10 Fantasy Shows Where Every Episode Is a Masterpiece

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When it comes to television, it's to be expected that not every episode is going to be good. Even if the show is the best show ever made, generally, people expect there to be some lulls in the excitement, filler episodes, or episodes that, for whatever reason, just aren't that great. Or at least, they aren't as good as the rest of the show. This is a normal part of television, which people have grown to accept by now.

Every so often, though, a show comes along that completely subverts this expectation, creating a consistent series where every episode is either really good or really bad. In this case, they're really good. Fantasy in particular is more popular than ever, and has seen a couple of these shows in the last little while. These are the best fantasy TV shows where every episode can be considered a masterpiece.

10 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' (2026–Present)

Aerion Targaryen in armor in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the second spin-off of HBO's Game of Thrones to come out, which is based on the Dunk and Egg novellas by George R. R. Martin. The series serves as a prequel to the original series, set a century or so prior to the main events. The scale of this series isn't quite as large as Game of Thrones, as it's a more intimate adventure story with a hefty dose of comedy mixed in.

However, critics have absolutely loved every second of this show since it came out. It's still just as violent as Game of Thrones, yet it manages to separate itself with its lower stakes and its straightforward story. Even though there's only been one season so far, fans have been loving it, with each episode feeling just as good, if not better than the previous one.

9 'His Dark Materials' (2019–2022)

Dafne Keen as Lyra looking to the distance in His Dark Materials Season 3.

His Dark Materials was the second attempt to bring the novels of Phillip Pullman to life, following a disastrous movie adaptation in 2008, which was so bad that it halted any plans of a sequel. The HBO series that came out over a decade later was much better and was more faithful to the source, as well. Fans of the books find this to be a perfect adaptation, which was reflected in the reviews it got from critics.

Sure, it might not have been as popular as it should have been, but the perfect fantasy TV series really does feel like a love letter to the author and to fans. Not only is it well-made, but it's beautiful and dark in all the right places. What's even better is that the consistency doesn't falter at any point. Each episode is just as good, if not better than the one before it, meaning every episode can definitely be considered a masterpiece.

8 'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance' (2019)

1982 saw the release of The Dark Crystal, a Jim Henson puppet film that took audiences to the weird and wonderful world of Thra, a world of magic and mystery. The planet has been overrun by an empire of the vulture-like Skeksis, which uses the power of the Dark Crystal to sap the life from the native life forms and remain immortal. The 2019 Netflix series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, serves as a prequel series, exploring the origins of the Skeksis.

The sets, the puppets, and the props are absolutely stunning. There isn't a single frame of this show that isn't beautiful to look at, which makes it so much more immersive. Thra is also a land that serves as a playground for the imagination, suspending belief and bringing some of the creators' wildest dreams to life. The fact that Netflix decided to axe this show after one season is unforgivable, because those who watched the show loved it.

7 'Over the Garden Wall' (2014)

Wirt and Beatrice standing on the edge of the frog boat in Over the Garden Wall

Over the Garden Wall is a Cartoon Network miniseries that was sort of a passion project for showrunner Patrick McHale. The story begins fairly whimsically, following two young brothers who find themselves lost in a dark forest called the Unknown. On their journey home, they meet many friends and adversaries, and reveal secrets about their lives unbeknownst even to them.

This show is surprisingly deep, touching upon really profound and philosophical themes, which is why it still inspires discussions on online forums, even all these years later. Short and sweet, Over the Garden Wall is what happens when someone isn't just telling a story—they're creating art, and delivering a message that is important to them. Despite being made for younger audiences, adults can love it just as easily. The star-studded cast is a nice touch, too.

6 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' (2005–2008)

Image via Nickelodeon

Avatar: The Last Airbender is the hit Nickelodeon cartoon that defined an entire generation. Unlike other Nicktoons, this series has continuity, meaning it's a complete story that can't just be picked up or dropped at will. While it is primarily a kids' show, adults have also loved it for its themes of morality, youth, and light-hearted humor. The story follows a continent in chaos, which can only be stilled by the fabled Avatar, who will master the elements of air, fire, earth, and water, and unite the four nations.

As mentioned, every episode has some sort of moral takeaway from it, mixed in with the action, comedy, and adventure. It even spawned a spin-off and a live-action Netflix adaptation, which is still being produced. In short, this series really had something special going on. Even its weaker episodes are entertaining or morally sound, and can still be called masterpieces in their own right.

Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings
Character Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed

The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.

💍Frodo

🌿Samwise

👑Aragorn

🔥Gandalf

🏹Legolas

⚒️Gimli

👁️Sauron

🪨Gollum

BEGIN YOUR QUEST →

You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.

AAccept it. Someone has to, and running changes nothing. BStay by the side of whoever carries it. They shouldn't go alone. CStep forward and lead. This is exactly what I was made for. DIt's mine now. I won't let anyone else have it.

NEXT QUESTION →

Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.

AFollow them without hesitation. I'd rather die beside them than live without them. BRally others and forge a plan to help — strength in numbers. COffer wisdom and guidance. My counsel may save them where swords cannot. DLet them go. Only the strong survive, and sentiment is a weakness.

NEXT QUESTION →

Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.

ADestroy it. Nothing good comes from power this absolute. BUse it to protect those I love — just this once. CWield it wisely. I have the will and the knowledge to do good with it. DSeize it. I have waited long enough. It belongs to me.

NEXT QUESTION →

What does "home" mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.

AA simple, peaceful place — green hills, good food, no adventure required. BWherever the people I love are. Home is a feeling, not a place. CA kingdom I must earn before I can truly claim it as mine. DI lost it long ago. That loss is what drives everything I do.

NEXT QUESTION →

When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.

