8 Most Fun Fantasy Shows of All Time, Ranked
Remus is a writer, editor, journalist, and author with an eye for detail and an extremely active imagination. He is an enthusiast of everything to do with the graphic medium, whether it's Western comics and their adaptations or manga and anime. Remus is also the author of the sci-fantasy novel Once Upon a Time in Hyperspace and several works of short fiction in the mystery, comedy, and horror genres.
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Fantasy television has been one of the most popular genres in the world for a long time, but it really hit its peak in the '90s and 2000s, with high-concept supernatural fantasies and elaborate world-building, covering every subgenre from heartwarming family stories to grittier, more complex narratives. Some of those iconic fantasy shows are deeply detailed in their storytelling and world-building, while others are pure fun, without any deeply layered message or glorious production. But what all of them have in common is their undeniable ability to entertain.
The last few decades produced some of the most iconic fantasy shows on American television, now considered modern classics. Even if some of these shows may not be as popular as they used to be, they’re still icons of the genre that continue to command dedicated fan followings. With that in mind, here’s our ranked selection of some of the most fun fantasy shows of all time.
8 ‘Once Upon a Time’ (2011–2018)
A fantasy drama created by Lost and Tron: Legacy writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, Once Upon a Time stars Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, who meets her long-lost son Henry and is brought to the town of Storybrooke, populated entirely by cursed fairy-tale characters. The story shifts between the real-world town and the fantastical fairy tale world that these characters originally came from. Besides Morrison, the series stars Ginnifer Goodwin, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Jared S. Gilmore, Robert Carlyle, and more in key roles.
Blending fairy tales and contemporary mystery drama, Once Upon a Time is a highly imaginative show that turns classic Disney heroes and villains inside out. The show heavily relies on dramatic dialogue, theatrical magic, and campy comedy, which might feel soapy but makes for an engaging comfort show. Hopeful and positive, Once Upon a Time is praiseworthy for the effective plot twists, imaginative storytelling, and the standout performances by Morrison, Goodwin, and Parrilla.
7 ‘Merlin’ (2008–2012)
Created by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps, and Julian Murphy, Merlin is a British fantasy adventure drama series loosely adapted from the Arthurian legends, depicting the close friendship between King Arthur and his court wizard, Merlin. In the show, a young Merlin (Colin Morgan) is sent off to Camelot, where he rescues Prince Arthur (Bradley James) and becomes his most trusted aide, helping the young prince fulfill his destiny of greatness. The series also features Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Richard Wilson, John Hurt, and more as important characters.
Merlin is a cozy low-fantasy show that puts a lighthearted spin on the folklore of medieval mythology with fascinating worldbuilding and stunning visuals that won the series a BAFTA TV Award in 2011. The show reimagines the ancient legends of Merlin and Arthur as two young contemporaries navigating identity, loyalty, and destiny. Their fun dynamic, shifting from bickering frenemies to devoted friends, forms the heartwarming core of the show, which has made it enduringly popular with fans.
6 ‘Charmed’ (1998–2006)
The WB Network’s second-longest drama series, created by Constance M. Burge, Charmed follows the story of three sisters possessing magical powers that they use to protect innocent lives from evil forces. While maintaining a “normal life” in modern-day San Francisco, the sisters navigate the challenges and consequences of their unique abilities, which also impact their social and romantic lives. The main characters, played by Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, and Rose McGowan, grew to become pop culture icons of their time and are still beloved by fans today.
The first primetime television show about a coven of witches, Charmed became the longest-running hour-long TV series featuring an all-female lead cast in 2006, a title it held until it was surpassed by Desperate Housewives in 2012. Fun and campy with a cozy '90s vibe, Charmed is an immensely popular fantasy drama, even if parts of it may now seem dated. The show left a lasting legacy with its depiction of witchcraft, influencing future fantasy and supernatural shows and even sparking academic discussions surrounding the genre.
Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz
Which Lord of the Rings
Character Are You?
One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed
The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.
💍Frodo
🌿Samwise
👑Aragorn
🔥Gandalf
🏹Legolas
⚒️Gimli
👁️Sauron
🪨Gollum
01
You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.
02
Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.
03
Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.
04
What does "home" mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.
05
When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.
06
Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it's knowing which questions to ask.
07
How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.
08
Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.
09
You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.
10
When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.
The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth
The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.
💍 Frodo
🌿 Samwise
👑 Aragorn
🔥 Gandalf
🏹 Legolas
⚒️ Gimli
👁️ Sauron
🪨 Gollum
You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don't have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.
You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you'd do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.
You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.
You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.
Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.
You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don't do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you're not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.
You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.
