Although the fantasy genre didn’t always do well on the big screen,televisionhas been a different story. Over many years, devotedfans offantasy TV showshave overwhelmed streaming and TV platforms with their viewership, captivated by amazing shows likeOutlander,Stranger Things, andHouse of the Dragon. The shows enthralled audiences with amazing stories, rich settings, and lovable characters, earning famed recognition for the genre.
Now, fantasy is continuously thriving on both the small and big screens-provided by well-known hits likeHarry Potter,The School for Good And Evil, andWicked.With the current curious fans who are now delving into the realm of fantasy, viewers have come to look back at past shows they barely remember in the face of all the new and exciting series. Many of these shows once pulled and enchanted fans into a realm of all things impossible.
10’Haven’ (2010-2015)
Created by Jim Dunn, Sam Ernst
The Syfy channel has long been the place to findsome of the most addictive fantasy TV showsacross the globe. The seriesHavenis one of them. The show, filled with drama, crime, mystery, and most of all fantasy, follows FBI agent Audrey Parker’s (Emily Rose) arrival in Haven, Maine. The longer she stays, the more she realizes that something strange is going on- not just with the town and its inhabitants, but also with her mysterious connection to it all.
Despite having faced somepretty harsh criticism during its run and after its conclusion,Havenstill has many fans who vouch for the series. Some viewers even found the show to be slower-paced, dropping the series before its peak, making it one of the less memorable fantasy shows out there. Fans have argued that it was no slower than any other show that ran during its time. Fans continue to talk about its captivating moments and unexpected plot points.
9’The Magicians' (2015-2020)
Created by Sera Gamble, John McNamara, Michael London
This campy fantasy series first claimed its audience in 2015, alsoon the Syfy channel.The Magicianscatered to a wide range of fantasy lovers with its mixed pot of comedic antics, depth, and a dash of romance. The story revolves around a raunchy group of young adults who discover that magic is real. After they are invited to join a college full of magic and mystery, the group of unexpected friends attempt to try their best to hone their skills and navigate the magical world, protecting humanity while they’re at it.
The series’ wide range opened doors forsilly antics, crude jokes, and a depth of emotion that often surprised its viewers.The Magicianswere known to get very dark despite a lot of the lighter moments that viewers enjoyed. Fans admired the show’s innovative plot, involving demons, gods, time travel, and library debates. The show captivated viewers with its campy feel, silliness, and its often darker depth.
The Magicians
8’Beyond' (2016-2018)
Created by Adam Nussdorf
Beyondhighlights the life of a once comatose, Holden, who awakens 12 years later. Not only does he have to survive his current adult life, he must also handle strange abilities, and navigate through treacherous conspiracies. With his curiosity to find out the truth of what really happened to him, Holden sets out ona journey of intense self-discovery, finding love and friendship along the way.
The show’s great run showcased a fantastic story exploring how someone might cope with the struggles of living as an adult after falling into a coma as a child. Add in thefantastical themes of mystery and power,and audiences were hooked. Despite audiences favoringBeyond’sintriguing plot, unfortunately, like so many shows before it, the show’s run was cut short, leaving it to fade away in the background of what came next for fantasy TV.
WATCH ON APPLE TV
7’Lost Girl' (2010-2016)
Created by Michelle Lovretta
While some viewers believedLost Girlto be a cheesy fantasy romance, the incredibly lovable show amassed a loyal fan base over its duration. The Canadian series followed Bo (Anna Silk),a life-force sucking succubus who was raised by humans, as she set out on a journey to find out who she is and where she belongs. Alongside her for the ride are some awesome supportive friends and a few complicated lovers.
Lost Girlis definitely one of thoseshows that have guilty pleasures. Viewers couldn’t help but return to the entertaining plot, and it’s easy to watch and feel. Though over time the series has quietly and consistently become less prominent, it is a series that is worth rediscovering time and time again, a perfect feel-good binge-watch.
WATCH ON THE CW
6’Pushing Daisies' (2007-2009)
Created by Bryan Fuller
Pushing Daisiesis an American fantasyromantic comedy series thatimmediately held an allure for fans from its very first episode. The wholesomely sweet, and sometimes horrifically morbid series follows Ned (Lee Pace) and his rare ability to restore life to the dead with a simple touch. Being an all-around good guy, Ned uses his ability to solve crimes by getting the truth from the deceased victims themselves. Trouble arises when Ned touches his childhood sweetheart, who has met her end. With the conviction of keeping his lady-love alive, he proves that he’ll do anything, even if it means he will never be able to touch her again.
