's Mobius M. Mobius at the mysterious Time Variance Authority (TVA) to travel through history and correct the timeline he messed up. The series is the closest thing to putting an actual comic book on screen, full of madcap twists and turns, and seemingly self-contained, without having to place so much emphasis on setting up for future MCU installments. - Allison Picurro   [Watch on  Disney+ ]

Jodie Whittaker, Doctor Who

Jodie Whittaker, Doctor Who

This one is a gimme, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Doctor Who , and honestly, if you haven't watched this long-running British sci-fi series already, we're not sure you can even call yourself a fan of time travel. Doctor Who follows a centuries-old alien known as the Doctor who has the ability to regenerate and take on different faces (hence the "long-running" bit). The Doctor, currently portrayed by Jodie Whittaker , takes unsuspecting ladies (and a few dudes) on ridiculous trips through time and space. Yep, this one checks the space travel box too! If you do choose to watch Doctor Who though, be warned -- you will end up in a fight with someone on Tumblr about which Doctor is the best. It's unavoidable.  [Watch on   HBO Max ]

Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Nesta Cooper, Jared Abrahamson, and Reilly Dolman, Travelers

Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Nesta Cooper, Jared Abrahamson, and Reilly Dolman, Travelers

Netflix's   Travelers , initially a co-production with Canada's Showcase, doesn't get even half the recognition it deserves for constructing impossibly complex time travel mythology that is still understandable and engaging for its audience, so we're recognizing it by putting it on this list. In the series, squads of elite soldiers travel to the present from hundreds of years in the future in order to change history and save the human race. If that doesn't sound cool enough, let us just add that they do so by sending their consciousnesses into the bodies of people about to die and assuming their identities. So. Freaking. Cool.  [Watch on  Netflix ]

Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull, 12 Monkeys

Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull, 12 Monkeys

Based on the 1995 movie with the same name, 12 Monkeys follows a time traveler who travels from 2043 to 2015 to stop a deadly virus from wiping out most of the planet's population. However, what starts out as a simple mission to the past turns into a mind-boggling journey through some of the biggest historical events of the 20th century and a pretty epic love story. This series really digs into the rules of time travel like causation and paradoxes, so while it may give you one of the aforementioned headaches, it's seriously worth it.  [Watch on  Hulu ]

DC's Legends of Tomorrow

Caity Lotz, Matt Ryan, Olivia Swan, Dominic Purcell and Nick Zano, DC Legends of Tomorrow

Caity Lotz, Matt Ryan, Olivia Swan, Dominic Purcell and Nick Zano, DC Legends of Tomorrow 

In a sea of series that focus on saving the world with time travel, DC's Legends of Tomorrow easily could have gotten lost in the shuffle. Luckily, this CW series quickly established itself as one part nonsense, two parts pure fun, which set it apart from all the rest. If you're looking for a lighter series to help you while the days away, this one is definitely for you. The Legends team does end up saving the world quite a few times, but most of the time they just wind up turning themselves into singing puppets or fighting giant stuffed animals.  [Watch on  Netflix ]

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, Outlander

If you're looking for something a little more romantic to binge-watch, Outlander is your ticket. This series follows Claire Beauchamp ( Caitriona Balfe ), an English WWII nurse who accidentally travels from 1945 back to 1743 while on a trip to Scotland with her husband ( Tobias Menzies ). Thrown into the past and desperate to get home, Claire finds herself embroiled in a Scottish uprising while slowly but surely falling in love with a ruggedly handsome redhead named Jamie Fraser ( Sam Heughan ).  [Watch on   Netflix ,  Starz ,  Hulu with Starz add-on ,  Amazon Prime with Starz add-on ]

Abigail Spencer, Malcolm Barrett, Matt Lanter; Timeless

Abigail Spencer, Malcolm Barrett, Matt Lanter; Timeless

Though Timeless was canceled twice , its devoted fanbase, known as Clockblockers, were so passionate that the NBC series ended up getting a two-hour series finale to wrap things up, so you won't have to worry about a cliffhanger ending. The show follows a history professor ( Abigail Spencer ), a soldier ( Matt Lanter ), and an engineer ( Malcolm Barrett ) who use a government-created time machine to track down a mysterious villain who is trying to rewrite American history. This series pairs the whimsy of DC's Legends of Tomorrow with the high stakes of 12 Monkeys , making it the perfect "middle of the road" option for time travel fans.  [Watch on  Hulu ]

Terra Nova

Though it was canceled after just one season, we're still including Terra Nova on this list because DINOSAURS. Set in a dying world where overpopulation has humans on the brink of extinction, scientists have found a way to send people back in time to the Cretaceous Period where the air is breathable, food is plentiful, and the human race can start over. Unfortunately, it's also where dinosaurs are hungry for human flesh, so that's a problem. This show wasn't executed very well (hence its cancellation), but it's worth a watch anyway just to see hot people running away from raptors.  [Watch on  Amazon ]

Lost in Austen

Jemima Rooper, Elliot Cowan, Alex Kingston, Morvne Christie, and Hugh Bonneville, Lost in Austen

Jemima Rooper, Elliot Cowan, Alex Kingston, Gemma Arterton, and Hugh Bonneville, Lost in Austen

When you're ready to take a break from all the action and adventure, Lost in Austen is a great time travel alternative. Rather than traveling through time per se, lead character Amanda Price ( Jemima Rooper ) travels into the world of her favorite novel, Pride & Prejudice . Caught up in the Georgian Era -- and the fictional lives of Mr. Darcy ( Elliot Cowan ) and the Bennet family -- Amanda unwittingly ends up as a character in the story she loves so dearly, and falling in love with Darcy herself.  [Watch on  BritBox ]

Dark

The critically acclaimed Netflix series  Dark  is not only a complicated time travel drama, it's also a German series, so get ready to turn those subtitles on! The series, which just wrapped up its third and final season, follows multiple generations of four interconnected families living in the German town of Winden (once you've finished the show, our family tree will help explain how everyone is connected ), which just so happens to be home to an underground tunnel and wormhole. Time travel and family drama make for an extremely complicated series (we don't recommend just having this one on in the background, folks), but once you get into it, you'll never look back.  [Watch on  Netflix ]

Disney Wiki

  • Live-action series
  • 2020s television series

Secrets of Sulphur Springs

  • Single-camera series
  • Português do Brasil
  • View history
  • 2.1 Main Cast
  • 2.2 Recurring cast
  • 3 Production
  • 5 References

Synopsis [ ]

Disney Channel's "Secrets of Sulphur Springs" is a live-action, time-travel mystery series for kids ages 6-11 and their families. Set in the fictional Louisiana town of Sulphur Springs, the series follows adventurous 12-year-old Griffin Campbell and his bright-eyed, thrill-seeking friend Harper as they come across a secret portal that allows them to travel back in time and uncover clues related to an unsolved town mystery.

Griffin's world is upended when his father, Ben Campbell, moves the family from Chicago to Sulphur Springs to take ownership of The Tremont Hotel, an abandoned property that has been vacant for decades. The Campbell family, which also includes Griffin's loving mother Sarah and his younger twin siblings, Wyatt and Zoey, moves into The Tremont in hopes of restoring the dim, cobweb- and dust-filled hotel back to the lively vacation destination it once was—a cheery bed and breakfast complete with an onsite summer camp and nearby bubbling-water springs.

Not long after Griffin begins his first day at a new school, he learns that the hotel he just moved into is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a girl named Savannah who, without a trace, disappeared decades ago. There he meets Harper, an artistic and mystery-obsessed classmate that he soon befriends. She is fixated on the legend of Savannah and is eager to visit The Tremont to dig into the hotel's past.

Upon visiting the hotel and meeting Griffin's family, the two sneakily explore The Tremont and soon stumble upon a secret portal that transports them back in time to a previous era. The portal gives Griffin and Harper a glimpse into The Tremont Hotel during its heyday and, most importantly, Savannah. Committed to solving the mystery of how she went missing, Griffin and Harper embark on a time-travel adventure that puts them face-to-face with a sequence of thrilling escapades and run-ins with younger versions of people they have come to know in the present day. Soon, they wonder if the key to solving the mystery may, in fact, lay with those around them.

Main Cast [ ]

  • Preston Oliver as Griffin Campbell
  • Landon Gordon as Wyatt Campbell
  • Madeleine McGraw as Zoey Campbell
  • Jake Melrose as Young Ben
  • Kelly Frye as Sarah Campbell
  • Kyliegh Curran as Harper Dunn
  • Elle Graham as Savannah Dillon
  • Diandra Lyle as Jess Dunn (recurring Season 1, main Season 2)

Recurring cast [ ]

  • Nhedrick Jabier as Nate
  • Bryant Tardy and Johari Washington as Topher
  • Trina LaFargue as Counselor Becky
  • Jim Gleason as Bennett Campbell, Sir.
  • Izabela Rose as Young Jess
  • Billy Slaughter as Deputy Stevens
  • Ethan Hutchinson as Young Sam Tremont
  • Robert Manning Jr. as Elijah Tremont
  • Kenneisha Thompson as Grace Tremont
  • Eugene Byrd as Adult Sam Tremont
  • Jillian Batherson as Caroline
  • Garrett Kruithof as Judge

Production [ ]

On May 7, 2019, it was announced that a pilot titled Sulphur Springs was originally in-development for Disney+ , but moved back to Disney Channel . It received a cast-contingent series order and two roles had been filled at that point. [1] On October 23, 2019, Disney Channel formally greenlit the series for an 11-episode order. [2] Production began in New Orleans , Louisiana in late 2019, but paused on February 23, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production resumed on October 5, 2020 and ultimately wrapped on November 6, 2020. [3] On December 11, 2020, it was announced that the series would premiere on January 15, 2021. [4] On April 23, 2021, the series was renewed for a second season. [5] Production on Season 2 began on June 7, 2021 and wrapped on August 6, 2021. On October 1, 2021, Disney Channel confirmed that Season 2 would premiere in 2022. [6] On December 3, 2021, it was announced that Season 2 would premiere on January 14, 2022. [7] On February 7, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season. [8] Production on Season 3 began on July 18, 2022 and wrapped on September 18, 2022. [9] On January 2, 2023, a sneak peek of Season 3 was released, revealing that it would premiere in Spring 2023. [10] On February 9, 2023, it was announced that Season 3 would premiere on March 24, 2023. [11] On January 30, 2024, Disney Channel cancelled the series after three seasons, being the second Disney Channel series to be canceled in less than a month. [12]

Ghost Stories 👻 Teaser Secrets of Sulphur Springs Disney Channel

References [ ]

  • ↑ Disney+ Series ‘Sulphur Springs’ Becomes Disney Channel Pilot; ‘High School Musical’ Showrunner Exits
  • ↑ Disney Channel Orders Live-Action Mystery Series ‘Sulphur Springs’
  • ↑ Where Is Secrets of Sulphur Springs Filmed?
  • ↑ BREAKING: A first of its kind for Disney Channel, #SecretsofSulphurSprings, a time-travel mystery series for kids and families, is set for a one hour series premiere Friday, January 15 on #DisneyChannel, in #DisneyNOW and on Disney Channel YouTube.
  • ↑ ‘Secrets Of Sulphur Springs’ Renewed For Season 2 By Disney Channel
  • ↑ It's back. Season 2 of #SecretsOfSulphurSprings is coming back to #DisneyChannel. Watch at your peril 👻 #WatchOnDisneyChannel
  • ↑ JUST ANNOUNCED: The first 2 episodes of #SecretsOfSulphurSprings season 2 premiere Jan. 14 on @DisneyChannel! This season, Griffin & Harper unravel mysteries about The Tremont & Harper follows the real ghost back to the 1930’s to learn about her family’s connection to the hotel.
  • ↑ ‘Secrets Of Sulphur Springs’ Renewed For Season 3 At Disney Channel
  • ↑ Love, love LOVE these people💕 #secretsofsulphursprings @disneyplus @disneychannel
  • ↑ Season 3 Sneak Peek | Secrets of Sulphur Springs | @disneychannel
  • ↑ 'Secrets of Sulphur Springs' Season 3 Teaser Reveals the Release Date of the Spooky Series [Exclusive]
  • ↑ ‘Secrets Of Sulphur Springs’ Canceled After 3 Seasons By Disney Channel
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disney series with time travel

Watch: Trailer for new Disney Plus series ‘Parallels’ promises time travel chaos

Image of Ashley Marie

Disney Plus is mixing adolescence and time travel, two Pandoras boxes full of excitement and disorder, in a new show called  Parallels . The six-episode series will be available to stream on March 23, and it looks like a can’t-miss. 

The sci-fi adventure series is as much an ode to friendship as an exploration of time travel, and spotlights the parallels between the characters’ lives.

Bilal, Romane, and Victor are all thrust forward during a birthday party for Victor. Initially, only Victor returns — albeit looking very different; Samuel was unaffected by the strange event. As they wait for their lost friends to make their way home, they must try to uncover the reason for the time travel, and come to terms with life changes far outside the realm in which they existed.

disney series with time travel

The innocence of young love, friendship, and companionship will be tested as they’re forced to reevaluate themselves, and each other, after one unimaginable and life-altering moment. It’s clear that far more than their age was affected by the time travel, and it’s easy to wonder if things will ever be the same again.

A press release from Disney Plus shares the following inspiration behind Parallels from creator and co-producer Quoc Dang Tran.

“We wanted to tell a fantastic story about teenagers, at an age when you leave innocence and the bonds of friendship are unfailing. The special effects and the spectacular elements were less important to us than the emotions and the intimacy – we were perfectly heard by the Disney teams who accompanied us throughout the project with enthusiasm.”

VP of Programming, Production, and Acquisitions for The Walt Disney Company France shares that Parallels is one of a kind for several reasons.

