10 Best Fantasy Shows of the 2020s So Far, Ranked

The world of television is vastly different than it was. Today, there are TV shows out there with the budget of blockbuster films, something that would never be considered as early as 20 years ago. As television advances, so too do its various genres, including fantasy. Fantasy has historically been king od a hard genre to adapt to TV, because the stories are only limited by the writer’s imagination, but the adaptation of said story is often limited by budget, which usually needs to be huge in order to capture everything.

But in recent years, this has become even more feasible, with many networks dishing out the required budget to make some cinematic marvels in bite-sized, episodic format. This saw a huge spike in popularity in the 2010s, but in the 2020s, fantasy television is more popular than ever, with some real gems being released by various networks. These are the best fantasy shows of the 2020s, which prove that fantasy is only going to get bigger and better with time.

10

‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ (2023–)

Created by Clive Bradley

Castlevania: Nocturne is a sequel of the original Castlevania animated series, which in turn is based on a classic video game series. Though the art style is definitely inspired by anime, it doesn’t technically fit the definition, because it’s made by American creators rather than Japanese animators. But this works, because it makes it more digestible for non-anime fans. Set during the French Revolution, the series follows a vampire hunter, who is determined to prevent a vampiric god from rising to power and causing the apocalypse.

The Castlevania IP became beloved for its overall style, taking inspiration from Gothic horror elements, including vampires, werewolves, and European architecture, helping it feel distinct and fresh compared to other anime shows. While Nocturne felt kind of disappointing compared to the awesomeness of the original series, it still does a pretty good job, and is a far cry from being mediocre.

9

‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities’ (2022)

Created by Guillermo del Toro

Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is sort of known for his acclaimed fantasy horror flicks like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, so it’s only fitting that he would be given his own fantasy horror miniseries to tell the stories that may not necessarily work in movie form. For that, there’s Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, a highly underrated anthology series consisting of eight episodes, all curated by del Toro himself.

Since it’s an anthology series, each episode acts as its own self-contained story, presenting different concepts, creatures, settings, and themes throughout. This ranges from giant rats to parasites to terrifying entities from beyond, so there’s really no telling what the next episode will bring to the table. The fact that it can be picked up and dropped at any time, since there’s no overarching narrative,e combined with the personal flair of one of the finest filmmakers of the modern day, makes it a stunning dark fantasy series that has never gotten the attention that it deserves.

8

‘One Piece’ (2023–)

Developed by Matt Owens and Steven Maeda

One Piece is a Netflix live-action adaptation of the classic 1997 anime series, which is actually still ongoing nearly 30 years later. The show stars Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), a young aspiring pirate who has eaten a Devil Fruit, allowing him to turn his body into rubber in the blink of an eye. He, along with his friends, decides to embark on a journey across the sea to find the missing piece of an ancient map that will supposedly lead to untold riches.

Though the original anime reigns supreme in terms of sheer quality and entertainment value, the live-action adaptation has also done a pretty good job, and is definitely more palatable for non-anime fans in the way that it presents itself. This incredible pirate TV series is full of humor, ridiculousness, yet sweeping adventure, and has generated quite a bit of buzz in just eight episodes, though there are more planned to come.

7

‘Shadow and Bone’ (2021–2023)

Developed by Eric Heisserer

Shadow and Bone is an urban fantasy series set in the Grishaverse, a universe of stories established by author Leigh Bardugo. Most fantasy shows take place in worlds reminiscent of Medieval Europe, but Shadow and Bone takes a bit of a different approach, taking place in a world that feels more like Victorian England. Shadow and Bone was unfortunately cancelled far too soon, on a cliffhanger no less, due to low viewership, but it’s a real diamond in the rough that frankly deserved better.

The magic of the Grishaverse comes to life in this brilliant urban fantasy series, featuring some steampunk elements, along with a cast of lovable and memorable characters, and some very well done worldbuilding. It is kind of a shame that it was canceled so prematurely, yet for what little time it had, it made sure to deliver in every aspect, never having a dull moment, and becoming a hit for fans of the novels.

6

‘The Wheel of Time’ (2021–)

Created by Rafe Lee Judkins

The Wheel of Time is the hit Amazon Prime Video series based on the late Robert Jordan‘s novel series of the same name. The story follows Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), a sorceress known as an Aes Sedai who arrives in the remote region of the Two Rivers, searching for the Dragon Reborn, a powerful individual who is destined to either save the world from the clutches of the Dark One, or to destroy it.