Pushing Daisieswasa sensational TV show that unfortunately met its end after its second season.Audiences loved its story and the drama that came with Ned being desperately in love with someone he couldn’t touch. While it was heavily enjoyed during its time, the series became less and less talked about after its abrupt conclusion. Despite that,Pushing Daisies,with its blend of light, comedic moments, and sweet, emotional depth, lingering fans continue to be enamored.
Pushing Daisies
5’The Nine Lives of Chloe King' (2011)
Created by Dan Berendsen
The Nine Lives of Chloe Kingis definitelyone of those shows that ended too soon. Based onThe Nine Lives of Chloe Kingbook series byLiz Braswell,the show debuted in 2011, lasting only one season. The series chronicles the life of Chloe King (Skyler Samuels), a 16-year-old girl who discovers she has some very strange and complicated abilities. With heightened senses and mysterious enemies, Chloe tackles her new life with the support of some new friends, and a few potential boyfriends.
The show, unfortunately,didn’t receive the viewership it needed to keep running, but audiences who did, fortunately, watch, found the show fantastic.Fans enjoyedThe Nine Lives of Chloe Kingfor all that it was, despite it fading into obscurity. The show may have had a slower start than others in its genre and time, but by the end of the season, with its alluring cliffhanger, it truly shined with potential.
4’Bitten' (2014-2016)
Created by Daegan Fryklind
Bittenwas one of those shows that grasped its audience in quick succession. The series mesmerized its fans with its intense plot. The storydelves into the life of Elena (Laura Vandervoort),who is in denial of who she is and the world she is forced into. Elena is the only existing female werewolf, but would rather spend her days mundanely, pretending that she’s not rare, or different. Nothing comes easy for her and her plan to abandon her pack, especially when the shadow of her old love looms over her new one.
The amazing show is an adaptation of the book seriesWoman of The Other World, byKelley Armstrong. The series wrapped up, leaving fans mournful of its loss, but eager to find something new and similar. Replaced by the quick growth of all things romance and werewolves, the series couldn’t help its fade into the “fantasy ether.” Though this is the case, fans who remember their love for the fun and dramatic series still find it rewatchable.
3’Wynonna Earp' (2016-2021)
Created by Emily Andras
There is something about those darn Earp girls! While Wynonna herself would cringe at the statement, it doesn’t make it any less true.Wynonna Earppremiered in 2016, with a fantastical and amazingly thrilling plot. The story followsWynonna (Melanie Scrofano), the rebellious heirto Wyatt Earp, returning to her small hometown of Purgatory-so accurately named. Wynonna teams up with her bubbly younger sister, the charming Doc Holliday, and agent Xavier Dolls, in order to stop all the naughty revenants from taking over her town and escaping into the world.
Despite its obsessed fan base, the show was under the threat of cancelation. But fortunately,Wynonna Earpmade its return in 2020, with its fourth and final season. Fans were left worried about the show’s continuation, anxiously waiting, then gradually forgetting about the incredible fantasy series, within its brief two-year gap of uncertainty. Viewers who loved the show were sure to celebrate its return, appeased by its conclusion, instead of its jaw-dropping cliffhanger of season 3, being able to enjoy the turbulent drama of Wynnona’s life one last time.
Wynonna Earp
2’The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself' (2022)
Created by Joe Barton
Based on the novelHalf BadbySally Green,The Bastard Son & The Devil Himselfwas introduced to audiences by the streaming platform Netflix. The story delves into the drama of Nathan Bryne,a young witch on the cusp of self-discovery, as he’s made aware that he’s the bastard son of the infamous Marcus Edge.
The series never made it to its second season, but the hypnotizing plot of the first kept viewers engaged. While fans of the novel were excited to see the series on screen, those who found the show, especially after its cancelation, just had to delve into the thrilling book series to know what happens next. As fans' frustration over the show’s cancelation peaked, first-time viewers of the onscreen story, who knew nothing of the books, turned to the written version to balm their grief.The show, gradually forgotten, now sits quietly on streaming platforms.
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself
WATCH ON NETFLIX
1’His Dark Materials' (2019-2022)
Created by Jack Thorne
Withthe adaptation of the amazing seriesnot doing so well on the big screen, writers, like so many at the beginning of the fantasy genre’s career, took their ideas to television. There, it found its stride, doing justice to Philip Pullman’s beloved book series. The show follows a young girl in search of her stolen friend. On her journey to find him, she uncovers sinister plots involving children who are taken and ripped of their souls-manifested as animals- and the illegal use of the marvel called dust.
As captivating as the show was, it was hardly talked about by its conclusion, due to a few pacing issues. Despite its imaginative and fantastical characters and settings,His Dark Materialsbegan to be left behind by other amazing fantasy shows. Yet, still, some of those who were fans of the written series watched till its heartbreaking conclusion, giving the show its deserved accolades.
