Many fantastic fantasy shows, like Game of Thrones and His Dark Materials, are worth rewatching. Fantasy shows sometimes get criticized because they require a lot of commitment from viewers. Creating a believable fantasy world often means significant budgets and a lot of detailed explanations.
Great fantasy shows can be just as captivating and re-watchable as classic thrillers – they’re often fast-moving and exciting, too. While some fantasy series drag on and are slow to start, the truly memorable ones are definitely worth watching again and again.
Whether it’s a funny show about zombies or a supernatural crime drama, these fantasy series offer something for everyone. Some are lighthearted and purely entertaining, while others are complex and require close attention due to their dark and intricate plots. Regardless, they’re all fantastic shows worth watching.
10. What We Do in the Shadows
Based on Taika Waititi’s 2014 film of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows is a funny and charming sitcom about a group of vampires – Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja, and Colin Robinson – living together in Staten Island. It’s both a cozy show about friends and a clever parody of vampire movies, making it highly enjoyable to watch (again and again).
9. Legacies
As a fan of The Vampire Diaries universe, I was curious about Legacies, the second spin-off. I think it made a smart move by going for a much lighter and more playful vibe than The Originals. While the final season didn’t quite stick the landing, honestly, the rest of the series – set at this magical school – is totally worth checking out. You won’t regret it!
Legacies centers around Hope Mikaelson, played by Danielle Rose Russell, and her experiences at the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted – a boarding school for teens with supernatural abilities. With vampires, witches, werewolves, and other magical beings all under one roof, the show is creatively unpredictable and has a lighter, more fun tone than its predecessor, The Vampire Diaries.
8. Good Omens
Some viewers have expressed disappointment with the show Good Omens due to issues surrounding its author, Neil Gaiman. However, it’s comforting to remember that the original novel was a collaboration between Gaiman and the highly-regarded fantasy writer Terry Pratchett. The show, which premiered in 2019, centers on an angel and a demon who team up to prevent the end of the world.
These two are having a great time with their lives and aren’t keen on the world ending, so they’re setting aside their disagreements to prevent it. Their journey is filled with strange people, wild adventures, and a fresh, unexpected spin on familiar fantasy stories.
7. Stranger Things
Even though a new Stranger Things spin-off, Tales from ’85, is in the works, the original series is already considered a fantasy classic. Stranger Things has always openly drawn inspiration from fantasy stories, referencing things like the villain Vecna’s connection to the 80s horror icon Freddy Krueger, and even including a memorable sing-along scene with a song from The Never-Ending Story.
The show combines science fiction, horror, mystery, and thriller, but its supernatural aspects – like Eleven’s abilities and the alternate dimension called the Upside Down – feel more like fantasy than traditional sci-fi. This unusual mix of genres is likely why the show became so popular, and why so many other shows haven’t been able to capture the same magic when trying to fill its place.
6. The Good Place
The TV show The Good Place flips a common storytelling idea on its head. Instead of beginning at the start of a journey, it starts at the end – in the afterlife. We first meet Eleanor Shellstrop as she’s adjusting to The Good Place (basically, Heaven) after her death. She’s understandably confused, but the angel Michael is there to help her figure things out.
However, that’s not actually what’s going on in The Good Place, as the show slowly unfolds. Giving away too much would spoil the surprise, but it’s enough to say that a clever twist reveals the show relies on fantasy traditions even more than you might realize.
5. Once Upon a Time
Though The Good Place is well-known for surprising its viewers, ABC’s Once Upon a Time takes deception to another level. Set in the charming town of Storybrooke, the show creates a world where all fairy tales are actually real.
The people in this town have lost their memories, so they don’t know they are actually famous fairytale characters like Snow White or Prince Charming. The show follows a heroine who must discover the town’s secrets and protect it from the Evil Queen, who is cleverly hiding as the mayor.
4. His Dark Materials
Starting in 2019, the TV series His Dark Materials brought Philip Pullman’s popular fantasy trilogy to life. The show follows Lyra Belacqua, a young girl who lives in a world that increasingly overlaps with our own. As the story unfolds, she and a diverse cast of characters discover how to travel between different parallel universes.
“His Dark Materials” is a richly symbolic and deeply insightful series that explores themes of faith, reason, belief, and fanaticism. Beyond its intellectual depth, it’s also a thrilling adventure with a clever and unique storyline. Dafne Keen delivers a fantastic performance as Lyra, supported by an incredible cast including Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
3. Supernatural
Anyone who loves horror should definitely check out Supernatural, but fantasy fans will really enjoy it. The show starts as a spooky thriller, but by the end, the Winchester brothers are battling angels, demons, and even God! It definitely leans into full-blown fantasy as the series goes on.
Initially, Supernatural began as a fairly simple show about two brothers traveling across America to fight monsters – a classic “case-of-the-week” format. But it quickly evolved into something more, balancing those standalone adventures with a complex and engaging story about family. This makes Supernatural one of the most creatively ambitious fantasy shows ever seen on network television.
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Despite its name suggesting a focus on vampires, Buffy the Vampire Slayer explored a much wider range of fantasy creatures. Beyond vampires, Buffy faced all kinds of demons, powerful evil beings, gods, goddesses, and numerous other supernatural dangers, constantly challenging her strength and courage.
The new Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot should definitely include memorable villains to please longtime fans. However, it was the strong bond and great connection between Buffy and her friends, the Scooby Gang, that truly made the show work. Without their relationships at the heart of the story, the fantastical elements of Buffy the Vampire Slayer wouldn’t have the same impact.
1. Game of Thrones
Even though the last season of Game of Thrones wasn’t universally loved, the show remains a landmark accomplishment in fantasy television. It was a bold, intricate, and expansive adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s novels, and its dark, uncompromising tone set it apart from everything that came before.
While not perfect, the show was impressively grand in scale and really pushed the boundaries of what fantasy could be on television. That’s what makes Game of Thrones, much like His Dark Materials, a must-watch – you should experience it at least twice.
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2025-11-26 23:02