The 2010s were a pivotal decade for fantasy TV, proving just how effective the medium is for this type of storytelling — and leading directly into the explosion of projects that came out in the early 2020s. The genre had its hits before the 2000s, but the 21st century saw it truly picking up steam. IPs like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings led the way on the big screen. On the TV front, projects like Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries proved there was a demand for the extraordinary. That became more apparent than ever during the 2010s, which produced some of the most successful fantasy shows of all time.
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Two, in particular, stand out as highlights, becoming pop culture sensations in 2011 and 2016. Both became defining fantasy projects of the 21st century, pushing the category to new heights. Of course, these weren’t the only worthwhile series to emerge in the 2010s. There was no shortage of incredible fantasy over the 10-year span. The decade kicked off with a human and shapeshifting dog going on wacky adventures, and it ended with an exploration of prophecy and fate. Everything in-between shaped the TV landscape of today, giving fantasy lovers plenty to watch in the meantime.
10) 2010 – Adventure Time
The 2010s got off to a strong start for fantasy television, with Adventure Time making its debut in April 2010. The Cartoon Network series blended epic fantasy with absurdist humor, and the result was a rollicking good time. Although the early outings saw Jake the Dog and Finn the Human embarking on episodic quests, their adventures came together to form a greater picture. The series went on to develop a plot around the characters it made us care about, and this made it even more memorable. There weren’t many other fantasy titles that came out in 2010, making Adventure Time the best of the year by default. Given its 10 seasons and continued legacy through spinoffs, however, there’s a good chance it would have claimed that status regardless.
9) 2011 – Game of Thrones
When it comes to the fantasy genre, 2011 was the most important year of the 2010s — because it’s the year Game of Thrones made its debut. The first episode aired that April, bringing George R.R. Matin’s fantasy world to the screen and elevating expectations of fantasy TV for years to come. Of course, it wasn’t until later that spring, when Joffrey called for Ned Stark’s head, that viewers truly realized what they were in for. That moment set Game of Thrones apart from everything that came before, laying the groundwork for it to become so influential. Indeed, it’s now considered one of the best series from the 2010s overall, not just from the year it released. There were a few other fantasy titles that premiered in 2011, like Grimm, Camelot, and Teen Wolf, but none compared to the HBO show, even during its early aughts.
8) 2012 – Gravity Falls
While many shows have tried to copy Game of Thrones, that didn’t happen immediately — and the year following its premiere was actually pretty quiet on the fantasy front. The category’s only new project of note was Gravity Falls, Disney’s animated show about two twins who encounter the supernatural while visiting the titular town. The series has become something of a cult classic over the years, despite the fact that it only aired for two seasons. Its true strength was that it was charming, benefiting from the ability to make viewers both laugh and cry. That’s a testament to the writing, as well as the characters. Of course, the mystery elements infused into the story also helped sell it, keeping viewers intrigued and invested.
7) 2013 – The Originals
The few fantasy TV shows to premiere in 2013 leaned into the supernatural, with Fox’s Sleepy Hollow straddling the line between fantasy and horror and Lifetime’s Witches of East End striving to capture the feel of classics like Charmed and Buffy. However, the obvious winner this year was a spinoff of one of the biggest fantasy shows of the 2000s: The Originals. The expansion of The Vampire Diaries universe brought the former CW show’s Mikaelson family into the spotlight, incentivizing fans to tune in. After all, for all their flaws, the Mikaelsons were some of TVD‘s most interesting characters — and their own story showcased why. In some ways, it proved better than The Vampire Diaries. While it lacked the teen drama, it offered more depth and darker storylines, making it ideal for those who wanted something different.
