The fantasy genre has captivated audiences for years, often evolving from literary adaptations into high-budget, visually stunning productions. It is no surprise that so many viewers among mainstream audiences are drawn to the category, especially considering the breathtaking special effects and immersive worldbuilding that these shows often feature, offering a unique escape to the extraordinary where the impossible becomes reality.
The increasing global success of fantasy shows has showcased that the genre is still one of the most beloved and watched in every corner of the world. But what are the must-watch series for those getting into the genre? From Tumblr fan-favorites such as Merlin to critically acclaimed epics like Game of Thrones, we rank some of the best fantasy shows of all time.
10 'Merlin' (2008–2012)
Image via BBC OneThis British fantasy epic starring Colin Morgan as the titular character chronicles the adventures of the legendary sorcerer with extraordinary abilities as a young man when he was a servant to young Prince Arthur (Bradley James), who eventually became his best friend, at the mythical court of Camelot.
Whether it is targeted at younger audiences for the themes of identity and self-discovery that it deals with, anyone keen on Arthurian legends will probably enjoy Merlin. A family-friendly watch, this Johnny Caps, Julian Jones, and Jake Michie show remains a fan-favorite in the fantasy genre more than a decade after reaching its full stop. It is no surprise that Merlin endures as a highly watched — and rewatched — show, whether because of its rich lore and fascinating worldbuilding that fully immerses viewers or its genuinely captivating story.
9 'Outlander' (2014–2026)
Image via StarzBased on the novels by Diana Gabaldon, this 2014 historical fantasy follows a World War II nurse (Caitríona Balfe) who mysteriously travels back in time to Scotland in 1743. There, she ends up meeting a Highland warrior (Sam Heughan) and is ultimately swept into an epic rebellion while struggling to survive. Despite her attempts to return home, Claire finds herself falling for the handsome Jamie Fraser.
Because it blends the historical, fantasy, adventure, and romance genres with amazing results, the time-travel fan-favorite Outlander is also one of the best picks, managing to appeal to a broader audience. Rich in historical detail and paying meticulous attention to accuracy, Ronald D. Moore's show is evolving and captivating, benefiting from a strong female protagonist audiences can't help but root for. Additionally, its central love story is in equal amounts steamy and passionate, making it a must-see for romance lovers.
8 'Bewitched' (1964–1972)
Image via ABCIn Sol Saks' iconic fantasy series Bewitched, a witch (Elizabeth Montgomery) married to an ordinary man (Dick York) cannot resist resorting to her magic powers to solve the problems her family faces.
Featuring a highly innovative premise for the time it was released, this influential Saks show (the fan-favorite Marvel show WandaVision comes to mind) provides audiences with an intriguing mix of fantasy and domestic comedy-drama. It was quite the groundbreaking series back in the day, mostly for the way it featured a strong female lead with power and agency who was also portrayed as intelligent. With that said, it is also worth noting that the must-see fantasy series Bewitched also counts on many innovative special effects, rightfully becoming a cultural phenomenon.
7 'The Witcher' (2019–Present)
Image via NetflixSet in a medieval-inspired world known as The Continent, The Witcher follows a solitary monster hunter — Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill/Liam Hemsworth) — as he navigates through life and tries to find his place in the world. He ends up meeting other misfits as his destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress (Anya Chalotra) and a young princess (Freya Allen) with a special gift.
The Witcher is widely considered a top-notch fantasy show for its complex worldbuilding and detailed lore that elevate the narrative to higher ground and keep audiences engaged throughout. Furthermore, its distinctive non-linear storytelling — which can be slightly confusing to some — in addition to the intense, action-packed battle sequences, the character arcs are also one of the show's most notable elements.
6 'House of the Dragon' (2022–Present)
Image via HBOSpeaking of platinum-haired men, House of the Dragon is also a show that comes to mind when it comes to such a list. The Game of Thrones spin-off has rapidly become a fan-favorite: the story is set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emilia Clarke in the original series), illustrating a succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power.
Fantasy epic enthusiasts — particularly those who have seen GoT — are not going to regret giving House of the Dragon a try. The show provides a detailed exploration of the Targaryen dynasty, enriching Game of Thrones' narrative and adding depth to the complex fantasy world. As always, the production value is incredibly high, the characters are memorable, and the political intrigue is clever and well-written, keeping viewers invested.
Collider Exclusive · Game of Thrones Personality Quiz Which Game of Thrones House Do You Belong To? Stark · Lannister · Targaryen · Baratheon · Tyrell
Five great houses. Five completely different answers to the same question: how do you hold power in a world that will take it from you the moment you stop paying attention? Eight questions will determine where your loyalties — and your nature — truly lie.
🐺Stark
🦁Lannister
🐉Targaryen
🦌Baratheon
🌹Tyrell
FIND YOUR HOUSE →
01
Someone powerful is acting dishonourably and everyone knows it. What do you do? In Westeros, the answer to this question has ended more than one great house.
