Netflix's Dark 10-Part Fantasy Adaptation Is Still Worth a Binge This Weekend

1 week ago 7

Published Apr 6, 2026, 8:14 PM EDT

Kendall Myers is a Senior Author with Collider. As part of the TV and Movies Features team, she writes about some of the most popular releases before, during, and after they premiere. In three years, she has written over 900 articles with topics ranging from classic sitcoms to fantasy epics.

Netflix has an ever-growing collection of shows available at the push of a button, but some of the forgotten ones are actually the best. In recent years, the streamer has increased its fantasy content, creating The Witcher, Arcane, Shadow and Bone, and more. However, one short-lived addition to the genre is too often ignored. Cursed came out in 2020, releasing one season full of magic, war, and surprises before the streamer canceled the series. Though it ended too soon, this epic fantasy remains a fascinating, low-commitment binge watch for anyone who enjoys the genre.

The series restructures the King Arthur mythos, focusing instead on the often underused sorceress Nimue (Katherine Langford). Serving as a prequel, Cursed tells a coming-of-age story that will shock audiences. Though the story holds a lot of potential, it seems the title was apt. With mixed reviews and a global pandemic, Cursed's quick cancellation is not as surprising as other shows Netflix has cut off, but it is unfortunate all the same. Yet, its brevity doesn't make Cursed any less compelling, and it remains a deeply underrated binge-watch to this day.

What Is Netflix's 'Cursed' About?

Cursed may not be a particularly long show, but it packs in a lot of action. The series begins with Nimue, whose magical abilities to control plant life make her an outcast among her people. But things change for her when the Red Paladins slaughter much of the Fae village, including Nimue's mother, who uses her dying breath to entrust Nimue with the Sword of Power, charging her to take it to Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård). This jumpstarts an adventure for the young sorceress as she rebels against the crown and the violent religious order that serves it in hopes of saving her people from genocide.

As Nimue faces her destiny and learns about her past, Cursed explores a troubled world, and things only grow more complicated for Nimue as she must deal with the corrupting influence of the Sword and her own powers. However, things are not all grim, as she does find an unexpected ally on her journey, a mercenary named Arthur (Devon Terrell), who is trying to regain his family's honor. Of course, Arthur has his own destiny to face, but in Cursed, he isn't the legendary ruler, but Nimue's love interest. While Nimue is at the center, other characters become pivotal, chiefly Merlin, who seeks redemption for his dark past by destroying the Sword. The adventure takes Nimue and Arthur across a dangerous world, brimming with conflict, persecution, and hope. Although the series certainly had more to tell, especially with the cliffhangers it ended on, it still tells a compelling and shocking story.

Anthony Head as Uther Pendragon in Merlin

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One has the crown. One has the secret. Neither is prepared for how ridiculous this story is about to get.

'Cursed' Puts a Twist on the Legendary Story

Nimue (Katherine Langford) coming out of a lake holding a sword in the show Cursed.

Cursed is unlike other shows because, while it is based on a familiar legend, it doesn't actually follow the story. There are many retellings of Arthur's story, but Nimue, or as she is more often known, the Lady of the Lake, is rarely a leading character. Cursed takes all the conventions of the legends, like a magic sword, Merlin, and a kingdom in need of a hero, but it weaves an entirely new and unexpected tale. In doing so, the series follows the lead of the 2019 graphic novel by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler, on which it is based.

The focus on Nimue rather than Arthur allows it to take a different path, especially as she is far from the formidable Lady of the Lake that appears in the legends. Nimue in Cursed is young, inexperienced, and still finding herself, which sets the series up for a coming-of-age story for the mystical figure. Nimue is not the only familiar character whose story looks different, with the stories of Merlin and Arthur also diverging from the legends. In fact, many other names appear, from Lancelot (Daniel Sharman) to Morgana (Shalom Brune-Franklin), but the show doesn't follow traditional expectations for these characters. The rewriting of myths enables Cursed to remain unpredictable and exciting, providing an addictive story for anyone willing to give it a chance.

Cursed is streaming on Netflix in the U.S.