Fantasy shows can create new immersive worlds or introduce some magic into everyday life. This means that the genre is extremely varied, with some shows involving the complexity of sci-fi while others are lighthearted comedies with a magic element.

That said, to make a 10/10 fantasy show, the writing has to be excellent, with a world that feels real. The best fantasy TV shows of all time have given us iconic characters and storylines that feel fresh and new, even if they incorporate some of the most common fantasy tropes.

His Dark Materials

After the failure of the movie The Golden Compass, The His Dark Materials TV adaptation showed viewers that it was possible to stay faithful to Philip Pullman’s excellent book trilogy. The original series was extremely controversial due to its focus on the dangers of organized religion and its potential to act as a shield behind which people could commit horrendous acts.

The movie attempted to sanitize the darker parts of the book, while the TV adaptation did not shy away from the subject matter, producing a fantasy TV show that is considered a masterpiece. Each of the three seasons of His Dark Materials corresponds to a book in the trilogy, and the few adjustments it makes to the story make it play better onscreen.

Each episode of His Dark Materials was tightly written, without scenes that felt like filler, and with each moment enhancing the journey of the main characters. The focus on story over spectacle meant that the series was not dragged out, but never gained the same attention that flashier shows like Game of Thrones did, making His Dark Materials an underrated fantasy epic.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Credit: Nickelodeon

While more and more viewers now understand that animated shows are not automatically meant for children, Avatar: The Last Airbender offers the best of both worlds. The show is often fun and silly in a way that children can enjoy, but the main story of war and redemption is deep and sometimes heartbreaking, making Avatar: The Last Airbender a show for anyone to appreciate.

The series has often been considered one of the best animated TV shows of all time for its rich artwork and well-written story. Avatar: The Last Airbender is about a boy who is destined to bring peace to a war-torn world in which factions work with different elements. Iconic characters like Uncle Iroh are the heart of the story, while the creature design is excellent.

Avatar: The Last Airbender has a 100% positive critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, and every episode of the show is a perfect 10/10. There is never a dull moment, and virtually every episode contains peril, fun, and something visually exciting. Avatar: The Last Airbender even had a perfect ending, which is rare for any TV show.

The Magicians

The Magicians is about the journeys of students from a magical school and has a similar dark tone to young adult dramas. However, it also incorporates exciting locations and imaginative creatures.

While the show is often compared to Harry Potter for its magical school setting, The Magicians features much more disturbing subject matter, including child assault and murder. Despite the success of more brutal fantasy shows like Outlander, the fantasy genre is still often presented as a child’s genre, and The Magicians proves how untrue this misconception is.

The best episodes of The Magicians strike a balance between directly advancing the plot and developing the relationships between the characters through witty exchanges and shared moments. Every episode is a masterpiece, but “A Life In The Day” perfectly sums up the show’s themes, with love, magic, and high emotional stakes wrapped up in a mosaic-like visual image.

Arcane

The Emmy Award-winning fantasy TV show Arcane has a 100% positive critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and is arguably one of the most ambitious fantasy TV shows of all time. The show is based on the characters, lore, and legends of the League of Legends video game, so it had the challenge of needing to appeal to an existing fanbase.

That said, you do not need to have played League of Legends to enjoy watching Arcane, and this made the series instantly accessible to a wide audience. The show was destined to be a hit from its first 10 minutes, which are not only an emotional rollercoaster but also aesthetically stunning, instantly establishing the show’s distinctive style and excellent animation.

Every episode of Arcane features some standout visuals, high emotional stakes, and excellent voice acting. It is never predictable at any point during its two short seasons, and Arcane features one of the best action scenes in a fantasy TV show. The relationship between Vi and Jinx is as compelling as it is heartbreaking, and each of Arcane‘s episodes is perfect from start to finish.