ACall it out, openly and on the record. If honour means anything, it has to mean something when it's costly. BUse it. Information about someone else's dishonour is leverage — and leverage is power. CAct decisively to correct it — with or without the approval of those around me. DChallenge them directly. Strength settles disputes more honestly than courtroom manoeuvring. ENavigate carefully — build alliances, apply quiet pressure, and create a situation where the right outcome becomes inevitable.
NEXT QUESTION →
02
What is the source of your power? Every house endures because of something. What is it for yours?
AThe loyalty of people who trust me — earned over generations, not bought with gold. BWealth, intelligence, and the willingness to use both without sentiment. CA legacy so fearsome and a vision so total that opposition becomes unthinkable. DPhysical strength, military force, and the respect that comes from being the kind of person nobody wants to fight. ECharm, connection, and the ability to make powerful people feel that my success is also theirs.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
Who do you truly fight for? Strip away the banners and the words. The honest answer tells you everything.
AMy family and my people — those who depend on me and have kept faith with me through everything. BMy family — the ones who share my blood, even when they exhaust me, even when they disappoint me. CMy cause — a vision larger than any single person, including me. DMyself, and those few who've proven themselves worth fighting beside. EMy house — its name, its future, the position I intend to leave it in when I'm gone.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
How do you deal with your enemies? A house's method reveals its character as clearly as its words ever could.
AHonestly — I face them directly, and I give quarter when it's warranted. BThoroughly — I don't leave loose ends, and I don't make the same enemy twice. CDecisively — fire answers questions that diplomacy only delays. DHead-on — I'd rather meet a threat on the battlefield than behind closed doors. EElegantly — I prefer to make former enemies into allies, or at least into people who owe me something.
NEXT QUESTION →
05
What kind of ruler do you believe in? Westeros is full of answers to this question. Most of them end badly.
AA just one — someone who serves the realm rather than using it, who leads by example rather than fear. BA capable one — someone smart enough to navigate the game, ruthless enough to win it, and realistic about what winning costs. CA transformative one — someone who doesn't just rule what exists but reshapes what's possible. DA strong one — someone whose authority is beyond question because the alternative is obviously worse. EA wise one — someone who understands that the realm is fed by more than armies, and that a full stomach keeps more peace than a sharp sword.
NEXT QUESTION →
06
You suffer a devastating loss. How does your house respond? How a house handles defeat tells you more about it than how it handles victory.
AWe grieve, properly and together — and then we endure, because endurance is what we do. BWe adapt. We reassess. And we ensure that whoever caused this loss comes to regret it completely. CWe burn hotter. Setbacks don't soften us — they clarify what needs to happen next. DWe hit back. Grief and revenge are the same motion in our house. EWe regroup quietly, rebuild our position, and return when we're ready — on our terms, not theirs.
NEXT QUESTION →
07
Which of these truths about Westeros do you most believe? Every house has a philosophy. This is yours.
AThe lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Nothing matters more than the people you protect. BA Lannister always pays their debts — in gold or in kind. Reputation is built on consistency. CI am the blood of the dragon. Some destinies are written before the person who carries them is born. DOurs is the fury. When we move, we move completely — and we don't stop until it's done. EGrowing strong means knowing when to bloom and when to wait. Patience is its own kind of power.
NEXT QUESTION →
08
The Iron Throne is within reach. What do you do? The answer reveals not just your ambition — but your character.
AClaim it only if the realm needs me to — and rule in a way that makes it worth having. BEnsure someone who owes us sits in it. The power behind the throne is safer than the throne itself. CTake it. It was always meant to be mine — I feel that in my bones and in my blood. DSeize it — with both hands, without hesitation. Opportunity in Westeros does not wait to be asked. EPosition my house to be indispensable to whoever sits there — influence outlasts any single reign.
REVEAL MY HOUSE →
The Maester Has Spoken Your House Is…
Your answers point to the great house whose words, values, and way of surviving in Westeros match your own. Bend the knee — or don't. That's very much up to you.
🐺 House Stark
Winter is Coming — and you have always known it. You prepare not out of fear but out of duty, because the people who depend on you deserve someone who takes the long view.
- You lead with honour even when it costs you, because you understand that a reputation built on integrity is the only one worth having.
- Your loyalty to family and people runs deep — not as sentiment but as a code that doesn't bend when things get difficult.
- The North endures because Starks endure — not by being the cleverest players in the game, but by being the kind of people others are willing to follow into the cold.
- You are that kind of person. The pack survives. The lone wolf dies. You already know which one you are.
🦁 House Lannister
You understand the game — its rules, its exceptions, and exactly when the rules become the exception. You play it without illusions and without apology.
- You are sharper than most people realise, and you have learned to use that gap to your advantage.
- A Lannister always pays their debts — and you always keep your word, because your word is an instrument of power, and instruments must be kept in working order.
- You love your family with a ferocity that sometimes blinds you, and you know it, and you do it anyway.
- The lion doesn't concern itself with the opinion of sheep. Neither, in the end, do you.
🐉 House Targaryen
You carry a sense of destiny that is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore — the feeling that you are not simply participating in the world but meant to reshape it.
- You are capable of extraordinary things, and you know it, and that knowledge is both your greatest strength and your most dangerous quality.
- Fire and blood are not just words to you — they are a philosophy about what change requires and what it costs.
