Fantasy TV series seem to be everywhere these days, as every streamer advertises its own sprawling and intense series. However, sometimes, the watch you need isn’t the new big thing, but a hidden gem that you initially overlooked. And for fantasy fans who are looking for something both exciting and hilarious, that is the case. Even in the growing fantasy genre, no show is as wildly unserious as Galavant. This 2015 musical series takes the self-aware humor of Monty Python and the fairy tale tropes of Princess Bride to create something entirely unique.
Though Galavant only lasted two seasons, it has become a cult classic for those who have seen it. Unfortunately, the ABC series remains one of the most overlooked shows in the genre, and despite its many merits, that is unlikely to change anytime soon due to a lack of access. The series is not streaming (though it can be purchased digitally), which only adds insult to injury after the undeserved cancellation. However, none of that detracts from the fact that with a compelling, if non-traditional story, Galavant never fails to keep the audience laughing, making it a fantasy comfort show like no other.
What Is ‘Galavant’ About?
The series follows the titular hero’s journey to happily ever after, but it isn’t the fairytale you’d imagine. The story centers on Galavant (Joshua Sasse), a famed knight who has given up after his true love, Madalena (Mallory Jansen), married another. In fact, it is worse than that, as she was captured by the powerful King Richard (Timothy Omundson), and when Galavant heroically showed up to rescue her from the wedding, she rejected him. In a stark departure from fairytale expectations, Madalena chooses to marry for ambition rather than the love Galavant offers, leaving the hero to mope. With this setup, the series instantly subverts the typical genre expectation. However, the main story begins a year later, when his life changes dramatically once again.
Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek
Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one.
🚀Star Wars
💍Lord of the Rings
🧙Harry Potter
👑Game of Thrones
🖖Star Trek
01
What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question.
02
Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully.
03
How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world’s conflicts tells you everything about its soul.
04
Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for.
05
What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are.
06
How does your universe treat good and evil? A world’s moral architecture tells you more about it than any map.
07
What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying?
08
What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you.
Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…
Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
You believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast.
You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance.
You’d find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources.
Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story.
The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is.
Middle-earth
Lord of the Rings
You understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world’s beauty is worth protecting even at great cost.
Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate.
You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival.
Tolkien’s universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance.
Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world.
The Wizarding World
Harry Potter
You believe that love, loyalty, and doing what’s right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise.
The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle.
You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete.
Harry Potter’s universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying.
That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely.
Westeros · The Known World
Game of Thrones
You see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it.
Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation.
You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don’t confuse the world as it is with the world as you’d like it to be.
Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer.
Winter always comes. You are already prepared.
The United Federation of Planets
Star Trek
You believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation.
Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear.
You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is.
The Federation is the universe’s most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better?
You don’t just hope that’s possible. You think it’s the only thing worth working toward.
Galavant struggles to move on from his heartbreak until Princess Isabella (Karen David) seeks him out, asking for his protection from Richard, who has invaded her kingdom. With this, the down-on-his-luck Galavant not only has the opportunity for revenge, but, according to Isabella, a chance to get Madalena back, as she regrets her choice. This news gives Galavant a new hope as he embarks on the mission with Isabella and his faithful squire Sid (Luke Youngblood), but he soon learns that not everything is as it seems. The journey takes them to tournaments and encounters with pirates, while Richard faces his own challenges in keeping his throne despite those scheming to replace him. With shocking twists and exciting musical numbers, Galavant is an unforgettable series. And it only grows more intriguing in Season 2 as the romances, betrayals, and heroic deeds come together.
‘Galavant’ Is Deeply Underrated Despite Its Wild Sense of Humor
With this shocking story and new music from acclaimed Disney composer Alan Menken, Galavant has a lot to offer, but nothing is as integral as the humor. As emotional as the story can be at times, the show’s unapologetic antics set it apart. Parodying both fairytales and musicals, Galavant‘s irreverent tone relentlessly subverts genre tropes. The characters reject fairytale norms and acknowledge the discomforts of their Medieval lives. Few fantasy series use this brand of self-awareness, setting Galavant apart. In addition, the series incorporates hilarious cameos, like “Weird Al” Yankovic as a singing monk, Kylie Minogue as the queen of a Medieval gay bar, and Ricky Gervais as a wizard named Xanax. This hilarity, paired with the bizarre challenges the heroes encounter, keeps the audience laughing throughout the experience.
Despite everything it has to offer, the musical adventure is consistently overlooked. First, the show was cancelled too soon following the second season. Though disappointing, the cancellation isn’t entirely shocking, as few expected it to get a second season (a fact referenced in the title of Season 2’s premiere). Luckily, the creators anticipated this and brought Season 2 to a satisfying end, although they left room for the story to continue.Galavant continues to be a hidden gem well worth the commitment it takes to watch.
