Let's face it, fantasy television isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's just way too popular, and why wouldn't it be? The genre offers a form of escapism from the mundanity of everyday life, allowing consumers to imagine worlds that are far more interesting than the one we live in. Fantasy lets the imagination run wild, and while it isn't everybody's cup of tea, there are a lot of people who adore the genre for precisely this reason.
If you're in the mood for a fantasy show that will completely absorb you into its world, there are a lot of shows to choose from. Some offer questionable choices or have noticeable flaws that might break the immersion a little bit, while others have just run for so long that you can get fatigued from them during the duller seasons. If you need something to binge, this is the list for you, because these are the best fantasy TV shows that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
10 'Shadow and Bone' (2021–2023)
Image via NetflixShadow and Bone is based on a wonderful YA novel series by Leigh Bardugo, which takes place in a sprawling universe called the Grishaverse, which covers many of her published works. While the show is great and the fans were extremely satisfied, the show just wasn't pulling the numbers they needed, leading to a premature cancellation just two seasons in, which is nothing short of infuriating.
This steampunk-esque world feels more like Victorian England than the stereotypical Medieval Europe vibe that fantasy shows often go for. Apart from that, the dialogue is absolutely flawless, featuring lots of quippy humor and a cast of lovable characters that audiences can't get enough of. With how short it is, Shadow and Bone is easy to binge and get hooked on from the first few minutes.
9 'Merlin' (2008–2012)
Image via BBCMost people know who Merlin is, right? He's the wizard from Arthurian legend who was a friend of King Arthur's, and who formed the template for the stereotypical fantasy wizard. Tall, pointy hat, blue robes adorned with silver stars and moons, long, silvery beard; the works. That's sort of the image that comes to mind when people think of the character. That and his curmudgeonly attitude, anyway.
Merlin is a show that reimagines the wizard from folklore. This time, he's a spirited young man learning to control his newfound abilities, encountering his future allies, and fighting to protect England from constant magical threats. Played by Colin Morgan, Merlin is adventurous, witty, and comedic all at once. It's also a breath of fresh air and a new take on a familiar story, which means it's super easy to fall in love with and binge right through to the end.
8 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (2023–Present)
Image via Disney+Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series based on the YA novels by Rick Riordan. This is actually the second time the books were adapted for the screen, following a disastrous film series in the early 2010s, starring Logan Lerman in the leading role. These two films failed to impress long-time fans of the franchise. The TV show, however, has done a much better job of this, in no small part thanks to Riordan's heavy-handed involvement in the project.
The series follows the titular Percy (Walker Scobell), a troubled young boy who finds out he is actually a demigod. He is pursued by monsters and creatures from Greek mythology in the series, causing him to relocate to Camp Half-Blood, a training camp where other demigods live and learn to protect humanity. It's a light-hearted show full of adventure, plus all the most recognizable characters and beasts from Greek myth. This show is easy to get lost in, and so easy to get deeply immersed in until you realize you've finished it all.
7 'Primal' (2019–Present)
Image via Adult SwimGenndy Tartakovsky is the creative genius behind the adult animated series Primal. He's also the guy behind some pretty popular kids' shows, like The Powerpuff Girls and Dexter's Laboratory. Primal is something unlike anything he's ever put out before, though. This series takes place in a prehistoric world, following a Neanderthal who rides a dinosaur around, battling prehistoric beasts and going toe-to-toe with humans of many cultures. This includes Ancient Egyptians, Vikings, and many more.
It's just such a unique and creative world, something that can't be replicated in any other piece of media, which is why it's so easy to get hooked. This is a show that pulls its audience in and doesn't let go, allowing people to feel the passion that went into detailing this beautiful, mysterious, and deadly world. While there are significant gaps between season releases, audiences are generally okay with this, as it guarantees that each season will be fantastic and made with care.
6 'Blood of Zeus' (2020–2025)
Image via NetflixBlood of Zeus is an adult animated TV series set in the mythology and folklore of Ancient Greece, featuring all of the bells and whistles that one would expect. Dangerous creatures, gods, and heroes; they're all present in this thrilling series. The problem is, many Greek tales have been done to death on TV and cinema, so this show decided to create its own story, introducing a new, original character with a brand new story, who fits seamlessly into the mythology already established.
The three seasons of this series feature gorgeous animation, gruesome violence, and some pretty impeccable voice acting, courtesy of its experienced cast. If you're one who likes Greek myth, this is a series that you won't be able to walk away from. It's so simple to get lost in, yet difficult to find your way out of, or at least until it concludes. Blood of Zeus is a magnificent low fantasy series that really does need some more love.
