Aladdin's Forgotten 86-Part Sequel Is Secretly Disney's Best

Published Sep 27, 2026, 9:45 PM EDT

Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.

As one of the most recognizable animated movies of all time, Aladdin didn't come to an end with the 1992 film's closing credits, and it's sequel is one of Disney's best efforts at continuing an animated franchise. While Aladdin's debut in the early 90s was a defining moment for Disney animation, the direct-to-video sequels of the film aren't the only continuation of the beloved franchise. The movie's TV series sequel, which ran for nearly 90 episodes between 1994 and 1995 on Disney Channel, is golden when it comes to Disney movie animated sequel shows, of which there are a few.

While other Disney animated classics, most notably The Little Mermaid, ventured into the TV world with animated sequel shows on Disney Channel after their success, none of them found success in the way Aladdin did. Taking cues from the rest of the franchise, including Aladdin's direct-to-video sequels, the Aladdin series was able to craft a story that felt like it was worth being told rather than simply pushing forward the narrative of the original film. With other Disney shows that continued their films choosing a point prior to the movie or during its plot, Aladdin switched up its general direction.

In doing so, Aladdin created a TV show that felt like a natural continuation of the franchise, which made it seem fresher and more interesting overall. Though the Aladdin TV sequel is one of Disney's best, it's also one of the franchise's most forgotten, with many unaware of its existence.

Disney's Aladdin TV Show Is Better Than The Two Direct-To-Video Sequels

Aladdin had two direct-to-video sequels after its initial release, both of which aren't anywhere near as good as the original. The first sequel, The Return of Jafar, was released in 1994, ahead of the Aladdin TV sequel. The second, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, was released in 1996, after the conclusion of the TV series. With Aladdin having been released in late 1992, the fact that The Return of Jafar was released so quickly thereafter didn't give audiences much time to miss the character or the universe surrounding him. Even so, the scope of the sequel films felt off.

The Return of Jafar is particularly strange in that it was produced to be a pilot for the Aladdin sequel show, at first. The movie comprises the first five episodes of the sequel series, and the rest of Aladdin takes place in the film's aftermath. Regardless of scheduling or timeline, the fact of the matter has long been that the direct-to-video sequels were nowhere near as high-quality as the original, but the animated TV series was able to do something different overall. With an evenly paced series, Aladdin saw the titular character on adventures rather than in one continuous story.

How The Aladdin TV Series Built Upon The Movie

While the Aladdin TV sequel does take The Return of Jafar into account, the most interesting part of the show's foundation is that it's a direct sequel to the original film itself. At the beginning of the series, Aladdin and Jasmine are engaged, while Aladdin remains closely connected to the more street-wise identity that defined him in the original film. On top of the movement of Aladdin and Jasmine's relationship, Iago also became part of the heroes' group despite previously serving Jafar, creating a source of both comedy and conflict.

The Aladdin TV series also expands Jasmine's character far beyond her role as a love interest. Jasmine remains a core member of the adventuring group, frequently participating in the chaos of the show's conflict rather than remaining confined to her palace. The episodic structure allows her relationship with Aladdin to exist alongside individual adventures instead of making romance the central conflict of every story and creating a larger world within Agrabah. The version of Aladdin that exists within the sequel show understands what made the original movie strong, but builds on it in a whole new way.