Quick thoughts:

Black History Month 2023 Underwhelming

Not even remotely close to the quality of the previous 2 years which is massive bummer. In 2021 they added Brandy’s Cinderella 1997 to streaming for the first time in history. Last year they broke the seal on ABC / Freeform TV and general entertainment when they added Black-ish, The Wonder Years, Summer of Soul, some Hulu specials, and Grown-ish. Sadly, that ended almost as quickly as it began.

This year, they’re adding nothing meaningful from the Disney catalog. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and a new season of Proud Family: Louder and Prouder are tremendous additions, don’t get me wrong, but they would have arrived regardless. Nothing special this year. Nothing brought to streaming for the first time from Disney’s abandoned catalog of Black voices. This is the “Disney 100.” Thus far a colossal disappointment.

Titles we wanted to see added include: Selma Lord Selma, Ernest Green Story, Endurance, Loretta Claiborne Story, Polly, Fillmore, Perfect Harmony, March on Washington: Keepers of the Dream, Rise: Tulsa and the Red Summer, Polly Comin Home, etc. Not even the still-missing Black-ish franchise puzzle piece known as Mixed-ish.

A&E Networks+

Instead of a good Black History Month lineup, Disney decided to drop a bunch of History, A&E, and Lifetime titles. As usual, it’s a hodgepodge with no rhyme or reason. They’re even adding multiple Lifetime Christmas movies… a bit late. What they’re still not doing is adding any of the 25ish ABC Family Christmas movies that they license out to other services every year. Not even the ones they removed in October 2022.

We actually support them adding A&E / History / Lifetime, but our staff agrees that we’d prefer it to be exclusive to Disney+ and that they’d make it a big thing. Brand tiles or collections accompanying a 300-400 title drop and a big press release and marketing push. Instead, we’re getting titles that are streaming on 3-5 other services at the same time, including Hulu, Discovery+, Netflix, Peacock, Roku, Prime, and pretty much any service with a pulse. The A&E / Hearst strategy is… arm’s dealer. Disney only owns half of A&E Networks in USA and doesn’t own the brand worldwide. What is the plan here…?

In addition, all other brands are vacant. February 2023 is another concerning month as we kick off #Disney100. It’s sad that we have to be unhappy with one of the largest content drop months since launch… but it’s all A&E crap that’s scattered or duplicated across 6 streaming services… it’s not what people have been asking for.

Disney+ Library Averages / Totals

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Library Brand Breakdown

[A&E NETWORKS] – 25 – Why is this a thing when they refuse to add Disney catalog… and it’s now the Disney 100th year celebration?

[NAT GEO] – 14

[DISNEY CHANNEL / XD] – 4

[DISNEY JUNIOR] – 3

[DISNEY FILMS] – 2

[ESPN] – 2

[20TH CENTURY FILMS] – 1

[ABC / FREEFORM / 20TH TV] – 0

[VINTAGE TV / SHORTS] – 0

TOTAL LIBRARY – 51

ORIGINALS – 10

RETURNING TITLES: 1

RE-LISTED TITLES: 0

TOTAL ADDITIONS: 61

Last 3 Months Comparison

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Arriving On Disney+ February 2023

Streaming February 1

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) [DISNEY FILMS]
• The Chorus: Success, Here I Go – (Full Season 1) [ORIGINAL SERIES (BRAZIL)] – Previously had been falsely promoted by @DisneyPlus Twitter as “Now Streaming.”
• Dead End Express (2015) (Season 1) [NAT GEO]
• Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (S1, S2, S3) [DISNEY CHANNEL] (Netflix contract ends.)
• National Treasure: Edge of History (Season 1, Episode 9) [ORIGINAL SERIES]
• The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Season 2 binge-drop) (This usually means the series is cancelled.)
• Puppy Dog Pals (Season 5, Final 3 episodes) [DISNEY JUNIOR]
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Season 2, Episode 6) [ORIGINAL SERIES]

Streaming February 3

• Aquamarine (2006) [20TH CENTURY FILMS] (Returning film) (Editor’s Note: Despite having a “Coming Soon” page for months, they did not list this on their press release. They also refuse to add it to the Coming Soon row despite numerous reports by us to their team that the page is detached.)
• Clan of the Meerkats (2011) [NAT GEO]
• Life Below Zero (Season 19) [NAT GEO]
• Water and Power: A California Heist (2017) [NAT GEO]