“Parallels, a single penseful sci-fi adventure series with a touch of comedy, will be one of the first French productions to air on Disney+, in France and in all other Disney+ markets. The sci-fi genre is relatively uncommon in French series, so this new production will be an interesting addition to the shows that are currently available on the service.”

Highlighting a youthful and emotional story in France’s relatively-unmarketed sci-fi genre is as exciting as the series itself. You can see Parallels beginning March 23 on Disney Plus, and it’s an adventure you’ll want to share with your loved ones.

disney series with time travel

disney series with time travel

TV Review: Multiverses Merge in Disney+ New Time Travel Sci-Fi Adventure Series “Parallels”

Stranger Things  meets Manifest  in the new French fantasy television series coming to Disney+  on March 23rd: Parallels .

disney series with time travel

Sam, Bilal, Romane and Victor, four childhood friends, are leading a typical, tranquil existence in a peaceful village in the mountains. However, while celebrating Bilal’s birthday, a mysterious event occurs which turns their worlds upside down.

In a split second, the universe discards its rules and reshuffles everything: the present, the future and multiverses merge, separating the teens and sending them into parallel worlds in different time frames. They set about trying to understand what happened and strive to find each other. They hope to turn the clocks back and return to the world they used to live in. Facing their potential destinies, they will have the opportunity to grow up and see things in a new way. This also goes for their parents, as well as Lieutenant Retz who deals with the most extraordinary scientific investigation of his career to date.

Parallels is an exciting adventure story with a science fiction twist. It is reminiscent of many time-travel film and television series before it. I mentioned  Stranger Things and Manifest , and it also contains similar science (and conscience i.e. “going back to make things right”) facets as those encountered in Back to the Future . I watched six screener episodes for review prior to the official release date and, while not groundbreaking viewing, I enjoyed this easy-watching new series.

Sam, Bilal, Romane and Victor have a similar dynamic to Mike, Dustin, Nancy and Will in Stranger Things : four friends, all with different personalities, talents and temperaments but with a close relationship. They bask in each other’s company while the mundane and more complicated life stuff goes on at home in each of their families. The curious occurrences originating from the local science branch/power plant-type building also reminded me of earlier seasons of ST. In one version of the universe in Parallels , a young Sam deals with the return of older versions of his friends who appear to have extraordinary abilities. This situation played out like a teen version of the main characters’ return in Manifest , where, unbeknownst to the passengers, their plane mysteriously goes missing and when they arrive at their destination time has skipped ahead five years and they, too, have enhanced capabilities.

The home life of each of the characters is varied and adds intrigue. Bilal’s mom (played by Naidra Ayadi) plays a significant role and is a very likable and driven character. Navigating family issues while trying to make sense of the disappearances gives many of the characters – even supporting characters – relatable depth and will have viewers further invested in the story.

disney series with time travel

The idea that there are always downsides to whichever version of “reality” the characters want to pursue is an important underlying theme that I enjoyed revisiting. I say ‘revisit’ because it reminded me of the 2004 film, Butterfly Effect  (I know – this show really did jigsaw into a lot of other shows and films for me!). This builds on the notion that you can’t always get what you want and there is no utopia, even if you tamper with time. In Parallels , these themes dovetail nicely with family expectations as characters grapple with perception versus reality. For example, Victor as the black sheep of the family thinks his parents do not care that he disappeared, but he does not see his parents’ trauma and how they are, in fact, struggling without him. Romane’s mother has given her stepfather another chance at their life together after he gambled their money away, though old habits die hard and Romane is forced to address this, specifically as it relates to the care and custody of her younger sister.

While Parallels  does not really showcase anything new, it is a decent time travel/multiverse story with appealing characters. The pace of the show is excellent and with episodes running just over 30 minutes long, it is easy watching. It is also suitable for family viewing if you think this is something the young and old of your household might enjoy.

Parallels  will premiere on Disney+ on March 23rd, 2022.

Still not sure whether  Parallels  is for you? Check out the trailer below.

Sign up for Disney+ or the Disney Streaming Bundle (Disney+, ESPN+, and ad-supported Hulu) now

The 32 Best TV Shows About Time Travel

time travel TV shows

Time traveling is a popular topic when it comes to all types of entertainment from books to films. But in recent years time travel has also become a popular theme in TV.

So let’s take a look at this list of the best time traveling TV shows and find out how each of them handles time travel and all the history that comes with it.

Doctor Who, BBC One (1963 – 1989, 2005 – present)

BBC One Doctor Who

When it comes to time traveling and TV, probably the most notable name in this niche is Doctor Who  because this time travel series has been around for 39 seasons and is still going strong.

Hailing from British television channel BBC One, Doctor Who tells the tale of the Time Lord aka The Doctor, and his companions as they travel to different times and try to prevent evil forces from changing history and hurting innocent lives.

Once the Time Lord gets hurt beyond healing, he can transform into a new body and continue saving the world. Hence why at this point 13 (soon to be 14) different actors have played The Doctor.

Doctor Who is not only a huge part of the fabric of British popular culture but by now this time travel show has found its way into the hearts of many people all over the world.

It has inspired many spin-offs in the form of TV shows, comic books, movies, novels, you name it. But more than that, by now it has become an industry standard both when it comes to science-fiction television series and shows about time travel.

No wonder that Doctor Who continues to be successful after countless actor changes and plot twists.

Where to watch Doctor Who:

Timeless, nbc (2016 – 2018).

NBC Timeless

Another time travel TV series that has already become a cult classic and is adored by fans all over the world is NBC’s Timeless . And despite the turmoil that this show has gone through, it still is time traveling at its best.

Starring Malcolm Barrett, Matt Lanter, and Abigail Spencer as Rufus, Wyatt, and Lucy, Timeless  details the trio traveling to different times in an effort to stop their adversaries from rewriting history.

But as it later turns out, the conspiracy goes deeper than them just changing history. Since the people who our trio is chasing are traveling through time to take down a dangerous and all-powerful organization. The same one that helped build the time machine that Rufus, Wyatt, and Lucy are using.

And although Timeless went on for just two seasons (and a two-hour wrap-up movie), you should still check out the show because it’s not only entertaining but will make you think and want to know more about the events that each episode is exploring.

Where to watch Timeless:

Dc’s legends of tomorrow, the cw (2016 – present).

DC's Legends of Tomorrow

If you are a fan of superhero TV shows, then you will probably have heard about DC’s Legends of Tomorrow . It is a show that is a huge part of The CW’s Arrowverse. And has crossed over with shows like Arrow , The Flash , and Supergirl multiple times now.

And even if you don’t like the rest of the superhero series but do enjoy a good old time travel TV show, then I suggest you still give Legends of Tomorrow a watch.

The plot of this show is based around a team of superheroes that are traveling through time in their time machine christened the Waverider to prevent different catastrophes from happening. Both ones made by others and those created by the team’s previous adventures.

At the forefront, there are well-known DC heroes like Rip Hunter, Firestorm, The Atom, Kid Flash, Steel, and Vixen. Joined by some original characters like Caity Lotz’s White Canary among others.

One of the defining characteristics of Legends of Tomorrow is how fun it is. Because adjectives like unapologetic, witty, and entertaining are frequently used to describe this time travel series.

However, more than that, it adds an interesting layer to the whole Arrowverse universe. And above all, it is just a hoot to watch.

Where to watch Legends of Tomorrow:

12 monkeys, syfy (2015 – 2018).

SyFy 12 Monkeys

Then there also is SyFy’s 12 Monkeys , which is a little darker take on time traveling. One that comes with mystery, drama, and apocalyptic stakes. But that doesn’t lessen how good this time travel TV series is.

Split between two timelines, 12 Monkeys centers on Aaron Stanford’s James Cole, who is tasked to travel back in time and stop the distribution of a virus that has the ability to end the human race as we know it.

In Cole’s real timeline, the year is 2043 and people are struggling to survive because of the terrible mutations caused by the virus. So Cole travels back to 2015 to find virologist Cassie Railly, played by Amanda Schull, that can help him stop the release of the virus and the organization that is behind it called The Army of the 12 Monkeys.

If you think about it, the post-apocalyptic setting and time travel really do go hand in hand. Because if you can go back in time to stop history from being changed, why not go back to change it if it prevents something terrible from happening?

And that is what this show explores. Beautifully combining elements of mystery, drama, and science fiction, to form a great TV show.

Where to watch 12 Monkeys:

Outlander, starz (2014 – present).

disney series with time travel

Want another show that mixes time travel with historical events and does it flawlessly? Then you should put Outlander on your must-watch TV show list!

The show starts in the 1940s when a combat nurse Claire Randall visits Inverness, Scotland as part of her second honeymoon with her husband Frank. Claire accidentally happens upon the standing stones at Craigh na Dun which transport her back in time to 1743.

To return to her own time she first has to survive 18th-century Scotland. And she does so by joining a group of rebel Highlanders from Clan MacKenzie and marrying one of the Highlanders, Jamie Fraser. But eventually, she falls in love with her new husband and aids the clan in evading British redcoats that are pursuing them.

Over the five seasons of Outlander that are currently out (with the sixth coming soon), we see Claire jump back and forth between the 20th and 18th centuries and her two families as she faces two pregnancies, wars, and much more. But eventually, Claire finds her way back to Jamie.

Where to watch Outlander:

Travelers, showcase (2016 – 2018).

Netflix Travelers

Then we have Travelers , a joint venture between Netflix and Canada’s Showcase that will tick all of your time travel TV show boxes.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world , this show depicts the adventures of travelers – operatives who go back in time to prevent the collapse of society.

These travelers are transferred into the bodies of our current-day humans, who otherwise would die, to blend in with twenty-first-century people. And with the help of their artificial intelligence boss from the future, travelers carry out missions in order to stop many catastrophic events from happening.

Travelers is a great mix of sci-fi and drama, featuring a great cast and spine-tingling storylines. So if you love all that and love a good time-travel series, then look no further than Travelers .

Where to watch Travelers:

Dark, netflix (2017 – 2020).

disney series with time travel

Netflix’s first German original series was the science fiction series Dark , which mixes in some mystery drama with sci-fi: time travel, the apocalypse, wormholes, and parallel worlds.

Dark takes place in Winden, a fictional German town, and begins in 2019 after children begin to disappear from the town. As the show progresses, however, timelines jump drastically between as early as 1921 to as late as 2053.

As four families in Winden investigate the disappearances to reunite with their lost loved ones, they discover a wormhole beneath the local powerplant that allows them to travel between timelines, thus uncovering a generations-long conspiracy involving the town and their families.

Where to watch Dark:

The umbrella academy, netflix (2019 – present).

disney series with time travel

Netflix brings another to the list with The Umbrella Academy .

On October 1, 1989, 43 infants were suddenly born from unsuspecting women despite them not even being pregnant the day before.

7 of them were raised together as the Hargreeve siblings and trained in their respective abilities until their relationship became strained as teenagers and they drifted apart.

Now, as adults, they’re brought back together by the death of their adoptive father – and the threat of the end of the world, of course.

They’re forced to travel back in time but end up in different times and places, and must find each other again to stop the nuclear apocalypse.

Where to watch The Umbrella Academy:

Seven days, upn (1998 – 2001).

disney series with time travel

We know that the National Security Agency has its share of secrets, but what if one of those secrets was a time-traveling machine?

In UPN’s Seven Days , the plot centers on one such device made from alien technology found at Roswell.

The Chronosphere, as it’s called, can only be used in times when national security is at risk – the limited capacity of the device allows for just one human to go back in time by seven days in order to avert disasters.

Thus, when the White House is attacked, the NSA employs former Navy SEAL and CIA operative Frank Parker to go back and prevent it from happening.

Where to watch Seven Days:

Loki, disney+ (2021 – present).

disney series with time travel

Yes, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the greatest gifts to the cinema of our time. Now, the MCU has expanded even further into the television medium and we’ve got a few series to accompany it!

One of those is Loki , which of course, centers on the God of Thunder’s mischievous adopted brother.

After the events in Avengers: Endgame , particularly his stealing of the Tesseract, Loki inadvertently creates another timeline that began in 2012, making him a “time variant” version of himself.

When confronted by the authorities, Loki is given two choices: face punishment and cease to exist, or travel through time to fix his own mess and the threat that has emerged.

Where to watch Loki:

Making history, fox (2017).

disney series with time travel

The thing about traveling back in time is, you have to be very careful that your actions in the past won’t affect the future (which is essentially your actual present).

Most of the time, that’s something you wouldn’t know until you go back to your time. In Making History , however, Dan Chambers travels back in time to right before the American Revolution and sets off a series of events that seriously mess up the future.

Being able to constantly travel between time periods, Dan recruits the help of history professor Chis Parrish to travel with him and ensure that the American Revolution still takes place.

Where to watch Making History:

Quantum leap, nbc (1989 – 1993).

disney series with time travel

The title of NBC’s sci-fi comedy-drama Quantum Leap is also the name of the time travel machine that accidentally sends its creator, physicist Dr. Sam Beckett, back into the past.

Now, he’s stuck – and not as himself, either!

Sam discovers that he jumped into the body of a stranger and because he’s still himself, doesn’t know all the details of his current identity.

With the help of his friend Al, who appears as a hologram only he can see, he must fix something that went wrong so he can jump in time again and eventually get back to his own body.

Where to watch Quantum Leap:

Quantum leap, nbc (2022 – present).

disney series with time travel

Speaking of Quantum Leap , in 2022 NBC revived the 1989 series into a more modern take on the cult classic.

In this new Quantum Leap , thirty years have passed since Dr. Sam Beckett vanished into the Quantum Leap accelerator, and the Quantum Leap project was put to rest.

Now the project is restarted with a new team, who tries to puzzle together the mysteries behind Beckett and his time-traveling machine.

So, we follow Ben Song, the lead physicist of the Quantum Leap time travel project, who gets lost in the past after leaping back in time.

As he tries to return to the present he is helped by his fiancée Addison Augustine, who appears to him as a hologram during each leap, and the team back in the present time.

