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Let’s face it, fantasy television isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s just way too popular, and why wouldn’t it be? The genre offers a form of escapism from the mundanity of everyday life, allowing consumers to imagine worlds that are far more interesting than the one we live in. Fantasy lets the imagination run wild, and while it isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, there are a lot of people who adore the genre for precisely this reason.
If you’re in the mood for a fantasy show that will completely absorb you into its world, there are a lot of shows to choose from. Some offer questionable choices or have noticeable flaws that might break the immersion a little bit, while others have just run for so long that you can get fatigued from them during the duller seasons. If you need something to binge, this is the list for you, because these are the best fantasy TV shows that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
10
‘Shadow and Bone’ (2021–2023)
Shadow and Bone is based on a wonderful YA novel series by Leigh Bardugo, which takes place in a sprawling universe called the Grishaverse, which covers many of her published works. While the show is great and the fans were extremely satisfied, the show just wasn’t pulling the numbers they needed, leading to a premature cancellation just two seasons in, which is nothing short of infuriating.
This steampunk-esque world feels more like Victorian England than the stereotypical Medieval Europe vibe that fantasy shows often go for. Apart from that, the dialogue is absolutely flawless, featuring lots of quippy humor and a cast of lovable characters that audiences can’t get enough of. With how short it is, Shadow and Bone is easy to binge and get hooked on from the first few minutes.
9
‘Merlin’ (2008–2012)
Most people know who Merlin is, right? He’s the wizard from Arthurian legend who was a friend of King Arthur’s, and who formed the template for the stereotypical fantasy wizard. Tall, pointy hat, blue robes adorned with silver stars and moons, long, silvery beard; the works. That’s sort of the image that comes to mind when people think of the character. That and his curmudgeonly attitude, anyway.
Merlin is a show that reimagines the wizard from folklore. This time, he’s a spirited young man learning to control his newfound abilities, encountering his future allies, and fighting to protect England from constant magical threats. Played by Colin Morgan, Merlin is adventurous, witty, and comedic all at once. It’s also a breath of fresh air and a new take on a familiar story, which means it’s super easy to fall in love with and binge right through to the end.
8
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (2023–Present)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series based on the YA novels by Rick Riordan. This is actually the second time the books were adapted for the screen, following a disastrous film series in the early 2010s, starring Logan Lerman in the leading role. These two films failed to impress long-time fans of the franchise. The TV show, however, has done a much better job of this, in no small part thanks to Riordan’s heavy-handed involvement in the project.
The series follows the titular Percy (Walker Scobell), a troubled young boy who finds out he is actually a demigod. He is pursued by monsters and creatures from Greek mythology in the series, causing him to relocate to Camp Half-Blood, a training camp where other demigods live and learn to protect humanity. It’s a light-hearted show full of adventure, plus all the most recognizable characters and beasts from Greek myth. This show is easy to get lost in, and so easy to get deeply immersed in until you realize you’ve finished it all.
7
‘Primal’ (2019–Present)
Genndy Tartakovsky is the creative genius behind the adult animated series Primal. He’s also the guy behind some pretty popular kids’ shows, like The Powerpuff Girls and Dexter’s Laboratory. Primal is something unlike anything he’s ever put out before, though. This series takes place in a prehistoric world, following a Neanderthal who rides a dinosaur around, battling prehistoric beasts and going toe-to-toe with humans of many cultures. This includes Ancient Egyptians, Vikings, and many more.
It’s just such a unique and creative world, something that can’t be replicated in any other piece of media, which is why it’s so easy to get hooked. This is a show that pulls its audience in and doesn’t let go, allowing people to feel the passion that went into detailing this beautiful, mysterious, and deadly world. While there are significant gaps between season releases, audiences are generally okay with this, as it guarantees that each season will be fantastic and made with care.
6
‘Blood of Zeus’ (2020–2025)
Blood of Zeus is an adult animated TV series set in the mythology and folklore of Ancient Greece, featuring all of the bells and whistles that one would expect. Dangerous creatures, gods, and heroes; they’re all present in this thrilling series. The problem is, many Greek tales have been done to death on TV and cinema, so this show decided to create its own story, introducing a new, original character with a brand new story, who fits seamlessly into the mythology already established.