Streaming February 8

• 7 Toughest Days (2023) (Season 1) [NAT GEO]
• Arranged (S1) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Celebrity House Hunting (S1) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Dance Moms (S1, S2, S7) [A&E NETWORKS] (Editor’s Note: So awful they’re adding these butchered, partial runs of series. Roku, Netflix, Discovery+, Hulu, Prime… everyone has a piece of A&E shows.)
• Dance Moms: Miami (S1) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Forged in Fire: Knife or Death (S1, S2) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Forged in Fire (S4) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Ghost Hunters (S1, S2) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Hamster & Gretel (Season 1, 5 episodes) [DISNEY CHANNEL]
• History’s Greatest Mysteries (S1, S2) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Ice Road Truckers (Season 11) [NAT GEO]
• Man vs. Child Chef Showdown (S2) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Marvel Studios’ Assembled: The Making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2023)[ORIGINAL SPECIAL] <– STAFF PICK (It’s idiotic they insist on randomly premiering some specials / films on Wednesdays instead of Fridays)
• National Treasure: Edge of History (Season 1 Finale) [ORIGINAL SERIES] <– STAFF PICK
• Me & Mickey (Shorts) (S1, 7 episodes) [DISNEY JUNIOR] (Editor’s Note: Delayed from January)
• The Owl House (S3, 1 episode) [DISNEY CHANNEL]
• The Proof Is Out There (S1, S2) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Rescue Cam (S1) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Season 2, Episode 7) [ORIGINAL SERIES]
• Storage Wars: Barry’s Best Buys (S1) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Storage Wars: Miami (S1) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Storage Wars: New York (S1, S2) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Storage Wars (S14) [A&E NETWORKS]

Streaming February 10

• 42 to 1 (2018) [ESPN] ( (Editor’s Note: The LONG-awaited return of ESPN 30 for 30s!)
• The Christmas Consultant (2012) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Dug Days: Carl’s Date (2023) [ORIGINAL SHORT]
• Feliz Navidad [A&E NETWORKS]
• House of Darkness [A&E NETWORKS]
• Liz & Dick [A&E NETWORKS]
• Marvel Studios Legends (3 episodes – Ant-Man, Hank & Janet, The Wasp) [ORIGINAL SERIES]
• People Presents: Once Upon a Main Street [A&E NETWORKS]
• The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story (2016) [A&E NETWORKS]
• The Santa Con (2014) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Tommy (2017) [ESPN]
• Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart (2016) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Turkey Hollow (2015) [A&E NETWORKS]
• Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter (2019) [A&E NETWORKS]

Streaming February 15

• Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog (Season 3) (2023) [NAT GEO] (Editor’s Note: Next day episodes were airing on Hulu instead of Disney+.)
• Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist (Season 1) (2017) [NAT GEO]
• Mars (Season 1) (2016) [NAT GEO]
• Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaurs (Season 1, First 6 episodes) (2023) [DISNEY CHANNEL]
• SuperKitties (Season 1, 7 episodes) [DISNEY JUNIOR] (Editor’s Note: Delayed from January)
• Mila in the Multiverse (2023) (Season 1) [ORIGINAL SERIES (BRAZIL)] (Editor’s Note: Delayed from January)
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Season 2, Episode 9) [ORIGINAL SERIES]

Streaming February 17

• Inside Airport Lost & Found (2022) [NAT GEO]
• j-hope IN THE BOX (2023) [ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY]
• Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship (2022) [NAT GEO]

Streaming February 22

• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Season 2, Episode 10) [ORIGINAL SERIES]
• To Catch a Smuggler (Season 4) [NAT GEO] (Editor’s’ Note: All caught up!)
• Ultimate Airport Dubai (Seasons 1-3) [NAT GEO]
• Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever [ORIGINAL DOCUSERIES]

Streaming February 24

• Blow Your Mind (2014) [NAT GEO]
• Tini: The New Life of Violetta (2016) [DISNEY FILMS] (Editor’s Note: 1 year after it left Netflix)

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Leaving Disney+ February 1, 2023

Fantastic Mr. Fox is the latest Fox film to disappear and head to Starz. Say goodbye because it’s gone on February 1st! We also expect the removal of these films and specials in the near future: X-Men Days of Future Past, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, A Very Boy Band Holiday, West Side Story: Something’s Coming, and The Magic Maker.

Our predictions have been correct every month for the past 11 months about some exiting titles!

Please follow along here as we track removals and returns.

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The Disney 100 Check-In Corner

Where’s Walt?

As always, no changes.

Bad Streaks

Disney Branded TV Live-Action Check-In

Extremely disappointing. Nothing. Again.

Disney Cartoon Check-In

Extremely disappointing. Nothing. Again.

