10 Epic Fantasy TV Series Worth Binge

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The fantasy TV genre is one of the most varied of all, ranging from grounded stories with an element of magic to more elaborate and outlandish settings with worldbuilding that requires further explanation. The best fantasy TV shows of all time often nail the worldbuilding in their pilot episodes, keeping us intrigued enough to watch more seasons. While some fantasy TV shows can be binged over just one day, others are epic tales that last for years, gathering an enormous fandom. That said, many long-running TV shows can lose steam over the course of their run, eventually disappointing viewers. On the other hand, these fantasy TV shows are both long-running and well worth the commitment. Grimm 2011-2017, 6 Seasons Grimm follows a Portland detective who is descended from a long line of supernatural warriors known as Grimms. The show has some of the best fantasy TV show monsters of all time, and while it follows a monster-of-the-week format, it does not fall into the trap of being repetitive. Grimm has been praised for its portrayal of relationships as well as its genre mix. Grimm's fantasy-meets-crime procedural format is exciting and unusual, with a dark tone that sets it apart from many other fantasy TV shows. The series ran for six seasons, four of which have a rare 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While the finale divided fans, it is still a great talking point now, years after Grimm ended. Xena: Warrior Princess 1995-2001, 6 Seasons The 1990s was a golden age of fantasy TV, and while the visual effects do not always hold up today, this generally only affects shows that relied only on spectacle. Xena: Warrior Princess was a stunt and sorcery-filled series with a same-sex love story at its heart, and you'll regret not having started the long-running TV show sooner. Xena: Warrior Princess made Lucy Lawless a fantasy TV legend, and the costumes and battle scenes remain iconic today. While the show remained relatively consistent over its six seasons, it was overshadowed by the success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Still, Xena had such a dedicated following that fans campaigned to retcon the ending, and bring Xena back for more. Outlander 2014-2026, 8 Seasons Many fantasy TV shows have a period drama feel, as the genre tends to embrace a medieval aesthetic. However, Outlander takes this fantasy trope and creates something different, setting the story in Scotland in the 1900s. Former World War II nurse Claire finds herself transported back in time, where she falls in love with a Scottish warrior, blending romance with fantasy. Outlander has lasted for seven seasons so far, with the series set to conclude in 2026. So far, each season has been consistently good, and while the show has been criticized for its graphic violence and assault, it is far from the only fantasy TV show to be critiqued in this way. For fans of period dramas with some gritty moments, Outlander is worth the commitment. Attack On Titan 2013-2023, 4 Seasons One misconception about both animated TV shows and the fantasy genre is that they are lighthearted and child-focused, but Attack on Titan is a fantasy show that boldly breaks the mold. The show is about humanity's struggle for survival against giant, man-eating humanoid monsters called Titans, who force the remaining people to live behind enormous walls, fearing for their lives. The show is extremely dark and violent, and three out of its four seasons have a 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. There was often a wait of several years between each season of Attack on Titan, which led to the show being spread out over a decade. That said, Attack on Titan has finished and is worth committing to now. True Blood 2008-2014, 7 Seasons While the later seasons of True Blood have been polarizing, the series is still worth taking the time to watch, as it is hilarious, with some of the best fantasy TV characters of all time. True Blood is set in a world in which vampires have synthesized blood, ending their need to kill people, and the show satirizes prejudices like racism and homophobia using fantasy creatures. True Blood has horror elements and a lot of blood, as would be expected in any show involving vampires, but its defining feature is its sense of humor. The series contains some of the most iconic lines in any TV show and puts a new spin on creatures like werewolves and fairies, while featuring one of the best television soundtracks of all time. Once Upon A Time 2011-2018, 7 Seasons The premise for Once Upon a Time was so outlandish that the show seemed destined to either be a total failure or a fantastic moment of escapism. Most of the ensemble cast played two roles, as fairytale characters and their counterparts who had forgotten their real identities. Once Upon a Time had some standouts, including Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin, and the show was fun throughout. The special effects do not always hold up, but this adds to the campy soap-opera feel of the series, which lasted for seven seasons. Once Upon a Time had some great fairytale backstories as well as genuinely powerful moments, and while the last season is arguably not as good as the beginning, it is worth committing to for the fairytale ending. Game of Thrones 2011-2019, 8 Seasons Game of Thrones' infamously rushed ending might have come to define the show, but this often feels unfair when considering the bigger picture. This was a groundbreaking TV show that changed the industry, and it is worth watching to see how it happened. The later seasons' writing might not be as good as the first, but the visuals are still phenomenal. It is sometimes easy to forget that some of the best and most powerful scenes take place in the later seasons of Game of Thrones, including the Battle of the Bastards in season 6 and Brienne of Tarth being knighted in season 8. Game of Thrones puts many events in House of the Dragon into context, making it a significant TV series in many respects. Lost 2004-2010, 6 Seasons Lost is worth watching even if you didn't jump on the bandwagon when it was on, as it has such a huge effect on the culture of fan theories. Even people who have picked up on some of the show's many plotlines may be surprised at the ending, and it is more than worth the commitment to see how the story really plays out. Lost's shocking plane crash and fantastical island setting were instantly intriguing, and it was one of the first major shows to grow a culture of fan theories, encouraging viewers to debate about the truth behind the mysteries. The ensemble cast is one of the best in a fantasy TV show, and, many years later, it is fun to spot actors you'll recognize from other series. Buffy The Vampire Slayer 1997-2003, 7 Seasons Of all the 1990s fantasy TV shows that still hold up today, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the greatest of all time. The series popularized the monster-of-the-week format, and the idea of setting the pretty teenage girl on the monsters rather than the other way around was groundbreaking for the time period, sparking a trend for better female heroes. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is historically significant for its treatment of Tara and Willow's relationship, and the seven seasons end well, without the cliffhanger endings seen in several other fantasy shows. That said, with Angel's spin-off, the Buffy comic books, and the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, there's plenty for a new fan to watch after the original show ends. Supernatural 2005-2020, 15 Seasons With 15 seasons, Supernatural is one of the longest-running fantasy TV shows of all time. The show began with a relatively simple monster-of-the-week format, but evolved into an epic saga. Supernatural might feel like a huge commitment, but it is worth it to watch the story of the Winchester brothers and some of the best TV show depictions of biblical characters.