Where to watch Quantum Leap reboot:

The way home, hallmark channel (2023 – present).

disney series with time travel

Among the newest time travel shows on this list is Hallmark’s The Way Home which has already been renewed for a second season.

The Way Home follows three generations of Landry women who learn that they can time travel after discovering a magic pond on their family’s farm in Port Haven.

When Kat and her daughter Alice return to Port Haven and are forced to move in with Alice’s estranged mother Del, the three women use time travel to uncover their family history, including what really happened to Kat’s little brother Jacob and whether they can prevent his disappearance.

Where to watch The Way Home:

Russian doll, netflix (2019 – 2022).

disney series with time travel

Netflix’s Russian Doll deviates from the traditional time travel theme of a willing traveler in one specific timeline because Russian Doll’s protagonist Nadia Vulvokov not only has absolutely no choice or control over her so-called time traveling, but hers is also a time loop.

She wakes up every day having to relive the day of her 36th birthday party in New York City; every time, she dies and comes back to the exact same moment.

Every time, Nadia scrambles to figure out what happens to her and tries to prevent her death, leading her to find Alan, a man who is experiencing the same time loop.

Where to watch Russian Doll:

Undone, prime video (2019 – present).

disney series with time travel

Undone may be an animated series, but it certainly isn’t geared toward younger audiences; though there is a touch of comedy, the series leans more towards the psychological drama genre and “explores the elastic nature of reality”.

The series follows Alma Winograd-Diaz right after she gets into a near-fatal car accident.

Right before the crash, she has a strange vision of her dead father, and right after it, she finds that she now has the ability to manipulate and move through time.

Using this newfound power, she travels between time periods to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding her father’s death.

Where to watch Undone:

Voyagers, nbc (1982 – 1983).

disney series with time travel

Premiering back in the early 1980s, NBC’s Voyagers! Is set in a world where time travel already exists.

In fact, there’s already a secret society in place that trains its members, called Voyagers, to go back in time and make sure that historical events happen exactly the way they’re supposed to – otherwise it could affect the present in unexpected ways.

One such Voyager is Phineas Bogg, although he isn’t exactly the best at the job.

During an accidental trip to 1982, he meets the young Jeffrey Jones and ends up bringing him along on one of his missions.

Having lost his Guidebook, Phineas now needs to rely on the extremely smart Jeffrey to get history right.

Where to watch Voyagers!:

Fringe, fox (2008 – 2013).

disney series with time travel

Fox’s Fringe is a series that was well into the science fiction genre, with parallel universes, supernatural abilities, biotechnology, doomsday predictions, and of course, time travel.

The title is taken from fringe science, which is a branch that deals with scientific theories riddled with skepticism or even having been disproven already.

In Fringe , Special Agent Olivia Dunham is assigned to oversee the FBI ’s Fringe Division, which is run by Peter Bishop and his father Walter.

Together, the team uses both fringe science and Olivia’s knowledge in investigative techniques to explore the unexplained.

In the process, they discover a larger mystery involving parallel universes and alternate timelines .

Where to watch Fringe:

Time after time, abc (2017).

disney series with time travel

ABC’s Time After Time is based on the novel of the same name written by Kevin Williamson in 1979.

In addition to that, each episode takes its title from a line in Cyndi Lauper’s song, which was inspired by the film (and subsequently, the same book!).

In Time After Time , we are taken to H.G. Wells’ home in 1893.

During a dinner party, he reveals his time machine – right before his guest John Stevenson is arrested for actually being Jack the Ripper .

John escapes through the time machine and Wells follows him straight into the present: 2017. Thus begins a cat-and-mouse game as John attempts to gain control of the machine.

Where to watch Time After Time:

11.22.63, hulu (2016).

disney series with time travel

When you have anything with Stephen King involved, you know it’s going to be great.

Hulu’s eight-episode miniseries 11.22.63 is based on King’s novel 11/22/63 and is a science fiction thriller like no other.

Starring James Franco in the lead role, 11.22.63 follows Jake Epping, an English teacher from Maine .

His best friend Al reveals a time travel machine and asks him to take over the mission he’s been working on: to travel to the 60s and prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Will Jake be successful in changing a past that simply refuses to be changed?

Where to watch 11.22.63:

The 4400, usa network/sky one (2004 – 2007).

disney series with time travel

The 4400 is yet another slightly different take on the idea of time travel, in that there has been just one (fairly significant) shift forward in time, to the present.

Beginning in 1946, individuals who were easily overlooked or marginalized by society slowly began disappearing through beams of green light.

Now, all 4400 of them (hence the title) have been returned to the present day – without having aged a day and in some cases, even manifesting supernatural abilities like telekinesis, healing, and telepathy.

Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris are assigned to investigate the phenomenon and find out why the 4400 have returned.

NOTE: For a fresher take on the show, you can also check out the reboot of the original series which is currently airing on The CW.

Where to watch The 4400:

Somewhere between, abc (2017).

disney series with time travel

When tragedy strikes our lives, we always wish there was something we could’ve done to prevent it.

In ABC’s Somewhere Between we meet Laura Price, a successful news producer with a great career, a loving husband who’s a district attorney, and a beautiful daughter named Serena.

However, her life changes when the serial killer she is helping the cops to catch kills Serena.

Distraught with grief , Laura attempts to complete suicide but is unsuccessful, instead waking up having time-traveled to a week before Serena’s death.

She teams up with Nico, a former SFPD detective who experienced the same reset and wants to find the real killer to change his brother’s fate as well.

Where to watch Somewhere Between:

Terra nova, fox (2011).

disney series with time travel

Terra Nova takes its viewers to both extremes of the time-traveling timeline.

The present-day is 2149, where overpopulation has threatened to deplete the Earth’s resources.

In an attempt to save Earth and mankind, scientists have found a way to travel back in time, sending groups of humans back to the Cretaceous Period to set up colonies.

Terra Nova focuses primarily on Elisabeth and Jim Shannon, and their three children, who have joined the 10th pilgrimage to Terra Nova.

They offer their expertise as a trauma surgeon and former narcotics detective and help those in charge with stopping those whose intentions go against the greater good.

Where to watch Terra Nova:

Frequency, the cw (2016 – 2017).

disney series with time travel

One concept in time travel is known as “the butterfly effect”, wherein one small change in time may have great effects elsewhere.

Frequency demonstrates this concept perfectly.

Raimy Sullivan is an NYPD detective who, after a strange weather phenomenon, discovers that she can communicate with her dead father through his old ham radio.

Believing he was a corrupt cop, she learns the truth and warns him of his murder, thus saving his life.

However, this has profound effects on the future – Raimy’s present.

Now, they must work together across time to save her father and preserve the present.

Where to watch Frequency:

Life on mars, bbc one (2006).

disney series with time travel

In many of the shows on the list so far, the protagonists experience a time loop that’s triggered at the point of their death.

It’s no different for Sam Tyler, the main character in the British series Life on Mars .

Sam is a Detective Chief Inspector with the Greater Manchester Police, but one day he accidentally gets hit by a car.

When he awakens, he’s in 1973 and working at one rank lower than he was: Detective Inspector.

The selling point of Life on Mars , however, is that we’re left unsure if Sam’s predicament is due to his actual death, a comatose, or time travel.

Where to watch Life on Mars:

Always a witch, netflix (2019 – 2020).

disney series with time travel

Always A Witch (or Siempre Bruja in its original Spanish title) is a Colombian series that is set in both present-day Colombia and the 17th century .

The series follows Carmen Eguiliuz, a young 19-year-old witch who, after committing the crime of falling in love with a white man in 1646 colonial Colombia, is scheduled to be burned at the stake.

She gets a chance to escape to a new life when the mysterious wizard Aldemar makes a deal with her: he will save the man she loves if she travels into the future to find the woman who can break his curse.

Where to watch Always a Witch:

Beforeigners, hbo (2019 – present).

disney series with time travel

HBO’s Beforeigners is a Norwegian sci-fi crime drama series and the first Norwegian original from HBO Europe.

The title is a clever play on words centered on the general plot: a group of “foreigners” has suddenly shown up at a neighborhood in Oslo, and they are all from “before” times, or several different time periods in history.

Whether from the Viking period , the Stone Age, or the more recent 19th century , each of these ‘Beforeigners’ tries to integrate in modern-day Norwegian society.

One of them even partners with a detective to investigate first a murdered Stone Age woman, then a series of murderers tied to Jack the Ripper.

Where to watch Beforeigners:

Alice, sbs tv (2020).

disney series with time travel

Alice was a South Korean sci-fi series that aired in late 2020.

In the lead-up to the main plot, the show’s background is explained to its viewers.

Set in 2050, time travel is monitored by an agency called Alice, which sends its clients to the past to help find closure with deceased loved ones.

Alice one day sends two agents to 1992 in order to find the Book of Prophecy, but one of them disappears with the book and her unborn child.

In 2020, the child becomes a detective and in his investigation into his mother’s death in 2010, discovers the existence of Alice and time travel.

Where to watch Alice:

Live up to your name, tvn (2017).

disney series with time travel

Yet another South Korean time travel series , Live Up to Your Name initially takes its viewers some 400 years into the past, right in the middle of the Joseon dynasty.

There we meet Heo Im, a doctor of traditional Korean medicine who also specializes in acupuncture.

On one of his treatments of the king’s migraines, he made a mistake and was charged with treason.

Chased by the king’s soldiers, he’s shot with an arrow and presumed dead when he falls into the river – except he ends up waking up in present-day Seoul instead, where he meets cardiothoracic surgeon Choi Yeon-kyung.

Where to watch Live Up to Your Name:

My only love song, netflix (2017).

disney series with time travel

Our third South Korean series is Netflix’s My Only Love Song , which aired in 2017.

We start off in modern-day Korea where we meet Soo-jung, a talented and top-level actress.

However, it seems that the fame may have gotten to her head as she’s arrogant, and believes fame and money make the world go round.

When things don’t go her way on her new show, she winds up in a time-traveling van that takes her to the 6th century.

There, she meets a man much like herself in terms of arrogance, but his hidden soft spot and generosity towards the poor changes her perspective on her own life and self.

Where to watch My Only Love Song:

Signal, tvn (2016).

disney series with time travel

Signal is based on the 2000 American film Frequency , but another thing that sets this South Korean series apart from others is that the cases investigated in the series are also based on real-life crimes in the country.

Signal follows a cold case profiler from 2015 and a detective from 1989 simultaneously; they discover they’re able to communicate with each other through an old walkie-talkie.

Using this unique ability to provide much-needed foresight in investigations, they team up to both solve and in some cases, even prevent these horrific crimes.

Where to watch Signal:

Rooftop prince, sbs (2012).

disney series with time travel

Last but not least, South Korea brings its last time-traveling series to the table with Rooftop Prince , a comedy-drama filled with intrigue, mixed identities, and possible reincarnations.

Crown Prince Lee Gak from the Joseon dynasty accidentally time travels to 2012 with three others from his entourage, and their lives are thrown into a whirlwind.

He crosses paths with Se-na, who looks exactly like his recently deceased wife.

In the hopes of getting answers about his wife’s mysterious drowning, he assumes the identity of another man who he also looks exactly like and attempts to marry Se-na in this timeline as well.

Where to watch Rooftop Prince:

11 comments.

Tomorrow people cw

You forgot The Time Tunnel, an Irwin Allen sci-fi show (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost In Space, Land of The Giants), all classic 60s sci-fi

Journeyman should also be on this list. It was only half a season on NBC but it wraps up to a satisfying conclusion.

Fantastic acting and interesting characters.

Glad someone else watched Journeyman. I thought I’d was a great spiritual successor to Quantum Leap.

Journeyman is one of the good shows u can watch but qunatum leap i watched and didnt like

Where is The Time Tunnel?????

Another show for your list is “Being Erica” (CBC, 2009-2011). Excellent writing, and very unique.

i was looking for this comment. such an underrated show

I concur. This was definitely a great one. It certainly provides a lot of food for thought.

Some of the information in the Doctor Who one is wrong. It started in 1963, it was only revived in 2005 (you put 2006), and it’s been going for 39 seasons, as of June 2022

Thanks for letting me know! I updated the article accordingly.

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'Parallels' Trailer Reveals a Teenage Time Travel Mystery Coming to Disney+

The French series will premiere on March 23.

If you’re looking for a new series to hold you over until the ever-elusive Stranger Things season four hits Netflix later this spring, Disney+ has just the thing. The streaming platform will be dropping all six episodes of their brand new original series, Parallels , on March 23. Along with the premiere announcement, Disney+ has also unveiled a trailer and first-look poster.

In the trailer for Parallels , which is a French language series, we are introduced to a group of teenage pals: Bilal, Romane, Samuel, and Victor. The four are your average circle of friends, each with their own side stories and even romances sprinkled amongst them. One night, the teens break away from their families and meet up for a party. What starts as a hangout session takes a bizarre turn when, after the lights go out, they come back on only to reveal that all members are missing except for Samuel. Things get even stranger when, instead of the rest of his friends, Samuel is joined in the room by an unknown adult man.

As the trailer unfolds, we learn that the man is Bilal, only now he’s an adult. Things continue to get even stranger when Romane and Victor also make reappearances as adults. Piecing together the puzzle, the friends must now sort through the questions surrounding their time travel as well as some new powers they have picked up along the way all while holding their friendships together and not drifting apart.

RELATED: 'Obi-Wan Kenobi': Star Wars Comics to Read Before Watching the Disney+ Show

Created by Quoc Dang Tran , Parallels stars Thomas Chomel , Omar Mebrouk , Jules Houplain , Jade Pedri , Naidra Ayadi , Guillaume Labbé , Gil Alma , Elise Diamant , Dimitri Storoge , Agnès Miguras , Maxime Bergeron , Victoria Eber , and Timoté Rigault . The series was directed by Benjamin Rocher and Jean-Batiste Saurel and was co-penned by Anastasia Heinzl , who wrote alongside Tran.

