When one thinks of the Walt Disney Company, they usually think of Mickey Mouse, Disney princesses, and maybe even the Disney Channel. While it's true the Walt Disney Company caters mainly to families and young children, it's not all they do. In fact, the Walt Disney Company has an entire cable channel dedicated to millennial and gen-z viewers: Freeform.
Formally known as ABC Family, Disney rebranded the network to Freeform in January 2016. While Freeform had a bit of a rocky start, by 2018 the cable channel had cultivated an amazing line up of shows that were socially aware and diverse in both its casting and its storylines. This was all due to Freeform's newest tagline "A Little Forward." While there are plenty of amazing shows that aired on ABC Family, this list is only ranking shows that existed and aired on Freeform. Therefore, in order to qualify, the show needed to have at least one season air during or after 2016.
Grown-ish (6.4)
If you're a fan of ABC's Blackish, you should definitely be watching Freeform's Grownish. The dramedy series centers on Zoey Johnson as she navigates adulthood and life on her own now that she's a college student.
Zoey quickly makes friends at Cal-U and the series follows her and the rest of her friends as they enjoy college life, push for social justice awareness, and navigate the gen-z problems that plague their generation - like the pressures of social media.
Shadowhunters (6.8)
One of Freeform's first original shows after the rebranding was Shadowhunters. The supernatural drama follows Clary Fray, a young adult who finds out on her 18th birthday that she's a human-angel hybrid known as a Shadowhunter. When Clary's mother is kidnapped, she must learn to accept her new reality in order to save her mother.
The series, which was inspired by the book series The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, aired for three seasons on Freeform before it was canceled. During its time, the series managed to win a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Drama Series.
Siren (7.0)
Freeform definitely has a thing for supernatural dramas, which is why Siren was such a hit for the cable network. The series centers around the town of Bristol Cove, which is rumored to be the former home of mermaids.
The town's legends appear to be true when Ryn, a mermaid, appears in the town. Soon Ryn isn't the only merperson in town, causing Bristol Cove's human population to get curious. The drama series ran for three seasons on Freeform before concluding in 2020.
Everything's Gonna Be Okay (7.1)
One of Freeform's newest shows to premiere in 2020 is the comedy series Everything's Gonna Be Okay. The series centers on Nicholas, a neurotic millennial, who becomes his half-sister's guardian when their father passes away from cancer. Nicholas can barely take care of himself and now he has to figure out how to be a young 20-something while also being a responsible parental figure for his two sisters, one of whom is on the autism spectrum.
The series balances the comedy with heartfelt moments that leave fans extremely satisfied. In addition, the show pays careful attention to how it depicts its characters, especially when it comes to autism and sexual orientation.
Pretty Little Liars (7.4)
While Pretty Little Liars did start on ABC Family, it ended its monumental run on Freeform. The mystery series followed a group of friends who start receiving anonymous text messages after one of their friends goes missing.
Pretty Little Liars might be one of Freeform's most iconic and well-known shows, but according to the ratings, it lands right in the middle of the pack. In addition to spanning a whopping seven seasons, the show was regularly nominated for Teen Choice and GLAAD Media Awards.
Young & Hungry (7.4)
Young & Hungry is another series that started on ABC Family but ended its time on Freeform. This comedy series starred Emily Osment as Gabi, a food blogger who winds up becoming a personal chef for a wealthy tech entrepreneur.
While Freeform isn't known for its comedies, Young & Hungry made quite an impression on its viewers, critics, however, were harsher on the show. In fact, one LA Times critic called the series too "Disney Channel."
Good Trouble (7.5)
If ever there was a show that perfectly embodied Freeform's message it would be Good Trouble. A spin-off of The Fosters, Good Trouble follows Mariana and Cali as they relocate to Los Angeles to make their dreams come true. However, being a young adult in L.A. is a lot harder and more expensive than they thought, and so the girls wind up moving into a communal living building called The Coterie.
The series is extremely socially aware and features storylines involving police brutality, sexism in the workplace, questioning one's sexuality, and the experience of transgender Americans, to name a few.
Switched At Birth (7.7)
Switch At Birth is a truly iconic and groundbreaking show that sets the standard high for future Freeform original content. The drama series centers around the Kennish and Vasquez families, who discover that their teenage daughters were accidentally switched at birth. Not wanting to miss out on the girls' lives, the Kennish's decide to let the Vasquez family move into their guest house.
While the concept itself is interesting and unique, it was the show's ability to tell groundbreaking stories that make it so memorable. Not to mention, it's considered to be a bilingual show because much of the dialogue was delivered using American Sign Language (ASL).
The Fosters (7.9)
The Fosters is truly a special show that deserves all the praise it receives. The Adams-Foster family is headed by Stef and Lena, who believe in the importance and power of family. Together, the two raise Stef's biological son, their two adopted twins, and eventually, adopt Callie and her younger brother Jude.
Like many of the programs on Freeform, The Fosters regularly pushed the boundaries and aimed to educate and entertain its audiences. Over the course of the show's five seasons, the series explored the problems in child protective services and the prison system, transgender storylines, the questioning that comes from being adopted, and so much more.
The Bold Type (8.0)
The Bold Type is arguably Freeform's most underrated series. Premiering in 2017, it follows three best friends who all work at Scarlet Magazine. Together, the girls help each other climb the professional ladder while also supporting each other through their personal issues.
The Bold Type is the strong female-fronted drama millennial woman has been dreaming of. From storylines about friendship and love to deeper stories that focus on sexual identity and the struggles that arise when one discovers they carry the BRCA gene, there is something for everyone.