6) 2014 – Outlander
Another major live-action fantasy series to arrive during the 2010s is Outlander, which broke onto the scene in August 2014. It’s a testament to the adaptation that it’s still going, with its eighth and final season set to debut next year. Tackling Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling book series, Outlander brought something fresh to the genre with its emphasis on romance and lighter approach to the fantastical. It’s something the category could use more of, if anyone wants to adapt the many viral romantasy books currently on the market. Overall, 2014 was a bang-up year for fantasy, with Penny Dreadful, Over the Garden Wall, and The Leftovers all making their debuts. The first two are neck and neck with Outlander in terms of quality but have had less of a widespread impact. And I’m forever back and forth on whether The Leftovers qualifies as fantasy, so we’ll give this one to Outlander.
5) 2015 – The Magicians
Another quieter year for fantasy releases, 2015’s biggest premiere had to be The Magicians, Syfy’s adaptation of Lev Grossman’s book trilogy. Even if there were more fantasy titles out this year, The Magicians would still be remembered as one of the most influential. The show put a unique spin on magic school stories years before Wednesday, providing a more realistic take on what such institutions would be like. Despite their flaws, The Magicians’ characters proved both relatable and compelling. It was enough to draw viewers back into the story for five seasons. It’s a close call between The Magicians and BBC One’s adaptation of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell for 2015 — but, while both are incredible, I’d argue the former had a larger reach, and thus, a slightly bigger impact.
4) 2016 – Stranger Things
Rivaling 2011 as the biggest year of the decade for fantasy TV is 2016 — the year that Stranger Things became a cultural phenomenon after just one season. The Netflix series released that July, and it quickly gained traction thanks to its charming characters, tight storytelling, and nostalgic ’80s setting. With Stranger Things Season 5 dominating the cultural conversation almost a decade later, there’s no denying the show has left its mark. And regardless of whether it sticks the landing, it will be remembered as one of the best additions to the fantasy and horror genres over the last 10 years. It certainly blew away other 2016 contenders, like Lucifer, Shadowhunters, and The Shannara Chronicles.
3) 2017 – Castlevania
Coming off the excitement of Stranger Things, 2017 had just a couple of big fantasy titles on its roster. American Gods‘ quality fell off fairly quickly, which leaves Castlevania as the year’s top billing. The Netflix series was both highly anticipated and went on to amass a decent following with mostly positive reviews. The dynamic between Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Alucard was its selling point, but the fight against Dracula led to interesting lore and many great action moments. The show dipped at points throughout its four-season run, but it’s still among the most notable fantasy projects of the 2010s. And with little else to compete with in 2017, it dominated the genre that year.
2) 2018 – The Dragon Prince
The fantasy offerings for 2018 were slightly more numerous than those in 2017, but the standout that year had to be The Dragon Prince. Sadly, the animated Netflix show remains fairly underrated, especially compared to 2018’s heavy hitter: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. However, while Chilling Adventures of Sabrina started strong and faltered towards the end, The Dragon Prince managed to reinvent itself throughout. It spanned seven seasons and saw its characters growing up over its run. This added to the show’s charm, allowing it to build a well-wrought fantasy world around characters who made us want to return to it. The series had stunning animation, great humor, and powerful emotional beats. I’d place it above Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and it certainly beats The Vampire Diaries’ second spinoff, Legacies, which also came out that year.
1) 2019 – His Dark Materials
As Game of Thrones came to an end in 2019, fantasy TV started to pick up. 2019 saw the release of many promising titles. The Witcher, His Dark Materials, Good Omens, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Carnival Row, and The Umbrella Academy were among them. Needless to say, 2019 was a great year for the category. Many of these shows went on to build dedicated followings and deliver multiple seasons, though in hindsight, the strongest has to be His Dark Materials.
While The Witcher and The Umbrella Academy had strong beginnings that made them widely recognizable, they also suffered from weak outings later on. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was sorely underrated, leading Netflix to cancel it after just one season. Carnival Row also flew under the radar, despite being a worthy endeavor. Good Omens was perhaps the only show that rivaled His Dark Materials in terms of performances and quality. Either could be considered the best release of 2019, but I’d argue His Dark Materials has the stronger narrative overall. It does Philip Pullman’s books justice, delivering a well-crafted story about free will.
What was your favorite fantasy show of the 2010s? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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