ASurvive by any means. I'm not a fighter — but I'll do what I must. BFight for the person beside me, not for glory or honour. CLead the charge. Nothing inspires an army like a king at the front. DStrike from range, fast and precise — never let them get close.

NEXT QUESTION →

Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it's knowing which questions to ask.

AListen, then offer honest encouragement. Sometimes people just need belief. BGive them practical help — words are fine, but action is better. CSpeak carefully. I have seen much, and I know what counsel can cost. DTell them what they want to hear. Trust is a tool like any other.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.

ASmall and ordinary — but perhaps that's exactly why I was chosen. BDefined entirely by who I serve and love. I am nothing without them. CForged by hardship into something the world has not yet fully seen. DDiminished from what I once was — and consumed by the need to reclaim it.

NEXT QUESTION →

Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.

AI find peace in it — forests, rivers, open skies. Nature restores me. BI prefer the earth underfoot — stone, mines, solid and real things. CI have watched the world change for longer than most can comprehend. DNature offers hiding places, cold water, raw fish. That's enough for me.

NEXT QUESTION →

You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.

AShow mercy. Even the most broken souls deserve a chance at redemption. BPity them — but never trust them. They made their choices. CSee them as a tool. Their knowledge or skills may still serve a purpose. DDestroy them before they can cause more harm. Mercy is a luxury we cannot afford.

NEXT QUESTION →

When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.

AThat an ordinary person did an extraordinary thing — and came home. BThat I never abandoned the person who needed me most. CThat I was worthy of the crown — and everything it demanded. DNothing. I don't need songs. I needed it, and now it's gone.

REVEAL MY FATE →

The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth

The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.

💍 Frodo

🌿 Samwise

👑 Aragorn

🔥 Gandalf

🏹 Legolas

⚒️ Gimli

👁️ Sauron

🪨 Gollum

You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don't have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.

You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you'd do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.

You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.

You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.

Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.

You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don't do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.

You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you're not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.

You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

5 'Arcane' (2021–2024)

Generally speaking, adaptations of video games have been pretty awful over the years. Lately, though, they've been getting much better, and Arcane is a perfect example of this. Based on the MOBA game League of Legends, the series follows one of the game's playable champions across a wondrous world, including elements of sci-fi, fantasy, and steampunk. The animated series was only two seasons long, but that's honestly all it really needed to reach a proper conclusion.

The 3D animation is really artsy and unique, creating a realistic feel despite the art style not being hyper-realistic at all. It's not just a fun action-adventure series, but it's also a story of sacrifice, love, and redemption, perfectly curated by some of the game's developers. Some fans say it took a tiny bit of a dive in quality in the second season, but only a tiny one. Even then, the episodes are still perfect in almost every way.

4 'The Legend of Vox Machina' (2022–Present)

A dragon surround in flame in The Legend of Vox Machina.

The Legend of Vox Machina has quite a history behind it, beginning as a custom campaign created for the tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons. The campaign was played as part of a podcast, which blew up, eventually landing a deal with Amazon Prime Video, resulting in the animated series we know and love today. What's great is that the original people behind the podcast return to voice their in-game characters, adding an air of familiarity to things.

The universe of The Legend of Vox Machina is incredible and is a fantasy lover's dream from top to bottom. It isn't just a great show for action and adventure, but also for romance and for raunchy comedy, which is one of the most charming and attractive parts of the show. While it might be a little bit underrated, this show has received excellent reviews and has churned out nothing but perfection with each and every episode.

3 'Kingdom' (2019–2021)

Kingdom is a criminally underrated South Korean fantasy/horror series based on a webcomic turned graphic novel by Yang Kyung-il. The series is set at the end of the Middle Ages, in the historical Kingdom of Joseon (the present-day Korea). Here, a feuding royal family uses a mythical resurrection plant to bring back the dead in their attempt to seize the throne, accidentally unleashing a zombie horde in the process.

The show was pretty short, with only 12 episodes and one feature-length special. Infuriatingly, it ended on a cliffhanger, which is likely never going to be resolved since it's been soft-canceled by Netflix. Still, this was critically acclaimed and universally loved by its viewers. It's got political intrigue, drama, action, and some really freaky zombies, making for an excellent experience that cannot be missed. Calling this show a masterpiece is honestly kind of selling it short.

2 'The Twilight Zone' (1959–1964)

Henry Bemis (Burgess Meredith) in 'The Twilight Zone' episode "Time Enough at Last"

The original run of The Twilight Zone was one of the most revolutionary TV events in human history. Not only did it completely change the landscape of the medium, but it also changed storytelling itself. The premise of the overall show is simple: it's an anthology series about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. This allows the show to dip its toes into sci-fi, fantasy, and horror interchangeably; sometimes even all at once.

Each episode functions as its own self-contained story, with a fresh cast, a new plot, and some sort of shocking revelation or plot twist. This never fails to absolutely floor the audience. The twists are really cleverly done, which is why the show managed to change the way that stories are told. With every episode being so memorable, distinct, and unique, it's easy to say that every single one of them is a bona fide masterpiece that hasn't aged a bit.

1 'House of the Dragon' (2022–Present)

The first Game of Thrones spin-off to come out was House of the Dragon, a prequel show set 300 years prior to the original. It is based on George R. R. Martin's book Fire & Blood, which is more of a historical account than an actual novel. The show follows the ascent and conquest of the Targaryens, the family who united the Seven Kingdoms under one banner and ruler for centuries, until a rebellion ousted them from the land of Westeros.

This show has found immense success, though it might not be as much of a cultural phenomenon as its predecessor was. Martin has had a heavier hand in this series' production, which means it is much more faithful to his vision and its source material. For fans of Game of Thrones, this show was a great return to form, bringing back everything that made the original great. Of course, this means that each and every episode is a masterpiece all on its own.