Thefantasygenre is one of the hardest to get right, resulting in manynear-perfect TV shows that come close to being flawless,but get tripped up by the challenges of their stories. Regardless of genre, balancing the momentum, intrigue, and stakes over the course of many seasons, or even one, is something that every series struggles with.
However, this makes it even more special when fans discoverfantasy shows that are perfect from start to finish. Despite the existence of these lightning-in-a-bottle projects, audiences don’t expect every series to avoid missteps. If the story is strong and the characters are worth investing in,most viewers give these fantasy shows some graceand go along for the ride of their narratives.
10Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
Despite Its Flaws, It Can’t Be Denied That GOT Changed Fantasy Television Forever
Based on theinfluential fantasy book seriesby George R.R. Martin,A Song of Ice and Fire,Game of Thronesis frequently credited with repopularizing the genre in the 21st century.Quickly becoming one of the most popular TV shows on HBOand on the air in general,Game of Thronescaptured audiences' imaginations because it went further than most fantasy shows.
Game of Thronescrafted a world that was sweeping in scale, but never felt underdeveloped, as the series shines thanks to its detailed world-building.
Dealing with intense political intrigue, high-stakes battles, and hard-won character development,Game of Thronesappealed to everyone. Using its ensemble cast to its full potential,Game of Thronescrafted a world that was sweeping in scale, but never felt underdeveloped, as the series shines thanks to its detailed world-building. Each city, family, and religion feels like a natural extension of the narrative.
Unfortunately,Game of Throneshad one of the most dramatic falls from grace in its final season in recent memory. ThoughGame of Thronesseason 8 isn’t quite as bad as it’s sometimes made out to be, it fails many of the fan-favorite characters who deserved better endings. Up until season 8,the series had the potential to be one of the best in history.
Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
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9The Magicians (2015–2020)
This Underrated Magic School Series Is A Brilliant Adult Take On The Genre
One of the best parts ofThe Magicians, the criminally underrated series about a group of grad students at a hidden magic university, is how well it translates and evolves its source material for the screen. Though the original books by Lev Grossman are fun to read,The Magiciansupdates the story, fleshes out the supporting characters,and infuses the narrative with better representation.
However, some of the major problems withThe Magicianshappen in season 1, as the way Julia’s trauma and character development throughout her journey back to herself aren’t always handled well. Though she goes on to have a great arc,she’s not the only character who goes through a lot onThe Magicians, only to receive a disappointing ending,as this also happens to Eliot.
It speaks to the quality of the show thatThe Magiciansput out two of the show’s best seasons after the source material ran out, even though season 3 is widely considered the best installment of the series. RewatchingThe Magicianstoday does shine a light on some of the more dated thematic elements and style of comedy, but that doesn’t ruin the experience.
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8My Lady Jane (2024)
While the intersection between historical dramas, romance, and fantasy shows isn’t for everyone, for fans of these stories,My Lady Janeis the ideal series.Starring Emily Bader and Edward Bluemel as Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley,My Lady Janefollows their enemies-to-lovers romance alongside a fantastical re-telling of Jane’s rise and fall from grace as the Queen of England.
Prime Video’s cancellation ofMy Lady Janewas a mistakefor many reasons, as the show was an instant hit with fans and critics alike. Despite the vocal support calling for the series' renewal, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see Jane and Guildford return to our screens. However, this just means that viewers will have to keep coming back to their love story in the years to come.
IfMy Lady Janehad been renewed for another installment, it only would’ve gotten better, honing its tone and themes.
Some of the comedic elements inMy Lady Janeare a little cringeworthy, and the overuse of the voice-over can be a little annoying at times. However, as the season progresses, these elements take a backseat and the series comes into its own. IfMy Lady Janehad been renewed for another installment, it only would’ve gotten better, honing its tone and themes.
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7The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)
With Love-Triangles, Melodrama, & Intricate Lore, TVD Has Everything Fantasy Fans Want
It would be easy to write offThe Vampire Diariesas yet another melodramatic supernatural teen drama, but this would be overlooking the fact that it might be the best example of this genre to date. Additionally,The Vampire Diariessucceeded for so many seasons becauseit didn’t take itself too seriously, leaning into the campy and comedic momentswhenever possible.
Starring Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert, the Salvatore brothers' object of affection and center of almost every supernatural occurrence in Mystic Falls,Elena was known for her plot armor onTVD.While she was far from a perfect character, she balanced the show, and when Dobrev left the series after season 6,TVDtook a hit.
While it was fun to gain insight into some of the more overlooked supporting characters,The Vampire Diariesalso started getting repetitive and overly convoluted around the time that Dobrev exited the show. The show relied on its iconic villains who were easy to empathize with and root for, but the later seasons featured weaker villains, and therefore weaker storylines.
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6The Sandman (2022–2025)
One Of Netflix’s Most Ambitious Fantasy Shows To Date
Few actors would be able to embody the self-serious and dark character of Morpheus inThe Sandman, but Tom Sturridge manages to make the stone-faced king of dreams as likable as possible. Though Netflix is known for canceling its original series, especially those in the fantasy genre,The Sandmanmanaged to get renewed for an even more sweeping second season.
It’s fun to spend time in the otherworldly realm of dreams while watchingThe Sandman.
