Copyright Screen Rant
When it comes to bad shows with great pilots, the fantasy genre has some of the most glaring examples on TV. Studios know a solid opening episode can make or break a new small-screen epic. Especially in fantasy, it’s essential to start strong, crafting a world that feels rich, mysterious, and bursting with potential right from the first minute. Unfortunately, there are countless fantasy shows that start strong but quickly fizzle out, going from great to lackluster in the blink of an eye. These are the ones that had all the makings of the next Game of Thrones or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, only to stumble into mediocrity - sometimes as early as their second episode. Sleepy Hollow (2013-2017) Sleepy Hollow’s Pilot Set Up A Smart Modern Gothic - Then The Show Lost Its Head Sleepy Hollow’s 2013 pilot had everything a modern fantasy fan could want: a mysterious tone, a sharp twist on classic legend, and excellent chemistry between Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) and Lt. Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie). The concept of a Revolutionary War soldier battling supernatural threats in modern-day America was instantly captivating. The first episode’s mix of horror, mystery, and fish-out-of-water humor felt like something special. It balanced eerie atmosphere with heartfelt character moments and hinted at a sprawling mythology that could rival Supernatural. Audiences were hooked. By season two, however, Sleepy Hollow lost the grounded charm that made it work. The mythology spiraled into chaos, the writing grew inconsistent, and Beharie’s controversial departure sealed its downfall. It became one of TV’s most infamous cases of bad shows with great pilots. The Shannara Chronicles (2016-2017) The Shannara Chronicles Looked Expensive But Felt Hollow After Its Pilot When The Shannara Chronicles premiered on MTV in 2016, its pilot promised a lush, high-stakes fantasy world. Adapted from Terry Brooks’ novels, it combined the visual scale of The Lord of the Rings with the youthful energy of The Hunger Games. For a TV production, it looked shockingly cinematic. The opening episode established intriguing leads - Wil Ohmsford (Austin Butler), Amberle Elessedil (Poppy Drayton), and Eretria (Ivana Baquero) - and a clear quest narrative that felt classic yet fresh. The potential was there for an epic saga. Unfortunately, the show’s writing quickly veered into CW-style melodrama and generic fantasy tropes. Its world felt emptier with each passing episode, and the dialogue often clashed with its serious tone. By season two, even the stunning visuals couldn’t hide how much The Shannara Chronicles had fallen from its promising start. Witches Of East End (2013-2014) Witches Of East End Started Strong But Became A Bewitching Mess Witches of East End began with a confident, stylish pilot that mixed fantasy and family drama in all the right ways. The Beauchamp women - Joanna (Julia Ormond), Ingrid (Rachel Boston), Freya (Jenna Dewan), and Wendy (Mädchen Amick) - immediately stood out as a magical family worth following. The Witches of East End pilot set up an intriguing blend of generational secrets, supernatural politics, and romance, all wrapped in coastal small-town mystique. It was Practical Magic meets Desperate Housewives, and it worked - at first. Sadly, as the series continued, Witches of East End became tonally uneven and narratively scattered. What started as character-driven fantasy devolved into soap-like twists and overcomplicated lore. The show’s charm faded fast, turning what could’ve been Lifetime’s fantasy breakout into another bad show with a great pilot. Carnival Row (2019-2023) Carnival Row’s First Episode Built A Rich World It Couldn’t Sustain Prime Video’s Carnival Row debuted in 2019 with a pilot that was dark, bold, and bursting with atmosphere. The neo-Victorian world of fae refugees and human oppressors felt fully realized, with Rycroft Philostrate (Orlando Bloom) and Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne) anchoring an engrossing mystery. The premiere promised a complex fantasy noir that tackled immigration, prejudice, and forbidden love through a fantastical lens. It looked stunning and suggested deep, mature storytelling ahead. Unfortunately, that storytelling never materialized. Later episodes bogged down in uneven pacing, overly grim tone, and convoluted subplots. While it did have strong performances, Carnival Row struggled to match its first episode’s balance of intrigue and emotion, ultimately wasting one of the genre’s most promising setups. Shadow And Bone (2021-2023) Shadow And Bone’s Pilot Was Enchanting, But The Magic Quickly Faded Netflix’s Shadow and Bone premiered with a pilot that instantly pulled viewers into the world of the Grisha and the Shadow Fold. Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) and Mal (Archie Renaux) were compelling protagonists, and the visual execution of the Fold was breathtaking. It was exactly what fans of Leigh Bardugo’s novels had hoped for. The first episode of Shadow and Bone promised a grounded yet epic take on fantasy, blending political tension with youthful emotion. It set up complex relationships and introduced the Crows with style. However, as the series progressed, the writing lost its focus. Character arcs stalled, the stakes diminished, and the energy of that mesmerizing first hour never returned. Despite its strong start, Shadow and Bone became another Netflix casualty of bad shows with great pilots. American Gods (2017-2021) American Gods Had Divine Potential Before Falling Into Chaos Few fantasy pilots have felt as commanding as American Gods. The 2017 debut episode - anchored by Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) and the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) - was surreal, cinematic, and thrillingly weird. Bryan Fuller and Michael Green’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel had artistry and ambition to spare. That pilot’s dreamlike tone and bold visual storytelling set expectations for American Gods sky-high. It blended mythology with modernity in ways that felt revolutionary, teasing a mythic clash between old and new gods. Sadly, creative turmoil behind the scenes soon caught up with the show. Showrunners departed, storylines meandered, and the visual flair dulled. American Gods went from divine to directionless, its mythic promise buried beneath inconsistency and production woes. The Witcher (2019-Present) The Witcher’s Pilot Cast A Spell, But Then Geralt Lost His Way When The Witcher premiered in 2019, its pilot was everything fans wanted: gritty, mysterious, and full of promise. Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) was perfectly cast, and the show’s nonlinear storytelling gave the first episode a unique sense of intrigue. That debut delivered high production value, rich lore, and a confident tone, with many touting The Witcher as a rival to Game of Thrones. Cavill’s performance alone carried immense weight, and the episode set up Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) and Ciri (Freya Allan) as key players in a sprawling fantasy tapestry.
