Best Disney Channel Original Movie
Since the basic cable debut of The Disney Channel in April 1983, the House of Mouse has used its family-oriented network to feature its best movie ideas that weren’t quite ready for the silver screen. At first the films were released under the name “Disney Channel Premiere Films,” but since 1997, they have been released under the banner Disney Channel Original Movie – or DCOM – up until 2022, when Disney+ took up the mantle. Regardless of the term you use to describe these feature-length gems, they bring to the fore a feeling of intense nostalgia. Generations are defined by the DCOM movies of someone’s particular childhood! As always, this led the Great Pop Culture Debate team to wonder...what is the Best Disney Channel Original Movie? Movies discussed: High School Musical, The Thirteenth Year, Twitches, Smart House, Zenon: Girl of the Future, Tru Confessions, Quints, Descendants, Cadet Kelly, Brink!, Teen Beach Movie, Halloweentown, The Cheetah Girls, Get a Clue, Zombies, Camp Rock.
Join host Eric Rezsnyak and GPCD panelists Amma Marfo, Bob Erlenback, Joelle Boedecker, and Trey Radu-Blackburn as they discuss 16 of the most-popular Disney Channel Original Movies.
Play along at home by finding the listener bracket here. Make a copy for yourself, fill it out, and see if your picks match up with ours!
For more exclusive content, including the warm-up in which we discuss even more DCOMs that didn’t make the bracket, become a Patreon supporter of the podcast today.
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Round 1 Match-Ups:
Not a Patreon subscriber? Here’s a primer on how we came up with the bracket.
Match-Up 1: High School Musical (1) vs. The Thirteenth Year (4)
Match-Up 2: Twitches (3) vs. Smart House (2)
Match-Up 3: Zenon: Girl of the Future (1) vs. Tru Confessions (4)
Match-Up 4: Quints (3) vs. Descendants (2)
Match-Up 5: Cadet Kelly (1) vs. Brink! (4)
Match-Up 6: Teen Beach Movie (3) vs. Halloweentown (2)
Match-Up 7: The Cheetah Girls (1) vs. Get a Clue (4)
Want to play along at home?
Download the Listener Bracket and see if your picks match up with ours!
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Episode Credits
Host: Eric Rezsnyak
Panelists: Amma Marfo, Bob Erlenback, Joelle Boedecker, Trey Radu-Blackburn
Producer: Curtis Creekmore
Editor: Bob Erlenback
Theme Music: “Dance to My Tune” by Marc Torch