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 →
01
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 →
02
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 →
03
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 →
04
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 →
05
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 →
06
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 →
07
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 →
08
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 →
09
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 →
10
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 'Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord' (2026–Present)
Ima via ©Disney+/Courtesy Everett CollectionYes, Star Wars is fantasy, as confirmed by franchise creator George Lucas. The groundbreaking film saga, first released in 1977, has spawned a massive shared multimedia universe, prompting numerous spin-off TV shows, both live-action and animated. However, the recently released Maul - Shadow Lord has been lauded as being one of the greatest animated series to come out of the brand.
Created by Dave Filoni, who also created most other Star Wars animated projects, the series follows former Sith Lord Maul (Sam Witwer) as he navigates the criminal underworld in the shadow of the Galactic Empire. It's a much darker take on the franchise, even by the standards of the animated franchise, and while it's nothing too horrifying, it's definitely a bit more mature than previous shows by Filoni. It's excellent in nearly every way and is enough to keep viewers engrossed all the way through the first season.
4 'Arcane' (2021–2024)
Image via NetflixArcane is based on the immensely popular MOBA video game League of Legends, an online multiplayer game that attracts millions of players, and that is still receiving regular updates over a decade after its release. Having a TV show based on the game was an adventurous endeavour for sure, but the fact that some of the leading developers of the game personally handled the show made it less of a risk for catastrophe.
The show follows two of the game's playable champions as they travel across a sci-fi, steampunk, and fantasy-inspired world, in a tale of love, redemption, and sacrifice. This animated series wasn't just a hit for fans of the game, but for millions more viewers as well. It even won numerous Emmy awards, something very few video game adaptations can pull off, much less animated ones. This show was a big deal for a reason: it's just so hard to turn off.
3 'His Dark Materials' (2019–2022)
Image via HBOHis Dark Materials is based on a trilogy of YA novels by Philip Pullman. Like Percy Jackson, this comes in the wake of a terrible movie adaptation, this time from the late 2000s. This movie was way too far removed from the novels to be any good. Fortunately, HBO was willing to take another shot at things and tell the trilogy's story in its entirety, resulting in one of the greatest fantasy TV shows the world has ever seen.
His Dark Materials is such an enthralling world because it is basically an alternate version of Earth, only with magical beings from folklore, like witches and talking animals. There's also a multiverse narrative to go along with it, meaning the world doesn't get dull for even a second. This is a great show to watch, whether you like fantasy, drama, or coming-of-age tales, as once it sinks its hooks into you, there's no going back.
2 'Kingdom' (2019–2021)
Image via NetflixKingdom is a highly underrated South Korean fantasy/horror series set at the end of the Middle Ages. In the Kingdom of Joseon (present-day Korea), the tyrannical Haewon Cho Clan makes a bold move for the throne by using a mythical resurrection plant to raise the dead, accidentally unleashing a zombie horde in the process. But these are no ordinary zombies, as they only behave like the undead by night. During the day, they are just ordinary corpses.
At only 12 episodes, plus one special, this show isn't very long. Worse still, it ends on a cliffhanger since it got soft-cancelled by Netflix. Yet, it's so deeply engrossing and intriguing that it's easy to finish the whole thing before you even know what's coming, as each narrative twist and turn is enough to make any viewer hungry for more. It's dark, violent, gritty, and absolutely amazing, really bringing to life the vision of Youn In-wan's original webtoon-turned-graphic novel.
1 'Game of Thrones' (2011–2019)
Image via HBOGame of Thrones is a fantasy series that surely needs no introduction. This was the epic fantasy drama that single-handedly started it al. The HBO original prompted a massive explosion of fantasy shows and raked in millions upon millions of viewers. It was quite the cultural phenomenon, and is arguably one of the most successful HBO original series ever created. Based on the original novels by George R. R. Martin, the series follows a group of squabbling nobles competing for the throne while a primordial threat from centuries ago begins building up strength in the North.
There were a lot of reasons why Game of Thrones was so popular, from its huge budget to its political intrigue and visual spectacle. There was just nothing else like this at the time. While it has become a textbook example of a TV show falling off in terms of quality towards the end, even if you don't like the ending, it's definitely going to keep you hooked until it's done. One can't just walk away from this show if they don't like the direction it's going, because it's impossible to feel at peace without knowing what happens at the end.
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