8 Fantasy Shows That Rival Harry Potter
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Harry Potter is still the gold standard modern fantasy is measured against. The Wizarding World made magic feel enormous without ever losing the wonder of discovering it for the first time. The series built one of the greatest mythologies of all time out of spells, magical creatures, friendships, and rivalries until the Wizarding World started feeling real to the audience.
Of course, all of that has set a standard that is pretty difficult to match. However, fantasy television has spent plenty of time proving that there are plenty of other, equally compelling stories to be told. The worlds may look completely different, but the fantasy shows on this list rival Harry Potter in the best way.
'The Umbrella Academy' (2019–2024)
The Umbrella Academy uses fantasy to tell a messy family story, and the formula works perfectly. The series follows seven children adopted by billionaire Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) after they are mysteriously born on the same day to women who had not been pregnant. Each child develops a different ability, and Reginald raises them inside the Umbrella Academy to become a superhero team. Years later, though, the siblings are completely estranged and reluctantly reunite after Reginald's death, only to discover that the world is about to end and one of them may be connected to the disaster.
From there, the story follows the group as they deal with time travel, alternate timelines, and apocalypses, and increasingly bizarre threats. However, their biggest problems still come from how they were raised and their dysfunctional family dynamic, which keeps the audience invested in the story. Much like Harry Potter, The Umbrella Academy builds an expansive supernatural world that centers on young people trying to understand abilities they never asked for. The only difference is that the show is darker, weirder, and much more chaotic than Rowling's mostly cozy world. Yet it creates the same feeling of every new episode, offering the audience a new rule or secret to its never-ending universe.
'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (2023–Present)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians makes Greek mythology accessible for everyone. The series follows Walker Scobell as the 12-year-old titular character who has spent most of his life feeling like he does not quite fit in. That changes when he learns that the Greek gods are real, monsters have been hiding in plain sight, and he is actually the son of Poseidon (Toby Stephens). Percy is then taken to Camp Half-Blood, a sanctuary where other demigod children train and learn about the world they were born into. Before he has much time to process any of that, Zeus (Lance Reddick) accuses him of stealing his master bolt.
This forces Percy to leave camp and cross America with Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) to prevent a war among the gods. The show unfolds with a mix of discovery and adventure, which makes it an obvious pick for Harry Potter fans. Camp Half-Blood grows into a familiar setting for both the characters and viewers, while the wider world gradually expands to reveal myths and Greek mythological figures including Medusa (Jessica Parker Kennedy), Ares (Adam Copeland), Hades (Jay Duplass), and more. However, this sprawling narrative remains grounded through Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, whose friendship becomes stronger with every impossible situation they survive together.
'His Dark Materials' (2019–2022)
His Dark Materials makes fantasy feel enormous from the very beginning. The series follows Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen), a young girl raised at Jordan College in a world where every person's soul exists outside their body as an animal companion called a daemon. Her relatively sheltered life falls apart when children begin disappearing and Lyra discovers that the powerful Magisterium is connected to something far more disturbing than she imagined. Her search eventually leads her beyond her own world entirely, where she meets Will Parry (Amir Wilson) and becomes caught in a conflict involving Dust, angels, witches, armored bears, and the fate of multiple universes.
The scale of the story is obviously huge, but it unfolds through Lyra's curiosity, which keeps even its biggest ideas easy to follow. Every answer introduces another question about how the universe works, why the Magisterium fears Dust, and what Lyra herself has to do with it all. That gradual expansion is a huge part of what makes the series so compelling. What sets His Dark Materials apart, though, is how the series pushes its narrative toward themes of religion, free will, and parallel worlds. That ambition is what allows His Dark Materials to stand beside something as culturally dominant as Harry Potter without ever feeling like it is trying to imitate it.
'The Librarians' (2014–2018)
The Librarians makes magic feel ordinary, and not in a bad way. In a way that makes the audience believe that it could be hiding behind almost anything. The show follows a group of unusually gifted people recruited to work for the Library, a secret organization responsible for protecting magical artifacts and keeping supernatural threats away from the rest of the world. The group includes Eve Baird (Rebecca Romijn), Jacob Stone (Christian Kane), Cassandra Cillian (Lindy Booth), and Ezekiel Jones (John Harlan Kim) who are guided by longtime Librarian Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle).
Their missions can involve everything from ancient relics and mythical creatures to cursed objects and figures pulled straight out of legend. What makes The Librarians such a fun watch is this sense of discovery. Every episode begins quite ordinarily in a world that feels familiar to the viewers. Soon enough, though, the story reveals the magic hiding underneath it all, and that is the moment when the audience is hooked. What's great is that the show keeps expanding its mythology through this format, but never loses its playful sense of adventure. The Librarians may be lighter and more episodic, but it captures the same sense of wonder as Harry Potter.
Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it's your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
🦁Gryffindor
🐍Slytherin
🦡Hufflepuff
🦅Ravenclaw
01
What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.
02
A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.
03
What does success look like to you? What you're working toward defines who you're becoming.
04
What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.
05
The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
06
What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.
07
You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.
