Descendants 2

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Descendants 2 is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hulu right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 1,792 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Dove Cameron leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Descendants 2 earns its spot. Descendants 2 uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. When the pressure to be royal becomes too much for Mal, she returns to the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, Ursula's daughter, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen. Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. It was released in 2017. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Descendants 2 a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Dove Cameron grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.