With Amazon’s The Wheel of Time having just been released on November 19, we wanted to put together a quick list of some of the top fantasy TV series of all time. We’re not sure where The Wheel of Time will end up ranking (since only the first 3 episodes have been released), but let’s look at some of the best series that you might want to add to your watch list.
First off, a Definition of Fantasy
If you look up Best Fantasy TV Series on Google, you’ll get a pretty wide-ranging set of results. This tends to be based on the fact that a Fantasy TV series is a pretty subjective category. Vampires? Superheroes? Wizards? Time travel? Outer space? Demons? Ghosts? They might all be included in a list of Fantasy shows or they could be limited to just a specific sub-genre. For our purposes, we’re going to stick to a more traditional “swords and sorcery” type of fantasy story. So, we won’t be including series like Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Stranger Things, or The Expanse in our list. Think more Lord of the Rings and less MCU. We’re also going to stick with live-action shows, rather than animated series. To be honest, limiting things to just live-action sword and sorcery style fantasy doesn’t leave us with a huge number of TV series to consider. But, there are some notable titles on this list.
Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Obviously, this is the gold standard for sword and sorcery TV series at this point. While not every fan loved how the series wrapped up, it still delivered an epic 8-season run on HBO that made other streaming services scramble to try and develop their own comparable shows. Adapted from the bestselling series by George R. R. Martin the show focused on the political machinations of the 9 noble families all vying for power in a world that is also facing a very real end-of-the-world magical threat. It is a powerful, engrossing story that captured viewers’ attention for 8 years.
The Witcher (2019 – ?)
Netflix joined the sword and sorcery series arena with this adaptation of a series of novels from Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. The story follows main character Geralt of Rivia (played by Henry Cavill), a solitary monster hunter, along with a powerful sorceress and a young princess. Season 2 will be released in December. It has a different tone from Game of Thrones and the story relies more on magic and monsters and less on political intrigue.
Shadow and Bone (2021-?)
Another Netflix series, based on a series of books by Leigh Bardugo, the show imagines a world of magic and war from a young adult literature perspective. It has elements of teen romance (like Vampire Diaries, etc.) and melds them with a powerful dose of magic and interesting world-building. Season 2 is in production now.
His Dark Materials (2019-?)
HBO is already on the hunt for the next Game of Thrones with His Dark Materials, a series based on the books by Phillip Pullman, that were already adapted into one feature film (The Golden Compass, 2007). The story follows young Lyra who is prophesied to change the universe as she travels to different worlds searching for a missing friend. It has been renewed for a third and final season.
Merlin (2008-2012)
Here is an early sword and sorcery series from before streaming was the standard way of watching TV content. It is based on the story of King Arthur, but is told from the perspective of a young Merlin who is also coming into his own powers in a land where magic is banned by the king, Uther (Arthur’s father). Merlin becomes Prince Arthur’s squire, and slowly comes to like the impudent prince over the course of the show’s 5 seasons. It is a tough comparison to the streaming shows that not only have the advantage of better special effects, but also the ability to push the limits on content that basic cable didn’t allow.
The Shannara Chronicles (2016-2017)
Based on the classic novel series by Terry Brooks, The Shannara Chronicles tells the story of young half-human, half-elf, Wil Ohmsford as he comes to accept his family legacy of magic and the fight against evil. We also meet numerous elves and humans who all have important parts to play in determining the future of their world. It was actually initially released on MTV, showing that every streaming service wants to take a crack at the sword and sorcery genre at some point.
The Wheel of Time (2021-?)
Since the first season is still in progress, we won’t write too much about the show just yet. But, it is based on the 14+ novel series by Robert Jordan. It is set in a world where magic is split into a power wielded by women and by men. A dark power is rising and a hero must emerge to save the world, but that hero is also seen as a possible destroyer. We’ll see how well the show adapts the long and detailed series of novels for the screen.
Coming Soon
The Lord of the Rings
Amazon isn’t finished with the sword and sorcery shows with The Wheel of Time. There is currently a TV series in development for the streaming service, based on The Lord of the Rings. It is set in the Second Age of Middle Earth, before the events of The Lord of the Rings novels and feature films. While the show will focus on a host of new characters, we will meet at least one familiar name from the books and films in a much younger Galadriel. It is expected to be the most expensive TV show ever made and is set to premiere in September 2022.
The House of the Dragon
HBO is also developing a prequel to Game of Thrones, called The House of the Dragon, which will focus on the rise of the house of Targaryen, around 200 years prior to the main storyline of GOT. The premiere is scheduled for sometime in 2022.
