Welcome to Riya’s Blogs, where we dive deep into worlds you can’t help but get lost in. If you’re someone who dreams of fire-breathing dragons, mysterious kingdoms, time-traveling witches, or just a good old-fashioned sword fight between good and evil, you’re in for a treat. This article is all about fantasy TV shows—those brilliant portals into epic lands and emotional journeys that feel more real than reality itself.
Let’s get comfy, grab a hot drink (maybe even a butterbeer?), and explore some of the best fantasy series that are worth every second of your binge-watching time.
🌌 Why We Crave Fantasy TV Shows
Before we dive into our list of the best fantasy TV shows, let’s ask—why fantasy?
Fantasy TV shows give us what everyday life often can’t: magic, adventure, alternate realities, and moral battles that shake the foundations of entire kingdoms. But more than that, they tap into human emotion—love, betrayal, friendship, destiny—with the added twist of dragons or demons lurking in the shadows.
Fantasy reminds us that there’s something larger than life out there, waiting just beyond the veil.
🐉 1. Game of Thrones – The Crown Jewel of Fantasy
No list of fantasy TV shows would be complete without Game of Thrones. Based on George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire,” this series redefined what fantasy on TV could be. Political backstabbing? Check. Undead armies? Check. Dragons that grow up before your eyes? Absolutely.
What made this one of the best fantasy series wasn’t just its high production value—it was the complexity of characters. From the ambitious Daenerys Targaryen to the brooding Jon Snow, every character had layers that made you love and hate them at once.
And let’s be honest—who didn’t yell when that final season aired? Good or bad, it made an impression.
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”
Well, we all died a little during that finale.
🧝 2. The Witcher – Gritty, Gory, and Gloriously Magical
If you haven’t fallen for Geralt of Rivia’s gravelly voice yet, it’s only a matter of time. The Witcher became one of the best fantasy TV shows the moment Henry Cavill stepped into those monster-hunting boots.
The story follows Geralt, a mutant with superhuman powers, as he navigates a world full of morally grey sorceresses, cursed princesses, and horrifying creatures. But what really keeps you hooked? The found-family bond between Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer.
It’s a tale of destiny, chaos, and trying to find your place in a world that wants to burn you.
Also—Toss a coin to your Witcher is still stuck in our heads.
✨ 3. Shadow and Bone – When Magic and Politics Collide
Adapted from Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling “Grishaverse” novels, Shadow and Bone is Netflix’s answer to high fantasy with a twist. Think Russian folklore meets magic schools and espionage.
Alina Starkov, a mapmaker-turned-sun-summoner, discovers she might be the key to saving her war-torn country. As the power dynamics shift, secret societies like the Crows add a gritty, heist-style subplot that fantasy lovers absolutely adore.
This is one of those fantasy TV shows that makes you root for the villains, question your morals, and binge an entire season in one sitting.
🐺 4. His Dark Materials – A Philosophical Adventure Through Multiverses
Based on Philip Pullman’s legendary books, His Dark Materials takes us on a journey across parallel worlds—complete with daemons (animal manifestations of your soul), talking bears, and a war against the heavens.
It’s cerebral, heartfelt, and visually stunning. This isn’t just one of the best fantasy series—it’s one that explores heavy themes like religious control, personal autonomy, and the loss of innocence.
Young Lyra’s quest is not just about adventure—it’s about discovering truth in a world that hides it well.
💎 5. Carnival Row – Fantasy Meets Neo-Noir Mystery
This underrated gem blends Victorian aesthetics with mythical creatures—fae, fauns, and more—all living in a human-dominated city full of racial tension and forbidden love.
Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne headline this dark, stylish series that is part murder mystery, part political drama, part epic love story. It’s an example of how fantasy TV shows can be allegorical, tackling real-world issues in otherworldly ways.
🌟 6. Merlin – A Classic Take with a Modern Soul
If you love tales of King Arthur and Camelot, Merlin is a must-watch. This BBC series is a softer, more charming take on the myth, where young Merlin is a bumbling servant hiding his magical powers from a magic-hating King Uther.