- The Targaryens at their best were transformative rulers who broke chains and defied the limits of what anyone thought possible.
- At your best, so are you. The dragon has three heads. You are one of them.
🦌 House Baratheon
You are a force — direct, powerful, and difficult to ignore when you enter a room or a conflict. You do not negotiate with challenges. You meet them.
- Ours is the fury — and yours is a kind of intensity that commands attention, respect, and occasionally fear from those who underestimate what's behind it.
- You value strength and straight dealing. You'd rather know where you stand in a fight than navigate a web of courtly whispers.
- The Baratheons built their house on the back of one of the greatest military victories in Westerosi history — and then struggled with what came after.
- The lesson of your house is that winning is not the end of the story. Governing is. You are learning that too.
🌹 House Tyrell
You understand that power does not always announce itself — that sometimes it arrives with flowers, good wine, and a smile that doesn't quite reach the eyes.
- Growing strong is your house's motto, and you live it: patiently, strategically, always investing in the relationships and resources that will matter most when it counts.
- You are charming by choice and calculating by nature — a combination that makes you one of the most effective players in any room you enter.
- The Tyrells fed King's Landing and shaped its politics without ever sitting on the Iron Throne — and they were arguably more powerful for it.
- You know that the person who controls the food controls the kingdom. And you always know where the food is.
↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ
5 'Supernatural' (2005–2020)
Image via The CWViewers who enjoy dark fantasy series with magical elements and mythical creatures may find themselves tempted to watch Eric Kripke's Supernatural, an incredible pick for those who appreciate chilling and eerie shows. The story focuses on two brothers (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) who follow their father's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) footsteps as hunters, fighting evil supernatural beings that roam the earth.
Featuring a richly detailed world design and innovative storytelling that keeps its plot exciting, the must-see Supernatural is anchored by great central performances and well-developed characters with distinct arcs and motivations. These aspects, on top of the many emotional moments the show features, make it fairly easy for audiences to connect with its characters. Furthermore, it is nearly impossible not to feel drawn to Supernatural's engaging fantasy tales, especially when they incorporate elements from different mythologies and cultures.
4 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (1997–2003)
Image via The WB Television NetworkSarah Michelle Gellar steps into the shoes of her most iconic character in Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy is a young woman destined to hunt vampires, demons, and other creatures. The teen fantasy series sees the titular character navigating life with the help of her friends.
Masterfully blending the horror, comedy, and action genres, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a huge hit when released, as it fully immersed audiences in its innovative storytelling and also offered a strong and relatable female central character that broke the mold of the stereotypical female lead on television. Additionally, Buffy the Vampire Slayer tackles universal themes related to adolescence, highlighting the struggles that come with being a teenager, with its titular character's struggles resonating with many. Whedon's classic show remains a fan favorite in fantasy, captivating global audiences with its worldbuilding and absorbing plot.
3 'Stranger Things' (2016–2025)
Image via NetflixCreated by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things blends the dark fantasy and science fiction genres with impeccable results. The first season follows a lost little girl (Millie Bobby Brown) with incredible superpowers as she navigates the small town of Hawkins and fights supernatural forces after the disappearance of a young boy (Noah Schnapp).
Whether that be because of the memorable characters, amazing soundtrack, nostalgic 1980s setting that takes audiences back in time, or the stunning visuals, Stranger Things is a genuinely absorbing fantasy show that remains a fan favorite among all the Netflix original series. It is far from difficult to understand the series' appeal, especially when its intriguing mystery narrative is perfectly packed with just the right amount of emotional depth to move audiences to tears as it explores themes of friendship, loss, and coming-of-age.
2 'Arcane' (2021–2024)
Image via NetflixChristian Linke and Alex Yee's action epic is set in Utopian Piltover and the underground of Zaun, focusing on the origins of two iconic League of Legends champions who also happen to be sisters — Jinx, also known as Powder (Ella Purnell), and Vi (Hailee Steinfeld). The two find themselves on rival sides of a brewing war.
Featuring stunning, groundbreaking animation that blends 2D and 3D techniques, top-notch voice acting, and well-crafted lore that results in a deep and rich, complex worldbuilding, Arcane has understandably captured the attention of many since its release. The compelling and emotionally charged way it deals with themes of family, power, and corruption is also worth noting. There is no doubt that it is one of the most exciting fantasy shows streaming today, especially in the animation category.
1 'Game of Thrones' (2011–2019)
Image via HBOThe blueprint for fantasy television, this 2011 epic based on George R.R. Martin's saga A Song of Ice and Fire follows nine noble families and their fight for power, control, and influence over the lands of Westeros. In the meantime, an ancient enemy returns after being asleep for millennia.
Like other shows mentioned, the incredibly popular phenomenon Game of Thrones benefits from a meticulously crafted world with different cultures and religions, resulting in a believable take on an alternate past that engulfs audiences. With a high production value that includes visually striking use of CGI and some epic battle sequences, the David Benioff and D.B. Weiss TV show is nothing short of breathtaking, elevating production standards and inspiring high-budget projects in the genre while also further expanding the audience for fantasy.
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