If there were an entertainment equivalent of comfort food, it would be theDisney Channel. While most people immediately think of the animated classics when they hearDisney, there is so much more to that wonderful world. The Disney Channel has never been about wall-to-wall hours of typical animated features. For decades,it’s been filled with some incredible programming that has been lost to time.
Thanks to the birth ofDisney+, many fans have had the chance to head into the Disney vault to check out some forgotten and underrated classic series that aired on the network. For everyHannah MontanaorLizzie McGuire, there was aPhil of the Future; that show that was equally iconic but was never recognized as such.We’re here to give ten shows the flowers they deserve and never truly received.
10’Bug Juice' (1998–2001)
Created by Douglas Ross and J. Rupert Thompson
It’s hard to imagine that there was a life of reality television before the rise of the genre in the early 2000s. WithMTVas one of the only networks to explore the territory,Disney Channel took its own chance, dropping the targeted demographic from young adults to teens and tweens. Debuting in 1998,Bug Juicefollowed the lives of about 20 kids and their lives at summer camp. The title of the series comes from the camp slang for a sickly sweet powder-based drink.
Over the course of three seasons,Bug Juicecaptured three different camps. Season 1 took place at Camp Waziyatah in Waterford, Maine; Season 2 at Camp Highlander in Horse Shoe, North Carolina; and Season 3 at Brush Ranch Camp in Tererro, New Mexico.For those kids who have spent time at summer camp, they felt seen watchingBug Juice. For those who never got to experience it, it was a chance to live it through the series. Each season, featuring 20 episodes each, helped bring a new type of programming to the network. In 2017, the series was given a revival titledBug Juice: My Adventures at Camp. As it so happened, the season was filmed at Camp Waziyatah, the place where the original took place.Bug Juicewas simply ahead of its time.
9’My Babysitter’s a Vampire' (2011–2012)
Created by Jennifer Pertsch, Tom McGillis, and Tim Burns
At the end of the early aughts, Disney Channel was in its prime. With massive success with shows includingHannah Montana,The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,andWizards of Waverly Place, it was nearly impossible to find your footing if your show didn’t feature a future megastar in your cast. It was not uncommon forDisney Channel to bring Canadian kids' series to the network before; in 2011, they added a comedy with a darker tone,My Babysitter’s a Vampire, to the lineup.
Inspired by a 2010 film of the same name, the premise was simple, as the title was exactly that. Ethan Morgan (Matthew Knight) discovers that his babysitter Sarah (Vanessa Morgan) is a vampire. Despite performing well for the network during its summer airing,My Babysitter’s a Vampireonly lasted two seasons. Although she may not have reached the heights ofMiley CyrusorSelena Gomez, Morgan found a path in Hollywood after her Disney days, appearing in series likeRiverdale.
My Babysitter’s a Vampire
8’Fish Hooks' (2010–2014)
Created by Noah Z. Jones
Maybe timing is everything. The thing about cartoons is that reruns live forever. Even during the Disney Afternoon days, you could have only a few seasons of a series but run them on repeat for years. On Disney Channel in the 2000s,the network produced some of the best non-canonical cartoon series. FromKim PossibletoPhineas & Ferb, new cartoons just didn’t pop off in the same way. Using the classic trick of inviting one of the Disney kids to voice a character,Fish Hooksfollowed Milo, voiced byThat’s So RavenandCory in the House’sKyle Massey, his nervous brother Oscar (Justin Roiland), and his best friend Bea Goldfishberg (Chelsea Kane) as they attend Freshwater High.
The original cartoon was an inventive way to bring high school life through a young adult lens. It was fun and accessible, paying homage to 2D animation while incorporating photo collages to add a unique touch. The problem was that even Disney was abandoning that animation style in favor of 3D computer-animated features.Fish Hookssadly felt too nostalgic in a period where fresh ideas reigned supreme and were desired. Sadly,Fish Hookswent belly up after three seasons.
