27 Fantasy Shows That'll Transport You to a Whole New World
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A good episode of a fantasy TV show at the end of a long, hard day is sometimes the only thing standing between me and a total meltdown. Unlike reality TV shows or sexy Netflix shows, fantasy shows give me the unique ability to watch romantic or horrible things happen to characters without my anxiety kicking in and asking me, "What if this happened to you?" Sure, it's unlikely that I'll ever be competing with 20+ other women for a rose on The Bachelor, but the odds I'll have to fight a dragon are literally 0.
Just so we're clear: Fantasy shows usually take place in another world where fantastical creatures and/or magical abilities are pretty much expected, whereas supernatural shows are all about super-powered creatures existing within the real world—though there is for sure some crossover between the genres. (Don't even get me started on the difference between fantasy and sci-fi, 'cause that's where things get REAL complicated.) And while fantasy series are sometimes lighter in tone than supernatural series, they are definitely not just for kids.
So sit back, relax, and escape reality with these 27 best fantasy shows.
Wednesday
What if Wednesday Addams was an aspiring detective and high school student? This is the question posed in Wednesday, the Tim Burton Netflix show that somehow turned Wednesday Addams' emo vibe into a moving coming-of-age story. Jenna Ortega is phenomenal, and she leads a great cast, which includes Emma Myers as her upbeat roommate, Christina Ricci as a teacher at Wednesday’s kooky boarding school, and Gwendoline Christie as the mysterious principal.
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Pushing Daisies
Lee Pace is 6’5”, and for two seasons on Pushing Daisies, he worked with a private investigator, bringing people back from the dead for 30 seconds to help solve their murders for reward money. It’s less gruesome than it sounds. The fantastical show takes place in a whimsical universe where a man can make a living running a pie shop, and a woman can come back from the dead with very few complications…unless you count the man who had to die for her to live.
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Galavant
If you love musicals, you’ll love Galavant, a satirical musical comedy about a once revered knight, Galavant, who fell from grace after the woman he loved chose to marry a hapless king over him. But when Princess Isabella comes to recruit him to help save her people, he picks the sword back up to be the hero he once was. Or at least, he tries to. The show features songs written by legendary Disney composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater, and each one will make you laugh and get stuck in your head.
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The Umbrella Academy
The Umbrella Academy checks a lot of fantasy boxes. It’s got super powers, time travel, an eccentric billionaire pulling the strings, possible apocalypses, and alternate universes. More importantly, it’s the story of how seven estranged and super-powered siblings have to come together to save the world…again, and again, and again.
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Once Upon a Time
Disney put a twist on the live-action adaptations of the studio’s classic animated films by sticking all the fairy tales into one show. Over the seasons, OUAT featured every character imaginable, from Cinderella to Robin Hood. But it began with fairy tale characters cursed by Snow White’s evil stepmother to live in a quaint American town called Storybrooke with no memory of who they really are. Her rule is threatened, however, when her adopted son brings his biological mother, who just happens to be the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White, to Storybrooke.
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House of the Dragon
You know how we said there are other shows other than Game of Thrones? Well, there's also a spinoff of GoT that's pretty good, too. House of the Dragon follows the House Targaryen about 200 years before the original series. Things quickly heat up and we're not just talking about all the dragon fire.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
It looks like everyone is getting a prequel these days as Amazon brings back the iconic Lord of the Rings series. The show will take place thousands of years before the Peter Jackson films, bringing some of the most well-known characters in Tolkien's tales to life for the first time.
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Locke & Key
Based on the comic book series of the same name, travel to Mattheson, Massachusetts with the Locke family who move into the illustrious Keyhouse. There they discover a set of magical keys that give them extraordinary abilities while also dealing with some very scary villains who are out to use the keys for themselves.
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The Sandman
Neil Gaiman's The Sandman comics finally come to our screens in this highly-anticipated adaptation that is fully approved by the big man himself. Get ready to follow the life of The King of Dreams as he suddenly becomes imprisoned for hundreds of years, causing grave consequences to both the world of the Dreaming and the Living.
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The Magicians
Welcome to Brakebills University, a magical post-graduate school where only the best get the chance to hone their craft. Quinten Clearwater has always believed in magic and now has the chance to go. He slowly discovers that there's more to the magical world that he is now a part of than the fairytales he grew up with.
