Most people have this distinct memory in their head of turning on the TV after a long day of elementary school and seeing what show was on Disney Channel. During each ad break, a famous star would come on screen and say the famous phrase “I’m [their name], and you’re watching Disney Channel.” and draw the iconic Mickey Mouse shape. I grew up watching tons of Disney Channel. Here are my top five Disney Channel shows.Â
- Jessie
In Jessie, Jessie Prescott moves to New York in hopes of becoming an actress, but instead is met with the job of nannying a billionaire family with four kids: Emma, Luke, Ravi, and Zuri. The show navigates their daily lives and the crazy happenings that they encounter. This was, and still is, my favorite Disney Channel show of all time. The difference between Jessie and other Disney Channel shows was the format of the show. Instead of covering a show about a couple of teenagers in high school, the show is centered around an adult. It adds a refreshing and more mature touch to the show.
- Lab Rats
Lab Rats is a show about three bionic humans: Adam, Bree, and Chase. They were developed by an inventor named Donald Davenport. The show starts with Donald’s step son wandering around and discovering the basement that Adam, Bree, and Chase were kept and trained in for 16 years. The show follows this family as they grow and go on various adventures and missions to save others. Lab Rats teaches a plethora of life lessons ranging from owning up to your mistakes to being there for the people that you care about. Not only that, the humor and plotlines make the show overall entertaining.
- Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie surrounds a typical American family living in Denver, Colorado. The character, Charlie, is the youngest sibling in the family and one of the kids, Teddy, is constantly giving her advice through the form of video diaries. These pieces of advice come from the various adventures that they go through in the show. The family also has the mom, Amy, the dad, Bob, and two other brothers, Gabe and PJ. This show has a similar liking to Jessie for the same reasons. Instead of surrounding one character in the show, the show highlights the whole family even though Teddy and Charlie are the main characters. We get to see each member of the family grow through the show. Likewise, since the whole family is highlighted, the show is suitable for all ages.
- Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb are two brothers who spend the summer building wacky inventions like a roller coaster, a tree house that reaches the sky, a submarine, and many others. While they are building all these inventions, their older sister, Candace, is constantly trying to get them in trouble with their mom. On the other hand, their pet platypus, Perry, is a secret agent who is constantly fighting with his nemesis, Dr. Doofensmirtz. Phineas and Ferb is the show of the summer. Even though the show is insanely catered towards young children, I can’t let go of the nostalgic feeling I get when I watch it every summer.Â
- Liv and Maddie
Liv and Maddie are twins who live completely different lives. Liv is an actress who is very girly. She is passionate about fashion, singing, and acting. On the other hand, Maddie is a complete tomboy whose main interest is basketball. The reason why this show is in my top five is because of the overall message. It is a great show for girls who don’t feel like they fit into any standard. It shows girls that they can be girly or be a tomboy, or both. Not only that, the show advocates sisterhood and how girls should stick together. The show is also very humorous and entertaining. And yes, all these years later, I am still mad that Maddie chose Diggie over Josh.
Overall, the best Disney shows are the ones that revolve around more than one character and have unique premises to them that are different from your typical teen show. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by the daunting responsibilities that are my adult life, I put on a show and I am comforted by the life I lived when I was a kid.