The 15 Greatest Fantasy TV Sequence Of All Time, Ranked

From plots of political treachery and imitate romances to huge multiverses and epic intercontinental warfare, the fantasy style encompasses a lot of the tales that make life so wealthy. Many of those tales come from the literary world, bled from the ink of such legendary writers as J.R.R. Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, H.P. Lovecraft, in addition to those that observe of their footsteps, like Andrzej Sapkowski, Terry Pratchett, and George R.R. Martin.�

Whether or not adapting the work of those prolific authors or making a world that is totally new, the fantasy style calls for one factor: grand narrative scale. Maybe that is why such tales have flourished by means of the medium of tv in recent times, taking viewers to distant lands, historical instances, and much away worlds we may as soon as solely dream of by means of the pages of a e book.�

However not all fantasy TV collection are created equal, which is why we have assembled an inventory of the 15 finest fantasy TV collection of all time.

Disney adults, look no additional — if you happen to’re in quest of the type of magic you discover “When You Want Upon a Star,” you actually solely have to want for “As soon as Upon a Time.” “Misplaced” alums Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are liable for this fantasy thriller collection, wherein characters from a far-off fairytale world (who all occur to resemble the favored variations seen in Disney animated movies) are trapped with out reminiscence of who they really are within the small, dreary, real-world city of Storybrooke, Maine.

The enjoyable of watching this present for the primary time (particularly if you happen to can keep away from spoilers) is attempting to guess which Disney character can be revealed subsequent. Intelligent and infrequently nostalgic clues are doled out rigorously, because the seemingly regular people of Storybrooke uncover they’re really the enduring heroes and villains of our childhood. There’s additionally quite a lot of acquainted faces who pop up in stunning roles, together with Jamie Dornan, Tom Ellis, Giancarlo Espositio, Elizabeth Lail, Sebastian Stan, and Sam Witwer.

Created by “Trumbo” screenwriter John McNamara and “You” creator-executive producer Sera Gamble, “The Magicians” is one in every of the uncommon e book variations that really improves upon the supply materials. The collection basically performs out like “Harry Potter,” if it passed off a decade later in America, forcing its characters to confront trials which can be each fantastical and painfully actual.

Concerning the latter, “The Magicians” can wade outdoors its depth in a short time, ambitiously and maybe even admirably trying to sort out subject material in methods that may vary from stable to sadly clumsy. Broadly, nonetheless, there’s loads of enjoyable available with its premise, and each flip the writers selected feels a part of a mission to mine as a lot from it as potential. For higher or worse, no stone is left unturned — for that, in addition to for its gifted ensemble solid, interweaving plot strains, and world-building, we now have to present “The Magicians” due credit score.

If you consider the fantasy style, you in all probability do not instantly think about a police procedural. However that is exactly what makes “Lucifer” such a devilishly intelligent present.

Tom Ellis stars because the titular prince of darkness, loosely tailored from a model of the biblical determine seen within the “Sandman” comedian books by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, and Mark Dringenberg. His Lucifer is a melancholic malcontent who steals away to the human world with a purpose to discover pleasure. Such is the lifetime of an irredeemable demon, he rapidly will get wrapped up in a homicide investigation, throughout which he develops an odd ongoing partnership with a Los Angeles police officer (Lauren German)

The scope of the collection evolves past pure freak-of-the-week instances because the writers unravel extra of their world’s mythology. Due to a last-minute save by Netflix, the collection was capable of full a definitive six-season run that in the end sticks the touchdown.

Based mostly on the favored fantasy novels by Andrzej Sapkowski (which had been individually tailored right into a massively common online game collection), “The Witcher” is an effective ol’ trend monster-hunting collection wrapped up in a deliciously darkish world of swords and sorcery. The principle attraction of the Netflix adaptation is undoubtedly Henry Cavill — the hulking would-be Superman performs Geralt of Rivera, a member of a race of magically-mutated monster mercs that offers the collection its identify.

