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Sometimes, it feels like TV shows are getting longer and longer, with no end in sight. Sheesh, some animated series have been going on for decades, which is fine since they have a lot of fans. Still, sometimes this isn’t what people have time for. Not everybody has the luxury of sitting down and keeping up with a multi-season series on a regular basis, especially if they have busy schedules.
If you’re looking for a short binge to sate your appetite without requiring too much commitment, there are luckily plenty of shows to choose from. Many of these come from the fantasy genre, which has exploded in popularity in recent years, and likely isn’t going away any time soon. These are the best fantasy TV shows with fewer than 20 episodes.
10
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2024–Present)
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a live-action remake of the Nickelodeon animated series of the same name, which came out in the 2000s. There are bound to be more episodes in the future, but for now, there are fewer than 20. The show is about four nations in chaos, each representing one of the elements of fire, air, earth, and water. It is prophesied that in the midst of the chaos, an Avatar is destined to master the four elements and bring peace to the land.
The live-action series isn’t quite as good as the original animation was, but it’s still a fun time. The show perfectly blends action, adventure, and laughs, all punctuated with some sage moral wisdom and genuinely good life advice. It delivers a unique spin on a beloved franchise that has seen success with fans and critics, although it definitely has some shortcomings.
9
‘Kaos’ (2024)
Kaos is a Netflix fantasy/comedy about the Greek gods. Mount Olympus is in political turmoil, the gods are at each other’s throats, and mortals are feeling the brunt of it — just a typical Tuesday for Greek mythology, to be honest. The narrator, Prometheus (Stephen Dillane), recounts a prophecy that three mortals are destined to rise and overthrow the Greek god Zeus (Jeff Goldblum).
Kaos received great reviews, with critics lauding it for its quirky and often dark sense of humor, as well as its more modern take on classic Greek mythology. Unbelievably, Netflix decided to axe the show after its first season, which is just plain infuriating, because it was doing really well for itself. Regardless, it’s a great, if not excellent, fantasy series that deserves some more love.
8
‘Shadow and Bone’ (2021–2023)
Shadow and Bone is based on the hit YA novels of the same name by Leigh Bardugo. Unlike most high fantasy stories, which tend to favour a Medieval Europe setting, this story is more industrializing, resembling Victorian England. The show comes with a surprisingly complex magic system, but not so complex as to utterly confound the viewer.
The show was lauded by fans of the novels, who adored its quippy writing, lovable characters, and amazing action sequences. Despite how much critics and fans loved the show, it eventually got the axe after two seasons, apparently due to low viewership. Worse still, it ended on a cliffhanger. Even though this sucks, the show remains just as good as ever at only 16 episodes.
7
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities’ (2022)
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is known for his dark fantasy films such as Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water. So, when Netflix offered the director a deal to produce his own miniseries, it was bound to be a hit. Cabinet of Curiosities is an anthology series, meaning each episode functions as its own self-contained story, with a clear conclusion, and does not connect to the other episodes at all. It also means each episode has its own unique cast and setting.
The episodes range from dark fantasy to outright horror, and are chock full of del Toro’s signature style. It’s a miniseries that his fans will love, and that contains a lot of life lessons within. There are only eight episodes, making it the perfect weekend binge (or one-day binge if you really wanna get crazy). Each episode is a masterpiece, which is why this show is so underrated.
6
‘One Piece’ (2023–Present)
One Piece is a live-action remake of the long-running anime series of the same name. The anime has been going strong since 1999, with no signs of slowing down any time soon, but the live-action Netflix series provides a fresh take on the series. The story is the same: it’s set in an oceanic world populated mostly by pirates and sailors. One of history’s most legendary pirates left a map, which supposedly leads to the greatest buried treasure ever. There’s just one problem: one piece of the map is missing, prompting an international race to find it.
The main character is Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), an aspiring young pirate with an unusual talent. He has eaten the mythical Devil Fruit, allowing him to stretch his body like rubber, at the cost of his swimming ability. He is intent on becoming the greatest pirate ever, but to do that, he needs to find that missing treasure. The show is full of laughs, ridiculous action, and stellar world-building, which is why it became such a major hit for Netflix.
