10 Fantasy Shows I Knew Would Be Masterpieces After the First 10 Minutes

First impressions matter; and when it comes to genre shows, even more so. Generally speaking, you can tell a lot about a show’s quality from just the first few minutes of its pilot, even considering that it tends to take TV series a full season—or even longer—to truly find their creative footing. Throughout the history of fantasy shows, however, there have been plenty with absolutely masterful introductory minutes.

Whether it’s because they introduce the magical fantasy world of the series in an instantly captivating way, or because they immediately make their main characters engrossing, or simply because they have a great hook that makes it hard to turn the TV off, these shows grabbed us and never let go. The following sets of introductory ten minutes are fantasy television at its very best.

‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)

Image via Netflix

Generally speaking, video game adaptations on both the big and small screens don’t have a great track record. Who, then, could have guessed that League of Legends would end up being the source material for what’s not just the highest-rated video game adaptation on IMDb, but even one of the most acclaimed animated TV shows in history? Arcane was an unexpected masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless.

From the very first few minutes of the series, you can tell you’re in for a hell of a ride. Vander (JB Blanc) finding Powder (Ella Purnell) and Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) after a brutal battle sets an instant emotional hook, and the striking animation complements it gorgeously. This is one of the best animated fantasy shows ever, and a lot of that comes from the masterful world-building and character-establishment of its first 10 minutes.

‘Penny Dreadful’ (2014–2016)

Image via Showtime

One of the most underrated fantasy shows of the 2010s, Penny Dreadful is one of the most masterful horror TV shows out there. Its compelling cast and distinct blend of elevated horror, Victorian aesthetics, and Gothic-coded writing make it one of the best shows the genre has put out in years, without ever being afraid of getting a bit silly and outrageous.

You can tell just from the first couple of scenes of the show’s pilot that you’re watching something truly special. The beautiful Gothic and Victorian visuals capture your attention right off the bat, and the horrifying tone and character-driven intrigue make sure your eyes are never able to distance themselves from the screen. Not until the credits roll on the first episode, and you’re inevitably tempted to go on to the next one, that is.

‘Gravity Falls’ (2012–2016)

Image via Disney Channel

There are few children’s shows as iconic and with a cult following as loyal as that of Gravity Falls. Fans have been begging for a revival of this Disney Channel and Disney XD gem for years, and whether it ever comes or not is irrelevant: What’s undeniable is that the adventures of twins Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mabel (Kristen Schaal) in the titular town are a charming thrill, no matter the viewer’s age.

Gravity Falls‘ pilot is a genuine masterclass in hooking the viewer from the word “go.” Starting in media res is always a great way of capturing the audience, and the way “Tourist Trapped” does it works wonderfully. Characters are established, a mysterious world is introduced, and fantastical concepts are laid out at a breakneck pace that somehow works flawlessly.

‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)

Image via NBC

One of the best and most beloved sitcoms of the 21st century, The Good Place really took off after one of the best sitcom plot twists of the 2010s, but even everything before that plot twist—including the pilot—is a masterclass in fantasy comedy. Like any great sitcom pilot, The Good Place does a phenomenal job at both establishing the series’ sense of humor and presenting viewers with the general plot as quickly as possible.

The Good Place‘s “Everything Is Fine” is far from just a by-the-numbers sitcom pilot, however. From its first 10 minutes, you get a perfect sense of how creative and subversive the show you’re watching is. The premise is unique, the themes are rapidly set up and immediately compelling, and the characters are the kind that you want to know more about from the moment you first meet them.

‘Preacher’ (2016–2019)

Image via AMC

Before there was The Boys, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg helped co-develop another adaptation of Garth Ennis‘ work: Preacher, a supernatural fantasy show just about as thrilling, gory, and darkly comedic as one might expect from this particular creative team. The series definitely got bolder, more creative, and all-around better as it went along, but its exceptional pilot is not to be underestimated.

