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Fantasy has been a popular genre on television for a long time now, but it’s really ramped up in recent years due to the success of various series in the early to mid-2010s. This has kick-started a trend across all streaming platforms, with many producing their own high-budget fantasy stories in order to bring unique worlds to life in such a way that wouldn’t have been possible just a few short decades ago.
However, with so many fantasy shows debuting over the last 10 years, it can be hard to pick just one. Many have risen above the standards of their station and have become moneymaking behemoths for their respective networks, garnering millions of viewers and rave reviews. These are the best fantasy TV shows of the last 10 years, which have earned their titles either due to their success or their inherent quality.
15
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ (2022–Present)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is based on the vast legendarium written by J. R. R. Tolkien, which was later curated by his son, Christopher Tolkien. The show has generated a lot of buzz online, with many not particularly fans of how the story goes completely off the rails and tries to spin its own narrative rather than focusing on any of the stories that Tolkien actually wrote.
Despite this criticism, however, the series has been a massive success and is actually one of the most popular series on Amazon Prime Video. Two seasons in, and many of the most popular characters from Tolkien’s works have appeared, with much of the lore being expanded upon. While many Tolkien fans are less than impressed with this show, many casual viewers have come to enjoy it for what it is, especially for its high production value and brilliant acting performances.
14
‘The Witcher’ (2019–Present)
The Witcher has been having a bit of a rough go lately, what with its main actor being recast and reviews only seeming to get worse as time goes on. When it first started, however, this series was a major hit. At the time of its release, Game of Thrones had just ended, and people needed another dark fantasy series to fill the void. The first season of The Witcher proved to be exactly what people needed.
Unfortunately, since then, it has taken a bit of a decline in quality and has grown more and more removed from the source material written by Andrzej Sapkowski. Story-wise, the show is about a professional monster hunter called a Witcher who travels throughout a high fantasy world seeking bounties. This allows the show to depict some truly terrifying and grotesque beasts from various aspects of folklore, which is definitely one of its strong suits. While it may be struggling at the moment, The Witcher was a great series when it first started, and is still one of the best of the last 10 years.
13
‘Good Omens’ (2019–2026)
Good Omens is a fantasy comedy series that has shockingly only received two seasons in the six years since its release. The show is based on a novel written by both Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Pratchett, in particular, became known for his Discworld novel series, a hilarious parody of typical fantasy tropes that has been a massive hit with fans of the genre.
While Good Omens doesn’t belong to the Discworld universe, it bears much of Pratchett’s similar style of humor, which has helped it appeal to seasoned fans of the novels and newcomers alike. The story follows an angel and a demon who have formed a forbidden friendship and who are determined to prevent the coming end of the world, despite their organizations’ desire to let the natural order of things progress. Comedic, endearing, and at times, even a little raunchy, Good Omens is a wonderful comedy series with a touch of magic that demands to be seen.
12
‘Wednesday’ (2022–Present)
Wednesday is the spin-off of The Addams Family that has taken the pop culture world by storm in recent years. Starring Jenna Ortega as the titular character, the series follows Wednesday and her family as they encounter various conflicts. The family is known for being eccentric, preferring doom and gloom to bright and preppy aesthetics, with some of their family members even being paranormal creatures.
The original sitcom run of The Addams Family in the ’60s reigns supreme as the greatest incarnation of the brand to date, but Wednesday is honestly a close second, as it brings back many of the most beloved and feared characters from the franchise while shifting its focus to one of its most popular characters. With a brand-new cast, intricate sets, and all the aspects of comedy and horror present in the original, Wednesday is one of the most explosive entries in the fantasy genre in years.
11
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (2023–Present)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is based on the novel series of the same name by Rick Riordan. Following two disastrous movie adaptations in the early 2010s, this Disney+ series tried, quite successfully, to get the brand back on its feet. This adaptation is much more faithful than the original movies and has so much more of the charm and wit that the books had, likely due to Riordan himself having a heavier hand in the show’s production.
