The weights and per-show scores are published below. Want family-friendly comfort over prestige? Re-weight and the order changes.
Smarter Ranking scored seven Disney+ series against a published 100-point Watch Score, prioritizing marquee scripted titles and notable 2026 additions. Scored on craft and reception, not catalog size.
Quick answer
Andor Season 2 scores 94.0/100 and leads the field — widely regarded as the best Star Wars series and one of the strongest shows in the entire Disney+ catalog. If you want a heartfelt family-skewing pick, the runner-up — American Born Chinese at 84.6 — is the choice.
The ranking
| Rank | Show | Best for | Genre | Watch Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andor Season 2 | Prestige sci-fi | Sci-fi | 94.0 |
| 2 | American Born Chinese | Family fantasy | Fantasy | 84.6 |
| 3 | Hawkeye | Street-level Marvel | Action | 83.2 |
| 4 | Iron Man and His Awesome Friends | Kids’ superhero | Animation | 79.4 |
| 5 | Best of the World with Antoni Porowski | Travel | Documentary | 80.8 |
| 6 | Ariel S2 | Preschool animation | Animation | 78.2 |
| 7 | Percy Jackson and the Olympians S2 | YA fantasy | Fantasy | 82.0 |
Titles verified via Disney+ Press, Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb.
Methodology
The full rubric. Weights sum to 100. Each show scored 0–100 per criterion; the weighted average is the Watch Score.
| Criterion | Weight | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 25 | Cinematography, editing, pacing, sound, production design. |
| Writing & story | 25 | Plotting, dialogue, structure, thematic coherence. |
| Critical & audience reception | 25 | Aggregate critic scores plus audience signal. |
| Rewatchability | 15 | Repeat-viewing reward and family rotation value. |
| Performances | 10 | Lead and ensemble acting (or voice work). |
| Total | 100 |
Craft, writing, and reception at 25 each; rewatchability 15; performances 10.
Per-show profiles
1. Andor Season 2 — 94.0/100
The Star Wars prequel widely cited as the franchise’s best television, with a second season that critics ranked among the best shows of its year.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 96 | 25 | 24.0 |
| Writing & story | 95 | 25 | 23.75 |
| Critical & audience reception | 94 | 25 | 23.5 |
| Rewatchability | 88 | 15 | 13.2 |
| Performances | 95 | 10 | 9.5 |
| Total | 100 | 94.0 |
Trade-off: a slow, political tone unlike the rest of Star Wars — a feature for adults, a hurdle for kids.
2. American Born Chinese — 84.6/100
A fantasy-comedy with Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh, blending wushu spectacle with an immigrant coming-of-age story.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 85 | 25 | 21.25 |
| Writing & story | 84 | 25 | 21.0 |
| Critical & audience reception | 85 | 25 | 21.25 |
| Rewatchability | 83 | 15 | 12.45 |
| Performances | 86 | 10 | 8.6 |
| Total | 100 | 84.6 |
Trade-off: tonal swings between teen comedy and mythic action.
3. Hawkeye — 83.2/100
The Marvel street-level series balancing holiday-set crime with mentorship between Clint Barton and Kate Bishop.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 83 | 25 | 20.75 |
| Writing & story | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 84 | 25 | 21.0 |
| Rewatchability | 84 | 15 | 12.6 |
| Performances | 84 | 10 | 8.4 |
| Total | 100 | 83.2 |
Trade-off: requires MCU familiarity.
4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 — 82.0/100
The YA fantasy adaptation returned for a second season, a tentpole of Disney+‘s family slate.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| Writing & story | 81 | 25 | 20.25 |
| Critical & audience reception | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| Rewatchability | 83 | 15 | 12.45 |
| Performances | 83 | 10 | 8.3 |
| Total | 100 | 82.0 |
Trade-off: aimed squarely at younger viewers.
5. Best of the World with Antoni Porowski — 80.8/100
National Geographic’s travel franchise reborn with Antoni Porowski across Paris, Mexico City, London, and New York.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 83 | 25 | 20.75 |
| Writing & story | 78 | 25 | 19.5 |
| Critical & audience reception | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| Rewatchability | 82 | 15 | 12.3 |
| Performances | 82 | 10 | 8.2 |
| Total | 100 | 80.8 |
Trade-off: light, episodic travel content.
6. Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends — 79.4/100
A preschool-aimed animated series with Tony Stark, Riri Williams, and Amadeus Cho.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| Writing & story | 77 | 25 | 19.25 |
| Critical & audience reception | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| Rewatchability | 82 | 15 | 12.3 |
| Performances | 78 | 10 | 7.8 |
| Total | 100 | 79.4 |
Trade-off: strictly for young children.
7. Ariel Season 2 — 78.2/100
The Little Mermaid preschool series returned with Ariel exploring a magical undersea realm.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft & direction | 79 | 25 | 19.75 |
| Writing & story | 76 | 25 | 19.0 |
| Critical & audience reception | 78 | 25 | 19.5 |
| Rewatchability | 82 | 15 | 12.3 |
| Performances | 77 | 10 | 7.7 |
| Total | 100 | 78.2 |
Trade-off: narrow preschool target.
How to re-weight
- Family rotation: rewatchability to 40%. Iron Man and Ariel climb.
- Prestige only: craft + writing to 70%. Andor’s lead widens to a near-shutout.
- Performance-first: acting to 30%. Andor and American Born Chinese hold the top two.
Verification
- Andor Season 2 — catalog standing via IMDb best Disney+ shows.
- American Born Chinese, Hawkeye — cast and premise via IMDb best Disney+ shows.
- Iron Man and His Awesome Friends, Ariel S2, Best of the World — 2026 releases via Disney+ Press next on Disney+ June 2026.
- Percy Jackson S2 — 2026 Disney+ slate via IMDb 10 big Disney+ shows of 2026.
Related rankings
- Best Comedy Shows (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Drama Shows (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Shows on Apple TV (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Shows on HBO Max (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
Frequently asked questions
- What window does this cover?
- Disney+ originals available and prominent in 2026, prioritizing recent seasons. We mix marquee scripted series with notable 2026 additions.
- Why does Andor rank #1?
- It scores highest across craft, writing, and reception — widely cited as the best Star Wars series and one of the strongest shows in the Disney+ catalog.
- Is this based on view counts?
- Partly. Reception (25%) blends critical standing with audience signal, but craft and writing are weighted equally.
- Can I re-weight the rubric?
- Yes. Push rewatchability higher and a family-friendly title climbs. The full table is published.
- How often is this updated?
- Quarterly, plus a refresh during major release windows.