The Disney Channel is a children's and teens' programming channel that has been running since the early '80s. It has aired, and still airs, a wide range of programming from spin-off television series of feature films, original series, animated shows, and live-action sitcoms.
A lot of great shows have come from the Disney Channel, with many of their original programming rated with a 7.0 or above on IMDb. However, there are also many shows with ratings below 5.0 and were not as well received.
Updated on August 29, 2021, By Lynn Gibbs: Growing up with the Disney Channel means Disney fans all have their favorites. Nineties kids grew up with old Disney shows like Lizzie McGuire and The Proud Family. Whereas shows like Bizaardvark and PrankStars came out after 2010. But as good as a show may be, their ratings on IMDb don't always reflect that. Fans and viewers with IMDb profiles can give their favorite (and least favorite) Disney shows a rating of their choice. And no matter how popular a show is/was, its IMDb rating may surprise viewers.
Worst: Off The Wall (1998) - 0.0
Off the Wall is a Disney Channel game show that no one remembers that was on the air from 1998 to 1999. The game involves two teams of three children—similar to Contraption—but in this game, these two teams are pit against nine players who have prerecorded their performances.
Each child picked which prerecorded contestant to go against in the first two rounds, where they each had to perform stunts. The third round pits the two teams and another prerecorded person against each other. There was also a bonus round in which the winning team competed against an audience member. This show received one review on IMDb and the reviewer did not assign any stars to their review.
Worst: Contraption (1983) - 3.2
Contraption was another show that aired at the very beginning of the channel's run. It was a game show in which two teams consisting of three children competed by participating in different rounds, depending on the category given to them in the passports they received at the beginning.
Each round consisted of trivia questions of Disney films that fell under the different themes of the different rounds: Books, Animals, and Heroes and Villains. Each round also had a different race that followed the trivia questions, and the same kids who answered the questions participated in the race. The show was hosted by Ralph Harris and announced by Miranda Fredericks.
Worst: Bizaardvark (2016) - 3.7
Bizaardvark was about two best friends, Frankie and Paige, and their Vuuugle channel, which was also named Bizaardvark. Their channel hits 10,000 subscribers which makes them eligible to work in the Vuuugle studios. There, they meet other Vuuuglers and they continue making videos for their channel.
The show starred Madison Hu as Frankie and Olivia Rodrigo as Paige. Before Rodrigo's music success, this was one of her best Disney moments. Jake Paul was also a star for the first two seasons, but he was written out of the show after a series of complaints about him became public. The show came to an end in 2019 after three seasons. Its ranking is currently 3.7
Worst: PrankStars (2011) - 3.7
PrankStars was a reality hidden camera television show hosted by Mitchel Musso. The show orchestrated encounters between celebrities and their fans in which the celebrity would create outlandish situations and persuade the fans to participate. Celebrities who participated included Zendaya, Debby Ryan, China Anne McClain, and the pop band All-Star Weekend. It wasn't the best Disney show of all time, but was a fun addition to the channel.
The show, which was the first reality series on the channel since Totally In Tune, aired monthly episodes during its run but only lasted for one season. It was canceled after Musso was arrested for a DUI shortly after the fourth episode aired, and only ranked at a 3.7
Worst: Shorty McShorts' Shorts (2006) - 4.1
This show is an anthology series of television shorts. The titular character only appears in the trailers, the opening credits, and the closing credits of the show. The actual episodes depict characters and stories that are not always directly related to each other.
One of the best-received episodes was 'Boyz on da Run, Part 1,' which continued to have two additional sequel episodes. The highest-ranking episode on IMDb, however, is season 2 episode 1, entitled 'Too Many Robots.' The episode chronicles Digit, a girl who transfers to a new school and has to face her formerly evil robot uncle.
*Worst: So Random! (2011) - 4.6
For fans of Sonny with a Chance, So Random! was the next best thing because it starred the same actors (with the exception of Demi Lovato). So Random! was actually a sketch comedy within Sonny with a Chance, so when Disney announced that Sonny with a Chance wasn't returning to the channel, they made So Random! its own, standalone show. However, as popular as So Random! was within Sonny with a Chance, the show did not do well on its own. IMDb gave it a 4.6 rating.
Worst: Jonas (2009) - 4.7
As popular as the Jonas Brothers are, their series, Jonas, was not a hit on the Disney Channel. The series only received a 4.7 rating and only made it to two seasons.