08
The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: "You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?" This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.
The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen
After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.
🦁 Gryffindor
You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you're terrified — especially then.
- Gryffindors don't act because they're fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
- You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
- You charge toward what's right even when the odds are terrible.
- Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts's greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.
🐍 Slytherin
You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.
- Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
- You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
- You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
- The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.
🦡 Hufflepuff
You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.
- Hufflepuff is not the "safe" house or the "leftover" house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
- You show up. You work hard. You don't need glory or recognition — you do what's right because it's right.
- Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
- Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world's finest. And now you join them.
🦅 Ravenclaw
Your mind is your greatest gift, and you've always known it.
- Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
- Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it's about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don't know something yet.
- You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
- Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.
'Merlin' (2008–2012)
Merlin turns Arthurian legend into one of television's most charming coming-of-age fantasies. The series follows a young Merlin (Colin Morgan), who arrives in Camelot already possessing powerful magical abilities. The problem is that King Uther (Anthony Head) has outlawed magic entirely. Things get even more complicated when he clashes with Uther's arrogant son, Arthur (Bradley James), only to later save the prince from an assassination attempt. As a reward, Uther appoints Merlin as Arthur's personal servant, much to both of their annoyance.
Their antagonistic dynamic slowly develops into a genuine friendship, especially as Merlin learns that his destiny is tied to protecting Arthur and helping him become the great king he is meant to be. That gives almost every adventure an extra layer of emotional weight. Along the way, the show introduces witches, dragons, enchanted objects, ancient prophecies, and some of the most recognizable figures from Arthurian legend, but always through a younger and more accessible lens. Merlin may trade Hogwarts for Camelot, but it captures that same feeling of watching a young wizard slowly realize just how important his place in the magical world really is.
'The Magicians' (2015–2020)
The Magicians is Harry Potter for adults, where everyone has grown up and realized magic does not fix their problems. The series follows Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph), a brilliant but deeply unhappy young man who discovers that magic is real when he is accepted into Brakebills University, a secret graduate school for magicians. For Quentin, this initially feels like stepping into the fantasy world he has always wanted. He meets other gifted students, learns increasingly dangerous spells, and discovers that Fillory, the magical land from the books he obsessed over as a child, actually exists. The excitement does not last for long, though, because magic in this world is difficult, dangerous, and often comes with consequences nobody fully understands.
Quentin and his friends quickly find themselves dealing with monsters, gods, alternate worlds, and threats that are far beyond anything they were prepared for. The series also spends much more time on what happens after the discovery of magic to show that having extraordinary powers does not make people any less selfish or lost. The Magicians' darker take on something most people associate with wonder and whimsy is exactly what makes the show so unique.
‘Once Upon a Time’ (2011–2018)
Once Upon a Time features characters everyone already knows, in stories that feel completely new. The series begins in the small town of Storybrooke, where fairy-tale characters have been transported to the real world by a powerful curse and stripped of their memories. Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) is drawn into the mystery after meeting Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), the son she gave up for adoption, who insists that she is actually the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). More importantly, he believes Emma is the only person capable of breaking the curse. That premise allows the series to constantly move between Storybrooke and the characters' lives in the Enchanted Forest.
This formula gradually allows the show's mythology to expand and show how characters from completely different fairy tales are connected through old bargains, family ties, curses, and choices made long before Storybrooke ever existed. This interconnectedness is the best part of the show. Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla), Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), and dozens of other familiar figures are given new relationships and motivations that often completely change how viewers see them. Through this, Once Upon a Time gives viewers the irresistible feeling that there is always another secret hiding behind the stories they thought they already knew.
'Wednesday' (2022–Present)
Wednesday brings the kooky, spooky personality of The Addams Family to the familiar magical-school setting. The series follows Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) after she is sent to Nevermore Academy, a school for supernatural outcasts that her parents once attended. Wednesday obviously has no interest in fitting in, but that changes when a series of mysterious attacks begins around the nearby town of Jericho. Her investigation gradually pulls her into Nevermore's hidden history, old family secrets, and a conspiracy connected to the school itself.
There's no denying that the show banks on the nostalgia of The Addams Family franchise, but Nevermore is a huge part of what makes it so entertaining. Instead of centering on Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán), the series unfolds through Wednesday and all the interesting students she meets at the academy, including werewolves, sirens, psychics, and other supernatural outsiders. Wednesday is Gothic, sarcastic, and full of fantastical, wondrous elements that keep the audience wanting more.
Wednesday
7 10
- Release Date
- November 23, 2022
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Miles Millar, Alfred Gough
- Directors
- Tim Burton, James Marshall
-
Wednesday Addams / Goody Addams
-
Enid Sinclair
- Writers
- April Blair
- Franchise(s)
- The Addams Family
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 2
- Producers
- Jenna Ortega, Carmen Pepelea
- Creator(s)
- Miles Millar, Alfred Gough
- Story By
- Charles Addams
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- Executive Producer(s)
- Alfred Gough, Gail Berman, Jonathan Glickman, Miles Millar, Andrew Mittman, Kevin Miserocchi, Steve Stark
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