Excellent Disney+ Limited Series You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of

Short-run series are perfect when you want a complete story or a focused documentary without committing to dozens of episodes. Disney+ has quietly built a deep bench of limited series across documentaries, competitions, and international dramas—many of which flew under the radar compared with the platform’s flagship franchises.

Every pick below is a Disney+ original series and was designed as a single, self-contained run. You’ll find behind-the-scenes looks at filmmaking and spaceflight, intimate music and sports portraits, and gripping true-story dramas produced for Disney+ around the world.

‘The Imagineering Story’ (2019)

This documentary series, created by filmmaker Leslie Iwerks, opens up the archives of Walt Disney Imagineering to chart how the company’s parks and attractions were conceived and built. Across six episodes, it combines rare footage, newly conducted interviews, and production art to trace landmark projects from early Disneyland expansions to global resorts.

The series breaks down how multidisciplinary teams—engineers, artists, architects, and programmers—prototype ride systems, develop animatronics, and solve massive design challenges. It also explores how parks were planned for new regions, documenting creative choices, cultural localization, and the logistics of delivering large-scale experiences.

‘Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II’ (2020)

Filmed inside Walt Disney Animation Studios, this six-part series follows directors, animators, songwriters, and voice actors as they push a major animated feature from story room through final mix. It captures table reads, rough screenings, and the iteration process that shapes character arcs and musical numbers for ‘Frozen 2’.

Each episode focuses on a different production discipline—story, animation, effects, music, and sound—showing how storyboards evolve, sequences are re-conceived after test screenings, and songs move from demos to orchestral recordings. The crew’s cross-department problem-solving offers a detailed look at how large-scale animation is coordinated from first pitch to delivery.

‘Prop Culture’ (2020)

Hosted by collector Dan Lanigan, this eight-episode series hunts down screen-used artifacts from classic Disney films, including items from ‘Mary Poppins’, ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’, and ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’. It pairs those finds with interviews from craftspeople and filmmakers connected to the pieces.

Episodes highlight how costumes and props are fabricated, stored, restored, and authenticated, with segments inside studio archives and private collections. The show explains materials, techniques, and conservation challenges, offering practical context on how production design helps define character, tone, and world-building on screen.

‘Pick of the Litter’ (2019)

Inspired by the documentary film ‘Pick of the Litter’, this docuseries follows puppies from their earliest training with volunteer raisers through advanced work at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Trainers assess temperament, obedience, and environmental awareness as each dog progresses—or pivots to new roles based on aptitude.

The show explains evaluation milestones, from early socialization and leash work to obstacle navigation and intelligent disobedience. It also covers veterinary care, match-making with future handlers, and graduation standards, giving a step-by-step picture of what it takes to prepare a reliable guide dog for service.

‘Becoming’ (2020)

Produced by The SpringHill Company, this anthology series profiles athletes, musicians, and actors by returning to the neighborhoods, schools, and family homes that shaped them. Each self-contained episode reconstructs early turning points with personal photos, mementos, and interviews from coaches, teachers, and relatives.

Rather than focusing on public milestones, the format catalogs concrete influences—practice routines, local facilities, mentors, and early setbacks—that contributed to each subject’s development. Archival material and present-day visits are woven together to document how support systems and opportunities converged into professional careers.

‘Shop Class’ (2020)

This competition series centers on teams of young builders who design and fabricate inventive projects inside a fully equipped makerspace. Guided by coaches and judged by industry experts, teams prototype, test, and refine builds that must meet performance criteria and safety standards.

Episodes showcase practical skills—measuring, cutting, fastening, wiring, and finishing—alongside fundamentals like ideation, teamwork, and time management. Judging rubrics emphasize functionality, craftsmanship, and creative problem-solving, while cutaways explain materials and tools so viewers can follow the engineering choices behind each finished project.

‘On Pointe’ (2020)

Filmed at the School of American Ballet in New York, this six-episode series follows students across age groups as they train for the annual holiday production with New York City Ballet. Cameras capture daily classes, rehearsals, casting boards, and costume fittings inside one of the world’s leading ballet academies.

The series details curriculum structure, technique benchmarks, and the audition process that determines who steps onto the stage. It also covers injury prevention, cross-training, and academic balance, providing a clear view of how young dancers and their families manage the demands of pre-professional training.