The three seasons of this series feature gorgeous animation, gruesome violence, and some pretty impeccable voice acting, courtesy of its experienced cast. If you’re one who likes Greek myth, this is a series that you won’t be able to walk away from. It’s so simple to get lost in, yet difficult to find your way out of, or at least until it concludes. Blood of Zeus is a magnificent low fantasy series that really does need some more love.
5
‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord’ (2026–Present)
Yes, Star Wars is fantasy, as confirmed by franchise creator George Lucas. The groundbreaking film saga, first released in 1977, has spawned a massive shared multimedia universe, prompting numerous spin-off TV shows, both live-action and animated. However, the recently released Maul – Shadow Lord has been lauded as being one of the greatest animated series to come out of the brand.
Created by Dave Filoni, who also created most other Star Wars animated projects, the series follows former Sith Lord Maul (Sam Witwer) as he navigates the criminal underworld in the shadow of the Galactic Empire. It’s a much darker take on the franchise, even by the standards of the animated franchise, and while it’s nothing too horrifying, it’s definitely a bit more mature than previous shows by Filoni. It’s excellent in nearly every way and is enough to keep viewers engrossed all the way through the first season.
4
‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)
Arcane is based on the immensely popular MOBA video game League of Legends, an online multiplayer game that attracts millions of players, and that is still receiving regular updates over a decade after its release. Having a TV show based on the game was an adventurous endeavour for sure, but the fact that some of the leading developers of the game personally handled the show made it less of a risk for catastrophe.
The show follows two of the game’s playable champions as they travel across a sci-fi, steampunk, and fantasy-inspired world, in a tale of love, redemption, and sacrifice. This animated series wasn’t just a hit for fans of the game, but for millions more viewers as well. It even won numerous Emmy awards, something very few video game adaptations can pull off, much less animated ones. This show was a big deal for a reason: it’s just so hard to turn off.
3
‘His Dark Materials’ (2019–2022)
His Dark Materials is based on a trilogy of YA novels by Philip Pullman. Like Percy Jackson, this comes in the wake of a terrible movie adaptation, this time from the late 2000s. This movie was way too far removed from the novels to be any good. Fortunately, HBO was willing to take another shot at things and tell the trilogy’s story in its entirety, resulting in one of the greatest fantasy TV shows the world has ever seen.
His Dark Materials is such an enthralling world because it is basically an alternate version of Earth, only with magical beings from folklore, like witches and talking animals. There’s also a multiverse narrative to go along with it, meaning the world doesn’t get dull for even a second. This is a great show to watch, whether you like fantasy, drama, or coming-of-age tales, as once it sinks its hooks into you, there’s no going back.
2
‘Kingdom’ (2019–2021)
Kingdom is a highly underrated South Korean fantasy/horror series set at the end of the Middle Ages. In the Kingdom of Joseon (present-day Korea), the tyrannical Haewon Cho Clan makes a bold move for the throne by using a mythical resurrection plant to raise the dead, accidentally unleashing a zombie horde in the process. But these are no ordinary zombies, as they only behave like the undead by night. During the day, they are just ordinary corpses.
At only 12 episodes, plus one special, this show isn’t very long. Worse still, it ends on a cliffhanger since it got soft-cancelled by Netflix. Yet, it’s so deeply engrossing and intriguing that it’s easy to finish the whole thing before you even know what’s coming, as each narrative twist and turn is enough to make any viewer hungry for more. It’s dark, violent, gritty, and absolutely amazing, really bringing to life the vision of Youn In-wan‘s original webtoon-turned-graphic novel.
1
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Game of Thrones is a fantasy series that surely needs no introduction. This was the epic fantasy drama that single-handedly started it al. The HBO original prompted a massive explosion of fantasy shows and raked in millions upon millions of viewers. It was quite the cultural phenomenon, and is arguably one of the most successful HBO original series ever created. Based on the original novels by George R. R. Martin, the series follows a group of squabbling nobles competing for the throne while a primordial threat from centuries ago begins building up strength in the North.
There were a lot of reasons why Game of Thrones was so popular, from its huge budget to its political intrigue and visual spectacle. There was just nothing else like this at the time. While it has become a textbook example of a TV show falling off in terms of quality towards the end, even if you don’t like the ending, it’s definitely going to keep you hooked until it’s done. One can’t just walk away from this show if they don’t like the direction it’s going, because it’s impossible to feel at peace without knowing what happens at the end.
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Dawson Nyffenegger
Almontather Rassoul