Whereas he is completely credible as a broodingly stoic man burying his feelings in blood, Cavill’s swordplay arguably deserves probably the most reward. The battle choreography coupled along with his simple dealing with of the weapon create motion sequences that really feel real, harmful, and completely brutal. Sadly, Cavill exited the collection for causes which can be nonetheless not totally clear (although it ostensibly had principally to do along with his promised return to the DCEU). As we wait to see how Liam Hemsworth will tackle the function transferring ahead, Cavill’s first three seasons take viewers on a fairly satisfying journey that has sufficient surprises and thrills to maintain you wanting extra.

When the primary “Castlevania” collection debuted on Netflix in 2017, our takeaway was that it had the makings of a good film, however failed tremendously as a TV present. Much more constructive critiques had been important of the present’s poor pacing, haphazard use of gore, and complicated humorousness. General, the impression was that this online game adaptation wanted to significantly stage up if it wished to be taken critically as a bit of artwork — so stage up the collection did.

In 2023, Netflix launched the primary season of the sequel collection “Castlevania: Nocturne,” which maintains the earlier collection’ gothic tone however extra efficiently harnesses the potential of its medium. World feels larger, the drama extra exact, and the motion and spectacle extra dazzling than we may’ve hoped. In the event you like vampires, magic, blood, and/or 18th century France, there is not a greater collection on the market for you.

The CW has produced quite a lot of fantasy dramas over the previous twenty years, however none have left the identical mark as “Supernatural.” The wildly common journey collection had all of it — epic stakes, endearingly brash humor, lore you can sink your enamel into, and two powerhouse lead performances within the type of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki’s Dean and Sam Winchester.

This placement may really feel a bit low to a few of our readers — and, admittedly, it definitely would not replicate the cultural prominence or affect “Supernatural” had all through its early years. These traits, nonetheless, are offset by the present’s considerably uneven season-to-season high quality. That being stated, even throughout its much less partaking arcs, the collection would nonetheless drop an episode or two that ranked among the many collection’ finest. Moreover, if there’s one factor “Supernatural” proved in each scene they had been on display, it is that Ackles and Padalecki are charming sufficient to show something into pure magic.

Debuting in 2008 on BBC One, “Merlin” nonetheless holds up at present as an endlessly amusing fantasy romp carried by charismatic and principally likable characters. Colin Morgan stars because the titular sorcerer, then a younger and heroic servant to the boorish Prince Arthur Pendragon (Bradley James). Arthur’s father, King Uther (Anthony Head), has made the training of magic punishable by loss of life, immediately creating stress between Merlin and nearly everybody he comes into contact with.

As readers can seemingly predict, Merlin and Arthur are destined to (someway) reconcile their variations and unite because the highly effective, altruistic caretakers of Camelot. This vacation spot provides “Merlin” the nice undertones of a coming-of-age story, albeit one beset by fixed hazard. A highpoint of the BBC’s 2000s-2010s British Invasion period, it is a fast-paced journey drama that pulls few punches because it breathes new life into one of many oldest fantasy tales ever informed.

Starring the infectiously pleasant duo of Martin Sheen and David Tennant as hapless brokers from Heaven and Hell, “Good Omens” blends spiritual fantasy with buddy comedy to outstanding impact. As Tennant informed /Movie in an unique interview, the pair had been below the belief that the venture could be a miniseries — however due to enthusiasm from the artistic crew and the present’s viewers, they had been invited again for a full-fledged collection.

After all, we now have to handle the exhaustively reported and documented allegations in opposition to creator, creator, author, and former showrunner Neil Gaiman (revealed in The New Yorker). Gaiman has vaguely denied some allegations and the exact depiction of others on his personal web site and as of writing, there has but to be a proper decision. There has additionally been no phrase as to whether or not or not the collection will get a 3rd season, permitting it to resolve the cliffhanger ending of season 2.

Maybe finest described as “The Chronicles of Narnia” however brutally unforgiving, HBO’s “His Darkish Supplies” is a compact and trustworthy adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s collection that gave “Logan” star Dafne Eager one other place to shine. She stars as Lyra, a younger woman thrown right into a multiverse of hazard and journey after one in every of her mates disappears.

