Fantasy has always been a popular genre in the world of fiction, but it’s been even more popular in recent years due to a massive fantasy trend in the world of television. Fantasy television was always a thing, but the 21st century ushered in a whole new age for the genre, allowing for bigger budgets, bigger casts, and bigger stories to tell thanks to the advancement of film technology.
In the wake of so many brand-new fantasy TV shows, some are unfortunately going to be left behind. Granted, this is often for good reason, but now and again, one that is amazing or even perfect will slip through the cracks, sinking into the sea of forgotten fantasy, patiently waiting for people to fish it back out. These are the best fantasy TV shows that nobody really seems to remember anymore.
10
‘Shahmaran’ (2023–2024)
Shahmaran is a Turkish show that ran for two seasons and was created specifically for Netflix. With it being an international fantasy TV series, and one that isn’t in English, at that, it never really got much attention in English-speaking countries. It did very well for itself domestically, but failed to really break into the mainstream as much as it should have. Like many fantasy TV shows nowadays, it’s based on a novel, this time by Emine Buzkan Kaynak.
The story follows a woman who returns to her hometown to discover her family is in a cult that worships Şahmaran, a half-snake, half-woman from mythology. Upon investigating further, this creature turns out to be very real. The show sounds like a horror at surface level, but it’s not actually a horror at all. It’s just a thrilling low fantasy/drama that never got the attention that it so rightly deserves.
9
‘The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself’ (2022)
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself is based on a novel trilogy by Sally Green, though it only got as far as the first book before Netflix unceremoniously axed it. It only got one season, which is criminal considering it was pulling really good reviews. Sadly, it would appear it didn’t pull the numbers that Netflix thought it would. This obviously didn’t make the fans very happy, especially considering it was actually pretty good.
The series follows Nathan (Jay Lycurgo), an adolescent boy who discovers that he is the illegitimate son of one of the magical world’s most dangerous witches. Now, he is caught in a clan war between warring witch factions, and must learn to navigate the perils of this hidden world along with the challenges of growing up. Maybe this one didn’t do so well because its themes were more suited for the ’90s or 2000s, or maybe it just got unlucky. Either way, it’s been mostly forgotten about, in spite of its quality.
8
‘Lost Ollie’ (2022)
Lost Ollie is an absolutely fantastic pick for fans of the Toy Story films. This series is a stop-motion animation based on a children’s book by William Joyce, which is about a lost toy named Ollie (Jonathan Groff). Ollie magically comes to life, realizes he has been lost, and makes it his mission to travel far and wide to reunite with his owner. Along the way, he meets other abandoned toys, but also reconstructs his memories, piecing together the mystery of what happened to him.
This miniseries is only four parts, so it’s super easy to knock back in just a few short hours. It’s also family-friendly, able to be enjoyed by both children and adults. Make no mistake, though—as innocent and whimsical as it is, it’s also a real tear-jerker, capable of moving even the most steadfast viewers to a sobbing, sniveling mess. Lost Ollie isn’t just a special tale about childhood toys, but also a touching coming-of-age story.
7
‘Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal’ (2010)
Terry Pratchett was a master of fantasy and comedy, producing 41 of his satirical Discworld novels, which parody the classic tropes of literary fantasy. Only a few of these have made it to the screen, one of them being Going Postal, which is arguably the best adaptation of his work. The title itself is a pun, you see, letting the audience know they’re in for a hilarious ride. While «going postal» typically refers to someone going on a murderous rampage, in this case, it refers to the postal service at the heart of the plot.
This two-part fantasy miniseries is truly excellent, featuring lore and laughs in equal measure. It’s got a bit more of a steampunk aesthetic, similar to Victorian England but with more magic, and it definitely brings Pratchett’s quirky sense of humour to life. While it’s definitely more geared towards adults, it’s a brilliant take on why people like fantasy, and a fantastic imagining of Pratchett’s work that many of his fans were proud of.
6
‘Onimusha’ (2023)
Onimusha is a Japanese anime series based on the video game series of the same name. This miniseries is pretty short, covering only eight episodes inspired by the first game in the franchise, but it still manages to be a pretty awesome animated series, in any event. The story takes place during the Edo Period of Japan, where a man named Musashi dons a magical Oni Gauntlet and travels across the land slaying demons and bringing peace to this period of turmoil.
