20 Best Fantasy Shows Of All Time

Updated Oct 10, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Critic on ScreenRant's TV team, covering new-release and classic TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy. Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones). Sign in to your ScreenRant account Fantasy TV shows have been all the rage for decades, but they aren't all created equal. The best of the best transport audiences to new worlds of magic, myth, and mystery, but that's not all. It's essential that any TV show that falls under the fantasy umbrella, whether supernatural thrillers, or classic magical adventures, has an impact on the industry and society as a whole. When a TV show becomes a hit, we typically see a handful more just like it pop up over the next years. Those new additions may be good or bad, but their existence in the first place is a sign that the series it took inspiration from was something truly special. Said and done, this sort of situation is our best indicator of which fantasy TV shows won't ever be forgotten. 20 Interview With The Vampire 2022 - Present Any supernatural vampire TV show is going to lean into the guilty-pleasure element, and while Interview with the Vampire isn't quite an exception, it goes far deeper than just that. This 2022 series is another adaptation of Anne Rice's 1976 gothic horror novel, and it's one that easily lends the most nuance to its characters. Everything from the setting, cinematography, and performances in Interview with the Vampire is simply delicious. Season 1 brings in that almost agonizing slow burn, and season 2 perfects it with the right balance of draw-out and pay-off. As this fantasy series continues, we can certainly expect the thrills to multiply exponentially. 19 The Witcher 2019 - Present Release Date December 20, 2019 Network Netflix Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Cast Anya Chalotra Yennefer of Vengerberg Directors Stephen Surjik, Charlotte Brändström, Edward Bazalgette, Loni Peristere, Louise Hooper, Bola Ogun, Alex Garcia Lopez, Gandja Monteiro, Sarah O'Gorman Writers Haily Hall, Clare Higgins, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jenny Klein, Tania Lotia Franchise(s) The Witcher The Witcher is another fantasy TV series that made a spectacular debut with its first season, but quickly lost momentum. The show is steeped in controversy, but in the way of the fantasy genre, it does several things completely right. Like many big fantasy TV shows, The Witcher is based on an expansive book series. The world it's set in has all the fantasy staples, and the Netflix series combines these with an intriguingly modern social experience. If you want a high fantasy with plenty of F-bombs, The Witcher is for you. 18 The Wheel Of Time 2021 - 2025 Release Date 2021 - 2025-00-00 Network Prime Video Showrunner Rafe Judkins Directors Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip Writers Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna Franchise(s) The Wheel of Time The book series that Prime Video's The Wheel of Time is based on is one of the most loved in the fantasy genre, so it's no surprise that the TV show gained some quick traction. Of course, screen adaptations rarely live up to their sources, so The Wheel of Time was heavily criticized. Still, there's a lot to love here. Any great traditional fantasy needs a complex magic system, and The Wheel of Time delivers spectacularly in this regard. We couldn't ask for more from the series' visuals, too, and the characters are colorful, well-developed, and generally solid. Unfortunately, Prime Video canceled The Wheel of Time, but its existing three seasons are still worth watching. 17 A Discovery Of Witches 2018 - 2022 Release Date 2018 - 2022-00-00 A Discovery of Witches is another addition to the urban branch of the fantasy genre, combining a modern setting with the fantasy tropes we know and love. Dark, mysterious, sophisticated, and sexy, A Discovery of Witches thrives, especially because of its stars, Teresa Palmer and Matthew Goode. Like many other fantasy TV shows, the first season of A Discovery of Witches is the series' best. Still, the gritty, fantastical elements that made this initial installment so intriguing were carried through to season 3. An added bonus of this series is that it came to a close after its third offering, making it the perfect fantasy binge. 16 Attack On Titan 2013 - 2023 Release Date 2013 - 2023-00-00 Attack on Titan is widely considered one of the best anime of all time, allowing it to find its place among the most notable fantasy shows across the ages. Like many within the genre, Attack on Titan is notoriously complex. Unlike many, however, each plot twist is completely worthwhile, and this series never seems to lose steam. One of the most impressive aspects of Attack on Titan is its unanimous approval. The series holds a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it a 95%. These are the overall numbers, and individual seasons performed even better—seasons 2 through 4 each have a perfect 100% score. 