The poster attached to the show’s announcement sets the tone for the series, as it depicts both sides of the main characters running through a forest. Keeping an eye out for anyone in pursuit, the top half shows the child versions of the leads, while the lower features the characters post time warp. With the words, “To Find Themselves, They’ll Have To Get Lost” written at the top of the image, the series markets itself as a coming of age tale mixed with a bit of fantasy.

Though its themes may be geared towards a younger audience, even adults are sure to be intrigued as the story behind Parallels unfolds later in March. For now, check out the show’s trailer and poster below:

  • Entertainment

The Best Shows to Watch on Disney+

A collage of cut outs of different characters from popular shows on Disney plus

This list will be updated monthly as titles are removed and added to Disney+.

Although the blockbusters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the classic films of the Disney Vault may come to mind when you think of Disney+, it’s worth remembering that the streaming platform is more than just a vehicle for its movie-making machine—it also has a wealth of television shows and a wide range of offerings.

For sci-fi or action fanatics, there are original programs to dive into, like Marvel’s Wandavision or Loki or the many Star Wars series like The Mandalorian and Andor . Those looking for a dose of nostalgia can revisit old shows and sitcoms that have found a new home on the platform, like The Muppet Show and Alias . Little ones can get entertainment with a side of education, thanks to animated shows like Schoolhouse Rock! and Bluey , while the adults in their lives can turn to more grown-up cartoons like The Simpsons .

Whether you’re looking for a new watch or old stand-by favorites, here are the 25 best shows to stream on Disney+ right now.

Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins

Travel journalist Jeff Jenkins offers an inspirational guide to the world in Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins . In this thoughtful original series, Jenkins encourages curiosity and bravery with his adventures, which range from swimming with sharks in Mexico to hiking glaciers in Iceland. Care and respect are major aspects of the show, with Jenkins emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange and sensitivity. Likewise, Jenkins’ advocacy for size inclusivity, especially in the travel space, makes this show a standout.

Consider Andor a satisfying detour in the Star Wars franchise. Based on the character of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), who made his debut in the prequel film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , the series devotes itself to telling his backstory as a stoic rebel operative who’s recruited for a dangerous mission, which will help avenge the havoc wrecked on his home planet by an evil corporation.

Race, belonging, and family are central themes in Black-ish , Kenya Barris’ long-running series about an upwardly mobile Black family in Los Angeles. Centering on patriarch Dre Johnson and his wife, Dr. Rainbow Johnson, the show’s eight seasons often explored complex topics like racial violence and respectability politics, but also delivered plenty of laughs along the way.

It could be easy to overlook Loki in the sheer abundance of superhero content, but to do so would be to miss out on one of the franchise’s darkly humorous and satisfyingly twisty narratives. Centering on the moody and fibbing Norse god Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the show is a time-traveling adventure laden with both introspection and levity.

The Mandalorian

When it comes to original programming at Disney+, The Mandalorian is a shining example of what the platform is capable of. The series, which is the first live-action series in the Star Wars universe, takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi . Starring Pedro Pascal as the titular character, a lone ranger of a bounty hunter who’s determined to protect Grogu, or Baby Yoda at all costs, the series is a thrilling and refreshing addition to the Star Wars franchise.

Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac takes on multiple personalities as the lead in Moon Knight , the miniseries based on the superhero of the same name. In the show, Isaac’s character, who has dissociative identity disorder, relies on his multiple alters as he traverses a deadly mystery wrapped up in mysticism and Egyptian mythology.

Marvel fans will get a deeper understanding of Hawkeye, the skilled archer in the Avengers, with this series. Centered on Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) an excellent marksman and former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., the show details how Barton mentors Kate Bishop, a young fan of his, to eventually take on the mantle of Hawkeye.

The Beatles: Get Back

To watch The Beatles: Get Back is to bear witness to music history being made. The three-part documentary series, directed by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, is an exhaustive, loving look at the making of the Beatles’ 1970 album, Let It Be. Featuring over 60 hours of footage, most of it previously unseen, and 150 hours of audio, the series is a love letter to one of the most iconic rock bands of all time.

There are few offerings more lovable on Disney+ than Big Shot , a sports dramedy starring John Stamos as a college basketball coach who’s forced to take a gig at an all-girls private high school after an anger management scandal. The show, which makes a compelling case for underdogs and deals skillfully with the challenges of modern parenting, is so charming that TIME’s TV critic Judy Berman called it her “favorite new Disney+ show.”

The Muppet Show

The enduring appeal of Jim Henson’s Muppets lies in the zany humor and endearing humanity of its many monsters and mischievous beings, something that’s on full display in The Muppet Show , the popular variety show starring Henson’s puppets. The show, which ran for five seasons from 1976 to 1981 and won 11 Emmys, featured a special celebrity guest each week, but the true stars were always the ensemble of beloved Muppets, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo.

JJ Abram’s Alias has become a cult classic when it comes to action shows and for good reason—the beloved series, which starred Jennifer Garner in her breakout role as Sydney Bristow, a spunky undercover spy, combined drama, humor, and non-stop action for a show that was as compelling as it was thrilling.

Wandavision

With Wandavision , Marvel fans get a glimpse into the backstory of two of the MCU’s more minor superheroes, Wanda Maximoff and her husband, Vision, in an unorthodox predicament—attempting to hide their powers while time-hopping through different dimensions of suburbia. But while Wandavision is technically yet another extension of the ever-expanding Marvel superhero franchise, it’s also a loving homage to the classic TV sitcom, riffing off iconic shows like The Brady Bunch, Bewitched, and I Love Lucy .

For the smallest of viewers, look no further than Bluey , a charming Australian cartoon about the triumphs and challenges for a sweet family of dogs. Centered on the adventures of Bluey, the oldest child in the family, each 7-minute episode not only comes with a lesson to learn, but is often hilarious and clever enough to appeal to the adults in the room.

The Simpsons

Perhaps no other show has defined the animated sitcom more than The Simpsons , the longest-running scripted show of all time. Over the course of 36 seasons, the Simpson family, headed up by everyman Homer and his long suffering wife Marge, as well as their three kids, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, have tackled (and even predicted) many of the issues of the day, from 9/11 to Trump’s presidency, all while delivering its trademark wry humor.

Schoolhouse Rock!

For years, generations of youngsters have learned everything from their multiplication tables to how a bill becomes a law with the musical stylings of the animated series, Schoolhouse Rock! This beloved educational series originally debuted in 1973, as evidenced by the songs’ revolutionary flavor, but remains just as compelling and catchy now, fifty years later.

Cosmos: Possible Worlds

The interconnectedness of the universe is the overarching message in Cosmos: Possible Worlds, the curious National Geographic docuseries hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. An homage to the original Carl Sagan series of the same name, the show is a compelling look at both the history and future of scientific understanding of the world we live in and beyond.

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder

In the The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder , winsome protagonist Penny Proud and her kooky family return to the screen with adventures tailored for our current zeitgeist. The original Proud Family was beloved for its zany humor and its groundbreaking portrayal of Black culture through a family living and loving in suburban America, following Penny through the trials and triumphs of pre-adolescence. With this revival, Penny’s now a full-fledged teenager—with new lessons and adventures to be had in this stage of her life.

Gravity Falls

Supernatural mysteries abound in Gravity Falls , the animated family comedy series about the misadventures of twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, after they are shipped off to spend the summer with their eccentric great uncle Stan in the weird and wacky town of Gravity Falls, where nothing is quite as it seems.

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

The ineffable charm of Jeff Goldblum has lent itself to a range of quirky roles over the course of his career and a cult following online and now on Disney+, it’s used to great effect in a docuseries of his own, The World According to Jeff Goldblum . On the show, Goldblum explores how popular objects or trends have reached this status in the zeitgeist, doing so with a compelling sense of both curiosity and wonder.

Yara Shahidi shines in Grown-ish, the spin-off created for her Black-ish ’s character Zoey Johnson, as she left for college. Like its parent show, Grown-ish isn’t afraid to tackle complex issues, often offering lessons on hot-button topics like activism and hookup culture, but delivers it with refreshing candor and humor.

With On Pointe , viewers get an intimate look at the rigorous training and arresting personal stories of the aspiring young dancers who attend New York City’s School of American Ballet. Over six parts, the docuseries the show takes an in-depth look at the daily lives of students between the ages of 8 and 18, as they pursue their dreams of making it in the competitive world of ballet and prepare for an upcoming performance run of The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center.

Jessica Jones

In Jessica Jones , Marvel finds one of its darkest and more complex characters—and that’s a good thing. The titular Jones (Krysten Ritter) is a former superhero who gives up vigilante work after a tragedy and is attempting to live a normal life as a private investigator, but her superhuman powers, sense of justice, and PTSD threaten her chances of living like any other civilian.

In Daredevil , by day Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is a blind lawyer looking to help the disenfranchised of his neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen; by night, he’s a masked vigilante who relies on his heightened senses after his loss of sight, to deliver justice in another way.

Boy Meets World

Perhaps the ultimate coming-of-age series of its time, Boy Meets World follows the adventures of Cory Matthews, a true boy next door, as he navigates school, friendship, family, and romantic relationships over the course of his adolescence through his young adulthood.

Running Wild with Bear Grylls

In Running Wild with Bear Grylls , the British adventurer shares his enthusiasm for thrills and the great outdoors with his celebrity guests, as they embark on thrilling treks around the world. Whether hiking with President Barack Obama in Alaska or getting dropped from a helicopter into the mountains of New England with actor Don Cheadle, it’s always an adventure with Bear Grylls.

Once Upon a Time

Beloved classic fairy tales get the modern treatment in Once Upon a Time , the fantasy drama series that takes place in the fictional town of Storybrooke, Maine. Residents of the town were formerly fairy tale characters in another life, leaving them to reckon with their magical pasts and current reality.

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Write to Cady Lang at [email protected]

20 Best Time-Travel Shows Ranked

Loki looking surprised

If you could travel back and forth through time, where would you go? What would you do? Who would you talk to? Even better, if you were writing a book, making a movie, or working on a television show about time travel, what would you include? The best TV shows about time travel all feature characters who visit other eras for various compelling (or even life-threatening) reasons. Maybe it's to prevent a coming apocalypse, maybe it's just to save one person's life — but as many of these shows teach, small changes can have big effects, and many of these characters learn that their time-traveling can change the world.  

Now, there are some great time travel-adjacent shows that don't quite fit this list. A fun romp like "Early Edition," for example, utilizes a time-traveling newspaper and potentially a time-traveling cat, but doesn't in and of itself feature a lot of time travel. Likewise, something like "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" is rooted in a time travel premise, but stays mostly in one time. With all that said, here's a look at our choices for the 20 best time travel shows on TV.

Save the cheerleader, save the world. That's what future Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) tells present-day Hiro when he appears to him from the future, and that's what establishes "Heroes" as way more than just a superhero show.

The NBC series follows a group of regular people who develop special powers, not unlike mutants in the "X-Men" series, after a mysterious worldwide eclipse. Each character gains their own individual abilities. Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) develops the ability to heal from any injury. Senator Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar) gains the ability to fly, while his brother Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) can temporarily absorb others' powers. Still, few of these characters have cooler abilities than Hiro, who can influence the space-time continuum. This means he can teleport, slow down time — and, of course, time travel.   

Understandably, Hiro's power set becomes a serious asset throughout the series, and his path to perfect his abilities is one of "Heroes'" strongest story arcs. The first few times he travels through time don't go as planned, and throughout the series, things can get in the way of him ending up where he wants to go or when he wants to be. While Hiro's time-traveling is just one part of the larger story, it's definitely one of the show's highlights – especially since Oka is so darn charming as the character.

19. 11.22.63

One of the best Stephen King TV series out there, the eight-episode "11.22.63" follows a man named Jake Epping (James Franco). He's a relatively normal guy who receives a chance to change history when his friend Al (Chris Cooper) tells him he's found a way to travel back in time. Al tells Jake that the portal he's discovered goes back to the year 1960 and that he's been working on a plan to stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Al's age and advancing cancer diagnosis prevent him from following through on the plan, however, and he asks Jake to take over for him. Jake agrees, but soon his quest is met with pushback from a mysterious source. As it turns out, the past doesn't want to be changed, and every step Jake takes toward preventing JFK's assassination leads to more cracks in the timeline. 

A charming and exciting time travel drama, "11.22.63" is a well-executed, twisty tale that only ranks so low on this list because it's in such great company. If you're looking for a quick, self-contained time travel miniseries that revolves around one of modern America's most notable events, this show is well worth a watch. 

When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crash lands on a deserted island, wacky and scary things start happening to the survivors. ABC's "Lost" deals with flashbacks, flash-forwards, mysterious groups that already have a presence on the island, a black smoke monster — and, as it turns out, an ancient battle between good and evil. One of the great appointment television shows before streaming broke through, "Lost" had fans talking about it and theorizing about its mysteries on a weekly basis.

The sci-fi drama captivated viewers for six seasons, and though time travel is referenced throughout the entire series run, it plays the biggest role in Season 4. As the island itself leaps from place to place and from time to time, the main group of characters jumps with it, encountering previous versions of themselves and island events that occurred in the past, and suffering from the effects of temporal displacement. The most beloved episode dealing with time travel is undoubtedly "The Constant," in which fan-favorite Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick) figures out a way to stop his consciousness from jumping through time by finding his constant — his true love, Penny (Sonya Walger).

Of course, "Lost" is not just a time travel show, and famously covers such a wide variety of mysteries and sci-fi concepts that viewers might find it hard to keep up. As such, it ends up with this relatively low ranking. 

