Living in a fantasy world isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Sure, glory and riches are on the table if characters play their cards right, but acquiring those usually means fighting an evil force that wishes to do people harm. There’s also only so much luck to go around, as not every character is going to ride off into the sunset. But the reality is that fantasy worlds are fighting battles on multiple fronts, especially if they’re on the TV side. For whatever reason, networks and streaming platforms are quick to cancel genre shows, especially if they have swords and dragons in them.
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There are a few fantasy shows out there that deserved the fate they got, whether it’s because they weren’t doing justice to the source material or just never found their footing. However, the same can’t be said of the projects on this list. Here are five great fantasy shows that ended way too soon.
5) The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
The 1980s produced their fair share of great fantasy movies, including Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, about a fictional planet called Thra in need of saving. Decades later, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returned to Thra and received plenty of praise for it. The series was considered a technical achievement, and its story was just as good as the movie’s. Despite having everything going its way, Netflix pulled the plug on the series after one season. The streaming platform never provided an explanation, which is a shame because there was clearly more story to tell.
4) Willow
Like The Dark Crystal, 1988’s Willow drew audiences in with its fantastical world full of fascinating creatures. The movie found plenty of success upon release, but it took until 2022 for Disney to pull the trigger on a follow-up. The Willow TV series brought back plenty of familiar faces, including Warwick Davis’s Willow Ufgood, and sent them on a new adventure that tested their resilience. Unfortunately, they didn’t get to see it all the way through because the series got the ax after a single season on Disney+. And to rub salt in the wound, due to a cost-cutting initiative, the platform no longer houses Willow.
3) Warrior Nun
Comic book adaptations have plenty of success in the modern TV landscape. Just look at Prime Video’s The Boys and everything that Marvel and DC do. Well, in 2020, Netflix tried to get in on the fun by dropping Warrior Nun, based on Ben Dunn’s comic book character. The series followed a young girl who found herself smack dab in the center of a conflict between warriors and demons. After two seasons, everything was going well for Warrior Nun, and Season 3 promised to be the biggest yet. Of course, that meant it was the perfect time for Netflix to pull the rug out from under it. A film continuation was on the table, but there has been no movement on it in a couple of years.
2) Shadow and Bone
As this list has proven, Netflix has a knack for killing series before it’s their time. None of its decisions hurt worse than the one to cancel Shadow and Bone, though. Based on Leigh Bardugo’s novels, it took place in a magical land home to beings known as Grisha, who could access unbelievable power. One member of their ranks, Alina, discovered that she was different from the rest, which put her on the radar of some bad people. But before she could escape them for good, Netflix cancelled the series. No amount of fan campaigning has gotten the powers that be to reconsider their decision.
1) The Wheel of Time
Prime Video wasn’t going to let Netflix have all the great fantasy adaptations, so it developed The Wheel of Time in 2021, based on Robert Jordan’s book series of the same name. Along the way, it attracted some serious names, including Rosamund Pike. However, no amount of talent would save the show from cancellation, as Prime Video sent it to the graveyard right as its third season aired. It’s such a shame because the show was really starting to hit its stride, and there’s a good chance its fourth season would’ve been the best one yet.
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