Fantasy is by far the oldest and most creative genre of storytelling, as it is limited only by the imagination of the person telling it. Thus, it’s no surprise that fantasy is a frequent genre for television shows. Sometimes the smaller budgets do cut into just how many fantastical creatures and magical powers can be portrayed, but they nevertheless make up for it through captivating world building and memorable characters.
Sadly, creating a television show is difficult work even at the best of times, and networks can be fickle when it comes to renewing projects. Some shows come to an end early before they can reach 40 episodes, but are still worth checking out, especially because their smaller episode count means you can get through them relatively quickly. Alternatively, some of these shows are new or ongoing, so time will tell how many episodes they’ll have by the end of their runs.
‘Hilda’ (2018–2023)
Hilda (Bella Ramsey) is a young girl who loves to go exploring in the wilderness and discover new, magical creatures alongside her deer-fox, Twig. Her mother, Johanna (Daisy Haggard), worries that Hilda might suffer from not growing up with human friends, so, after their house is destroyed by a giant, she moves them to the walled city of Trolburg. Fortunately, there are still plenty of magical creatures within the city, and she makes friends with two humans, Frieda (Ameerah Falzon-Ojo) and David (Oliver Nelson), and an elf named Alfur (Rasmus Hardiker), who accompany her on new adventures.
Hilda‘s author, Luke Pearson, had an active hand in his graphic novel’s adaptation, which is a major reason why the show is so engaging. It’s got a very laid-back style that is reminiscent of childhood days spent exploring and gaining a better understanding of the world, which is accentuated thanks to the colorful and expressive art style. The use of the magical creatures is also fantastic, with many of them drawing on their mythological roots rather than more modern interpretations, which helps make them feel more unique.
‘Shadow and Bone’ (2021–2023)
Alina Starkov (Kaylan Teague and Jessie Mei Li) is a cartographer of Ravka’s First Army who discovers that she is a prophetized Grisha called the Sun Summoner, who can generate light. She is quickly brought into Ravka’s Second Army, led by General Aleksander Kirigan (Ben Barnes), to be trained to use her powers in the hopes that she can destroy the Fold, a shadow barrier that splits Ravka in half. Meanwhile, news of the Sun Summoner’s arrival spreads far and wide, leading a trio of thieves from Ketterdam called the Crows to try and kidnap Alina to get a leg up on their rivals.
Shadow and Bone is based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, and does a pretty good job translating the world to the small screen. Each of the different nations feels well-defined with their own cultures and grievances with one another, while the different types of Grisha demonstrate a wide array of magic that feels naturally integrated into the broader world. As for characters, Alina is admittedly a little bland as a protagonist, but General Kirigan is a complicated individual, and the Crows absolutely steal the show whenever they’re onscreen thanks to their camaraderie.
‘Dave the Barbarian’ (2004–2005)
When the king and queen of Udrogoth depart to fight evil in far off lands, their eldest daughter, Candy (Erica Luttrell), is made princess regent. The kingdom is protected by their son, Dave (Danny Cooksey), a warrior of incredible strength who would rather do anything but fight, who is aided in turn by his aggressive younger sister, Fang (Tress MacNeille), glutenous and bumbling sorcerer uncle, Oswidge (Kevin Michael Richardson), and pet dragon, Faffy (Frank Welker). Together, they go on quests, battle the forces of evil, and get into fourth-wall-breaking debates with the show’s narrator (Jeff Bennett).
Dave the Barbarian is one of the funniest shows produced by Disney Channel, making it all the more tragic that its run ended so soon. The show’s humor relied a lot on fourth-wall breaks, self-awareness among the characters, and loving parodies of the fantasy genre, leading to a wide array of creative jokes that had audiences laughing with each episode. It also helps that the characters have simple but complimentary personalities, which leads to plots that practically write themselves.
‘The Mighty Nien’ (2025–Present)
On the continent of Wildmount, the Dwendalian Empire stands on the brink of war with its neighbor, the Krin Dynasty. Beauregard Lionett (Marisha Ray), a member of a monastic order that specializes in uncovering conspiracies, discovers that the coming war is linked to someone within the Empire, and sets off to find proof. Her journey brings her into contact with the most unlikely of allies, including a homeless wizard with a traumatic past, an alcoholic and cleptomaniac goblin, and a sheltered tiefling with a perverted mind.
The Mighty Nien is the second series to adapt the works of Critical Role, and its first season hit a lot harder than Season 1 of its sister-show, The Legend of Vox Machina. Rather than start midway through the adventure, the show lets audiences see the Nien individually before they come together, and since episodes are an hour long, more time can be dedicated to the characters and world building. It’s also a much darker story (not that Vox Machina didn’t get dark in places), with a lot of focus on the complex world of politics and conspiracies, as well as greater emphasis on the character’s trauma.
‘Castlevania’ (2017–2021)
Enraged at the death of his wife Lisa (Emily Swallow) at the hands of the church, Dracula (Graham McTavish) summons an army of demons and other terrors of the night to wage war on all of humanity. The only one who can stop him is Trevor Belmot (Richard Armitage), a vampire hunter whose family was excommunicated due to alligations of black magic use. He is aided by a wandering mage named Sypha Belnaes (Alejandra Reynoso) and Adrian (James Callis), Dracula’s dhampir son.