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Shadow and Bone
This epic series (which is based on Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse novels) revolves around an orphan mapmaker and soldier named Alina who unleashes an extraordinary power that could potentially set her war-torn country free. Shadow and Bone was cancelled after two stellar seasons, but fans are still campaigning for it to return. #SaveShadowAndBone!
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The Wheel of Time
Like many of the best fantasy shows, The Wheel of Time is based on a book series, following a powerful leader as she takes five teens on a journey, believing one of them to be the reincarnation of the Dragon who can save the world...or destroy it.
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The Witcher
The v handsome Henry Cavill stars as Geralt of Rivia, a sorcerer, outcast, and killer whose job is to rid the world of monsters. And, boy, does he take his work seriously. The show has lots of action, but it's not all about Geralt. At the core of the series is a political drama about inter-species wars between elves, sorcerers, and mortals. Cavill left the show after Season 3, but The Witcher will live on for another season, with Liam Hemsworth taking over the role in The Witcher season 4.
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Outlander
Based on Diana Gabaldon's bestselling series, Outlander tells the story of a former World War II combat nurse, her MI6 officer husband, and the time-travel incident that lands her in 18th-century Scotland (and in the arms of a hot Scottish Highland warrior). I'm ready for ya, season 6.
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Fate: The Winx Saga
This teen drama follows five fairies attending Alfea, a magical boarding school in the Otherworld where students learn how to master their magical powers. The show was cancelled after two seasons, so it's perfect for a weekend marathon.
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Carnival Row
Starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, this dark series tells the story of what happens after the homelands of mythological immigrant creatures are invaded, forcing them to coexist with humans.
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Sweet Tooth
Based on the comic book series of the same name, Sweet Tooth tells the story of a young human/deer hybrid named Gus as he struggles to find his place in a post-apocalyptic landscape alongside his reluctant protector, Big Man.
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Good Omens
In the mood for something that'll make you lol? Watch Good Omens, which follows a tightly-wound angel named Aziraphale and a carefree demon named Crowley as they team up to stop the approaching Armageddon. And, while it is a show firmly based in Biblical stories, it's not actually a religious show, so anyone can enjoy it!
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Brittania
This hiiighly underrated series is set in 43 AD, following the attempts of Aulus Plautius and the Roman Imperial Army to conquer the mythical land of Britannia after Julius Caesar failed. It's like a history lesson with some magic thrown in.
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The Underground Railroad
Another historical fantasy series, The Underground Railroad (which is based on Colson Whitehead's novel of the same name) imagines an alternate reality where the hidden routes and safe houses that helped African Americans escape slavery in the South was an actual railroad.
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The Letter for the King
This coming-of-age series revolves around a young wannabe knight as he sets off on a mission across the Great Mountains to deliver a secret letter to the King, and it's a lot more fun than it sounds.
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Noughts + Crosses
Set in a parallel universe where white people (Noughts) are the oppressed and Black people (Crosses) are the dominant majority, Noughts + Crosses follows the story of two star-crossed lovers in the midst of a growing rebellion.
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His Dark Materials
Based on Philip Pullman's epic trilogy, His Dark Materials tells the story of a young woman from another world who—while attempting to find her missing friend—uncovers a series of mysterious and possibly sinister kidnappings. The show ended after three satisfying seasons.
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American Gods
Okay, yes, this fan fave series (which takes place in a hidden America where magic is real and a battle is waging between the Old Gods and the New) was technically canceled by Starz after season 3 in 2021, but a legion of die hard fans—including people who worked on the project—are still trying to bring it back.
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A Discovery of Witches
What happens when a young scholar (who also happens to be the descendent of witches) unearths a long-lost alchemical manuscript in Oxford's library? She gets caught in an ancient war between vampires and witches, obvs.
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Invisible City
This Brazilian fantasy series revolves around a detective who—while investigating a murder—stumbles upon a world inhabited by mythical entities typically invisible to humans.
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Schmigadoon!
This super-fun series (which follows a couple as they stumble upon a magical town trapped in an old-timey musical) may be *officially* considered more "musical-comedy" than "fantasy" series, but it still counts. Honestly, it's worth watching for the stacked cast alone.
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