7’Adventures in Wonderland' (1992–1993)
Developed by The Walt Disney Company
There will nevernotbe a time whenLewis Carroll’sAlice’s Adventures in WonderlandandThrough the Looking-Glasswon’t be adapted in some way, shape, or form. WithAlice in Wonderlandalready in the Disney vault, the network combined the original source material and the animated film, blending them intoAdventures in Wonderland. In this version, Alice (Elisabeth Haarnois) has the ability to come and go through her mirror and visit Wonderland, wherethe whimsical characters help her with her daily life problems.
Adventures in Wonderlandwas a colorful, campy sensory overload that was nothing but fun.
Featuring singing and dancing, each episode was a new adventure that borrowed the ideas set out in the source material as inspiration. The characters had elements that related to the imagery that many viewers were familiar with, butthey were given their own creative liberties as to live inside their own containedAliceuniverse.In doing so, the series did stray away from traditional casting, opting for colorblind casting for certain characters, including The Red Queen (Armelia McQueen) and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (Harry Waters Jr.andRobert Barry Fleming).Adventures in Wonderlandwas a colorful, campy sensory overload that was nothing but fun. For those who know, MGM Studios in Walt Disney World used to be an active sound stage whereAdventures in Wonderlandwas one of the many kids’ series filmed there!
6’Even Stevens' (2000–2003)
Created by Matt Dearborn
Let’s face it. If you’re a person of a certain generation (millennials),then you most definitely have the ability to recall something from the musical episode, “Influenza: the Musical.“When the time is right, we can do a deep dive or ranking of the musical numbers (spoiler: it’s “We Went to the Moon in 1969”), but right now, we’re here to discusshow underratedEven Stevenswas. Before he was known as the kid fromHoles, and then everything else in his career,Shia LaBeoufwas the immature Louis Stevens, the perfect foil for his perfect sister Ren, played byChristy Carlson Romano.
The family-centric series primarily focused onthe clashing personalities of the youngest Stevens kids as they navigated the challenges of growing up during their middle school years. Louis had his best friends Twitty (A.J. Trauth) and Tawny (Margo Harshman), as Ren had hers, and Ruby (Lauren Frost), all of whom would join them on their days, problems and all.With only three seasons,Even Stevensstill made its mark, despite its main competitor beingLizzie McGuire. Unfortunately, once the laugh-track-filled show began finding popularity,Even Stevensseemed to fall behind in history.
5’So Weird' (1999–2001)
Created by Tom J. Astle
Yes, there was a period of time in which the Disney Channel took to the experimentalin hopes of keeping up with the live-action programming from its rival network, Nickelodeon. With most kids preferring the Snick block of programming, Disney found ways to attract those kids who liked things a bit spooky over to their channel. Nickelodeon hadAre You Afraid of the Dark?Disney Channel hadSo Weird. EssentiallyThe X-Filesfor kids,So Weirdfollowed Fiona “Fi” Phillips (Cara DeLizia) as she toured with her rock-star mom Molly (Mackenzie Phillips), while encountering paranormal activity along the way.
So Weirdtackled everything from aliens, time warps, and ghosts, while Fi was still reeling from the passing of her father, whom she sought to communicate with. One minor issue the series faced was how to keepSo Weirdalive when its lead actress wanted out. For the third and final season, DeLizia was replaced byAlexz Johnson, who played Annie Thelen, a family friend of the Phillips. The series completely changed in tone, becoming a bit more jovial and bright due to the stark contrast of the new protagonist. Nevertheless,So Weirdwas an ambitious series that was one of the more mature shows on the network.
4’The Jersey' (1999–2004)
Created by Thomas W. Lynch, Barry Gurstein, and David Pitlik
Back in the day, there was most certainly an aim to have “boy shows” and “girl shows.” For all those sports-loving kids, Disney Channel lifted the characters fromGordon Korman’sMonday Night Football Clubbook series to createThe Jersey. Nick (Michael Galeota), Morgan (Courtnee Draper), Coleman (Jermaine Williams), and Elliot (Theo Greenly) arefour teenagers who discover the magic of the titular football uniform that allows them to transport themselves into the bodies of professional athletes. It’sa one-sidedFreaky Friday, or essentiallyQuantum Leapfor those parents who watch with their kids.