‘Marvel 616’ (2020)

This anthology docuseries explores the cultural footprint of Marvel through filmmaker-led deep dives, from the tokusatsu ‘Spider-Man’ TV experiment to the history of female creators and the craft behind cosplay. Each episode stands alone, pairing a specific topic with a director and reporting style suited to that subject.

Production segments and interviews unpack how comics, television, and merchandise intersect with fan communities and industry practices. The show examines workflows—editorial planning, artist collaborations, and licensing—as well as localized adaptations that helped stories and characters travel across languages and formats.

‘Sketchbook’ (2022)

Each episode invites a Disney artist to demonstrate how to draw a single character while explaining design decisions and storytelling cues embedded in the linework. Viewers see rough shapes, construction lines, and cleanup passes in real time, with tips on expression, gesture, and silhouette.

Alongside the step-by-step instruction, artists discuss character briefs, reference gathering, and how animation principles translate into still poses. The format functions as a short masterclass, highlighting how proportion, rhythm, and shape language serve personality and story clarity.

‘Light & Magic’ (2022)

Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, this six-part series chronicles the formation and evolution of Industrial Light & Magic. It traces pioneering techniques—motion control, go-motion, digital compositing, and CG character animation—through milestone productions tied to ‘Star Wars’, ‘Jurassic Park’, and ‘Terminator 2’.

The episodes map out team structures and problem-solving workflows inside the effects house, showing how model shops, camera crews, and software teams coordinate on complex shots. Storyboards, test reels, and R&D footage illustrate how new tools emerge from specific production challenges and then become industry standards.

‘Among the Stars’ (2021)

This access-driven docuseries follows astronaut Chris Cassidy and international mission teams through training, hardware preparation, and operations on the International Space Station. Footage spans facilities such as mission control, neutral buoyancy labs, and launch sites, with sequences captured in microgravity.

The narrative tracks engineering checkouts, spacewalk planning, and contingency rehearsals, detailing how procedures, safety reviews, and timelines are built and revised. Interviews with flight directors, specialists, and family members round out the picture of long-duration mission logistics on the ground and in orbit.

‘Save Our Squad with David Beckham’ (2022)

Set in East London’s grassroots football scene, this series pairs David Beckham with a youth team fighting to avoid relegation. Training sessions, match days, and community meetings are covered with the same attention to drills and tactics that shape the squad’s weekly preparation.

Across the season, coaches and players work through fitness benchmarks, positional roles, and game-management plans. The show documents how data from practice and matches informs adjustments, and how mentorship, facilities, and local support structures contribute to player development.

‘The Good Mothers’ (2023)

This Italian limited series dramatizes the strategy that targeted organized crime by supporting women connected to senior figures within the ’Ndrangheta. Adapted from Alex Perry’s nonfiction book, it follows prosecutors and families through investigations, relocations, and legal proceedings across multiple jurisdictions.

Production emphasizes procedural detail: evidence gathering, coordination with law enforcement units, and protections in witness programs. Locations, dialects, and court protocols are used to ground each case, while the timeline tracks parallel threads that converge as authorities build cases around family networks.

‘Oussekine’ (2022)

Produced in France, this four-episode drama reconstructs the events and aftermath surrounding the death of student Malek Oussekine, focusing on the legal process and its impact on his family. The series draws on public records and testimonies to map demonstrations, inquiries, and courtroom developments.

Episodes cross-cut between private family spaces, media coverage, and official proceedings to document how information was gathered and contested. Attention to legal filings, timelines, and advocacy groups shows how civil society actors and institutions interacted as the case moved forward.

‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All’ (2023)

This four-part music docuseries follows Ed Sheeran through writing sessions, rehearsals, and performances while integrating extensive archival footage from earlier stages of his career. Close-up segments capture how songs are arranged with collaborators and translated for live shows.

The production interleaves studio work with travel and family life, sketching a complete release cycle from planning to stage. Episode structures typically align around a creative milestone—composing, recording, or debuting material—so viewers can see decisions evolve from idea to finished performance.

Share your own under-the-radar Disney+ limited-series picks in the comments!