The collection additionally follows James McAvoy’s Lord Asriel, Lyra’s uncle and a passionate man of science who discovers the existence of parallel worlds outdoors the rule of the shadowy Magisterium. As he defined in an unique interview with /Movie in 2022, McAvoy himself is a fan of Pullman’s novels, and he would insurgent in opposition to pointless adjustments — even and particularly in the event that they had been meant to bolster his function within the collection. He is one a part of the all-star ensemble who make “His Darkish Supplies” as a lot a gripping psychological drama as it’s an escapist fantasy.

Bizarre, whimsical, and unapologetically philosophical, “The Good Place” is an unexpectedly comforting and subversive comedy about life, morality, and the hunt to seek out which means in both. As is considerably uncommon for what at first seems to be a median NBC sitcom, it is really fairly tough to dig into why “The Good Place” is so good with out at the very least alluding to some spoilers (apologies to those that have but to see it — then once more, what the fork are you ready for?!)

The fundamental premise of the collection is that Eleanor (Kristen Bell) — a useless, morally bankrupt and borderline delinquent saleswoman who winds up in a utopian afterlife for upstanding spirits — should work with a deceased ethics professor (William Jackson Harper) to basically preserve her cowl by turning into a “good” particular person. Not a single one of many episodes is unhealthy, every revealing extra concerning the many mysteries of the collection — and maybe even these of life itself. You will perceive the growing fantasy angle when you get to the tip of the primary season.

For the way stable of a drama it’s, a lot of you studying this may increasingly have by no means seen and even heard of “Outlander.” Airing on the remoted premium community Starz in all probability hasn’t helped broaden its attain, particularly not throughout a interval wherein HBO has delivered each “Sport of Thrones” and its successor “Home of the Dragon.” One may assume, casually analyzing what little advertising there’s for the collection, that it is one in every of 100 bland interval fantasy dramas attempting to capitalize on the aforementioned collection’ success — it could not be any extra totally different.

“Outlander” follows a girl named Claire (a criminally neglected Catríona Balfe) who’s mysteriously despatched again in time from 1945 to 1743, the place she is compelled to make use of her expertise as a wartime medic to outlive amongst an insurgency of Scottish Highlanders. The collection often makes use of actual historic occasions as autos for motion and intrigue, however that is typically a backdrop for some of the compelling and totally realized romance tales informed by means of tv. Claire’s relationships with each her twentieth and 18th century beaus are grounded and mature, primarily based in relatable moments of grief and pleasure that twenty first century audiences can not help however develop into invested in. Because it heads towards its eighth and ultimate season, there isn’t any higher time to atone for this somewhat-hidden gem.

Admittedly, loving “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is pretty difficult at the moment. The supernatural coming-of-age drama was created and largely guided by disgraced author and filmmaker Joss Whedon. In recent times, the “Avengers” and “Justice League” helmer has been accused of office misconduct and abuse by a troubling quantity of former collaborators — a lot of whom shared alleged experiences that passed off throughout the filming of this very present.

Nevertheless, to dismiss the present and its affect on the tv fantasy style wouldn’t solely be a disservice to this listing however to the legacy of “Buffy,” which is generally upheld by means of the work of the remainder of the collection solid and crew. The titular character’s journey to turning into a compassionate however unshakable slayer (embodied by Sarah Michelle Gellar in a efficiency that disproved notions that solely males could lead on action-heavy dramas) was crafted by a ridiculously gifted ensemble of writers together with Steven S. DeKnight, Jane Espenson, Drew Goddard, and co-showrunner Marti Noxon.

Few teen-centered collection confront themes of maturity with maturity, as “Buffy” did so courageously. It by no means talked all the way down to its viewers, and as an alternative endeavored to make use of the horrors and wonders it may think about to point out viewers of all ages the attractive totality of turning into a full human being.

Possible the best online game adaptation of all time, Netflix and Riot Video games’ “Arcane” was a first-of-its-kind fantasy collection that pushed the boundaries of type and style to unmistakeable impact. For the uninitiated, “Arcane” is constructed from the world of the massively common multiplayer on-line battle area (MOBA) sport “League of Legends,” some of the impactful video video games ever made (“LoL” boasts thousands and thousands of concurrent gamers and is the most-watched esport by a mile as of writing).