It’s less grimdark than other fantasy TV shows, but no less magical. The friendships, especially between Merlin and Arthur, give the show its emotional heartbeat.
Think of it as your comfort fantasy—the kind of show you revisit when you want to believe in destiny and dragons again.
🎭 Small Note on Legend of the Fall Cast – A Touch of Tragedy & Legacy
While not a fantasy show, it’s worth mentioning the Legend of the Fall cast here—because the 1994 film Legends of the Fall captured a similar emotional depth we often find in the best fantasy series. Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, and Aidan Quinn deliver performances so powerful, it feels like folklore.
There’s something about sprawling emotional stories set against untamed wilderness and tragedy that fantasy fans often love. So if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth watching just for the cinematic power of its cast.
🧙♂️ 7. The Wheel of Time – A Fresh Take on an Epic Saga
Amazon’s big-budget adaptation of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time is ambitious, magical, and steadily growing into one of the best fantasy series of recent years.
Following Moiraine and a group of villagers who might be tied to an ancient prophecy, this show delivers high-stakes magic, intense battles, and a universe with its own intricate rules.
Fantasy fans love it because it doesn’t simplify its world—it asks you to pay attention and rewards you with lore-rich storytelling.
🧚♀️ 8. Once Upon a Time – Fairytales, But Not As You Know Them
Ever wondered what would happen if Snow White, Captain Hook, Rumpelstiltskin, and Elsa from Frozen all lived in the same town? Welcome to Storybrooke.
Once Upon a Time reimagines every fairytale you know and gives them dramatic new twists. It’s one of the most creative fantasy TV shows that blends nostalgia with mystery and heartfelt emotion.
This one’s perfect if you want a fantasy show with equal parts magic and emotional storytelling. Bonus: it’s long, so your binge-watch list is sorted for weeks.
🌠 9. The Magicians – Hogwarts for Adults, But Darker
If Harry Potter grew up, discovered therapy, and dealt with real-world trauma, you’d get The Magicians.
This Syfy series, based on Lev Grossman’s novels, starts with Quentin Coldwater—a seemingly ordinary guy who discovers that Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy is real. But unlike traditional magical boarding schools, Brakebills doesn’t sugarcoat anything.
The Magicians is one of the best fantasy TV shows because it dares to be different. It doesn’t just dabble in magic; it confronts themes like depression, addiction, and identity with brutal honesty, all while featuring sentient forests, talking rabbits, and gods with petty grudges.
It’s witty, wild, weird—and incredibly human.
🐉 10. House of the Dragon – A Bloody Return to Westeros
A prequel to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon brings us back to Westeros, but with more dragons, more intrigue, and more raw ambition.
Set nearly 200 years before the events of the original show, it follows House Targaryen at the height of its power—and on the brink of civil war. If you loved the scheming and battles of Game of Thrones, this series takes it to another level. Viserys, Rhaenyra, Daemon—their names will soon haunt your dreams the way Jon Snow and Cersei once did.
Why is it considered one of the best fantasy series today? Because it doesn’t just rely on legacy—it builds its own storm.
And the dragons? Magnificent.
🐦 11. Penny Dreadful – Gothic Horror with a Fantasy Twist
Vampires. Werewolves. Dorian Gray. Frankenstein’s Monster. Imagine all the darkest literary characters you’ve ever read about living together in one cursed corner of Victorian London. That’s Penny Dreadful for you.
This series isn’t just horror—it’s a melancholic love letter to the supernatural. It blurs the lines between fantasy TV shows and gothic literature in the most intoxicating way.
Eva Green’s performance alone is worth the binge. She turns Vanessa Ives into one of the most complex, powerful, and tormented female characters in fantasy history.
This is not your typical fairy-tale fantasy—it’s poetic darkness wrapped in velvet.
🧜♀️ 12. The OA – Sci-Fi, Spirituality, and Fantasy Collide
The OA is… hard to explain, and that’s exactly why it’s one of the best fantasy TV shows you’ll ever watch—if you’re willing to be patient.