The Sandmanseason 2, Vol. 1recently premiered on Netflix, with the final installment of the show coming soon on July 24th (viaNetflix). It’s fun to spend time in the otherworldly realm of dreams while watchingThe Sandman, but the slow pace of the show and the almost anthology-style format of the story make it difficult to keep track of the many characters and plot points.
It will be exciting to see what the final episodes ofThe Sandmanhave in store for Morpheus as he continues down his path of recognizing the value and importance of humanity.The Sandman’s complex lore and sentimental streak aren’t for everyone,but the show usually manages to balance these qualities with self-awareness.
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5Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)
Vampire TV Shows Were Never The Same After BTVS
It’s difficult to imagine not only where vampire narratives would be withoutBuffy The Vampire Slayer, but fantasy TV shows in general.Taking the idea that “high school is hell” to its most literal conclusion,Buffysees its titular character, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, beat back the forces of evil while trying to have a normal life.
ThoughBuffyhas no bad seasons, it certainly has some bad episodes, especially in season 4, which is considered one of the weaker installments of the series. However, this makes sense, asBuffywas grappling with the transition between high school and college/adulthood,which is a major turning point for any TV series.
Fans and critics have also struggled to connect with the show’s sixth season, which was a much darker, bleak exploration of the burden Buffy faces as the chosen one. However,Buffy The Vampire Slayeris so enduring because it takes Buffy’s personal struggles seriously, no matter how trivial they might seem, even when compared to her duty to save the world.
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4Merlin (2008–2012)
Arthurian Legend Becomes Accessible To All Audiences Thanks To Merlin
When audiences imagine the legendary warlock, Merlin, they might picture a wizened old man. They probably aren’t thinking of the young, slightly bumbling Colin Morgan, who portrays the young version of the wizard inMerlin. However,Morgan perfectly embodies the early years of the legendary fictional figure,with Bradley James complementing him as the brash Arthur, who still has a lot to learn.
WhenMerlinfirst premiered, it adhered to the monster-of-the-week format pretty heavily, which resulted in a more predictable beginning. However, as the seasons progressed,Merlinbecame more serialized, tackling the hallmarks of Arthurian legend through the unique lens of the story. Unfortunately,the series finale became one of the most controversial additions to the show,as it disappointed many fans.
IfMerlinhad been able to run for more seasons, it’s unlikely that we would’ve received the ending that stirred up so much discourse, as it saw Arthur and Merlin at odds for much of the story. However, even this episode can’t take away from the fact thatMerlinhelped revive interest in the stories of Camelot and successfully blended fantasy with the coming-of-age genre.
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3What We Do In The Shadows (2019–2024)
One Of The Best Horror-Comedy Shows Of The 21st Century
On paper, horror and comedy might seem too different to blend into a TV show. However, it’s this juxtaposition that makes them work so well together, as seen in the hit series,What We Do in the Shadows.Loosely based on the 2014 movie of the same name,What We Do in the Shadowsis one of the best examples of a mockumentary in recent years.
The show’s talking heads and self-referential dialogue make the fantasy elements even funnier. Following a group of vampire roommates living on Staten Island, the show is a little slow at first, but soon comes into its own and leaves the audience laughing in every episode. However, by the final season,What We Do in the Shadowsstruggles a little to maintain its momentum.
Fortunately, the ensemble cast is so lovable and fun to watch perform together that this makes the end of the show just nostalgic enough to make up for some of its more sentimental moments. While there have been many takes on the vampire genre and there’s a litany of sitcoms that use the mockumentary trope,What We Do in the Shadowsis wholly original.
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2Gravity Falls (2012–2016)
Gravity Falls Took Mystery, Animation, & Storytelling To The Next Level
The iconic animated mystery seriesGravity Fallscould’ve aired for many years past its two-season-long run.Though it was meant for kids,Gravity Fallshas connected with audiences of all ages, as the series doesn’t shy away from the big emotional moments faced by Dipper and Hazel, the young protagonists of the show.
While season 1 has fantastic pacing, season 2 feels a little rushed.
Though both seasons ofGravity Fallsearned a 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, there are a few flaws in the series that make it slightly less than perfect. While season 1 has fantastic pacing, season 2 feels a little rushed. The narrative has to push past some important character moments in favor of driving the story home to its explosive conclusion.
However, these issues don’t make the show any less enjoyable or nostalgic, asGravity Fallswas an important fantasy show for many viewerswho discovered the show when it was airing and today. The current era of modern animation owes a lot to the work ofGravity Fallsin terms of lore, development, and tackling more serious topics onscreen.
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1Once Upon A Time (2011–2018)
A Fairy Tale Drama That Sustained Itself Thanks To An Incredible First Season
Even whenOnce Upon a Timestarted losing steam around season 4, it was still worth watching until the unfortunate final season that disrupted the series' legacy. Thanks to the near-perfect first two seasons,Once Upon a Timeearned a lot of goodwill from its fans,who got caught up in the character-driven plot lines that bolstered the complex fantasy stories.
Led by Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan,the unlikely but empathetic protagonist,Once Upon a Timejuxtaposed its magical roots in classic fairy tales with the personal struggles and uniquely human emotions of its legendary characters. The series had the difficult job of making well-known stories and characters, but it overwhelmingly succeeds.
The biggest issues withOnce Upon a Timewere the fact that the series started running out of iconic fairy tales to adapt, forcing the show to become too complex for its own good. Additionally, thefantasyshow ended on a false note with the final season’s time jump that saw the narrative become too distant from the original plot.
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