It’s cold outside, and most of the places you’d normally want to visit are closed anyway. That’s a good excuse to stay indoors, order a takeaway, and get to grips with a few new films or box sets - not that you needed an excuse in the first place! There’s never been a better time to be a television connoisseur with so many streaming services falling over themselves to offer you incredible deals, but it’s sometimes hard to stay on top of what’s worth watching. Nobody wants to waste their evening scrolling through the latest releases looking for something good to find, so it’s helpful to know what’s there before you open the app.

Today, we're going to focus our attention on Disney Plus. Disney's long-awaited over-the-top streaming platform launched to great fanfare twelve months ago and recently hit a new high with more than seventy million paying subscribers. Considering Disney’s target was to reach somewhere between sixty and ninety million by the end of 2024, they’ve drastically overachieved during their first twelve months - and that’s because they’ve got a lot of quality programming to offer. We’re not just talking about their extensive (and almost complete) back catalog of Disney classics either - their original content is as good as anyone’s, and there are some fantastic TV shows for you to see.

If you’re a new subscriber to Disney Plus or you haven’t logged in for a while, here are a few shows that we believe are worth your while to check out.

The Mandalorian

Let's start with the obvious show - the one the whole world has gone crazy for. Anything "Star Wars" related is big business. That's why there are enormous "Star Wars" attractions at Disney's theme parks. That's also why there are so many "Star Wars" online slots available at internet casinos - although some of them appear to be bootlegged or unauthorized. Online slots are a several-billion-dollar industry all on their own, so we're surprised Disney hasn't clamped down on them yet. It goes to show how much appeal "Star Wars" has when people are willing to risk being sued by the world's biggest entertainment company by coming up with online slots based on it, so it's no wonder that millions of people are watching this Western-style, sometimes-humorous prequel series. This is the show that gave us Baby Yoda, and if you don't know what Baby Yoda is yet, you're missing out! Eagle-eyed WWE fans might spot popular female wrestler Sasha Banks in a guest role in the recently-aired second season.

The Right Stuff

If you think this name sounds a little familiar, it might be because you can remember the 1980s movie of the same name. It's not a requirement to have seen the film to enjoy this series, though - it's a new take on the same story. "The Right Stuff" takes you back in time to the early days of the space program in the United States of America, with all the Cold War tension that goes with it. The 1950s and 1960s were arguably NASA's 'golden years' as the space agency raced to put a man on the moon, and this show leaves us in no doubt about the pressures and dangers faced by these brave early astronauts, flying into outer space inside tin cans operated by computers no more powerful than the average pocket calculator. It's a short series with only eight episodes, but it's a great way to kill time with a binge-watch over a weekend.

Agent Carter

Canceling “Agent Carter” after only two seasons was an outrageous move, and one that the show’s fans are still hoping will be overturned today - but don’t let the fact that the show seemingly doesn’t have a future put you off the idea of watching the episodes that have already been made. It’s some of the best television we’ve seen in years. This Marvel product picks up where the end of “Captain America: The First Avenger” left off, leaving Peggy Carter fending for herself in the New York of the 1940s. Even with Captain America no longer around to take on the bad guys, the world still needs saving, and Peggy’s the woman for the job. As a show that’s mostly played for laughs but sometimes shows a serious side, it’s a delight. Maybe if we keep talking about it for long enough, someone important will realize that they’ve made a mistake, and they’ll bring it back. We live in hope.

Runaways

If you loved "Heros" and "Being Human," you'll also love "Runaways." We don't think we need to say much more about it than that, but we'll try anyway. This is another Marvel show in which six criminal parents spawn six superhero children, who grow up to be teenagers and decide to work together to put a stop to their parents' foul deeds. It's an especially good watch for the most devoted fans of the Marvel Universe because of the frequent nods and references to events that take place in other shows and films. You won't miss anything important if they go over your head, but it's always pleasing to catch one of them. It might not necessarily break new ground in terms of superhero stories, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable to watch. This is a good choice to grab some popcorn with and watch without having to think too hard.

While these four shows should keep you happy and occupied for now, remember that Disney Plus isn’t just about fiction. There’s also a lot of great National Geographic content to watch, and you’re never too old to start learning! We especially recommend the “Cosmos” shows, presented by Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson. Even if their vivid and fantastical descriptions of the universe make you feel as small as a grain of sand on a beach somewhere, some of the information they impart is truly awe-inspiring. And then there are all the history and nature documentaries, and of course the classic cartoons. If you switch Disney Plus on and you can’t find anything to watch, you’re doing it wrong. As is the case with all Disney entertainment, the platform includes options for people from the age of five to ninety, so there truly is something for everybody!