5 Fantasy TV Shows Without a Single Bad Season

With all the setup required of fantasy shows, most of them take time to find their footing — and even ones that start strong can fall off after lengthy runs. Regardless of genre, it’s difficult for a series to reach its end without any bad seasons. Most of them lull at some point, whether it’s when they’re still in their infancy or just before they cross the finish line.

There are a few fantasy shows that have complete runs without bad outings, though, and they’re more impressive for it. Anyone looking for a fantasy series that’s great from beginning to end should check these out, as they make for gripping viewing experiences. Whether you’re wading into the power struggle between Piltover and Zaun or journeying through parallel worlds alongside Lyra Belacqua, you’ll never hit a true downturn with these shows.

5) Arcane

Arcane only has two seasons, so it’s not so surprising that the Netflix series doesn’t have any bad chapters. However, the League of Legends show is still impressive, as both of its seasons are almost perfect. Arcane is a masterclass in storytelling, managing to do more during its two outings than most shows accomplish in much longer runs. It tells a tight story that delves into the nuances of classism and corruption, and it doesn’t sacrifice character depth or world-building to do so. The series has a few minor flaws — with so much happening towards the end, Season 2 could easily have been longer — but it’s not enough to consider either outing weak.

4) The Legend of Vox Machina

The Legend of Vox Machina isn’t over yet, but its current three seasons offer hope that it’ll be consistently good through the end (as does its Mighty Nein spinoff, which is already even better). Despite having shorter episodes, The Legend of Vox Machina manages to endear viewers to its large ensemble of characters and deliver high-stakes storylines with many moving parts. Any slow points in the Prime Video series tend to focus on the characters, who are likable and engaging enough that it’s hardly noticeable. Like Arcane, the show has its flaws, but none of them are noteworthy enough to derail an entire season. In fact, I’d argue that The Legend of Vox Machina just keeps getting better. We’ll see if Season 4 continues that trend later this year.

3) The Good Place

The Good Place is half sitcom, half fantasy show, and it works surprisingly well for the NBC series. It gets better and better as it continues, never taking a significant downtown during its four-season run. The series has one of the most iconic television twists at the end of its first outing. And while lesser shows might have peaked there, The Good Place doesn’t. Instead, it continues its explorations of morality and the afterlife, finding fresh ways to build on them with every chapter. The characters consistently get more depth, the humor remains strong, and The Good Place‘s ending strikes the right balance between hopeful and sad. It’s a true gem, and it’s hard to even pinpoint its weakest season.

2) Avatar: The Last Airbender

More than 20 years after its premiere, Avatar: The Last Airbender is still one of the most rewatchable fantasy shows out there — and it helps that all three seasons are incredible. While ATLA Season 1 takes a few episodes to find its flow, it’s still charming, funny, and hard-hitting as it lays the foundation for Aang’s journey. And once it fully takes off, it doesn’t let up. There are only a couple of episodes that are noticeably weaker than the rest, and even those are a little entertaining. Seasons 2 and 3 are some of the best chapters of TV the fantasy genre has to offer, with their character moments, epic action, and comedy keeping things fresh throughout.

1) His Dark Materials

His Dark Materials is one of the most underrated fantasy shows to debut post-Game of Thrones, and it’s one more people should be watching. The fact that all three seasons are masterfully made offers plenty of incentive. His Dark Materials kicks off with a suspenseful first outing that boasts a high production quality and incredible cast. And the stakes and storytelling only improve from Season 1, with Seasons 2 and 3 taking Lyra to increasingly interesting places…and giving her bigger and bigger obstacles to overcome. Each chapter strikes a high note with its ending, yet His Dark Materials still manages to top each of its finales with the next. Its three seasons aren’t perfect, but they’re all around the same level of impressiveness.

What fantasy show do you think maintains its momentum through every season? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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