Like "Lost", "Fringe" is considered one of the most binge-worthy sci-fi shows of all time  but the fact that it isn't exclusively about time travel means it lands near the tail end of this particular list. The ABC show revolves around a science-fiction conglomerate that dabbles with interdimensional travel, wormholes, and alternate realities. Anna Torv stars as FBI Agent Olivia Dunham, who heads up the bureau's Fringe Division. With the help of "mad scientist" Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), his estranged son Peter (Joshua Jackson), and their lab assistant Astrid Farnsworth (Jakisa Nicole), Dunham explores cases involving fringe science — be they about time travel, mind control, experiments gone wrong or any other strange and obscure criminal activity.

Time travel is more of a looming presence early in "Fringe," particularly present in the character of the Observer (Michael Cerveris), a bald, pale, genetically advanced human from the future. While Season 1 and Season 2 deal with the battle between two dimensions and realities, time travel really becomes an element in Season 3. Seasons 4 and 5 then deal with alternate timelines and the Observers that infiltrate the world from the future, intent on wiping out humanity. As you might expect, things can get a bit confusing, but the show sure is fun.

16. The Umbrella Academy

You have to respect a show that's so high-concept that time travel doesn't even get top billing. "The Umbrella Academy" boasts mysterious events, family drama, dance numbers, a talking chimpanzee, some of the cleverest superpowers in superhero shows, and a robot mom — and that's just scratching the surface. Based on "The Umbrella Academy" comics created by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance fame, the Netflix show is a saga that exploits everything from the butterfly effect to the grandfather paradox for emotional and comedic impact.

The central Hargreeves family consists of a group of kids all born on the same day, adopted by the same eccentric billionaire (Colm Feore). He has trained them to protect the world with their various superpowers, but they aren't particularly great at it, and their strict upbringing has left them with a wide array of issues and deep rifts between them. The dysfunctional bunch starts out fairly estranged, but slowly bonds to save humanity from an apocalyptic event ... only to cause another potential apocalyptic event by sprinkling themselves across time.

In between the tears in the space-time continuum, "The Umbrella Academy" is ultimately an ensemble story about found (and re-found) family, as well as a truly unique superhero show where personal failure and the side-effects of costumed crimefighter life play a huge role. However, since Season 1 largely approaches time travel through Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) and the Temps Aeternalis agency, and much of Season 3 focuses on a present-day alternate reality, only the 1960s-themed Season 2 goes truly all in on the concept of sending all main characters to a different era. 

15. Sliders

"Sliders" is a 1990s sci-fi adventure series that features Jerry O'Connell and friends getting lost across the multiverse. O'Connell ("Stand By Me") plays boy genius Quinn Mallory, inventor of the Timer — a device that lets him and his friends "slide" through a wormhole vortex into different versions of Earth. The thing about wormhole vortexes, though, is that they like to misbehave, meaning Quinn and his buds never know where they're headed next on their adventures. This makes their quest to get back home to their own Earth a tricky one.

"Sliders" starts off fun and strong, and is at its best when having bonkers fun — like when Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) discovers a world where he could have been Elvis-level famous — and when it's exploring real-world issues in a high-concept dimension, like when the crew visits an Earth that treats men worse than women. Even if you've seen it before, it's definitely worth a re-watch, because "Sliders" is one  TV show that's better than you remember.

14. Continuum

On "Continuum," Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) is a Protector – think futuristic government agent from even more futuristic equipment — from the year 2077. She gets transported to the year 2012 along with a group of murderous terrorists, forcing Kiera to remain in the past as she chases them down. Fortunately, her gadgets and knowledge of the past soon come in handy and she finds loyal allies. Unfortunately, her enemies also know their history and plan on altering it for their own gain. 

"Continuum" milks the premise for all it's worth, while avoiding the pitfall of becoming a run-in-the-mill procedural with an unchanging status quo. While Kiera does handle her share of case-of-the-week story arcs, they're often connected to the group she pursues, and she never lets go of her primary target of stopping the terrorists. In order to avoid disrupting the timeline, she also has to go to great lengths to avoid revealing that either she or her targets are time travelers — and when their actions inevitably end up changing the future, she has to deal with the consequences. 

13. Timeless

If ever there was a time travel show that was canceled too soon, it's Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan's "Timeless." The NBC sci-fi series stars Abigail Spencer as the historian Lucy, Matt Lanter as the soldier Wyatt, and Malcolm Barrett as Rufus, a scientist who makes up a team trying to prevent a mysterious organization from altering the courses of history through time travel. They're up againsts Garcia Flynn (Goran Višnjić), who travels throughout history intending to influence major events like the Hindenburg disaster. However, the team soon realizes that the villain they thought they were fighting is much larger and infiltrates the historical timeline in ways they never imagined. 

Instead of focusing on the usual historical suspects, "Timeless" often highlights forgotten people of color, women, and lesser-known historical figures, giving them their due and celebrating their contributions to society. This element of the show can be seen in the way Rufus, for instance, is reluctant to join the team because he knows how Black people are treated in the eras they visit. 

Despite its intriguing concept, the show was canceled after Season 1, but fans caused such an uproar that NBC reversed the decision of canceling "Timeless"  and renewed it for another season. After Season 2, NBC pulled the plug once more, and again, the fans cried foul. In a kind of compromise, NBC greenlit a special two-hour series finale that ties up loose ends and gives much-needed closure to the story. 

12. 12 Monkeys

The "12 Monkeys" SyFy series is based on the 1995 film of the same name that stars Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt — though the series makes a fair few changes to stretch the plot into a four-season sci-fi drama. The series stars Aaron Sanford as James Cole, a scavenger from the year 2024 who's tasked with traveling to 2015 in order to stop the release of a biological weapon. In the movie, James is helped by a psychologist named Kathryn Railly played by Madeleine Stowe, but here, he befriends a virologist named Dr. Cassandra "Cassie" Railly (Amanda Schull). Pitt's character, Jeffrey Goines, is also gender-swapped here, with Emily Hampshire playing Jennifer Goines.

Like the movie, the series deals with the Cassandra Complex, the idea that we have a hard time believing concerns about the future, no matter how likely and provable they are. It also deals with circular time and the idea that past events can be affected by future ones. If those aspects of the film lift your time travel antennae, the four-season show dives even deeper.

11. Paper Girls

"Paper Girls" is a brilliant time travel show that was canceled way ahead of its time. Based on the comics by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, this Amazon series tells the story of a group of 1990s tween girls who get attacked by futuristic invaders. They manage to escape into the future, where one of the girls, Erin (Riley Lai Nelet ), meets her adult self (Ali Wong).

The show dispenses with grandfather paradox hand-wringing and instead uses the concept of the girls confronting their past and future selves, to brutally honest and hilarious effect. Young Erin is horrified to find out how much of herself she's abandoned by the time she turns into Old Erin, and refuses to let life work out that way. It motivates Erin to want to return to her home time even more — this kid has a clock to beat. However, there are two sides to the coin, and Old Erin is also able to care for her young self in ways she never felt able to when she was younger. It's a beautiful and potent visual metaphor that other characters also make good on. 

All in all, "Paper Girls" is a feast for the eyes as much as its ensemble cast is a feast for the soul. Plus, Jason Mantzoukas playfully chewing scenery as the ominous Grand Father? This show could have lasted until the end of time — or at least until Season 2.

10. Timewasters

"Timewasters" is a time travel comedy about a Black British jazz band that accidentally time-slips back to 1920s London, among other timelines. The quartet stumbles into an earlier time perod via a disgusting elevator that, yes, doubles as a time machine. Once the crew shows up in the past, they're treated like freaks, but they gain some measure of success as musicians. While the crew eventually tries to return to the present, they also have a "Back to the Future" moment when they seemingly get stuck in the 1950s.

"Timewasters" is full of funny jokes and great music, and it's a groundbreaking show in a number of ways. "People like us never get to time travel — it's what white people do, like skiing or brunch," creator Daniel Lawrence Taylor told the Royal Television Society . "For me, race is so important." Taylor also stars in "Timewasters," along with Kadiff Kirwan ("Slow Horses"), Adelayo Adedayo ("Some Girls"), and Samson Kayo ("Our Flag Means Death"). The show is also an excellent destination if you're into spotting a variety of British actors and comedians ... including Joseph Quinn, who went on to rise to fame as Eddie Munson on "Stranger Things."

9. Outlander

Based on the series of novels by Diana Gabaldon, Starz's "Outlander" follows the story of a World War II nurse named Claire (Caitriona Balfe) who finds herself thrown back in time after visiting a circle of mysterious Druid stones. She arrives in 18th Century Scotland and, after being taken in by a band of gruff Scots, she marries the dashing young Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) in order to avoid being taken prisoner by her real husband's (Tobias Menzies) apparent evil ancestor, Black Jack Randall (Menzies). Claire lives through a time of great upheaval in Scotland when tensions with British control are rising and history-making battles loom in the near future. Despite being initially reluctant to stay, she and Jamie fall deeply in love, and their romance remains the backbone of the series.

The entire "Outlander" timeline  takes some time to explain, what with several 20th-century characters taking the trip to the 18th century and the show covering versions of notable real-world historical events. Without further spoilers, all there is to say is that if you enjoy time travel shows that lean heavily toward historical drama, "Outlander" is where it's at. Also, if you view Tobias Menzies as an incorrigible dweeb due to his performance as Edmure Tully on "Game of Thrones," his monstrous "Outlander" villain is guaranteed to erase that image.

8. Quantum Leap

"Quantum Leap" stars Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a physicist who invents a way to travel through time. When the corporation funding his project threatens to shut it down, Sam uses himself as a guinea pig to test out the method. He finds himself thrown back in time, but in another person's body. The only other entity aware of his 'leap" is a hologram of his colleague and best friend, Admiral Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell). Al tells Sam that he must correct things that went wrong in the past before being allowed to leap back to his own time and body, and can only use the resources of the project's supercomputer, Ziggy.

With Sam leaping back and forth into different bodies at different times, the show uses a variant of the traditional procedural set up. New characters turn up to guest star and Sam gets to save the day, have a fling, and learn something new before leaping to the next destination, which just might be home one of these days.  

The series ran on NBC from 1989 to 1993, but its combination of time travel and case-of-the-week antics has proved enduring enough that "Quantum Leap" even gets a shout-out in "Avengers: Endgame." Despite being over three decades old, it remains a cool time travel series worth checking out.

7. The 4400

In the opening scenes of "The 4400," an enormous ball of light drops 4,400 people at the foot of Mount Rainier in Washington. They soon realize that they were all taken from some other point in time and deposited into the year 2004, unaged and without any memories of where they'd been. At first, everyone assumes that these people have been abducted by aliens. However, it soon turns out that the truth is far more time travel-related.

The returned people soon start developing "Heroes"-style powers that range from telekinesis to telepathy and super-strength, which people from the future have entrusted with to prevent various catastrophic events that they want to avoid in their timeline. Unfortunately, the 2004 government considers the powered folks a threat, and inhibits their powers with a neurological drug. 

The stories that unfold from this setup are exactly as complex and entertaining as you'd imagine, with various members of the titular group treating their powers in different ways and society having a hard time dealing with them. Unfortunately, "The 4400" ended abruptly after four seasons on a somewhat ambiguous note, but even so, it's a fun show to revisit.

6. Travelers

In Netflix's "Travelers," time-traveling operatives from a post-apocalyptic future are tasked with preventing certain events that have led to the downfall of society in their own present day of 2018. The travelers' consciousness takes over a person in the desired time who's just about to die, and the operative then lives out the rest of that person's days though with the mission in mind ... and a strict set of rules they must follow. Apart from a list of ways they're not allowed to interact with the past, they're also strictly forbidden from communicating with other known travelers outside their team, save for special circumstances dictated by the Director, who communicates by temporarily taking over children. 

It's a unique and complex premise, and the way the travelers scope out potential targets for takeover and learn to live as them is as timely as it comes — they use social media, GPS locations, and other readily available online information for their time-travel tricks. This adds a layer of present-day dread to the show's fascinating take on time travel. 

Loki Laufeyson (Tom Hiddleston) meets his match when he comes up against the Time Variance Authority in one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most ambitious Disney+ shows, "Loki." The TVA is so dedicated to maintaining a particular sacred timeline that they purge all alternate realities where someone made a choice they deem wrong, which might not always make sense, but precision isn't the point here. It's the idea of playfulness versus control. 

The Loki we see here is an alternate-timeline variant of the one the audiences are familiar with, and thus starts the show in full "The Avengers" villain mode before life — and time — starts grinding him down. Working with TVA agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), he starts redeeming himself by tracking down an apparently evil version of himself, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) ... and ultimately tackling the biggest challenges time can offer.  

The God of Mischief's surprisingly human path of reckoning is the heart of a show that's deliciously stylish, silly, and sometimes scary. "Loki" takes a cops-and-robbers crime caper into time travel territory and explores hefty themes with a light touch, from mindless compliance to self-serving overseers to criminalizing anyone deemed different. "Loki" isn't just a time travel show — it's a show about everything time can offer and more, with characters dancing between eras as you might step from room to room. Also, it has Alligator Loki, who's objectively the best Loki of all. 

If "Loki" is too light-hearted for you, Netflix's "Dark" might be your jam ... provided you can make sense of its incredibly convoluted time travel storyline. Four families weave a tangled web of time travel in this German-language psychological thriller about missing kids, a rotten town, and how almost all of our secrets come out in time. In other words, it's a good time travel show, but it's definitely not a feel-good time travel show. 

"Dark" follows its many characters over the course of their lifetimes and, at one point, has three timelines going at once. Part of the intrigue and challenge of watching the show is trying to understand how (and when) each timeline threads into the other. If you decide to watch it, it's best to have an evidence board and plenty of red yarn ready to chart the relationships and betrayals the town of Winden sees over the years.

While "Dark" is as much a show about human connection and how frayed it can become as it is about time travel, it's also the MVP of using as many time travel paradoxes as possible during its three-season run. "Dark" is also an innovator in the field of wormhole placement. Wormholes are already not to be trusted, but a wormhole underneath a nuclear power plant? No, thank you.

