There is no shortage of great fantasy out there—whether in film or television. As fantasy fans, we’re truly spoiled for choice, even if some of those choices are slightly subpar or didn’t age particularly well. And honestly, it can be easy to find things to nitpick or hate on where the genre is concerned, lumping even the best in with the bottom of the pile.
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It’s also good to keep in mind that not all fantasy is sword-and-sorcery or high fantasy featuring magic and dragons. There are tons of fantasy series out there that take place in a lower-magic setting or lean more into horror or sci-fi tropes while still maintaining their place in the genre. Some of the best fantasies are actually period pieces, or those that walk the line between fantasy and horror, and that’s not even considering urban fantasy. So here we have 5 fantasy series that have aged considerably well, becoming more beloved as time goes on (even if one of them is still airing).
5) Penny Dreadful
Gothic fantasy deserves more love, and Penny Dreadful is a clear reason why all by itself. The series, which ran for three seasons, delves into the darkest corners of Victorian London, bringing to life beloved and well-known characters from Gothic literature, including Dr. Frankenstein and Dorian Gray, and spinning them off into entirely new adventures. There are werewolves, vampires, and demons all playing in the background of a story that is incredibly emotional, nuanced, and evocative. It’s dizzying, romantic, horrifying, and action-packed—everything one wants in a fantasy series.
4) The Magicians
Fans often say that The Magicians only gets better with age, and that the television series has become its own unique thing, separate from the books that inspired it. The show is set at the mysterious Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy (say that three times fast) and explores the dark underbelly of a magical world that finds itself unable to protect itself from the evils that threaten it. As the various characters discover their own gift for magic, they also wrestle with the responsibilities that accompany their newfound power. It’s darker and more mature than one might expect from a series that capitalizes on the magical school trope, but all the better for it, as it pulls no punches with the story it wants to tell and the characters it brings to life.
3) Outlander
While there is some debate as to whether Outlander is more fantasy or sci-fi, there is no debate that the series, both the books and the shows, has an absolutely enduring legacy (one that’s earned it an impressive 91% critics rating). It skillfully weaves fantasy with historical drama, successfully using time travel in a way that feels more akin to a fairy tale than hard science fiction. The series centers on a young woman named Claire Randall, a British Army nurse who served in World War II, as she and the husband she barely knows come together at the end of the war to rekindle their marriage. During their second honeymoon, Claire finds herself sent back in time through a series of standing stones, where she encounters a striking Highlander named Jamie Fraser—and the rest is history. Outlander boasts one of the most beautiful romances ever written or featured on television, and has enough action to keep anyone fully entertained as it spans generations.
2) His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials, adapted from the series of novels by Philip Pullman, follows a young girl named Lyra as she journeys through parallel worlds to uncover the truth surrounding her kidnapped friend and discovers a sinister plot involving stolen children and a mysterious phenomenon called Dust. The performances in the series have been lauded as “tender,” and there’s something uniquely special about the way the show treats the concept of the soul—especially when it comes to Daemons, the physical manifestation of a human soul inside an animal’s body. It speaks to HBO’s inherent knack for world-building and honors the story that the original author created while also elevating it.
1) A Discovery of Witches
Another series based on a trilogy of novels, A Discovery of Witches, originally written by Deborah Harkness, is both romantic and magical, pulling viewers in with promises of ancient secrets, a heavy emphasis on history, and a new take on the age-old stories of witches and vampires. It tells the story of the reluctant witch and historian Diana Bishop as she discovers a cursed manuscript. Attempting to discover the secrets held within the book, Diana is forced back into the magical world she left behind—as well as into a shaky alliance with geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont, who helps Diana to attempt to protect the book and solve its mysteries, all while keeping her safe from the threats of the magical world. The first season is especially fantastic, luring the audience in with the forbidden romance angle and keeping them there with both monsters and mysteries.
Do you have a favorite moment from any of these series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other fantasy fans are saying.
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