Disney+: What You Should Be Watching Day One
- Nov 12, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 13, 2019
Another day, another streaming service arrives at our doorsteps. This time it is Disney that it force-feeding every single of their intellectual properties down our throats.
Mickey and the rest of the Disney gang are going for the jugular with Disney+, looking to be the top streaming service in the market and attempting what was once thought as the impossible; taking down the juggernaut that is Netflix.
With the Disney-Fox merger that took place over this summer, Disney+ has the library to compete with Netflix. Just with the announcement of the Disney service, Netflix lost over $8 billion in market share.
What's more, is that Netflix is appearing to move into more original content as opposed to buying streaming rights. More and more studios (Comcast's attempt with the Peacock) are pulling their content due to their now understanding of how they can profit from streaming. The ramifications of Mickey Mouse sticking his gloves into the streaming game is huge as Forbes reported that Netflix can lose up to 25% of all it's subscribers in than 24 hours.
That's about all the little background you'd need on the streaming wars. We get to the straight facts. Disney+ starts off with plans as low as $6.99-a-month and $12.99-a-month. Disney is offering a week-free-trial with the $6.99 plan and the $12.99 plan comes bundled with Hulu and ESPN+ (got to love that company synergy). The one tiny downside to the service is pre-existing deals with other companies. Disney has vowed that all their content will make it the streaming service in due time but hopes there's enough Day-1 content to make everyone content.
Before everyone has a self-entitlement trip about the service being down, just calm down. I for the life of me cannot remember a day-one-service running smoothly. So this is for those of you who are patient enough to stick around or those lucky enough to not suffer any hiccups.
The beauty of Disney+ is the sheer amount of content Disney can truly unleash at the masses at once, ranging from Disney classics like Aladdin to Marvel's interconnected universe to timeless Pixar movies all the way to the space-opera of Star Wars, even some National Geographic, and original programming.
For now, we bring you a guide of what you should watch for Day 1.
Disney
The Disney page is pretty much the homepage of the streaming service. People will be hard-pressed to not find something they wouldn't want to watch.
As far as Disney+ originals, Lady and the Tramp is receiving the live-action treatment and getting their own feature-length film. There is also a High School Musical series, a Kristen Bell led choir-based reality show, a docu-series about the construction of Disney Land, a Disney-themed DIY craft show and the Anna Kendrick led Christmas movie, Noelle.
The Disney page is broken up into categories labeling movies live-action (Dumbo 2019) and animated (Frozen).
Disney also digs deep in their vault and whips out their most popular animated classics like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, The Jungle Book and more. Disney threw plenty of 90's throwback movies like The Parent Trap, Honey I Blew Up the Kid and more. They've also capitalized on the 90's-00's kid demographic by reintroducing Disney Channel series (Lizzie McGuire and Gravity Falls) and movies (Camp Rock and Halloweentown)
Pixar
The Pixar catalog is amongst some of the strongest in movie studio history (not The Good Dinosaur or the Cars trilogy). It has the classics Toy Story 1-3, Monster's Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. The bigger surprise here is the sheer amount of shorts that have been added, including many shorts that most people may not be familiar with.
The Pixar shorts have always had an affinity in many people's hearts. It's recommended to view a short or two seeing how it is not at all time-consuming.
Misc.
This is miscellaneous because of the sheer amount of randomness. The World According to Jeff Goldblum isn't enough Jeff Goldblum to go around. The official synopsis of the show straight from Disney's site explains a little bit more.
Through the prism of Jeff Goldblum's always inquisitive and highly entertaining mind, nothing is as it seems in this new series. Each episode is centered around something we all love — like sneakers or ice cream — as Jeff pulls the thread on these deceptively familiar objects and unravels a wonderful world of astonishing connections, fascinating science and history, amazing people, and a whole lot of surprising big ideas and insights.
This show is a must-watch due to the magical creature that Jeff Goldblum is.
There are plenty of other offerings under the National Geographic umbrella to go along with Mr. Goldblum. All 30 seasons of The Simpsons are on and Jame's Cameron fantasy (bloated) epic Avatar made it to the party due to the previously-mentioned merger.
Star Wars
The Mandolorian
This looks to be Disney's killer app, meaning this is going to be the show that gets everyone to subscribe. Disney brought the big guns for their flagship show; Jon Favreau is listed as the show's creator, head writer, showrunner, and co-executive producer, alongside Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson. Most Star Wars fans will know Filoni as the genius behind The Clone Wars (series and movie) and Rebels.
Favreau explained the synopsis of the show very subtly.
After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the empire and before the emergence of the first order. The series depicts a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.
With Favreau and Filoni commandeering the reigns of the show, we can be sure that this will feel like Star Wars. They also brought in more muscle as we will see episodes directed by Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), actress Bryce Dallas Howard and Taika Watiti (Thor Ragnarok & Jojo Rabbit). We haven't even mentioned the star-power of the cast. Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones) stars as the titular Mandalorian with Giancarlo Esposito, Taika Watiti, Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, and Gina Carano in supporting roles.
Disney is banking on this show being the reason why you subscribe and they might've struck oil.
Read our review on the first episode of The Mandalorian and make sure to stay locked on The Burbs for reviews all season.
The Clone Wars & Rebels
This is what the uneducated say when they see these shows at first glance but The Clone Wars & Rebels offer so much more than just some childish show.
Both shows cover a time period in the Skywalker Saga that have never been covered. The Clone Wars deals with the actual Clone Wars that took place in-between Episode 2 and Episode 3. You remember that part in Episode 3 when Anakin and Obi-Wan were in an elevator talking about all their adventures so we can believe they were actually friends?
God those prequels sucked.
Rebels covered the 30 years in-between Episode 3 and Episode 4. Rebels is a little more kid-friendly due to it being aired on Disney XD but came into its own and had huge character developments.
These aren't necessarily works of art or game-changing animation but these shows are perfect for those who want to delve more into the Star Wars lore.
Star Wars Saga Films
Plain and simple, Episode 9, the final installment of the saga releases, next month and there is legitimately no excuse to not catch up. Episodes 1-7 are all on Disney +, but Episode 8 still remains on Netflix. Pretty sure everyone has Netflix so betray Mickey, Donald, and Goofy to watch Episode 8 because of it arguably being the greatest film in the series.
There are also two movies that exist in the saga, Rogue One and Solo, that are cannon that could be watched or not. Those movies really just tie a nice bow around the story.
Marvel
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
This was another ace up the sleeve of old Uncle Bob Iger. Not every MCU film is up in its catalog. It is missing a few titles including Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther (May 2020 release), and Captain America: Winter Soldier. The selection is scarce but still has a lot of great MCU hits that include Avengers: Endgame, Captain America: Civil War and Guardians of the Galaxy.
More importantly, is that the Iron Man trilogy is on the service and watching the original MCU film is perhaps the best way to tackle the MCU section of Disney+.
Marvel Cartoons from the Past
This is absolutely amazing and beautiful and 8-year-old is crying inside. The 90's cartoons of X-Men, Iron Man, Fantastic 4 and Spider-Man are all here. If you did not watch these every Saturday morning, then I have to say you lived a terrible childhood and your parents should've lost custody over you.
I implore any and everyone to watch at least one episode of X-Men or Spider-Man. Both contain two of the greatest theme songs to every grace Saturday morning cartoon history.
If you are so lucky to have off today, get off early today or not have the streaming service crash, for a first-day launch, Disney+ will have entertained.
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