3. Beforeigners

What happens when a bunch of Viking-era warriors, 19th-century figures, and Stone Age people pop up in modern-day Oslo? "Beforeigners" attempts to answer that question while navigating twisty murder mysteries with such efficiency that the Norwegian series may be best described as "crime travel." Adding to the intrigue is the way it focuses more on the present-day relationship between the time refugees and their modern counterparts than on how they showed up in the first place.

"Beforeigners" centers around the odd-couple partnership between hardened police detective Lars Haaland (Nicolai Cleve Broch) and eager new Viking police recruit Alfhildr Enginnsdóttir (Krista Kosonen), who investigate things like the murder of a Stone Age victim and even look into crimes with possible ties to Jack the Ripper.

The metaphor of time migration is an apt one for immigration, and this sci-fi show explores tricky real-life issues with plenty of scope. Creators Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin got their start in comedy writing, and their commitment to the bit is evident in the show, including the language used. "Early on, I contacted researchers, professors who helped us. We also constructed the language that Stone Age people spoke, and even with the language from the 19th century: We worked on it to make it sound right," Bjørnstad told Variety . "Why not invest in language, which is such a big part of a person's identity?"

2. Russian Doll

"Russian Doll" could be pitched as "Natasha Lyonne's 'Groundhog Day,'" but that still wouldn't hint at half of the show's charm and emotion. This Netflix offering is a mind-bending time loop dramedy that's a stylish and surreal exploration of life, death, and all the trauma in between. Season 1 of "Russian Doll" features Nadia (Lyonne) stuck reliving her 36th birthday until she inevitably dies and resets back to her friend's bathroom. Later in the season, she discovers a fellow time traveler (Charlie Barnett). They quickly realize that the way out of their dead ends and into a new life is through helping each other.

Season 2 takes some departures from the recursive reality set up in the first season, bending viewers' minds even more thoroughly. "Russian Doll" goes deep, but keeps a sense of humor even as it twists the knife in its characters' hearts — and their timelines. The show keeps audiences just oriented enough by linking its time loops to recognizable spaces and sound cues. You will never look at the subway the same way again, and you will probably never get Harry Nilsson's "Gotta Get Up" out of your head.

1. Doctor Who

Really, could any other show top a list like this?  The untold history of "Doctor Who"  goes all the way back to 1963, when the show premiered on the BBC. The series follows the adventures of a Time Lord who calls themselves the Doctor — an alien being from the planet Gallifrey who travels through space and time on a craft called the TARDIS, which is charmingly disguised as an old-fashioned British police call box and is famously bigger on the inside.  Every Doctor has their own companions  – humans who follow the Doctor throughout space and time, helping people, battling new and recurring villains, and dealing with the assorted wibbly-wobbly stuff on the Doctor's timeline .

The original series ran from 1963 through 1989 and established the neat trick of recasting the Doctor every few years or so, thanks to the premise that the character has multiple lives and can reincarnate himself into different physical bodies. The modern series was revived in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, and talented actors like David Tennant (twice), Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whitaker, and Ncuti Gatwa have followed in his footsteps. Even without the fact that no other show has time travel quite as integrated into its very premise as "Doctor Who," the show's sheer longevity and cultural impact are more than enough to make it the king of the time travel hill. 

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Jennifer M. Wood WIRED Staff

The 50 Best Shows on Disney+ Right Now

The Doctor  and Ruby Sunday  looking at a sculptural object

Disney+, if you didn’t know, isn’t just for kids. With its ownership of the Lucasfilm brand and the Marvel titles, the streaming service offers plenty of grown-up content in its bid to compete with Netflix and Amazon —and we’re not just talking movies. Since launching the service, Disney has used the name recognition of Star Wars and Marvel to launch scores of TV shows, from The Mandalorian to Loki . In the list below, we’ve collected the ones we think are the best to watch, from those franchises and beyond.

Want more? Head to our best movies on Disney+ list if you’re looking for movies, and our guides on the best shows on Netflix and best shows on Apple TV+ to see what Disney’s rivals have to offer. Don’t like our picks, or want to suggest your own? Head to the comments below and share your thoughts.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more .

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire

It’s been five years since Disney released the last Star Wars movie, and it will likely be another two years (at least) until The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives. Fortunately, Disney+ has plenty of TV series to fill the void. The latest is an animated anthology that adds new stories about the franchise’s Galactic empire, in the same time period in which the original trilogy existed. It follows the very different journeys of two characters: Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), a Force-sensitive human and member of the Nightsister coven who, after being one of the few of her people to survive the Clone Wars, is seeking revenge. Meanwhile, Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger) is a former Jedi who is questioning her own disillusionment with the order and what her road ahead looks like. Both are forced to make decisions that will change their individual destinies, and the galaxy far, far away with it.

May 10 marks the beginning of a new era for Doctor Who fans when Ncuti Gatwa is officially handed the sonic screwdriver and takes the legendary sci-fi series in new directions as the Fifteenth Doctor. Russell T. Davies is back to oversee all the time-traveling shenanigans as the latest incarnation of the Time Lord journeys through space and time with companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). The pair officially made their debut as part of the latest Christmas specials, which also saw the return of fan favorites David Tennant (here playing the Fourteenth Doctor) and Catherine Tate in honor of the show’s 60th anniversary. While the series will keep its standing as a BBC staple in the UK and Ireland, American audiences will need to head to Disney+ to experience it all.

X-Men '97

Of all the big-budget X-Men movies and TV shows that have existed over the years, it’s hard to believe that a cartoon series from the ’90s is one of the most beloved entries. But it’s true. And fans of that series, which ran for five years beginning in 1992, have been eagerly awaiting this revival, which arrived in March. Many of the original voice actors have returned to reclaim their characters, who must learn how to navigate a world without Professor Xavier to guide them. The events of this series pick up just one year after the point where the original show (which you can read more about below) ended.

Renegade Nell

Louisa Harland shines as Nell Jackson, the renegade of the title, who accidentally becomes one of the most feared highwaywomen in 18th-century England after she is framed for murder. Of course, this being a Disney series, it’s best to expect something a little magical—which in Nell’s case is Billy Blind, a magical sprite sent to help her realize her true destiny. What is surprising is that the series, which is perfectly suited to teens and their families, was created by Sally Wainwright, the brilliant mind behind such adult-themed series as Happy Valley and Gentleman Jack .

Tola Martins (Simisola Gbadamosi) is an adventurous 10-year-old who longs to discover more about the history and culture of her native Nigeria, which is portrayed as a kind of Wakanda. But her father, a wealthy scientist and tech CEO, prefers that his daughter remain within the bubble of privilege he has built around her on their island home. When she decides to travel into the city to surprise her dad, his own worst fears are realized when she is kidnapped. The limited sci-fi series, which is set in a futuristic Lagos, plays out a bit like a graphic novel—which is a good thing. With its striking animation and themes of class and racial divide and social justice, Iwájú is the thinking family’s next binge-watch.

“We don’t call her Mother Nature for nothing,” says Angela Bassett in the trailer for Queens , a new Nat Geo series that documents six far-flung places around the world where female animals rule the kingdom, from the mountains and rainforests to the oceans and savannas. The series’ final episode also pays special tribute to the women working to protect these fierce female warriors.

Nineties kids no doubt remember this sitcom about a family of dinosaurs. Earl Sinclair is a fortysomething megalosaurus living with his family in Pangaea circa 60,000,000 BC. While his days are spent working as a tree pusher (yep, he pushes over trees), he lives for his family: wife Fran and kids Robbie, Charlene, and Baby Sinclair, whose running gag of hitting his dad over the head with a frying pan and shouting “Gotta love me!” never gets old. Not even three decades on.

Genius: MLK/X

Since first premiering in 2017, Nat Geo’s Genius series has given viewers an exhaustive history of some of the world’s greatest thinkers, beginning with Albert Einstein (masterfully played by Geoffrey Rush). For its latest season, the network is diving into the real histories of the lives of civil rights icons Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre). Rather than just hit the high points, like the famous speeches you likely know by heart, Genius delves into the past and deep below the surface to show how their backgrounds and personalities led them to become the icons we know today.

Marvel’s newest series continues the studio’s recent trend of shining a spotlight on its fearless—and complicated—female characters. In this case, that character is Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), aka Echo, who is best known to audiences as a baddie from Hawkeye . But over the course of its relatively short five episodes, all of which are streaming now, we learn why Maya—one of the MCU’s few deaf characters—must reconcile the events of her past and reconnect with her Native American roots in order to confront the future she has created for herself. The series is already earning solid reviews, especially for the work of Hollywood newcomer Cox, who deftly manages to shoulder the weight of an entire MCU series.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Nearly 20 years after the release of the first book in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, this small-screen adaptation of that first title is being praised for how faithful it has remained to Riordan’s beloved words. Being a tween is hard enough, but for 12-year-old Perseus “Percy” Jackson (Walker Scobell) it gets even harder when he learns he's the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and that he has pissed off his uncle, Zeus, who believes that Percy has stolen his thunderbolt. (And you thought having a zit was bad!) Fortunately for Percy there is Camp Half-Blood—a place where demigods like himself can learn to harness their powers and use them for good. It’s there that Percy learns the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” thing and embraces it—even if he'd rather be playing video games with his friends.

Rewind the ’90s

The further removed people become from any particular decade, the more ridiculous that decade seems to become. And the ’90s are no exception, especially when you’re reminded that the government feared Furby, of all things. This limited series from Nat Geo is a loving look back at the decade that made us dependent on the internet, introduced us to the Spice Girls, and made Fabio a sex symbol around the world. If you don’t know who Fabio is, you now have even one more reason to watch. (Disclosure: WIRED's culture editor, Angela Watercutter, is a talking head in this series.)

Behind the Attraction

Disneyland, Walt Disney’s very first theme park, opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. In the nearly 70 years since, Disney parks have become a worldwide phenomenon and inspired rabid fan bases who make annual (if not more frequent) pilgrimages to these so-called Happiest Places on Earth. But what goes on behind the scenes? From the creation of major attractions like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean to its bustling food scene (Dole Whip, anyone?), this docuseries goes behind the scenes of the world’s most famous amusement parks.

For more than 30 years, R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps books have fed the nightmares of young readers—much to their delight (well, usually). Now Disney is inspiring a whole new generation of horror lovers with this fun series, which follows the lives of a group of high schoolers who begin to unravel the terrifying truth about a decades-old murder—and the roles their nearest and dearest might have played in it—in their otherwise picture-perfect hometown. While the always-affable Justin Long stars as a teacher who may or may not be possessed in season 1 of this anthology series, season 2which was announced in February—will bring an all-new cast with it, including Friends star David Schwimmer.

The MCU is exhaustingly huge. Yet while Loki is undoubtedly part of that universe, the series could just as easily work as a stand-alone piece, and it's all the more fun and surprising as a result. There are enough plot twists, silly one-liners, and time-travel antics to keep everyone entertained, and even a wisecracking alligator. If that doesn’t do it, Loki has a visual effects budget that would put most Hollywood blockbusters to shame. Sure, it’s not the most intellectually stimulating show out there, but Tom Hiddleston does a great job of turning Loki into a fairly complex, interesting character. No word yet on whether there might be a third season in Loki ’s future—and even Hiddleston is in the dark. “I truly don’t know,” he admitted to Variety in a recent interview, adding: “There have been other times when I thought that it was the end and I have been mistaken. But if this is the end, I'm so proud of where we ended up.”

Before Disney+ became the home for all of Marvel’s TV content, Netflix was the place to find it—beginning with Daredevil , in which blind attorney Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) spends his days seeking justice and his nights looking for revenge as a masked vigilante attempting to rid his Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of its criminal element. While the series ended in 2018, Cox has reprised the role and is at work on a new series, Daredevil: Born Again , which will be a Disney+ exclusive when it arrives in January 2025—hopefully (the reboot is in the midst of a massive overhaul ).

We know what you’re thinking: Wait, another Star Wars series? And we don’t blame you for asking the question. But for old-school franchise fans, Ahsoka just might surprise you. Rosario Dawson reprises the title role as Ahsoka Tano, a former Jedi who studied under Anakin Skywalker, which she first played in season 2 of The Mandalorian . Here, Ahsoka sets off on a journey to locate Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, Mads’ brother)—a master manipulator who seems to be on a mission to become the grand ruler of the galaxy. A second season is in the works.

The Wonder Years

In 2021, writer-producer Saladin K. Patterson ( Frasier , The Bernie Mac Show ) rebooted the award-winning, and much beloved, series The Wonder Years for a new generation. Don Cheadle narrates the adventures of Dean Williams (Elisha “EJ” Williams), as he comes of age in Montgomery, Alabama, in the final years of the Civil Rights Movement. Both seasons of the worthwhile series are now streaming.

Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire

While Black Panther may have gotten an official sequel with 2022’s Wakanda Forever (which is, of course, available to stream on Disney+), this animated anthology series is in many ways a spiritual successor to that Oscar-winning MCU flick. More than a dozen up-and-coming African storytellers were handpicked to write and/or direct these 10 short films, which build on the makers’ cultures and histories to paint a fascinating, gorgeously animated—and often dystopian—picture of Afrofuturism.

Never Say Never With Jeff Jenkins

It’s never too late to find your calling. Just ask travel journalist Jeff Jenkins, who had never even stepped on an airplane until the age of 20. Fifteen years later, Jenkins has certainly made up for lost time. And in this new adventure series, which will air simultaneously on National Geographic, Hulu, and Disney+, Jenkins is setting out to learn about the world and its many cultures through travel—and test his own limits. Because, as he explains on the series: “As a chubby Black guy, I don’t see a lot of folks who look like me exploring the world.” Jenkins’ enthusiasm for what he does is infectious.

