The best fantasy shows on Netflix that you absolutely must watch

Netflix

When I first heard that Henry Cavill had been cast as Geralt in the TV show The Witcher, based on a novel that became a very popular video game, I thought, “This can’t be good.”

Then I watched the first episode and thought, “This is not good.”

But in the end, was the show somehow good? Then it became a phenomenon. It is now one of the most popular shows on Netflix.

Netflix

Arcane is that good.

Based on the characters and legends of League of Legends, Arcane is just an absolutely beautiful animated show about family, trauma and the impact of poverty. Just an amazingly good show to watch.

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Okay, I’ll put Supernatural on the list.

Follow the preternaturally good-looking Winchester brothers as they hunt all manner of ghouls and goblins, demons, ghosts and monsters.

Brace yourselves – there are a ridiculous 15 seasons of this show on Netflix.

Netflix

Shadow and Bone is based on a series of young adult fantasy novels written by Lee Bardugo. It makes sense that this show wasn’t quite a lot as good as some might have hoped, but they are not quite a lot to go mainstream as some expected. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check it out.

Netflix

As a Scot, I’m both grateful for Outlander and resentful of it.

It made Scottish men cool again, but it also gave people ridiculously high and unfair expectations of us. We can’t hope to compete with Sam Heughan, who plays the main character Jamie Fraser. ridiculous.

Outlander is a weird time travel show that takes the main character Claire back in time from World War II to Scotland in 1743. It’s definitely romance novel nonsense, but it’s self-aware romance novel nonsense. It’s made for overeating.

Nickelodeon

Avatar: The Last Airbender has to be one of the best animated series ever sometime. Aang is the titular final Airbender, a messiah-type who can control the four basic elements: air, fire, water, and earth.

But even trying to describe what makes Avatar so charming, clever, and surprisingly tough is pointless. Just do yourself a favor and watch it.

Netflix

Umbrella Academy is part of a whole bunch of more themed superhero shows for adults that came out a few years ago. It takes itself a bit more seriously than The Boys, which came out on Prime Video, but it’s still a very compelling watch.

It also has some of the best needle-dropping moments of any Netflix show. Get on.

Kevin Baker/Netflix

Based on the 1982 cult classic, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was a pretty good exercise in nostalgia baiting. Unfortunately, production costs caused Netflix to cancel it before we got a second season. That doesn’t mean you can’t check the first one.

Netflix

Okay, let’s do it one more time…

I can’t believe I have three TV shows based on video games on this list! But once again it’s Castlevania a lot good. A dark fantasy show based on the video game of the same name, Castlevania is super popular, captivating and incredibly well animated. Give it a shot even if you’ve never heard of the game.

BBC

A BBC television show based on the Arthurian legends, Merlin adds a Doctor Who aesthetic to the fantasy genre.

It’s certainly a bit dated, but Merlin has a cult following thanks to some fantastic performances. Just don’t expect Game of Thrones-level production values.

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Based on the old children’s sitcom Sabrina The Teenage Witch, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina reinvents itself as a dark drama focused on the occult. Miraculously it works.

Get ready for a weird ending, but this show gives you one.

Netflix

Hellbound is a dark fantasy show about supernatural creatures that drag people into hell. If you’ve just finished Squid Game and are craving more Korean TV, look no further. This rule.

Netflix

Sweet Tooth is a fantasy drama based on the comic of the same name. After a pandemic — stay with me here — half-human, half-animal hybrid babies are born.

As you might expect, a schism occurs. Some people cannot cope with the emergence of this new hybrid and blame them for the pandemic. The show has been renewed for a second season, so now is a good time to play catch-up.

Netflix

We officially named it the second best show on Netflix. Is it a fantasy show? Something like. It definitely has some weird fantasy elements and – regardless – it’s worth your time. The story centers on Prairie Johnson, a woman who returns home after being missing for years. The twist: she used to be blind, now she can see.

Everything that comes from this weird twist just keeps getting weirder. Definitely give it a try.

Nickelodeon

I can’t put Avatar on the list without adding The Legend of Korra.

Set in the same universe, years after the events of the original Avatar, The Legend of Korra is a much older version of the series, dealing with surprisingly mature themes. It’s dramatically underrated. Be careful.

Weekly jump Shonen

Can I get away with adding anime to this list? Sorry, I do.

Chances are, if you’re an anime fan, you’ve already watched Demon Slayer or at the very least know of its existence. It’s probably the most popular anime on the planet right now. Demon Slayer is basically a show about a guy who kills demons. The twist: His sister is also part demon and they travel together. It’s beautifully animated and the fight scenes are ballistic.

Funimation

Since we’re doing anime now, we might as well do Attack on Titan.

Attack on Titan is an anime set in a murky medieval universe where human beings are constantly at risk from skyscraper-sized humanoid “titans” who eat people.

This is absolutely crazy. You should watch it.

Netflix

Dragon Prince is often compared favorably to another legendary show on this list, Avatar.

That’s about as high a mark as you can get for an animated fantasy show.