The show is a spin on their real lives without it being reality TV. It shows the three brothers being in a successful band together while also trying to balance real life outside of music. The series had its good episodes, but it was not sustainable enough for a long series considering the Jonas Brothers' success on Disney.
Best: Phineas And Ferb (2007) - 8.0
Phineas And Ferb only has four seasons to its name but it's one of Disney Channel's best animated shows with an 8.0 rating. The show follows stepbrothers, Phineas and Ferb, in the summer months creating inventions and going on wild adventures while also bothering their sister.
In 2010, the show's writing won them a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation, a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation, and a Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Cartoon.
Best: Shook (2019) - 8.0
Shook is a single-camera short-form television show revolving around Mia, an aspiring professional dancer who has to help her single mom take care of her younger sister, which at times acts as an obstacle to her professional goals. It's one of the higher-rated dancing movies on Disney.
The show was released in September of 2019 and is received favorably among audiences and, according to IMDb, continues to gain popularity. It has yet to be renewed for an additional season, but considering its ratings, it would not be surprising if Disney Channel renewed it sometime in the future.
Best: Welcome To Pooh Corner (1983) - 8.1
Welcome to Pooh Corner was one of the very first shows to air on the channel. The show was live-action and utilized a mix of actors in costumes for most of the characters and a puppet to depict Roo. Episodes consisted of a 20-minute main story, in which the narrator would relay events in the Hundred Acre Woods and ending with a moral, followed by a sing-along music video, and ending with an arts and crafts segment. The title of the show is derived from A.A. Milne's book The House at Pooh Corner. And while this is an older show, it still has a high rating.
Best: Bill Nye, The Science Guy (1993) - 8.2
Bill Nye, The Science Guy lasted for five years and is one of the most cherished forms of educational television in existence. The show originally aired on PBS but was produced by Disney Educational Productions and was later syndicated to other stations, like the Disney Channel.
With an 8.2 rating, the show taught viewers more about science in fun and accurate ways. Bill was a scientist who made science fun and easy to comprehend for younger audiences. The series has won 19 Emmies for its brilliance.
Best: In A Heartbeat (2000) - 8.2
Disney's Heartbeat inspired teens everywhere that they too could work in the medical profession one day. The series was based on a real-life story of high school students volunteering their time as EMTs to learn more about the medical field.
The show has a rating of 8.2 rating and starred well-known actors like Shawn Ashmore and Reagan Pasternak. For fans who are interested in nursing TV shows or shows based in the medical field, Heartbeat was a great introduction
Best: DuckTales (2017) - 8.2
DuckTales is a reboot of the 1982 series and follows Scrooge McDuck as he embarks on adventures with his grandnephews, Huey, Dewie, and Louie, and his nephew Donald Duck. Scrooge rediscovers his love of adventure after rekindling his friendship with Donald and babysitting Huey, Dewie, and Louie.
The show has a talented voice cast with David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck, Ben Schwartz as Dewey Duck, and Kate Micucci as Webby Vanderquack. The show originally began airing on Disney XD but moved to the Disney Channel in 2018. Both Disney Channel and Disney XD now air the show simultaneously.
Best: So Weird (1999) - 8.5
So Weird was a television show in the late 1990s that followed Fiona Phillips, who traveled with her mom the famous fictional rock star Molly Phillips. While on her travels, Fiona had paranormal encounters, about which she posted on the website she ran, called So Weird, because of her family's skepticism around her. Through her website, she finds solidarity in other users who also believe in the paranormal.
The show has a generally darker tone than most other shows and had its scary moments. It's even been compared to The X-Files, which was still airing during So Weird's run because it was so dissimilar.
Best: Gravity Falls (2012) - 8.9
Gravity Falls is a show following likable twin characters Dipper and Mabel Pines as they visit their Great Uncle Stan over the summer at the fictional town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. While there, they help Stan, a conman, run his Mystery Shack, and the twins encounter supernatural entities around town.
To find answers, Dipper and Mabel turn to a journal labeled as number three which contains recordings of the supernatural entities. The twins, Stan, and their friends also have to face Bill Cipher, who wishes to gain a physical form and wreak havoc on the world. The show has great reviews with an 8.9 on IMDb.