Castlevania is not only a great adaptation of the popular video game series of the same name, but it’s also one of the best adult animated shows on Netflix. It presents a world dripping in Gothic horror and tragic romance, all brought to life through truly spectacular animation and intense, fast-paced action sequences. Every character is memorable thanks to their fantastic voice acting and their complex personalities, but Dracula himself stands out thanks to how well McTavish taps into his dual nature of bloodsucking monster and tragic figure haunted by grief and loss.
‘Primal’ (2019–Present)
Spear (Noah Kaye Bentley and Aaron LaPlante) is a hominid living in prehistoric Earth who loses his family to a pack of horned theropod dinosaurs. He later takes his revenge on the predators with the help of Fang (Frank Welker), a female Tyrannosaurus Rex who lost her children to the pack as well. Now the two wander the landscape, fighting and hunting to survive, while encountering numerous other groups trying to do the same.
Primal is primarily an action-adventure show, but there are plenty of fantasy elements to be found, such as the presence of dark magic and witchcraft. The animation is stellar, resulting in brutal and fast-paced action sequences and creative designs, especially for the prehistoric creatures. Its greatest strength, however, is how perfectly it can draw audiences into the narrative and the struggle of the characters, especially since the show is virtually devoid of dialogue.
‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)
Rian (Taron Egerton) is a Gelfling from the planet Thra who serves the Skeksis, ancient rulers of the planet who steward the Crystal of Truth. That is, until he witnesses them kill one of his close friends and drain her essence to rejuvenate themselves, forcing Rian to go on the run. As he tries to find allies who will believe him, a subterranean Gelfling named Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel) discovers a blight that is corrupting the ecosystem, while Princess Brea (Anya Taylor-Joy), the youngest daughter of the All-Maudra (Helena Bonham Carter), discovers a hidden breadcrumb trail that reveals more about the Skeksis’ past.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel to Jim Henson‘s dark fantasy masterpiece, The Dark Crystal. It expands on the film’s lore by delving into the different Delfling cultures and showcasing the Skeksis when they were at the height of their rule, which includes individuals not present in the film, such as The Hunter, skekMal (Ralph Ineson). It also goes without saying that the puppetry is phenomenal, especially for skekMal, who is portrayed by a full-body actor to highlight his greater strength and stamina compared to the other Skeksis.
‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)
After the undercity of Zaun failed to rebel against the technologically advanced Piltover, Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) and her younger sister Powder (Mia Sinclair Jenness and Ella Purnell) are left orphaned and adopted by a friend of their parents named Vander (Edan Hayhurst). Years later, the two take part in a heist that causes collateral damage, bringing enforcers down to Zaun and threatening the peace. Meanwhile, Vander’s old partner, Silco (Jason Spisak), resurfaces with a powerful new drug at his disposal, while in Piltover, two brilliant minds named Jayce (Faustino Duran and Kevin Alejandro) and Viktor (Edan Hayhurst and Harry Lloyd) discover a breakthrough that will change the world forever.
Season 1 of Arcane is a masterpiece in storytelling, even if you’re unfamiliar with the League of Legends game its based on. The first three episodes alone tell a brutally tragic tale as Vi and Powder’s lives are all but shattered, but when combined with the rest of the season, it weaves a tapestry of the sacrifices people make for the ones they love, the price of ambition, and the pros and cons of new technologies, all held together by complex characters often at war with themselves. Season 2 was, admittedly, much more of a mixed bag, but that doesn’t take away from the emotional highs of Season 1, and, should you wish, you can look at its final episode as the tragic ending to a tragic story.
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ (2026–Present)
After the death of his master, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb), Ser Duncan the Tall (Bamber Todd and Peter Claffey) makes his way to Ashford to compete in a tournament and make a name for himself as a hedge knight. He runs into a well-spoken, bald-headed boy named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), who wishes to be his squire, to which Dunk eventually agrees. However, things become a lot more complicated when members of House Targaryen arrive at the tournament, including Hand of the King, Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel), his youngest brother, Prince Maekar (Sam Spruell), and Maecar’s arrogant son, Prince Aerion (Finn Bennett).
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the second spin-off to come from Game of Thrones, and even after just one season, audiences can’t stop singing its praises. It’s faithful to author George R. R. Martin‘s lovable story of heroism and adhering to knightly virtues in an unjust world while making necessary changes that give audiences more time to immerse themselves in the world and fall in love with the characters. Even if the later seasons dip in quality, Season 1 tells a complete story that presents Westeros in a unique, ground-level perspective, rather than always following big movers and shakers among the highborn.
‘Over the Garden Wall’ (2014)
Stepbrothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean), as well as Greg’s newly acquired frog (Jack Jones), find themselves lost in a strange forest called The Unknown. They meet a talking bluebird named Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey), who offers to take them to Adelaide of the Pasture (John Cleese), who can help them get home. However, they are warned by a Woodsman (Christopher Lloyd) to beware of the Beast (Samuel Ramey), who prowls the Unknown looking for lost souls such as themselves.
Over the Garden Wall was Cartoon Network’s first miniseries, and remains one of the most beloved IPs to come out of their revival in the 2010s. Though the episodes are only eleven minutes long, they enthrall audiences with their rich atmosphere, lovable characters, foreboding mystery, and mature themes. The show also takes massive inspiration from the Golden Age of Animation, namely early Disney projects like The Alice Comedies and the works of Fleischer’s Studios, like Betty Boop.
Over the Garden Wall
- Release Date
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2014 – 2014
- Network
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Cartoon Network
- Showrunner
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Patrick McHale
- Directors
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Nate Cash