Prairie Johnson returns after being missing for years—blind when she disappeared, now mysteriously sighted. What follows is a mix of alternate dimensions, near-death experiences, interpretive dance (yes, really), and a group of unlikely heroes trying to change the future.
This isn’t a traditional fantasy, but its genre-bending brilliance makes it unforgettable. It’s the kind of show you’ll discuss with friends at 2 a.m., wondering what it all means.
If you loved Lost, you’ll be obsessed.
🐲 13. Legend of the Seeker – Sword and Sorcery Done Right
Sometimes, all we want is a straightforward tale of prophecy, adventure, and a reluctant hero. Legend of the Seeker, based on Terry Goodkind’s “Sword of Truth” novels, delivers just that—and more.
Richard Cypher, a humble woodsman, finds out he’s destined to be the “Seeker”—a warrior who must defeat a tyrannical ruler. Alongside a powerful Confessor and a sarcastic wizard, Richard’s journey is packed with curses, magic, and sword fights that make you cheer.
It may not have had the budget of Game of Thrones, but its heart and storytelling earned it a cult following. A perfect example of underrated fantasy TV shows done right.
🔥 14. American Gods – Mythology Meets Modernity
Based on Neil Gaiman’s critically acclaimed novel, American Gods is a surreal masterpiece. Old gods (like Odin and Anansi) battle for relevance in a world now worshipping media, tech, and fame.
What makes this one of the best fantasy series is how it weaves real-world mythologies into a modern, visually explosive narrative. It’s part social commentary, part fantasy epic, and entirely unique.
Every frame feels like art. And every character? Symbolic, chaotic, unforgettable.
Just like belief systems in the real world—it challenges everything you think you know.
🎭 15. Legend of the Fall Cast – Revisiting an Iconic Ensemble
Let’s circle back for a moment to that iconic Legend of the Fall cast, because they deserve the spotlight too.
Brad Pitt as the wild and free-spirited Tristan, Anthony Hopkins as the stern but loving father, and Aidan Quinn as the loyal but heartbroken brother—this cast brought such intensity that it felt like a Shakespearean tragedy disguised as a Western drama.
While Legends of the Fall isn’t a fantasy TV show, the emotions it evokes—the epic scale, the love, the loss—often overlap with the emotional gravity found in the best fantasy series. It reminds us that even stories grounded in history can feel as grand and mythic as the ones with dragons.
And honestly? That’s the magic of storytelling.
🪄 Bonus Mentions: Hidden Fantasy Gems
Here are a few more lesser-known fantasy TV shows that you might not have heard of, but deserve all your love:
- Dark (Netflix) – A German time-travel thriller that bends your brain in the best way possible.
- Atlantis (BBC) – Mythology with campy fun.
- Cursed (Netflix) – A feminist twist on the Arthurian legend.
- The Shannara Chronicles – A post-apocalyptic future that looks suspiciously like high fantasy.
All of these prove one thing: fantasy is everywhere—you just have to look.
🌈 Final Words from Riya’s Blogs
So, fellow dreamers and adventurers—whether you’re into heavy political drama (House of the Dragon), philosophical metaphors (The OA), or sword-slinging classics (Legend of the Seeker), there’s a fantasy TV show out there waiting to steal your heart and mess with your sleep schedule.
Fantasy isn’t just about dragons or magic—it’s about the feeling of discovering something more. It’s about falling into worlds that make your real one feel more bearable.
At Riya’s Blogs, we believe that stories have power. They shape us, challenge us, and sometimes—save us.
So next time the world feels too heavy, just remember: there’s always a portal waiting. You just need to press play.
Want to read a bit more? Find some more of my writings here-
Dirty Jokes That’ll Leave You Blushing and Laughing — A Collection of Funny Adult Jokes
Buckle Up: The Best Action and Adventure Books That Will Keep You Turning Pages All Night
Dating Advice That Actually Works: A Guide for the Start of a New Relationship
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