The show greets newcomers with a cold open that’s as intentionally cheesy and irreverent as it is bloody and bizarre. The tone is laid out right from the start, and it’s impossible to look away from it. Then, we’re introduced to the main characters through exceptional uses of the “show, don’t tell” rule. It’s impossible not to find the series’ chaotic absurdity charming enough to get through a few episodes before turning the TV off.

‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023)

Image via Wit Studio

One of the most acclaimed anime shows of all time, Attack on Titan is a must-see for fans of the medium and of the fantasy genre alike. Everything that anyone could possibly want from an animated show is present here: jaw-dropping animation, exceptional production qualities, memorable voice performances, a good balance between seriousness and occasional humor, and some of the most adrenaline-pumping action scenes anime has to offer.

Attack on Titan is packed with some of the greatest anime episodes ever, which arguably includes its instantly compelling pilot. The episode wastes zero time introducing viewers to its premise and the existential dread that it generates, as well as setting up the main characters’ personalities perfectly. If you watch the first 10 minutes of Attack on Titan, and you’re not immediately addicted, you probably put on the wrong show.

‘Supernatural’ (2005–2020)

Image via The WB

Inspired by monster-of-the-week classics like The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural remained the longest-running American fantasy TV show until its conclusion in its fifteenth season. Equal parts scary, thrilling, and emotionally engaging, it definitely wasn’t without its fair share of duds, but remained one of the most consistently fun fantasy teen shows on television throughout its whole run. It’s now one of the biggest cult classics that the genre has put out at any point during the 21st century.

It may not be one of the show’s best episodes, but it’s hard to deny that the pilot is a phenomenal introduction to this world and these characters. Its first 10 minutes in particular do a flawless job of introducing the terrifying tone of the series, the deeply intimate stakes, and the family quest that kicks off the first season of this modern fantasy-horror classic. It’s tight, beautifully economical televisual storytelling, and it has aged like fine wine in retrospect.

‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)

Image via Netflix

With its fifth and final season officially wrapped, it’s worth taking a look back at what started it all: The first season of Stranger Things may just be the show’s best, both a nostalgic and profoundly endearing throwback to ’80s pop culture and a distinctly original season in its own right. The show, a solid blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, has several 10-minute sequences that could be counted among the genre’s best, and its introductory minutes are definitely among them.

Ten minutes, three scenes, and you already know everything you need to know to get going. First, a scientist gets abducted by an unseen threat. Then, the audience is introduced to the main gang of friends, before one of them vanishes mysteriously into the night. Horror, mystery, nostalgia, and exceptionally cinematic production qualities; it’s all there to count this among the best pilots of any show of the 2010s.

‘Lost’ (2004–2010)

Lost‘s pilot is far and away one of the most acclaimed pilots in television history, and for good reason. Whether one loves or hates its controversial final season and even more controversial series finale, the show’s first season tends to be universally beloved even all these years later, and it’s absolutely undeniable that this was the show everyone and their grandmother was watching and talking about during the 2000s.

But Lost would perhaps not have become the pop-cultural phenomenon that it did—at least not as quickly—if its introductory 10 minutes weren’t such an instant hook. The mystery of the island, the instantly compelling personality of the characters, the fear and the plane crash; it’s all perfectly established fairly quickly, and all with some of the most exceptional production qualities ever seen on network television. After all, this pilot was the most expensive ever produced at the time of its airing.

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Image via HBO

Game of Thrones needs no introduction. It’s pretty much universally agreed that its final season, and especially its final episode, are insultingly awful; but its first season has aged like fine wine, and its pilot is one of the best fantasy pilots ever produced. Everyone who loves fantasy television has either already watched Game of Thrones or really ought to get around to it, and it’s impossible not to fall in love with the series immediately. During its first 10 minutes, to be more precise.

During this first section of the pilot, we’re introduced to the threat of the White Walkers with some of the most effective atmosphere-building of any fantasy show’s introduction, and then introduced to the Starks. The production qualities are top-notch, the characters are immediately compelling, and Westeros is a world that’s impossible not to instantly fall in love with. Even in spite of its shortcomings, Game of Thrones arguably remains the best fantasy TV show ever made, and its first 10 minutes make it instantly easy to see why.