15 The Vampire Diaries 2009 - 2017 Release Date 2009 - 2017-00-00 Network The CW Showrunner Julie Plec Directors Chris Grismer, Joshua Butler, Marcos Siega, Kellie Cyrus, J. Miller Tobin, John Behring, Jeffrey G. Hunt, Rob Hardy, Leslie Libman, Paul Wesley, Lance Anderson, Darren Genet, John Dahl, Wendey Stanzler, Jesse Warn, Garreth Stover, Geoff Shotz, Ian Somerhalder, Liz Friedlander, David Von Ancken, Kevin Bray, Mike Karasick, Brad Turner, Carol Banker Writers Brian Young, Michael Narducci, Holly Brix, Elisabeth R. Finch, Andrew Chambliss, Alfredo Septién, Bryan Oh, Jose Molina, Turi Meyer, Gabrielle Stanton, Shukree Hassan Tilghman, Bryan M. Holdman, Céline Geiger, Mike Daniels, Charlie Charbonneau, Alan B. McElroy, John Herrera, Andrew Kreisberg, Elizabeth Craft, Michael J. Cinquemani, Sarah Fain, Sean Reycraft, Nina Fiore Cast Nina Dobrev Elena Gilbert / Katherine Pierce Paul Wesley Stefan Salvatore The Vampire Diaries is another campy, guilty pleasure supernatural series that checks all the boxes. Like others on this branch of the fantasy genre, The Vampire Diaries isn't for everyone. However, unlike other similar series, it maintained exceptional quality from season to season. CW's The Vampire Diaries ran for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017, and though some installments didn't perform as well as others, there was no evident flop. Seasons 2, 5, and 8 even managed perfect 100% scores on Rotten Tomatoes. 14 Outlander 2014 - 2026 Release Date 2014 - 2026-00-00 Network Starz Showrunner Matthew B. Roberts Cast Jack Tarlton Kenny Lindsay John Sessions Arthur Duncan Directors John Dahl, Metin Hüseyin, Jamie Payne, Stephen Woolfenden, Anna Foerster, Brendan Maher, Brian Kelly, David Moore, Jennifer Getzinger, Mike Barker, Philip John, Joss Agnew, Lisa Clarke, Jan Matthys, Ben Bolt, Charlotte Brändström, Christiana Ebohon-Green, Denise Di Novi, Douglas Mackinnon, Julian Holmes, Norma Bailey, Richard Clark, Justin Molotnikov, Stewart Svaasand Writers Toni Graphia, Matthew B. Roberts, Ronald D. Moore, Luke Schelhaas, Anne Kenney, Karen Campbell, Shannon Goss, Joy Blake, Richard Kahan, Jennifer Yale, Megan Ferrell Burke, Ira Steven Behr, Diana Gabaldon Time travel fantasies are typically a win, and mixing romance in there is just icing on the cake. On this specific branch within the fantasy genre, nothing stands out quite as much as Outlander. Based on the book series by author Diana Gabaldon, Outlander wrapped up its eighth season 8 and branched out into a new spinoff, Outlander: Blood of My Blood. Fans of this Romantacy series are devoted, and with the chemistry between stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, we can't blame them. 13 The Lord Of the Rings: The Rings Of Power 2022 - Present Release Date September 1, 2022 Network Amazon Prime Video Showrunner John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip Directors J.A. Bayona, Sanaa Hamri Writers Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings The Lord of the Rings has been the figurehead of the fantasy genre for generations. However, in the way of screen adaptations, J.R.R. Tolkien's stories had really only had a chance to leave their mark in the form of films. That changed with Prime Video's The Rings of Power. This fantasy TV show has been controversial for its changes to Tolkien canon. However, it has been considered a resounding success by critics and Prime Video itself. Though one of the most expensive fantasy TV shows to date, Rings of Power puts its high budget to great use with some truly spectacular visuals. 12 A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms 2026 - Present A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is another Game of Thrones TV show, but it truly deserves its own place in the lineup of fantasy greats. The HBO series features many of the same delicious elements as its parent series, but it differs in just about every other way. In fact, there has never really been another fantasy TV show like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Instead of hour-long episodes packed 10 at a time into sprawling seasons, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms keeps things short and simple. The overall tone is quaint and calming, but these approximately 30-minute episodes still come with their share of shocking twists. There's just a superb balance here that is unlike anything else on screen, though future shows are sure to follow the example. 11 Supernatural 2005 - 2020 Release Date 2005 - 2020-00-00 Network The WB, The CW Showrunner Eric Kripke Directors Philip Sgriccia, John F. Showalter, Kim Manners, Thomas J. Wright, Charles Beeson, Guy Norman Bee, Richard Speight Jr., Mike Rohl, John Badham, Steve Boyum, Amyn Kaderali, Jensen Ackles, Tim Andrew, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeannot Szwarc, P.J. Pesce, Nina Lopez-Corrado, James L. Conway, Amanda Tapping, J. Miller Tobin, Stefan Pleszczynski, John MacCarthy, Jerry Wanek, Ben Edlund Writers Meredith Glynn, Davy Perez, Raelle Tucker, Cathryn Humphris, Brett Matthews, Nancy Won, John Bring, Ben Acker, Daniel Knauf, David Ehrman, James Krieg, Trey Callaway Franchise(s) Supernatural Supernatural is an absolute enigma in the supernatural fantasy genre. The series ran for 15 seasons, with hundreds of episodes released between 2005 and 2020. Naturally, this show lost traction from time to time. However, Supernatural managed to continuously put up excellent offerings. Nine of Supernatural's 15 seasons have perfect 100% scores on Rotten Tomatoes—so more than half. This is beyond impressive, since most series that run this long lose steam years before they finally wrap things up. Supernatural only seemed to get better.