Additional data: 61 Missing Cartoons

Modern Nat Geo Check-In

Until Disney+ properly employs a next or same day streaming strategy for Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild series and specials, we will continue to track the slow pace they add content.

Despite the influx of Nat Geo in November – February, the 2020-2023 specials remain far behind and now Hulu has become a massive roadblock as they have started a new strategy in the past 6 months that sends assloads of specials to Hulu instead of the Disney+ brand tile.

Recent Specials:

• National Geographic Investigates – Narco Bling: Chapo Guzman End Game (2023) (Foolishly licensed to Hulu despite Nat Geo brand tile and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+. Is also not TV-MA.)
• National Geographic Investigates: LSD and Psychedelics (2023) (Foolishly licensed to Hulu despite Nat Geo brand tile and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+. Is also not TV-MA.)
• Pablo Escobar: Man vs Myth (2022) (Foolishly licensed to Hulu despite Nat Geo brand tile, ad-tier, and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+. Is also not TV-MA.)
• Narco Wars: Drugs in America (2022) (Foolishly licensed to Hulu despite Nat Geo brand tile and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+. Is also not TV-MA.)
• Narco Wars: Queen Pins (2022) (Foolishly licensed to Hulu despite Nat Geo brand tile and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+. Is also not TV-MA.)
• Super Frenchie: Adventure Calls (2022)
• National Geographic Investigates: The Fall of Osama Bin Laden (2022) (Foolishly licensed to Hulu despite Nat Geo brand tile and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+. Is also not TV-MA.)
• Latin America from Above: From Baja to Patagonia (2022) – Narrated by Gina Rodriguez
• Home Rediscovered (2021)
• Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer (2021) (On Hulu)
• Killer High The Silent Crisis (2021) (Left Hulu in May 2022)
• Our America: Todos Unidos (2021)
• Mountain Strong: Surviving the Creek Fire (2021)
• Serpent’s Surprise (2021)
• Our America: Asian Voices (2021)
• Our America: Climate of Hope (2021)
• The Last Drop (2021)
• Mission Possible: The Race for a Vaccine (2021)
• The March on Washington: Keepers of the Dream (2021) (On Hulu)
• North Korea: Inside the Mind of a Dictator (2021) (On Hulu)
• Launch America: Mission to Space Live (2020)
• Butt Heads: The Strange Story of Sheep (2020)

Recent Series:

• Life Below Zero Season 20 (airing)
• Going Fur Gold Season 1 (falsely promoted as “streaming on Disney+” in the commercials they air on TV (!))
• Port Protection: Alaska Season 6 (airing) (Foolishly licensed to Hulu with next day episodes despite Nat Geo brand tile and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+.
• Life Below Zero: Next Generation Season 5 (Foolishly licensed to Hulu with next day episodes despite Nat Geo brand tile and full maturity ratings unlocked on Disney+. Is also not TV-MA. First instance of a Disney catalog show moving to Hulu for next day since launch of Disney+. WOW.)
• Narco Wars (Seasons 1-3) (Licensed to Hulu)
• Trafficked With Mariana van Zeller (Seasons 1-3) (Licensed to Hulu)
• The Hot Zone (Seasons 1-2) (Licensed to Hulu)
• Car SOS Season 10
• Car SOS Season 9

Additional date: Nat Geo Library Progress

The Usual “Missing Titles” Watch

Two more of the longtime featured titles from this section are now streaming or scheduled. The BFG quietly arrived in January and Tini: The New Life of Violetta is arriving after a 1-year dark period from Netflix. That explains the long wait.

• Epic (2013) Blue Sky film and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2008) both left HBO August 1 and were previously on Disney+ USA. We expect them to quietly arrive in February or March!
• Dr. Dolittle 5 and Flicka: Country Pride recently left HBO or Starz. Both stream internationally and 1 of 3 were once on Disney+ USA.
• Dick Tracy and Jungle Book 1994 left HBO February 28th, 2021. 1 of the 3 stream internationally.
• Everybody’s Hero and Eddie the Eagle remain lost after mysterious removals.
• Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked never returned after leaving for Peacock, then leaving Peacock. It’s believed they may be heading to Starz or HBO due to the extended absence.

Additional data: 82 Missing Disney Pictures Films

Additional data: Over 2000 Missing Touchstone, Hollywood, and Fox Films

Additional data: All Titles Removed From Disney+ USA

Final Consensus: Is It Worth 10.99 A Month?

We say nope. Not at all. Next day episodes for all Disney Branded TV and Nat Geo as well as a monthly helping of missing Disney catalog and a couple new features would change our tune. Until then, this is just as worth 7.99 now as it was before the price bump.

Monthly recommendation: Churn