5 Fantasy Shows Everyone Should Regret Ignoring

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Fantasy shows are incredibly popular, making it impossible to keep up with everything as soon as it’s released. While networks and streaming services often invest in fantasy hoping to discover the next big hit like Game of Thrones or Harry Potter, some promising shows unfortunately don’t get the recognition they deserve initially.

It’s a shame when promising fantasy shows are canceled too soon, before they can find an audience. We often see series gain popularity after they’ve ended, sometimes years later. Fans frequently wish they’d watched these shows while they were still airing, particularly when low ratings led to their early cancellation.

5) Shadow and Bone

As a fantasy fan, I was genuinely bummed when Netflix cancelled Shadow and Bone after season two. It’s always tough when a show with such beautiful visuals and a dedicated following doesn’t get renewed, especially after the writers’ and actors’ strikes. It really seemed like a show that deserved another chance, but I guess it just didn’t pull in enough viewers for Netflix to justify the expense.

Shadow and Bone is a sweeping fantasy story about a young orphan soldier who discovers she can control light. This ability leads her to a special training group called the Grisha, where she faces political intrigue, the temptation of dark powers, and other challenges as she strives to become the hero her world desperately needs.

Many fans feel the second season of the show was particularly good, and those discovering it now wish they’d watched it sooner. Because Netflix has cancelled Shadow and Bone and scrapped plans for a spin-off series, new viewers are especially disappointed they didn’t watch when there was still a possibility of more episodes.

4) The Magicians

Many fans consider the TV series The Magicians to be superior to the original novels. Sadly, it didn’t receive much attention until after it had finished airing.

While The Magicians and Harry Potter both feature schools for kids with magical abilities, the shows are very different. The Magicians follows a young magician who discovers a beloved childhood book is actually real and dangerous, and his friend who has to learn magic outside of the school system.

The TV show The Magicians aired for five seasons on Sy-Fy, indicating it did well initially. But it’s become even more popular since it finished, with many new viewers wishing they’d discovered it during its original run.

3) His Dark Materials

The HBO series His Dark Materials didn’t end due to cancellation; it simply finished telling the story contained in Philip Pullman’s three-book trilogy. It’s unfortunate that many people didn’t find and enjoy the show until after it had already concluded.

This show is a fantastic take on the original story, following a young girl’s journey across different universes to find her missing friend. It has everything fantasy lovers want – great performances, beautiful locations, and stunning visuals. It’s a shame more people didn’t watch it when it was first released, as many discovered it after the season finished.

2) Carnival Row

Carnival Row is a fantasy series that would really benefit from a fresh start. The show has been praised for its unique concept and beautiful Victorian setting, where a detective investigates a series of disturbing murders. These murders could shatter the uneasy truce between humans and magical creatures like fairies.

People who find Carnival Row quickly become fans, but sadly, the show was canceled by Amazon after just two seasons, in part due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

1) Emerald City

As a fantasy fan, I always felt like Emerald City didn’t get the attention it deserved, especially when you look at how huge Wicked is now. It was a really interesting take on The Wizard of Oz, but much darker and grittier. Instead of a young girl, Dorothy was a grown woman – a nurse, actually – who gets transported to Oz and ends up caught right in the middle of a power struggle. The Wizard’s trying to ban magic altogether, and the Witches are determined to take him down, so it’s a pretty intense situation!

It’s surprising to learn this grown-up take on The Wizard of Oz first appeared on traditional TV – NBC – instead of a streaming service. Sadly, it was canceled after just one season, leaving many new fans who are just now finding the show wishing they’d tuned in when it originally aired in 2017.

What fantasy show do you think deserves more attention? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss it with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-12-05 04:12