Even if you happen to’ve by no means sat behind a mouse and keyboard, nonetheless, “Arcane” will not be solely fully accessible however completely enrapturing. That includes the voice skills of Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Harry Lloyd, and Reed Shannon, this electrical story of sophistication wrestle and institutional decay comes throughout as passionately human. Although the collection has loads of bombastic spectacle to supply (it is attractive and distinctive animation fashion — which can not even be in contrast wholeheartedly to the in any other case medium-defining work of the “Spider-Verse” movies — renders the story’s motion beats with expressive, hyper-stylized results and breathless kineticism), emotion and character are on the forefront of each body. Nowhere is that this stability higher showcased than within the season 1 confrontation between Jinx (Purnell) and Ekko (Shannon), which stands out as a highpoint of the collection and an exemplary feat of animated storytelling.

Although the collection has sadly ended earlier than we might hoped, it is recently-completed two-season run cannot be denied. For the foreseeable future, the temporary however vibrant world of “Arcane” is the top of up to date TV animation, in addition to a benchmark within the fantasy style as an entire.

There is a sound argument to be made that HBO’s darkish fantasy epic “Sport of Thrones” is the final TV present of its form. Watching it stay, week-to-week, enduring the gutting twists (devised by creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, working intently with authentic collection creator George R.R. Martin) with thousands and thousands of strangers across the globe offered one of many largest collective experiences the leisure world has ever recognized — if that is not the purpose of serialized storytelling, then what the hell is?

Many have complained (understandably so) that “Sport of Thrones” threatened, if not totally snuffed out, its potential legacy as one of many best fantasy dramas of all time because of its mythically divisive ultimate season. Certainly, few rank season 8 among the many collection’ finest outings, and you are not going to seek out “The Bells” or “The Iron Throne” on our listing of the collection’ finest episodes.

However even apart from the truth that its ultimate saga may nicely be the type of polarizing conclusion that ages like fantastic Dornish crimson, to permit six disappointing episodes to distract from the rest of the collection is to rob your self of a number of the best episodes and seasons of TV ever made in any style. From the tragedy of Ned Stark (Sean Bean) and “The Rains of Castamere” to the exhilarating “Battle of the Bastards,” “Sport of Thrones” redefined and reinvigorated the fantasy style and offered what was arguably the ultimate bow of status tv because it as soon as was.

“Avatar: The Final Airbender” is about as near an ideal tv collection as you may get. Over the course of three seasons, followers of all ages tuned in to affix Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) and his mates as they ventured all through the 4 nations, mastering expertise of elemental bending, diplomacy, navy fight, and, above all else, empathy. Episode to episode, it proved it may accomplish nearly any narrative feat — tense political thrills, particularly these brilliantly paced all through season 2’s Earth Kingdom saga; the hilarious self-parody of season 3’s “The Ember Island Gamers;” the legitimately disturbing horror of the Halloween episode “The Puppet Grasp;” the big scale fantasy battles seen in “The Day of Black Solar.” The collection builds to a four-part finale “Sozin’s Comet,” an epic ultimate showdown years within the making — an unmatched conclusion constituted of the type of grand but affected person storytelling you not often see on any community, a lot much less Nickelodeon.

Creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko did not essentially consider “The Final Airbender” as a youngsters’s tv program whereas they had been writing it, as an alternative specializing in telling emotionally sincere tales with readability and bravado. A key instance of this which maybe unlocks the collection’ secret to success was their singular try on the anthology format — season 2’s “The Tales of Ba Sing Se.” Every of the vignettes featured are emotionally efficient, however one specifically (sure, that one) succeeds in crafting some of the lovely and heartbreaking tales TV has seen in below 5 minutes. The writers are grasp storytellers who’re capable of create such sweeping narratives as a result of they craft every particular person second with the identical and even larger care (not like the Netflix adaptation, which inverts this dynamic).

“The Final Airbender” does every little thing a TV present can and will do, and stays the preeminent fantasy collection of our era.