Zapped

Right now you can watch Zapped in Australia on Disney Plus and Hoopla, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hoopla — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 643 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Zendaya — stay for everyone else around them. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Zapped is worth clearing space for. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Zapped from the crowd. Zoey is a talented dancer whose organized life is rudely disrupted when she moves in with her new step-dad and three step-brothers, until she discovers a dog-training app that can get boys to obey her every command. But she soon learns that it isn't the cure-all she had hoped for. Zendaya and Chanelle Peloso lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. What keeps Zapped from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Zapped is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Zendaya anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.