Secret Invasion

From the moment it launched, Secret Invasion sparked conversation—although not for the reasons Marvel might have hoped. Turns out, the studio used artificial intelligence to create the show’s opening credits, a move that turned off some fans. Whether it’s curiosity about those Midjourney-looking visuals or general interest in what Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has been up to, Secret Invasion is worth a look. Captain Marvel costars Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn (Talos) team up again, and the show follows the two as they investigate a clandestine invasion of Earth by a shape-shifting alien race known as the Skrulls. If that doesn’t do it for you, you might want to tune in for Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke’s first—though surely not their last—forays into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Muppets Mayhem

As any Muppets fan will tell you, The Electric Mayhem Band is a highlight of any show the gang puts on. This time, Dr. Teeth and the gang are front and center, on a quest to record their first studio album with the help of an ambitious music executive, played by one-time YouTube star Lilly Singh. While one season is all you’re getting, get ready to rock nonetheless.

A Small Light

While the story of Anne Frank is well known, the life of Hermine “Miep” Gies—Otto Frank’s secretary, and one of the five Dutch citizens who helped to hide the Frank family—is lesser known. This powerful Nat Geo miniseries helps to change that, with Bel Powley delivering a moving performance as a young woman who takes a heroic stand, regardless of the consequences.

American Born Chinese

Oscar winners—and  Everything Everywhere All at Once  costars—Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan reunite for this Disney+ original series. Jin Wang (Ben Wang) is your typical teenager who’s just trying to get through the day of dealing with high school social hierarchies. But his life is forever altered when he’s asked to serve as a mentor to Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), a foreign exchange student who is hiding some pretty big secrets. Like that he’s actually on an otherworldly mission from the heavenly realm and has chosen Jin to serve as his guide. Part coming-of-age tale and part mythological fantasy, the single-season series is a formidable adaptation of Gene Yang’s graphic novel.

Star Wars: Visions

For a franchise as varied and diverse as Star Wars, sometimes its output can feel a little same-y. That’s not the case with  Visions . The point of the anthology series is to provide “all-new, creative” takes on the Star Wars universe. The first series, which premiered in 2021, featured nine installments from some of the best anime studios in Japan, including Kamikaze Douga and Trigger. The second anthology, which arrived in 2023, broadens the scope further, incorporating work from studios in India, Ireland, Spain, Chile, France, South Africa, the US, and the UK. If you’re looking for the best one-off tales from the Star Wars universe, look no further.

The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian was, and is, exactly what the Star Wars franchise needed. Everything about this Jon Favreau series feels like classic TV—from the episodic adventures to the cameos. Set in the outer reaches of the galaxy, it follows a moody, masked Mandalorian bounty hunter ( WIRED cover star Pedro Pascal ) and really delivers on the hype with its retro-futuristic robots, salty Space Western vibes, lack of Skywalker baggage, and, of course, Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). The Mandalorian really set the tone for what a great Star Wars series could be, and while not every subsequent show has been as good, others, like Andor , have lived up to the precedent it set—and proved Star Wars stories can make for great TV. There's still no official word on a fourth season, but there is one more exciting adventure on the horizon: a movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu , which is set to begin production later this year.

Andor is something of a miracle. Created by Tony Gilroy, the filmmaker brought in to save Rogue One , it’s the origin story of one of that movie’s most beloved characters, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). Set in the early years of the Rebellion, it charts Andor’s path to becoming one of the most integral of the Rebels. With a supporting cast that includes Fiona Shaw and Stellan Skarsgård, it also features a fantastic score from Nicholas Britell ( Moonlight , Succession ). After spending so much time with Mandalorians and Jedis, it’s a welcome reprieve and perhaps the closest thing to prestige TV the Star Wars universe has released yet,

With  Ms. Marvel , Disney manages to combine its knack for producing coming-of-age tween fare with its new role as caretaker of the MCU. Iman Vellani charms as Kamala Khan, an Avengers-obsessed high schooler from Jersey City who feels like an outsider in most areas of her life. But when a gold bangle arrives from her grandmother in Pakistan, Kamala begins to realize that all the time she's spent fantasizing about what life would be like with superpowers might have been preparing her for real life. With one foot in the teen drama world and the other in the comic book universe,  Ms. Marvel —which just happens to feature Marvel’s first Muslim superhero—marks yet another admirable step forward for the company in both innovation and inclusion. Vellani’s Ms. Marvel recently made the leap to the big screen to star alongside Brie Larson in The Marvels .

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures

If helping to raise a new generation of Star Wars geeks was even a small part of your reason for having kids, this brand-new animated series, which is basically the Star Wars version of  Muppet Babies,  is a great place to start their education. Set during the High Republic era, approximately 200 years before the events of  The Phantom Menace , it follows a group of young Jedis—Jedi Lites—who are sometimes stumbling their way through learning the ways of the Force. Like any good kid series, it also teaches important lessons about life and making a positive difference in the world.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Tatiana Maslany is no stranger to complicated characters (see:  Orphan Black ) or to playing more than one side of a single character (see again:  Orphan Black ). In  She-Hulk , she gets to hone her deft skills even further while amping up the silliness of it all. Maslany plays Jennifer Walters, the cousin of Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), with whom she shares that angry green gene. Ultimately, this turns out to be a boon for Walters—and the audience—when she is given the chance to head up a new branch at her law firm that’s dedicated to cases involving “superhumans” like herself. While Maslany could easily carry the show on her own (yet again, see:  Orphan Black ), an all-star supporting cast that includes Ruffalo, Jameela Jamil, Tim Roth, and Benedict Wong only adds to the fun and further cements the show’s place in the MCU.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Ewan McGregor has not always had the kindest words for the Star Wars prequels in which he first played the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi—a role he inherited from Alec Guinness, who also had plenty of less-than-favorable things to say about the franchise . So it was somewhat surprising when Lucasfilm announced that McGregor would be donning his Jedi gear again to star in a stand-alone Star Wars series for Disney+. (Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has already said there will not be a second season.) In many ways, however, it allowed McGregor and former costar Hayden Christensen to course-correct some of their earlier work, as it follows a downtrodden Obi-Wan attempting to process his personal and professional disappointment over losing Anakin Skywalker (Christensen) to the Dark Side.

The Beatles: Get Back

In January 1969, just more than a year before they announced they were breaking up, the Beatles allowed a film crew unprecedented access to the creative process and recording of Let It Be , which would be their final studio album. Fifty years later, Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson was presented with the nearly 60 hours of film footage and more than 150 hours of audio that resulted from this project, and he remastered it and turned it into a three-part docuseries. Whether you’re already a Beatles fan or not, the documentary is a fascinating look at the creative process of one of the music world’s most influential bands as they work against the clock to finish recording an album, decide to have a free concert on their label’s rooftop, and occasionally butt heads. Knowing what the subjects do not know—that this will be the last time they perform live together or record an album—only adds to the project’s intimacy. The miniseries won all five Emmys it was nominated for, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.

Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac brings yet another marquee name to Marvel’s growing roster of all-star talents with Moon Night . Here, Isaac plays a man with dissociative identity disorder, giving us not one but three distinct characters: mercenary Mark Spector, British gift shop employee Steven Grant, and the mysterious—and seemingly ominous—Jake Lockley. Ultimately, he must face off against himself to get the answers he’s seeking. For Moon Knight , Isaac told Empire that he was thrilled to be able to do something “really fucking nutty on a major stage”—and he delivers.

The Book of Boba Fett

As with The Mandalorian , Jon Favreau helms this Disney series, in which the criminally unsung bounty hunter of the Star Wars films finally gets his day in the sun. The series is technically a spinoff of The Mandalorian and takes place in the same time frame, after the events of Return of the Jedi . That explains why Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and his partner Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) are attempting to take over the underworld previously controlled by Jabba the Hutt.

The Muppet Show

While The Muppet Show , which ran for five seasons between 1976 and 1981, is considered a piece of classic television today, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for creator Jim Henson. Henson produced two one-off Muppet specials that were intended to take the show into prime time, but neither came to fruition. Fortunately, the Muppets did have a recurring gig in “The Land of Gorch” sketches that aired during Saturday Night Live ’s first season, which—when that became a hit—gave Henson proof that there was a potentially massive audience for an adult-oriented Muppet show (not to mention celebrity connections to entice plenty of A-list names to host). The rest is Muppet history.

The Punisher

The Punisher is yet another Netflix-turned-Disney+ Marvel series that also happens to be a spinoff of Daredevil. Like Daredevil, the Punisher (real name: Frank Castle, played by Jon Bernthal) is a vigilante who seems to relish exacting revenge, regardless of the results. He and Daredevil operate within the same universe, and while the Punisher sort of admires Daredevil’s quest for true justice, Daredevil despises the Punisher’s by-any-means-necessary methods. Bernthal brings an intensity to the role that, while undoubtedly violent, also has a sense of humor about it.

Boy Meets World

If ABC’s TGIF lineup wasn’t a part of your night as a kid, you clearly didn’t grow up in the ’90s. But Disney+ is happy to right that wrong by housing all seven seasons of the teen sitcom in its library. Corey Matthews (Ben Savage) deals with the ups and downs of growing up and ever-evolving relationships with friends and family—plus that one teacher, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels)—who always has the right answer to your problems, whether you like it or not. As the show progressed and the kids grew up, serious issues like drugs and sex were thrown into the mix, which didn’t always please the network. When the show aired on the original Disney Channel, a few episodes weren’t included in the lineup because of the more mature subject matter. You can also check out all three seasons of Girl Meets World , the series reboot (which features Corey as the parent and Mr. Feeny) when you’re done.

Jessica Jones

Just about six months after Daredevil arrived on the scene, Netflix took another chance on a Marvel property with Jessica Jones . In this dark dive into the world of superheroes, Krysten Ritter plays a private investigator who gave up her days as a superhero after a major catastrophe. But you can’t deny who you are, as Jessica discovers when it seems like every case that comes her way forces her to confront her past—and the supervillain Kilgrave (David Tennant), who turned her into a shell of her former self.

Yet another in an ever growing string of spinoff TV shows from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hawkeye gives some long overdue attention to Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton, who in many ways has often seemed like the forgotten Avenger. The supernaturally skilled archer is in most of the ensemble Avengers films, but this Disney+ series marks his first solo outing. The show sees Hawkeye teaming up with Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), a precocious twentysomething who shares his skills for slinging arrows but lacks his eye for danger. It’s set during the holidays, and there are shades of Die Hard as the eponymous character tries to save the day and make it home in time for Christmas. Let the arguments about whether it’s a Christmas TV show begin.

Monsters at Work

Monsters at Work is the Monsters, Inc. spinoff you didn’t know you needed. It picks up the action six months after the end of the iconic Pixar movie—after Sully and his friend and colleague Mike (a giant green eyeball) have reworked the Monstropolis energy grid to run on laughter instead of children’s screams. The show, which includes elements of a workplace comedy, premiered in the summer of 2021 and has a second season (presumably) coming later this year.

The Bad Batch

Yes, Disney really is milking its Star Wars properties for all they’re worth. The Bad Batch is an animated spinoff series set in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, between the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy in the overarching timeline. It follows a group of clone soldiers with genetic defects that give them individual traits and personalities, making them well suited to taking on daring mercenary missions. There are 16 episodes apiece in the first two seasons, with a third and final season arrived on February 21.

WandaVision

This slow-burning sitcom parody is unexpectedly compelling. For the first couple of episodes, even hardened Marvel fans will have very little idea what’s going on, as Avengers Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) live out an idyllic family life in black-and-white 1950s suburbia. Quickly, it becomes clear that something is wrong in the quiet town of Westview, as the world of the show ties into the wider MCU. Olsen reprises her role in Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness , which picks up right after the events of WandaVision . Though there will not be a second season, fan-favorite Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) is getting a spinoff,  Agatha: Darkhold Diaries , which is expected to drop in late 2024.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

After the surreal sitcom stylings of WandaVision , the second Marvel show to land on Disney+ covers more familiar ground. It's an action-packed thriller that follows Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as they try to fill the void left by Captain America in the months after the events of Avengers: Endgame .

Star Wars Rebels

Accessible for kids and adults alike—and undoubtedly one of the best Star Wars TV series on Disney+—this animated series follows a group of rebels led by the former Jedi Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and featuring his force-sensitive Padawan, Ezra Bridger (Ezra Gray). Fan favorite Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) is another regular character across its four seasons, which do a neat job of fleshing out the time between the end of the prequel trilogy and the beginning of the original one.

The Simpsons

Have you got some time on your hands? Well, the 34 seasons of The Simpsons currently streaming on Disney+ should keep you busy. What can be said about one of the longest-running—and arguably most famous—animated TV shows ever made? While the first season is a little patchy by today’s standards, and there are ongoing arguments about when the show went from essential viewing to neglected cash cow, whatever your view, there are literally weeks worth of entertainment here.

X-Men: The Animated Series

If you really want to nerd out, this critically acclaimed animated X-Men series from the ’90s is worth a watch. In fact, the first two films in the live-action movie franchise drew heavily from this cartoon, which serves as a nice reminder of what can be done with rich source material.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

This seven-season series, which is for serious Marvel fans, revolves around S.H.I.E.L.D.’s less super agents, led by Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg). The first season takes a while to warm up, but it really hits its stride in its second and especially third seasons, and it eventually ramps up with a complex plot that ties into the films.

Agent Carter

Agent Carter is a better show than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but it struggled to find an audience during its two seasons. Hayley Atwell reprises her role as Peggy Carter from several MCU films in this 1940s-set series, where she doubles as an agent for the US government while helping Howard Stark (Tony’s dad) out of more than one jam. The two seasons stretch to only 18 episodes, so it’s a quick watch, but one worth making the time for.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

This is another Star Wars animated show worth seeking out, though it’s not to be confused with the equally worthy 2003 animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars from legendary Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky. Both series deal with the period between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith and chronicle the rise of Anakin Skywalker from arrogant Padawan to powerful Jedi Master.

