10 Greatest Fantasy Shows No One Ever Talks About

The most popular fantasy TV shows aren’t necessarily the most original. Sometimes, producers stick with familiar formulas instead of taking risks with new ideas. Other shows simply launched before their time, ahead of what audiences were looking for. And sadly, some promising series were cancelled too soon, leaving viewers with unanswered questions and preventing them from building a dedicated following.

The fantasy genre is incredibly creative, but smaller shows often struggle to gain attention because of massive hits like Game of Thrones which tend to dominate discussions. As a result, many great, yet overlooked, fantasy shows have been forgotten, despite deserving more recognition under different circumstances.

Willow

The 1980s film Willow was a major fantasy hit, despite lukewarm reviews. While audiences loved it, giving it an 80% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, the recent TV series had a different reception. Though it starred Warwick Davis reprising his role and drew inspiration from games like Dungeons & Dragons, leaning on the popularity of the original, critics enjoyed the show more than general audiences did.

Comparing the Willow TV Series and Movie
Title	Year	Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Rating	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating
Willow (Movie)	1988	52%	80%
Willow (TV series)	2022	84%	65%

The TV series felt very different from the movie, alienating many original fans. It also didn’t establish its new setting well enough to attract a wider audience. Considering 2022 was a huge year for fantasy shows on streaming services – with popular titles like House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power – even though Willow was a good show, it struggled to stand out.

Galavant

The musical comedy Galavant was innovative for its time, and might have found a larger audience if it had premiered today, especially with the recent success of Wicked adaptations. However, it combined musical elements with comedy in a way that didn’t appeal to everyone. Despite this, Galavant boasts a 93% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting its cancellation wasn’t due to a lack of quality.

If you enjoy fantasy comedies like Once Upon a Time and are a Disney fan, Galavant is a fun show to watch all at once. However, it was always a challenge to find a large audience because it appealed to a very specific group of viewers. Though it was surprisingly renewed for a second season, Galavant never reached the popularity of mainstream hits like Game of Thrones, and it remains a less-discussed series.

The OA

The OA was a truly unique TV series, famous for its bizarre and thought-provoking story. It ended abruptly after two seasons with a surprising and confusing twist, leaving fans with many unanswered questions. The show combined elements of fantasy, science fiction, and philosophical themes, and it delved into the connection between religion and the idea of multiple universes.

The show was bound to spark strong reactions, tackling intense themes like secret experiments, stalking, a school shooting, and even the surprising power of dance. Though these elements could have made it as captivating as Lost, it never reached the same broad popularity. While The OA remains beloved by its dedicated fans, the fact that the ending is known to be unresolved discourages new viewers from getting invested and sharing their own theories.

Warrior Nun

Despite being surprisingly overlooked, Warrior Nun is a fantastic fantasy series. It earned a strong 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and developed a dedicated fanbase who fought to save it after Netflix unexpectedly canceled it. The show likely struggled to gain traction because of how Netflix promotes content, potentially due to a slow start, and wasn’t highlighted by the platform’s algorithms.

Let me tell you about Warrior Nun. It started off a little rocky, honestly. The first few episodes felt more like a typical teen drama than the really cool, character-focused fantasy adventure it was building towards. It’s a shame, because I think that turned a lot of potential viewers off early on. It meant the show never really found the audience it deserved, and now it feels largely overlooked – which is a real loss, because it definitely had potential.

Extraordinary

Shows like The Boys and Invincible have demonstrated that there’s an audience for superhero stories that twist and poke fun at the genre, suggesting Extraordinary had potential for success. The show offers a unique spin on superpowers, presenting them as commonplace abilities. It centers on Jen, a 25-year-old navigating life in a world where everyone develops a power when they turn 18—powers that can be anything from talking to ghosts to making fish appear.

As someone who watches a lot of superhero stuff, it’s easy to get used to these huge, flashy shows. But Extraordinary was totally different – it felt more like a quirky, low-budget British sitcom. Honestly, that’s what I loved about it! It wasn’t trying to compete with all the spectacle, but that same charm meant it didn’t always click with everyone, especially on a platform like Disney+. It got a little lost in the shuffle, overshadowed by those bigger, bolder shows, which is a shame. It really is a hidden gem, and I wish more people had given it a chance.

Merlin

You might not expect to see Merlin on this list, but despite being a popular show for five seasons, it’s often overlooked when people talk about great fantasy TV. It’s easy to forget, and it doesn’t usually come up in discussions about the genre. This is likely because the show tried to balance a difficult tone. The original Arthurian legends are quite dark and could have supported a more mature, even frightening, fantasy series, but Merlin was generally made for family audiences.

Unlike many popular fantasy shows, Merlin didn’t quite fit the mold, and despite a good story and talented cast, it often feels a bit old-fashioned. The show relied a lot on a ‘monster of the week’ format, which was common in the early 2000s, but today’s viewers generally prefer shows with bigger, ongoing plots and more in-depth character arcs. While it might attract viewers looking for a nostalgic trip in the future, Merlin is often passed over because it feels dated.

Sweet Tooth

Sweet Tooth blends the worlds of post-apocalyptic drama and fantasy, creating a distinctive style and mood. While it visually feels like a fantasy show—following the adventures of children who are part human, part animal—it also tackles very dark and unsettling themes. This mix didn’t fully satisfy fans of either genre, leaving both fantasy and post-apocalyptic viewers wanting something more aligned with their expectations.

It was surprisingly hard to promote the show, which highlights the challenge of measuring success by how popular something is with everyone. Even though Sweet Tooth had a unique style and interesting characters, it never had a moment that really blew up online or became a major talking point. Fortunately, the show received a satisfying conclusion, so new viewers can start watching without worrying about it being left unfinished.

Carnival Row

Many fantasy TV shows have great concepts but fall short in their delivery. Carnival Row successfully blended the magical feel of stories like The Chronicles of Narnia with the dark, atmospheric setting of Victorian London. The show centers around a murder mystery in a world where humans and mythical creatures coexist, though their relationship is strained by industrialization and significant prejudice against the creatures.

Despite initial expectations, the fantasy series Carnival Row didn’t achieve widespread success. However, it’s still worth a watch for its beautiful visuals and moments of clever storytelling. The show suffered from inconsistent performances by some of the lead actors and a slower pace compared to other fantasy shows. While it looked impressive thanks to its large budget, this wasn’t enough to maintain viewer interest, particularly after production delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emerald City

A modern remake of Emerald City could have been a streaming success, especially with the popularity of shows like Wicked and the current trend of revisiting classic stories. However, the original series premiered in 2017 and was quickly canceled after one season. It received mixed reviews – critics didn’t love it (a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but viewers generally liked it much more (78%).

Despite its flaws in tone and speed, the show Emerald City isn’t widely remembered, though it did have some strong performances, particularly from Joely Richardson as Glinda and Vincent D’Onofrio as The Wizard. Its unique, dark, and steampunk-inspired visuals could have made it a classic in the fantasy genre if it had come out at a different time.

Pushing Daisies

Despite not fitting the usual fantasy mold – and often being overlooked in discussions about the genre – Pushing Daisies is a show that consistently improves. Instead of the typical fantasy elements like dragons or spells, it centers on a baker with a unique ability: he can bring people back to life with just a touch, but another touch will cause them to die for good.

Despite strong critical and audience approval (96% and 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively) and great acting by Lee Pace and Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies didn’t quite fit the fantasy TV landscape when it originally aired. Even today, though it’s a fantastic show, it’s not widely remembered as a fantasy series, which is why it often gets overlooked in discussions about the genre.

2026-04-22 04:55