The first season was pretty meh, but subsequent seasons have really picked up in quality, with the recent third season being the absolute best as of yet. Though the series is far from a 100% faithful adaptation of the source material, the show is still very entertaining, with a vast, rich world full of lovable characters, diverse environments, and secrets untold. It’s been one of Amazon Prime’s most successful original series, which is only getting better and better as it goes on.

5

‘The Legend of Vox Machina’ (2022–)

Created by Critical Role Productions

The Legend of Vox Machina is based on a web series by Critical Role Productions, which follows their own custom Dungeons & Dragons campaign. From humble beginnings arose this animated series, featuring Critical Role’s members voicing their actual, in-game characters. The show takes place in a fully fleshed-out world to rival the intricacies of J. R. R. Tolkien, with elves, dragons, stunning landscapes, and hefty amounts of history and lore.

Quite frankly, it’s amazing that a simple web series could morph into such a hugely successful prospect, which has been absolutely killing it in the fantasy scene, with no signs of slowing down as of yet. One doesn’t even need to be a fan of the web show or of Dungeons & Dragons to appreciate The Legend of Vox Machina in all of its glory, because it’s so perfectly crafted that it’s a euphoric dream for anyone who loves high fantasy.

4

‘Blood of Zeus’ (2020–2025)

Created by Charley and Vlas Parlapanides

Netflix has been absolutely killing it with their original fantasy series lately, and Blood of Zeus is yet another shining example of this. This animated series based on Greek mythology stars Derek Phillips as Heron, a demigod, and the son of Zeus himself. Heron is an original character and does not appear in any of the classic tales of Greek mythology. However, many other characters and concepts in the show do, which make appearances as Heron fights to preserve the balance between Earth and Olympus.

The animation is gorgeous, the voice work is stellar, the adventure is fantastic, and the action is thrilling, so it’s really not fair that it doesn’t seem to get all that much attention in comparison to some other fantasy shows. In any case, it’s a guaranteed win for any fans of Greek myth, presenting an entirely new story never before told, and written exclusively for the show, allowing the writers to blend their creativity with a concept loved by many.

3

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (2023–)

Created by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is based on a YA novel series of the same name by Rick Riordan, who also co-created the show. The IP did see some movie adaptations in the early 2010s, but these weren’t very good, and certainly weren’t faithful to the source. The recent Disney+ series, however, has given the brand the treatment that it deserves, and has proved a marvelous success among fans, who were starving to see their favorite novels done right.

Story-wise, it’s another Greek myth series, centering on Percy (Walker Scobell), a troubled adolescent who discovers he is a demigod, and is the son of the Greek god Poseidon. He is then whisked away to Camp Half-blood, to train among other demigods to fight ancient evils threatening our world. It’s not only got a great sense of adventure and impressive visual effects, but it’s also much more book-accurate, maintaining the signature dry wit of the novels.

2

‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)

Created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee

Arcane might have only lasted two seasons, but frankly, that’s all it really needed to tell its story. Based on the hit MOBA video game League of Legends, this animated series is a mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and steampunk all in one, so there’s a little something for everybody, whatever your preferred genre is. One doesn’t even need to be a League of Legends player in order to appreciate Arcane in all of its glory.

The story is about Vi (Hailee Steinfeld), one of the playable champions in the video game, as she finds herself fighting with her sister over magical technology and their previous squabbles, all while political unrest threatens to engulf their city in chaos. It was met with some brilliant reviews, attracting a whole bunch of new fans to the game and giving viewers an adventure like no other thanks to its signature animation and wholly unique atmosphere.

1

‘House of the Dragon’ (2022–)

Created by Ryan Condal and George R. R. Martin

House of the Dragon is the long-awaited prequel to Game of Thrones, one of the most successful TV shows of all time, and which single-handedly started the fantasy television boom in the early 2010s. Set 300 years prior to the latter, House of the Dragon details the bloody, chaotic history of the noble Targaryen family following their violent conquest of Westeros, uniting the continent under the banner of the Seven Kingdoms.

Both shows are based on works written by George R. R. Martin, who also had a hand in the creation of House of the Dragon. The reason Game of Thrones was so loved is due to its political intrigue, gruesome violence, and sweeping family drama. House of the Dragon brings all those things and more back to the viewers, many of whom felt disappointed at the way Game of Thrones ended. This prequel series is a welcome return to a familiar world that oozes quality, and is undoubtedly the best fantasy show of the decade… so far, anyway.

NEXT:10 Most Unpredictable Fantasy Shows, Ranked