Inside Pixar

There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes content on Disney+. These are short clips that, in another age, would have been confined to the DVD extras menu. But this series of 20-minute documentaries on different Pixar movies offers a fascinating insight into the animated hit machine.

Here’s an animated series based on one simple question: What if? The Watcher, played by Jeffrey Wright, is an extraterrestrial being who observes the multiverse, occasionally making minor changes to influence events. This series looks at how events in the Marvel movies would have turned out differently if they’d had a Sliding Doors moment. The first episode follows an alternate timeline in which Steve Rogers remains a scrawny sidekick and Agent Carter becomes a Union Jack-draped super soldier. Actors from the films reprise their roles, including Josh Brolin as Thanos, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Karen Gillan as Nebula. The second season arrived in late 2023.

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Christopher Eccleston, Peter Capaldi, David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who (2005)

1. Doctor Who

Lisa Vicari in Dark (2017)

4. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Devs (2020)

6. Doctor Who

Natasha Lyonne in Russian Doll (2019)

7. Russian Doll

Erased (2017)

11. The Umbrella Academy

The Peripheral (2022)

12. The Peripheral

Philip Glenister, Marshall Lancaster, John Simm, Liz White, and Dean Andrews in Life on Mars (2006)

13. Life on Mars

Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell in Quantum Leap (1989)

14. Quantum Leap

Dark Shadows (1991)

15. Dark Shadows

Thomas Dekker, Lena Headey, and Summer Glau in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008)

16. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Malcolm Barrett, Abigail Spencer, Goran Visnjic, Matt Lanter, Claudia Doumit, and Sheldon Landry in Timeless (2016)

17. Timeless

Leighton Meester, Adam Pally, and Yassir Lester in Making History (2017)

18. Making History

Peyton List and Riley Smith in Frequency (2016)

19. Frequency

Amanda Schull and Aaron Stanford in 12 Monkeys (2015)

20. 12 Monkeys

James Franco in 11.22.63 (2016)

21. 11.22.63

Michael Riley and Erin Karpluk in Being Erica (2009)

22. Being Erica

Spencer Banks and Cheryl Burfield in Timeslip (1970)

23. Timeslip

Jaime Blanch, Juan Gea, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, Francesc Orella, Rodolfo Sancho, Nacho Fresneda, Julián Villagrán, Hugo Silva, Francesca Piñón, Manuela Vellés, Pep Miràs, Aura Garrido, and Macarena García in The Ministry of Time (2015)

24. The Ministry of Time

Steins;Gate (2011)

25. Steins;Gate

Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie in Sleepy Hollow (2013)

26. Sleepy Hollow

Eric McCormack, Patrick Gilmore, MacKenzie Porter, Reilly Dolman, Jared Abrahamson, and Nesta Cooper in Travelers (2016)

27. Travelers

John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Gareth David-Lloyd in Torchwood (2006)

28. Torchwood

Tales from the Loop (2020)

29. Tales from the Loop

Undone (2019)

31. Odyssey 5

Anna Torv in Fringe (2008)

33. Alcatraz

J.K. Simmons in Counterpart (2017)

34. Counterpart

Rose Leslie and Theo James in The Time Traveler's Wife (2022)

35. The Time Traveler's Wife

Nine: Nine Time Travels (2013)

36. Nine: Nine Time Travels

Voyagers! (1982)

37. Voyagers!

The Crossing (2018)

38. The Crossing

Flashforward (2009)

39. Flashforward

Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan in Outlander (2014)

40. Outlander

The Man in the High Castle (2015)

41. The Man in the High Castle

John Leeson, Elisabeth Sladen, Yasmin Paige, Daniel Anthony, Tommy Knight, Sinead Michael, and Anjli Mohindra in The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007)

42. The Sarah Jane Adventures

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Disney time travel movie

“To... the future!”

You need to watch the best time travel movie on Disney+ ASAP

This forgotten Disney classic should go down with 'Wall-E' as classic sci-fi animated features, but has slipped into obscurity.

When you think “Disney+” and “time travel,” the first thing that comes to mind is probably Avengers: Endgame . The monumental Marvel film used time travel as a catalyst to conduct a time heist , bring back a past version of Thanos, and show Steve Rogers admiring his own butt.

However, there’s another time travel Disney movie released 12 years earlier that captures all the intrigue and ensemble cast of Endgame, with a lighthearted and slightly less complicated plot.

Meet the Robinsons has a classic Disney movie start. Lewis is a 12-year-old orphan with a knack for inventions, but those inventions don’t make him the most attractive candidate for adoption. While preparing for his local science fair, where he intends to enter a memory scanner, he gets kidnapped by a mysterious boy about his age named Wilbur Robinson.

After his scanner is sabotaged, Wilbur reveals he’s a time cop who needs Lewis’ help with a secret mission. In order to convince Lewis he’s the real deal, Wilbur takes him into the future. There, he meets Wilbur’s offbeat family, strange not only because they’re from the future, but also because ... well, because they’re just strange. Finally, Lewis feels like he fits in — and that’s because it’s his own family from the future.

Meet the Robinsons Disney+ time travel movie

The Robinsons clan in all their glory.

Of course, this family “preunion” is interrupted by a nefarious villain known as the Bowler Hat Guy — the most Bond-like villain of any Disney movie — who seeks to ruin Lewis’ reputation. But the threat serves as little more than a vehicle for time hijinks, character studies, and hilarious gags. (“Why is your dog wearing glasses?” “Because his insurance won’t pay for contacts!”)

Other than the truly underrated dialogue, Meet the Robinsons boasts a plot that explores nearly every time travel trope. There are grandfather paradoxes, alternate timelines, time loops, and going back into the past with the knowledge any change would greatly affect the future. Plus, the iconic Jonas Brothers time travel anthem “Kids of the Future” was released in conjunction with the film. It’s the definitive time travel work.

Meet the Robinsons slipped into obscurity as one of the few non-musical Disney movies to not secure a sequel. Going up against cult powerhouses Ratatouille and Enchanted certainly didn’t help. But who knows. Maybe a powerful enough fan movement can secure the Robinson family their own Disney+ original sequel or TikTok crowdsourced musical. After all, it’s the future we’re talking about. Anything is possible!

Meet the Robinsons is now streaming on Disney+.

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These are the best Disney Plus shows to add to your watch list in May

Disney nostalgia and awesome new shows to stream.

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Disney Plus has finally created a competitive library of original series that can compete with other services like Netflix and Max. It is also a treasure trove of Disney nostalgia for anyone who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s. On top of all that, the streamer has released a few of the most popular TV series to come out in recent years, and those series, on top of the deep catalog, make a Disney Plus subscription worthwhile for any viewer or Disney fan.

With content from Star Wars , Marvel, and the Disney channel all available to stream right now, there’s something for everyone, whatever you might be into. If you’re looking for movies, take a look at our must-watch list of Disney Plus movies . Now, keep reading and check out the best Disney Plus shows you can stream this month.

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Wandavision (2021), the mandalorian (2019), star wars: the clone wars (2008), the simpsons (1989), star wars: andor (2022), the beatles: get back (2021), behind the attraction (2021), the wonder years (2021), x-men '97 (2024), the muppet show (1976), what shows are coming to disney plus in may.

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Shawn Laib

There's a lot of competition out there in the streaming world, and it can be hard to shuffle through the services to find the best movies to stream right now. Though there are plenty of great movies on Netflix and Amazon still has the platform beat in terms of overall quality, many of the movies on Hulu can't be streamed anywhere else. The best movies on Hulu can be gritty, family-friendly, and even sci-fi-oriented. So if you're looking to expand your binge-watching horizons, we've found the best movies to watch on Hulu right now.

White Men Can't Jump (2023)

TV may not be peaking quite the way it was a few years back, but there are still more than enough shows out there to keep you busy. After Netflix emerged on the scene and revolutionized how we all watched TV, it was joined by a huge swath of competitors determined to take advantage of the streaming boom. All of those competitors have great stuff to watch, but Netflix is still many people's hub for all things TV. Even within the streamer, though, it can be difficult to figure out what the best shows on Netflix are.

Thankfully, that's where this list comes in. We've compiled a rundown of what to watch on Netflix, and these Netflix shows should add up to days and days of endless binging. You can also check out our list of the best Hulu series, best Amazon Prime series, best Disney Plus series, and best Netflix movies after you've made it through the series listed below.

Now that HBO Max has rebranded as Max, it's the right time to get acquainted with all of the great movies to watch on the streaming service. In addition to large portions of the Warner Bros. catalog, it also has tons of seminal, classic films, as well as plenty of foreign releases. Because the catalog is so big and rich, there are about 250 titles that could go on this list. There's a wealth of options to choose from whether you're into action movies or comedies, and you shouldn't feel limited by the selection below. Instead, you should treat it as a jumping-off point of HBO Max movies, one that will hopefully allow you to explore many of the titles that didn't quite make the cut. Max has great movies in every genre and from every period of film history. This is just a sampling of the best movies on Max. And if you're looking for more Max content, we've rounded up the best shows on Max to watch right now.

The Dark Knight (2008)

COMMENTS

  1. Secrets of Sulphur Springs (TV Series 2021-2023)

    Secrets of Sulphur Springs: Created by Tracey Thompson. With Kyliegh Curran, Elle Graham, Madeleine McGraw, Landon Gordon. Griffin moves to a seemingly haunted town named Sulphur Springs with his family. He meets Harper, a girl from school, and they unlock a time-traveling portal and encounter a lurking ghost.

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    Doctor Who (2005) TV Track Series. Phil of the Future (2004) TV Track Series. X-Men: The Animated Series (1992) TV Track Series. Spider-Woman (1979) Discover the best Time Travel TV Shows of all time on Disney+ with our comprehensive list. From classic favorites to new releases.

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    Discover the best Time Travel Movies and TV Shows of all time on Disney+ with our comprehensive list. From classic favorites to new releases. Watch the best Time Travel Movies and TV Shows ever on Disney+, add them to your watchlist now.

  6. Secrets of Sulphur Springs

    Secrets of Sulphur Springs is a Disney Channel mystery series that premiered on January 15, 2021. The first teaser was released during the premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie Upside-Down Magic. Disney Channel's "Secrets of Sulphur Springs" is a live-action, time-travel mystery series for kids ages 6-11 and their families. Set in the fictional Louisiana town of Sulphur Springs, the ...

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    (Photo by NBC) Time travel has been on television since the The Twilight Zone 's 1958 original pilot episode, "The Time Element," visited Pearl Harbor in 1941 (airing under Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse) and the Enterprise was hurled back to 1960s Earth in 1967 Star Trek episode "Tomorrow Is Yesterday." Many shows devoted their entire premise to time travel, one of the best of which ...

  9. Loki and Time Travel: A Primer Before You Watch Disney+ Show

    June 8, 2021 7:00 AM EDT. L oki has already had a full arc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The fan-favorite character, played by Tom Hiddleston, began as a villain in Thor and the first ...

  10. Watch: Trailer for New Disney Plus Series 'Parallels' Promises Time

    Disney Plus is mixing adolescence and time travel, two Pandoras boxes full of excitement and disorder, in a new show called Parallels.The six-episode series will be available to stream on March 23 ...

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    Dark, Netflix (2017 - 2020) Netflix's first German original series was the science fiction series Dark, which mixes in some mystery drama with sci-fi: time travel, the apocalypse, wormholes, and parallel worlds.. Dark takes place in Winden, a fictional German town, and begins in 2019 after children begin to disappear from the town. As the show progresses, however, timelines jump ...

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    Created by Quoc Dang Tran, Parallels stars Thomas Chomel, Omar Mebrouk, Jules Houplain, Jade Pedri, Naidra Ayadi, Guillaume Labbé, Gil Alma, Elise Diamant, Dimitri Storoge, Agnès Miguras, Maxime ...

  14. Best Friends Whenever (TV Series 2015-2016)

    Best Friends Whenever: Created by Jed Elinoff, Scott Thomas. With Landry Bender, Lauren Taylor, Gus Kamp, Ricky Garcia. When a science experiment goes wrong, teenagers Shelby and Cyd start leaping backwards and forwards through time. Teenage genius Barry helps them master their new power.

  15. Timeless (TV Series 2016-2018)

    Timeless: Created by Eric Kripke, Shawn Ryan. With Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett, Paterson Joseph. An unlikely trio travels through time to battle unknown criminals and protect history as we know it.

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    The series ran on NBC from 1989 to 1993, but its combination of time travel and case-of-the-week antics has proved enduring enough that "Quantum Leap" even gets a shout-out in "Avengers: Endgame."

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    Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire. While Black Panther may have gotten an official sequel with 2022's Wakanda Forever (which is, of course, available to stream on Disney+), this animated anthology ...

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    Disney is offering a bundle combining its three streaming services — Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus — for $12.99/month. With Bill and Ted Face the Music out now, we're rounding up the best ...

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    Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time (2007) Discover the best Time Travel Movies of all time on Disney+ with our comprehensive list. From classic favorites to new releases. Watch the best Time Travel Movies ever on Disney+, add them to your watchlist now.

  21. 42 Best Time Travel & Quantum Theory TV Series

    The best TV series with a major time travel premise. Shows that were reviewed, but didn't make the cut: Legends of Tomorrow The Flash Time Tunnel Terra Nova Primeval Time Traveling Bong The Girl from Tomorrow Goodnight Sweetheart Lost in Austen 7 Days Journeyman Tru Calling 5ive Days to Midnight The Fantastic Journey Time Trax Mirror, Mirror Dr. Jin Somewhere Between Captain Z-ro Ashes to ...

  22. List of Disney television series

    Title Original run Co-production with Network Walt Disney's Disneyland Walt Disney Presents (1958-61) Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961-69) Disney's Wonderful World (1979-81) Walt Disney (1981-83) The Disney Sunday Movie (1986-88) The Magical World of Disney (1988-90) The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-79, 1983-87, 1991-present): 1954 -present

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