The story follows Percy (Walker Scobell), a troubled youth who discovers he is a demigod, the child of a Greek god, and is sent to Camp Half-Blood to learn the skills he will need in order to survive in this dangerous, hidden world. Throughout the show, Percy and his friends face off against various adversaries from Greek myth, including Gorgons, Furies, and the Chimera. It’s a refreshing TV show that fans of the books seem to love, and which has scored very well with critics.
10
‘One Piece’ (2023–Present)
One Piece is a live-action remake of the original anime series of the same name, which has been running since 1999. The series really hit the ground running and managed to maintain its momentum in its recently released second season. It’s been a massive critical success, earning high scores from newcomers and veteran fans alike.
The story is set in a fantastical world populated by pirates, who are all competing to find a missing piece of an ancient map, which will supposedly lead to the world’s greatest treasure. The main character is Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), a young and rambunctious pirate who has eaten a Devil Fruit, which allows him to stretch his body like rubber. The series has wonderfully quirky humor, high seas adventure, and superb action, which all contribute to its astounding success.
9
‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel series to the 1982 Jim Henson film. This series takes audiences back to the weird and wonderful world of Thra, with elaborate sets and intricate puppetry. The story details how the Dark Crystal cracked and gave rise to two new species: the sage-like Mystics and the villainous Skeksis. Much of it follows how the Skeksis rise to power and form their own empire, enslaving the native Podlings and Gelflings of the planet using the power of the Dark Crystal.
Like the original film, this series is vibrant and absolutely beautiful. Updated film technology makes the meticulously designed sets and puppets feel that much more real and interesting to look at. Despite earning the seal of approval from critics and audiences alike, Netflix unceremoniously cancelled the series after just one season, which many fans still haven’t forgiven them for.
8
‘The Wheel of Time’ (2021–2025)
The Wheel of Time is adapted from a series of 15 novels by Robert Jordan, which was later finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s untimely death. The story centers on a chosen individual known as the Dragon Reborn, a being who is said to wield immense magical power. As the end of the world approaches, the Dragon Reborn is destined to either save the world or to destroy it.
It got off to a bit of a rocky start, but each subsequent season only proved to get better and better. The third season was definitely its best and attracted millions of viewers. It’s a travesty that Amazon Prime Video decided to cancel it right as it was hitting its stride. This sparked an enormous fan campaign online to try and save the show, which goes to show how many people adored it. While some die-hard fans of the novels weren’t impressed with how different it was, the series attracted a lot of new fans to the brand and ended up being pretty incredible towards the end of its run.
7
‘His Dark Materials’ (2019–2022)
His Dark Materials is an adaptation of the novels of the same name by Philip Pullman. This is actually the second attempt at adapting them, as there was a movie in the 2000s, but it never received a sequel due to how awful it was. This HBO original series was a much more faithful and exciting adaptation of the beloved fantasy novels, and was curated with such love and care that it’ll make book readers giddy over all the tiny details and Easter eggs.
The story is set on an alternate version of planet Earth, one ruled by a shadowy and oppressive corporation. In the midst of chaos, one girl is destined to bring down the corporation and save the planet. The show is rife with magic, fantastical creatures, and even some aspects of steampunk, so it’s really unlike most fantasy series. It might be a bit underrated as far as HBO series go, but it’s worth every second of watch time.
6
‘The Dragon Prince’ (2018–2024)
Ordinarily, fantasy shows with a lot of lore behind them usually have some sort of source material to fall back on, typically a novel or series of novels. The Dragon Prince is an exception in this regard, as it is completely original. The story takes place on the continent of Xadia, where a war has broken out between the magical elves and dragons and the non-magical humans, who are conquering as much territory as they possibly can.
The 3D animation in this series is absolutely stunning, and it makes sure to use lots of bright and unconventional colors to really give it the feel of being magical. The series received a whopping seven seasons before the showrunners decided the story was complete and brought it to a close. While it is a touch underrated, fantasy fans have come to adore this series, which is precisely why it lasted as long as it did.
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Dawson Nyffenegger
Almontather Rassoul