5 ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ (1996–2003)
Created by Nell Scovell and based on the 1971 Archie Comics series of the same name by Dan DeCarlo and George Gladir, Sabrina the Teenage Witch follows the titular teenager who learns on her 16th birthday that she has magical powers. Living with her two eccentric, centuries-old aunts, Hilda and Zelda, and their talking cat, Salem, Sabrina learns to control her newfound powers while navigating teenage trials, with hilarious outcomes. The series stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina, with Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick, Nick Bakay, and Nate Richert in other main roles.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch is a lighthearted fantasy that blends magical mishaps with silly teenage comedy in a breezy narrative style. The fantasy sitcom successfully captures the spirit of the '90s and ranks among the best fantasy shows of the decade. While it was not a critical darling, Sabrina the Teenage Witch was a cult favorite that stood out at the time with its charm, wit, and layered humor.
4 ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ (2007–2012)
A fantasy teen sitcom that transformed Selena Gomez from a child actor to a global star, Wizards of Waverly Place revolves around her character, Alex Russo, a teenage wizard living in the titular neighborhood of New York City. Alongside her brothers, Justin and Max, Alex trains to hone her magical abilities but faces challenges in keeping them a secret while navigating her teenage life. Created by Todd J. Greenwald, the sitcom also stars David Henrie, Jake T. Austin, Jennifer Stone, Maria Canals-Barrera, and David DeLuise as main characters.
Wizards of Waverly Place is a highly entertaining fantasy sitcom that blends magic with relatable family comedy. The show derives its fun from the everyday mischief, chaotic spell mishaps, and funny sibling rivalry of Alex, Justin, and Max, and has been praised for Gomez’s comic timing and endearing performance. With its themes of family, friendship, and teenage life of the 2000s, Wizards of Waverly Place is a charming and cheeky modern Disney (TV) classic.
3 ‘Lucifer’ (2016–2021)
Developed by Tom Kapinos, Lucifer is an urban fantasy series reimagined from and named after the titular DC Comics character created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg in The Sandman comics. Starring Tom Ellis as the central protagonist, the series follows the Devil as he abandons Hell and moves to Los Angeles as a nightclub owner, where his life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes a civilian consultant to the LAPD and encounters Detective Chloe Decker, played by Lauren German. Kevin Alejandro, D. B. Woodside, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Rachael Harris, and Aimee Garcia play other key characters.
While the show did not open to great acclaim, Lucifer quickly transitioned into a cult hit and eventually evolved into a massive streaming success. Part fantasy, part procedural, the show is enjoyable because it refuses to take anything seriously, but still delivers its story with the utmost charm and flourish. Powered by Ellis’s deliciously dark depiction of the Devil, Lucifer is thoroughly entertaining and often heartwarming, ranking among the best crime comedies of the 21st century.
2 ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2019–2024)
Created by Jemaine Clement, What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy-horror mockumentary series based on the 2014 film of the same name by Clement and Taika Waititi. The FX series revolves around five vampire roommates and their daily struggles with the modern world, other supernatural forces, and sharing a house. The show stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch, and Kristen Schaal, with Clement and Waititi reprising their characters as guest stars.
What We Do in the Shadows merges ancient monsters with mundane modern New York life in an exceptionally entertaining and uniquely creative way. The combination of absurdist fantasy and dark, straight-faced comedy not only feels refreshing for the genre, but also ridiculously funny. Even though it was a cult favorite during its run, What We Do in the Shadows has since remained an underrated fantasy series that deserves to be watched by a much bigger audience.
1 ‘Good Witch’ (2015–2021)
Developed by Craig Pryce and Sue Tenney, Good Witch is a continuation of the series of Hallmark films of the same name, following the story of a good-natured witch and widowed mother, Cassie Nightingale, who starts a new life in the fictional town of Middleton with her teenage daughter Grace. When a new neighbor moves in next door, they start suspecting Cassie and Grace of something fishy, leading to silly mishaps. Catherine Bell stars as Cassie, with Bailee Madison, James Denton, Catherine Disher, and Sarah Power as key characters.
Good Witch is rather a cozy and heartfelt show and not high-energy entertainment like most fantasy comedies, making it a great pick for a comfort watch. The show’s success largely relies on kindness, community, and practical wisdom, with its magic feeling more subtle and grounded than that of its contemporaries. Good Witch was not just popular during its run, but continues to enjoy a dedicated fanbase and is widely praised for Catherine Bell’s charming depiction of Cassie, who is undoubtedly one of television’s best witches.
Good Witch
- Release Date
- 2015 - 2021-00-00
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Catherine Bell
Cassie Nightingale
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James Denton
Dr. Sam Radford
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Catherine Disher
Martha Endicott Tinsdale
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Sarah Power
Abigail Pershing
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.