5
‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)
Jim Henson‘s 1982 film The Dark Crystal was received very well, although it remains pretty underrated since not a lot of people have seen it. The story is set on the weird and wonderful world of Thra, a distant planet where there is no human life — in fact, there are no recognizable life forms at all. Each creature in the movie is a new invention from the depths of the imagination. In the movie, the vulture-like Skeksis have established a planetary empire, dominating and enslaving the peoples of Thra.
Netflix’s show The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel series, set over 100 years before the events of the film. It follows how the magical Dark Crystal splintered, releasing a burst of energy that spawned the races of the Mystics and the Skeksis. From there, it follows how the Skeksis rose to power and eventually grew to conquer all of Thra. Like the movie, the show is filled with intricate puppetry and gorgeous set designs. However, it was cancelled by Netflix after one season, despite rave reviews from critics and audiences.
4
‘Over the Garden Wall’ (2014)
Over the Garden Wall is an animated fantasy miniseries that premiered on Cartoon Network. This was a real passion project for the creators, and it shows. The plot follows two brothers who become hopelessly lost in a deep, dark forest simply called the Unknown. Desperate to find a way home, they encounter numerous strange beings and creatures in the shadows of the trees.
The show presents a heartbreaking ending that nicely ties the story together, and also presents a decent life lesson. On top of that, the show is voiced by a star-studded cast, with Elijah Wood taking a leading role. It’s a whimsical, yet deeply depressing experience that any fantasy fan should see, especially if they love fairy tales and fables.
3
‘The Mighty Nein’ (2025–Present)
As it currently stands, The Mighty Nein has fewer than 20 episodes, though there are definitely expected to be more. This animated series has humble beginnings, starting as a custom campaign on a tabletop RPG, which was played on a podcast. This isn’t the first show to be made based on the podcast, as The Legend of Vox Machina came out a few years earlier. The Mighty Nein is set in the same universe, yet follows a totally different storyline.
The plot focuses on a ragtag band of thieves who spend their days pilfering and robbing, constantly chasing the big score. What they eventually find, however, is an artifact that could determine the fate of the world. Thus, the world’s balance and well-being rest in the hands of some not-so-reputable characters, resulting in hijinks and peril galore. What’s awesome is the podcast members reprise their roles as their in-game characters, something they also did for The Legend of Vox Machina. The Mighty Nein is an awesome show that fans of tabletop RPGs will love, as well as fans of lore-heavy fantasy universes.
2
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ (2026–Present)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the newest spin-off in the Game of Thrones universe, which is based on the original novels by George R. R. Martin. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set 100 years or so prior to Game of Thrones, and follows a hedge knight and his loyal squire, who travel across the realm of Westeros looking for jobs to take on.
Unlike the epic scale of Thrones, this show keeps things a little more intimate, focusing on the comedic relationship between the knight and his squire. Right now, only one season has been released, though there are expected to be more in the future. However, there are currently far fewer than 20 episodes, so it still counts. If you like Game of Thrones, this is a show you just have to watch.
1
‘Kingdom’ (2019–2021)
Kingdom is a South Korean fantasy/horror series that was created for Netflix and is based on a webtoon-turned-graphic novel. The story is set in the historic Kingdom of Joseon, when the tyrannical Haewon Cho Clan uses a mythical resurrection plant to make a daring bid for the throne. Unfortunately, in their blind ambition, they accidentally release a zombie horde.
This show has the perfect mix of feuding royals, political intrigue, horror, action, and adventure, with a cast of lovable and memorable characters. The show only saw 12 episodes plus one feature-length special before being soft-cancelled, and (infuriatingly) ending on a cliffhanger. Still, the show is pretty much perfect in all aspects, yet criminally underrated compared to other major fantasy series.
- Release Date
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2019 – 2020-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Kim Seong-hun, Park In-je
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Ju Ji-hoon
Crown Prince Chang
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Ryu Seung-ryong
Cho Hak-ju
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https://collider.com/best-fantasy-shows-shorter-than-20-episodes/
Dawson Nyffenegger
Almontather Rassoul