Taking heavy inspiration from Japanese myth and folklore, Onimusha might be short, but it’s definitely an A-plus adaptation of the video games. It’s action-packed and adventurous, yet with a really meagre cast. It’s less about the characters and more about the spectacle, but hey, that’s what people need sometimes. Not that the characters are completely one-dimensional, though. For fans of the games or of fantasy in general, this forgotten fantasy series is worth every second.
5
‘Lost Girl’ (2010–2015)
Lost Girl is a Canadian fantasy series that did fairly well domestically, but ultimately didn’t do very well in the international market. The story follows Bo (Anna Silk), a girl who accidentally kills her boyfriend during their first sexual encounter. Not knowing how this happened, she confesses to her parents, who reveal her true nature: Bo is a Succubus and is descended from the Fae world. Her parents adopted her and tried to give her a normal human life. Confused and experiencing a major identity crisis, Bo runs away, forced to confront her powers and this new supernatural world she has been thrust into.
Lost Girl ran surprisingly long for how unheard of it was, making it through five whole seasons before coming to an end. It was also pretty ahead of its time, exploring themes of queerness and sexuality from a new perspective, which helped it relate to a lot of viewers. Yet, it seems a lot of people haven’t heard of this amazing show, because it’s seldom talked about anymore, if at all.
4
‘Deltora Quest’ (2007–2008)
Deltora Quest is an anime based on a YA novel series by Australian author Jennifer Rowe, under her pen name, Emily Rodda. The story occurs in a high fantasy land called Deltora, which has fallen under the iron grip of the Shadow Lord. To banish the Shadow Lord from Deltora forever, a boy named Lief sets out to recover a series of seven specific gems, reassembling them into their original place in the magical Belt of Deltora. But this is no easy task, as the gems are guarded by fearsome creatures and are planted in nearly inaccessible locations.
This series has some of the best world-building in any fantasy show, ever. Even though it is definitely geared towards kids, it’s impossible not to fall in love with its creative world. Full of monsters, magic, witches, and wonder, Deltora Quest offers a unique insight into fantasy, preferring to have its protagonists use their wits to escape trouble rather than their weapons. It’s a great show that’s pretty much a perfect adaptation of the books, almost beat-for-beat, in fact.
3
‘Gargoyles’ (1994–1997)
Gargoyles is an animated fantasy series from the 1990s that was way, way ahead of its time. The story is immediately interesting, following a group of gargoyles that are trapped in stone, assigned to watch over a city for centuries. Later, they come back to life in present-day New York City, where they must band together to fight an ancient rising threat of supernatural nature.
This series combines Gothic horror and fantasy with superhero elements, as well as a fair bit of comedy, too. It mostly focuses on the gargoyles having to adjust to their new lives in this strange new world, whilst also tackling some of the biggest calamities to befall the world. The cast has remarkable chemistry together, and it really felt like something special and unique for its time. Unfortunately, though, most people seem to have forgotten about it in the 21st century.
2
‘The Pirates of Dark Water’ (1991–1993)
The Pirates of Dark Water is the number one example of forgotten ’90s fantasy cartoons. Those who saw this show absolutely loved it, but the sands of time have long since consumed it. Nowadays, the name scarcely passes anyone’s lips, as very few people saw it, and even fewer remember it. Some consider it a cult series, but even calling it that would be generous—it’s just that unheard of.
The series was a wonderful journey, though, focusing on a fictional ocean planet called Mer, and a journey across the sea to collect magical treasures to contain the spread of a taint plaguing the seas. While it is geared towards kids, adults can still enjoy it well enough. It’s like One Piece before One Piece was cool, only this one is somehow more fantastical and magical. It really, really needs some more love.
1
‘The Shannara Chronicles’ (2015–2016)
The Shannara Chronicles is based on a novel series of the same name by Terry Brooks. This is a long and complex high fantasy series that came out in the ’80s and ’90s, when high fantasy was a booming genre in literature. Likewise, the show was also a product of its time, coming out just as the fantasy television craze was starting to gain traction thanks to other, more popular series. Unfortunately, that also meant that The Shannara Chronicles flew mostly under the radar in the wake of other shows.
The series stars a young Austin Butler as Wil, a half-human, half-elf, who embarks upon a quest to protect a mythical tree from the rising tide of demons ravaging their way across the Four Lands. This show not only had a killer theme song, but some great acting performances too, and some really cleverly-written dialogue. Sadly, it was axed after just two seasons due to low viewership, even in spite of good reviews. Since then, it has been more and more forgotten over time.
