The holiday season is here— and suddenly, you have a lot of time in your hands but with not-so many things to spend it with. Maybe you’ve flicked through your TV, bored to death by the cheesy flicks they usually show during this time of the year. You’re craving for something else— something mysterious, dangerous, and thrilling— without, of course, leaving the comfort of the couch.
Don’t worry because we’re here to save your holiday! This article brings you 7 series you can binge-watch on Disney Plus that will save you from feeling bitin! Whether you’re looking for a campy horror featuring a group of teenagers, a science fiction delving into the mystery of a creature that saved humanity, or a fantasy merging the world of darker fairytales and modern life, we sure have something in store for you.
1. Lost
Still from Lost (2004)
Want something like Cast Away but with more characters and complex storylines? Lost is definitely for you! Inspired by the 2000 film Cast Away, Lost tells the story of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 as they deal with the aftermath of crashing into a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean.
Sounds familiar, right? But wait— there’s more!
Because the island where they crashed is not just any normal island. It is a dangerous one, filled with dark secrets and some supernatural creatures. The castaways must fight the external forces as well as the internal struggles, for each of them also harbors a dark secret.
Lost is often ranked by critics as one of the best television series of all time, garnering hundreds of industry awards and nominations.
2. National Treasure: Edge of History
Still from National Treasure: Edge of History (2022)
What makes an adventure exciting? The hunt for long-lost treasures, the threat of an ancient conspiracy, and of course, solving puzzles.
That’s National Treasure: Edge of History for you. This TV series follows Jess, the daughter of a historian and treasure hunter, as she embarks on an adventure of a lifetime to find lost Indigenous American treasures. Jess has to decode cryptic messages and historical puzzles which reveal a connection to one of the world’s greatest mysteries: The Amber Room— the fabled ‘eight wonders of the world’. If it’s not obvious enough, this series is part of the National Treasure franchise by Disney. Yes, that one film featuring Nicolas Cage. So if you enjoy solving puzzles and weaving clues together, then you better give Edge of History a chance.
3. Connect
Still from Connect (2022)
Maybe, you’ve got a taste for slashers featuring serial killers. If so, then Connect is the perfect binge-series for you. From the same director who gave us the disturbing cult classic Japanese thriller Audition (1999) comes Connect, a South Korean series that merges science fiction, psychological thriller, mystery and horror.
Connect’s premise revolves around the story of Ha Dong-soo, a new human being whose ability to physically regenerate distinguishes him from the normal human. Ha Dong-soo soon finds himself kidnapped by a trafficking organization for the purpose of organ harvest. He manages to escape but he is missing one of his eyes.
When the missing eye is transplanted to a serial killer, then our story begins. Ha Dong-soo is forced to witness the brutal murders and crimes of his donee, who had a habit of turning his victims into corpse-art.
Connect is perfect if you enjoy watching whodunnits.
4. Secrets of Sulphur Spring
Still from Secrets of Sulphur Spring (2022)
Ghosts, a haunted hotel, and time-travel— what more could you ask for?
Secrets of Sulphur Spring is an American time-travel mystery thriller which first aired on Disney Channel. It features teenagers who discovered a time-travelling portal in a haunted hotel in Louisiana. The 12-year old Griffin Campbell, together with his best friend Harper, uses the portal to discover the mystery behind Savannah Dillon, the ghost haunting the hotel. Together, they try to save Savannah from her awful fate.
If you like a whimsical but eerie adventure with a touch of mystery, then this film is for you.
5. Once Upon A Time
Still from Once Upon A Time (2011)
We know that if a story starts with ‘Once upon a time’, it will most probably end in a fairytale happy ending.
But not in this show. Once Upon A Time has a darker approach to fairytales, one where the modern world collides with a fantastical one.
The series begins with Emma Swan and Henry— the son she gave up for adoption 10 years ago. Henry, who loves reading fairy tales, believes that he is the child of Snow White and Prince Charming who ordered him to be sent away and protected from the Evil Queen. Of course, Emma doesn’t take Henry’s make-believe seriously. How could she… right?
But Emma soon finds out that fairy tales are real. And that the residents of Storybrooke, a small sea-side town in Maine, are the popular fairy tale characters who seemingly don’t remember their own stories.
If you liked the original and rather Grimm (pun intended) version of fairytales, then Once Upon A Time is worth the shot.
6. Grid
Still from Grid (2022)
The world is protected by a mysterious grid that saves it from an impending disaster— until a woman’s sudden disappearance triggers a chain reaction that pushes investigators to dig deep about the Grid.
Turns out, it’s key to something far darker.
Grid is a South Korean science fiction thriller that tells the story of how the General Affairs Bureau stumbled upon an outlandish phenomenon that saved mankind in crisis. Together with the detectives, they try to uncover the mystery behind the grid and why it exists.
The miniseries taps into the biggest anxiety of the human race: the survival of life against nature.
If you like solving conspiracies, shocking revelations, and high-stakes actions, then Grid is for you.
7. Gannibal
Still from Gannibal (2022)
Nothing beats the Japanese when it comes to horror. Their folktales are really something else— exuding strangeness that will linger with you long after you’ve encountered it.
That’s why Gannibal is an absolute must-watch if you love the horror genre.
Based on the horror manga of the same name, Gannibal is set in Kuge, a small Japanese fictional village. It tells the story of the police officer Daigo, who transfers to a remote village where the locals are hostile. There, he investigates the disappearance of his predecessor while whispers of cannibalism swirl around him.
If you like deeply-layered characters, with interesting motives and backstory, then this show is for you. Gannibal just proves that the real horror is in the darker aspects of human nature.
Be warned though: it is not for the faint of heart.
Holidays don’t always need to be sweet and bright. Sometimes, a little sprinkle of adventure, darkness, and mystery can be extremely satisfying.
