8 Fantasy TV Shows That Redefined the Genre

Shows like Game of Thrones and Supernatural remain popular and are frequently discussed as some of the best TV series ever made. While good fantasy shows need elements like magical settings and fantastical creatures, truly great ones go above and beyond the basics to achieve legendary status.

As a huge fantasy fan, I’ve noticed the really great series don’t just copy what’s been done before – they either bring something totally new to the table or they take an old idea and make it feel fresh and exciting. Everyone talks about the big hits, and rightly so, but shows like Penny Dreadful and even Merlin have quietly had a huge impact too. It’s not about being the most popular; a fantasy show can really shake things up if it can prove to its viewers that it offers something truly unique, something you can’t find anywhere else.

Penny Dreadful Celebrated Literary Icons

This critically acclaimed series ran for three seasons and continues to attract new viewers through streaming. Set in Victorian London, it’s a gothic horror fantasy that reimagines classic monsters like Dracula and Dr. Jekyll. The story centers on characters battling the darkness around them, notably the psychic medium Vanessa Ives and scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein.

The Universal Monsters are legendary figures in dark fantasy, and this show did a fantastic job of bringing them back to life. It paid respect to the original stories that created these creatures, capturing the feel of those classic narratives. But it went further, developing these monsters into complex characters that audiences could truly connect with and understand on an emotional level.

The show successfully explored important ideas like faith and self-discovery. It’s a shame it ended prematurely, leaving the finale feeling hurried. Nevertheless, it left a significant mark on fantasy storytelling, demonstrating that even familiar tropes can be revitalized with a creative approach.

Supernatural Teen Dramas Were Popularized With The Vampire Diaries

The story kicks off in Season 1 with the return of vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore to their hometown, Mystic Falls. They quickly become entangled with a teenage girl named Elena and her friends, pulling them into a perilous world of supernatural drama. As each season unfolds, the group faces escalating threats that put their friendships, safety, and very lives at risk.

The TV show The Vampire Diaries is famous for its thrilling and often deadly conflicts, which highlight the dangers of the supernatural world colliding with our own. While it began as a story about vampires, it soon expanded to include a wide range of creatures like witches, werewolves, and ghosts. Throughout its eight seasons, the show kept viewers hooked with its many storylines and ongoing struggles.

Even with its supernatural themes, The Vampire Diaries is widely remembered as one of the most popular teen dramas of its kind. While other shows may claim the title or fans debate which is best, it’s clear that TVD significantly impacted the landscape of supernatural dramas on television.

Merlin Is the Most Popular Arthurian Adaptation

As a huge fantasy fan, I always felt Merlin was a bit underrated. It didn’t get the same buzz as some other big shows, but those of us who watched were really into it. The story is set in Camelot and focuses on young Prince Arthur and his best friend, Merlin. There’s a catch though: magic is banned in the kingdom, but Merlin secretly uses his powers to keep Arthur safe. It’s a really compelling dynamic!

The show tells a story that’s great for kids, but adults will enjoy it too. While each episode is usually self-contained, there’s a larger story arc that connects each season. It’s generally lighthearted and playful, but doesn’t shy away from tackling serious and even surprisingly dark themes when the story calls for it.

Fans of magic and medieval stories will likely enjoy this. While stories based on Arthurian legends are common, this one feels fresh and revitalizes the fantasy genre.

Romance And Fantasy Are Perfectly Blended in Outlander

Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander tells the story of Claire, a WWII nurse who unexpectedly travels back in time to 18th-century Scotland. Though already married, she finds love and protection with Jamie Fraser and begins a new life. Claire is then torn between her original life and the strong connections she’s made in the past.

Despite its use of time travel, the show is widely considered one of the greatest fantasy series ever made. It also features other magical elements, like Claire’s healing powers and ghostly encounters, which are seamlessly integrated into the historical setting and central love stories.

This show has a large and dedicated fanbase, and remains popular, as evidenced by its planned continuation into August 2025. It’s celebrated for focusing on female characters and for successfully bringing the ‘romantasy’ genre – hugely popular with fantasy book lovers – to the screen, something few other shows have managed to do.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Defines Teen Horror Shows

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is famous for its stories about preventing the apocalypse and its complex characters, but it’s most loved for its main character, Buffy. She’s a teenager who discovers she’s the chosen one, destined to fight vampires and other monsters. The show follows Buffy as she works with her friends and mentor in Sunnydale, California – a town plagued by supernatural activity – to protect people from harm.

As a critic, I’ve always admired how Buffy the Vampire Slayer flipped the typical monster-of-the-week formula on its head. So many shows of that era would prioritize those standalone episodes, letting the bigger story simmer on the back burner. But Buffy? It consistently made the overarching plot the main event, even while our slayer was busy dealing with vampires and demons of the week. It was a smart move that really elevated the series.

This story forces Buffy to abandon her dreams of a normal life and dedicate herself to saving the world. But the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer became so popular because it realistically portrayed the challenges of being a teenager, even within its fantastical world. Because of this, Buffy was celebrated as both a strong, capable lead character and someone the audience could genuinely connect with.

Supernatural Broke Fantasy TV Records

The show ran for fifteen seasons, totaling over three hundred episodes. It follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who team up to hunt monsters and magical creatures that threaten people. Throughout the series, a central storyline unfolds, growing more complex each season. It starts with the brothers searching for their father and ultimately culminates in a massive confrontation with God.

While some episodes aren’t fan favorites, the series is generally considered a gripping fantasy show. It helped make the “Monster of the Week” format popular in modern television, focusing on the everyday challenges Sam and Dean face, even while dealing with larger, world-ending threats.

When it was announced that Supernatural would end, fans were understandably upset (though the show later moved to Prime Video). The show’s success stemmed from its charming and relatable characters, who kept viewers invested even during its more challenging seasons. Supernatural ultimately became the longest-running live-action fantasy series in American television history.

Game of Thrones Set the Standards for World-Building

The series began by introducing viewers to the world of Westeros and its intricate relationships between those in power and everyone else. This established a rich and detailed setting. As the story unfolded, mythical creatures and magic were added, making George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world even more captivating.

Many consider this to be the greatest fantasy TV show ever made. While the dragons and the threat of the White Walkers are captivating, it’s the realistic political struggles that truly stand out. The scheming, corruption, and backstabbing within Westeros’ government are what led to the story’s biggest surprises.

Unforgettable scenes have made this series a landmark achievement in fantasy entertainment. But it’s the incredibly detailed and imaginative world it created that truly changed the genre, becoming the benchmark for all other epic fantasy shows.

House of the Dragon Has Arguably Surpassed Its Predecessor

House of the Dragon is a prequel series that has already faced some criticism from fans. The story centers on the Targaryen dynasty’s rule over the Seven Kingdoms, which is challenged when King Viserys has difficulty producing a male heir. Eventually, years later, both his daughter, Rhaenyra, and his son, Aegon, lay claim to the Iron Throne, leading to a civil war.

House of the Dragon has quickly proven to be even more impactful than its original series, with moments that viewers won’t soon forget. It also successfully captures the spirit of the original by emphasizing the political maneuvering that first made the show so popular. The prequel has been a surprise hit, crafting a complicated war fueled by family relationships, making the conflict both politically complex and deeply emotional.

Honestly, everyone’s watching this show so closely, and there’s a lot of expectation riding on it. But even with all that pressure, I’ve been really drawn in by how emotional it is. It’s not just about dragons and battles; it really focuses on the pain and messy relationships within this family, and that’s what makes it stand out from a lot of other fantasy shows I’ve seen.

2025-12-14 04:13