The Jerseywas the opportunity to get some of the day’s biggest athletes all across the sports world to appear on the show. This show had everybody. To name a few,cameos included Michael Andretti, Shannon Sharpe,Michael Strahan, Sergei Fedorov,Tony Hawk,Laila Ali,Peyton Manning,Lisa Leslie, andBooker T, among many others. While the appeal may have been centered around the “guest star of the week” format, the heart ofThe Jerseywas truly about the great teaching moments the teens would face.
The Jersey
3’Phil of the Future' (2004–2006)
Created by Douglas Tuber and Tim Maile
Science fiction comedies for kids can go haywire, but then there wasPhil of the Future, and its catchy theme song, that defied the fears of being kitschy. Capturing the lives of the Diffy family who get stranded in the 21st century when their time machine breaks down,Phil of the Futurewas a wholesome comedy that made us all want to travel to a different time. Attending the appropriately named H.G. Wells Junior/Senior High, Phil (Ricky Ullman) befriends Keely (Alyson Michalka), the only person who knows the family’s secret.
The family-focused series was smart and witty, with a strong ensemble that gleefully played into the running jokes of not understanding our world and reality. Whether it’s his sister Pim (Amy Bruckner), who is constantly up to no good, or his parents, Lloyd (Craig Anton) and Barb (Lise Simms), who attempt to embrace this new world, the antics just touch the surface of how good the writing was. Like the Diffys,Phil of the Futuregot lost in time as the series broke just when the Disney heyday began.
Phil of the Future
2’Life with Derek' (2005–2009)
Created by Daphne Ballon
Ever sinceThe Brady Bunch, we may all have had a secret wish to experience life as a blended family. With no intention of breaking up our own families in the process. Nevertheless,Life with Derekwas the Canadian export that landed on the Disney Channel andgave a new generation the opportunity to witness a modern blended family.George Venturi (John Ralston) marries Nora McDonald (Joy Tanner) and unites their children from previous marriages: George’s three kids, Derek (Michael Seater), Edwin (Daniel Magder), and Marti (Ariel Waller), and Nora’s two kids, Casey (Ashley Leggat) and Lizzie (Jordan Todosey). With each kid having a very different personality, the dynamic of the family was always hilariously chaotic.
Though the younger kids and parents do play a central part in the story, the premise mainly falls on the step-siblings Derek and Casey not getting along and having to co-exist. Through humor and silliness,Life with Derekwas entertaining while also exploring the importance of visibly seeing how a non-traditional family can succeed.In 2023, a spinoff movie,Life with Luca, debuted that united Casey and Derek as adults. Though the full cast was not featured, the antics of Casey and Derek still stood strong.
1’Kids Incorporated' (1984–1994)
Created by Thomas W. Lynch and Gary P. Biller
The Mickey Mouse Clubcertainly garnered significant attention during the ’80s and ’90s, as the Disney IP was directly associated with it. Of course, years later, having megastars emerge from the show, likeBritney Spears,Christina Aguilera, andJustin Timberlake, certainly helped. But did you know there was another kid-centric variety show that was equally special and had some stars arising there, too? It’s time to rememberKids Incorporated.
A variety show where the kids played versions of themselves,Kids Incorporatedrevolved around a group of kids and teens who performed as their own titular rock band. With a “problem of the week” set up, the kids performed some of the day’s biggest hits and original tracks at The P*lace. It wasGleemeetsKidz Bopbefore there was a twinkle in their creators' eyes! LikeThe Mickey Mouse Club,there was an inherent longevity of being able to swap new cast members when certain performers aged out.
Now, to those performers.The Mickey Mouse Clubwas not the only show to produce household names. Maybe not at the same magnitude, but stars were born on this stage. BeforeBlack Eyed Peas,Stacy “Fergie” Fergusonwas the young girl who literally grew up as a central figure on the show. It’s where she met herWild Orchidco-founder,Renee Sands. Dropping her first name for the credits,Jennifer Love Hewittwas one of the stars of the show. Plus, there wereEric BalfourandMario Lopez, who appeared as a dancer and musician throughout the series. Timing is everything.Had there not beenThe Mickey Mouse Club, perhaps all the glory would have been given toKids Incorporated. Nevertheless, it’s a series that helped define a generation.
