8 '90s Fantasy Shows That Are Still Perfect From Start To Finish

Published Aug 26, 2026, 9:30 PM EDT

Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once.

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The 1990s saw the debut and rise of some of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, some of which, to this day, are still perfect from start to finish. The fantasy genre is one of the most popular and successful ones on TV, with adaptations of different works, original stories, and franchises that have taken the audience on different and exciting adventures. Many of the best TV shows of all time are fantasy ones, with most of them blending with other genres such as sci-fi, drama, and even horror.

Fantasy shows like Game of Thrones, Shadow and Bone, and Penny Dreadful are some of the best of all time, but not all of them can brag about being perfect from start to finish, even to this day. Shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Good Place do fall into that elite category of fantasy shows with no bad episodes, and joining them are some shows that either had their entire run in the 1990s, premiered during that decade, or peaked in those years.

Now, while many will argue that some of these TV shows do have weak episodes, the truth is that, in retrospect, even those weak ones serve a purpose within the show and have things that, ultimately, make them not skippable during a rewatch. These shows represent the different types of fantasy seen throughout the 1990s, and are still worth rewatching nowadays.

Merlin (1998)

Merlin is a two-part British miniseries loosely based on the legendary tales of Camelot. As such, Merlin is a retelling of the Arthurian legend but from the perspective of Merlin (Sam Neill), thus also focusing on his personal struggles and his rivalry with Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson), who is also his creator. The series sees Merlin guiding King Uther Pendragon and later a young Arthur, while Queen Mab seeks to destroy him.

In just two parts, Merlin covered the complex and magical life of the legendary wizard and his role in the events that would go on to become legends. Merlin has a stellar cast, with Neill and Richardson being accompanied by the talents of Isabella Rossellini, Martin Short, Helena Bonham Carter, Lena Headey, and James Earl Jones, among many others. Perhaps it’s cheating the list a little bit to add Merlin, as it’s just two episodes long, but they are pretty much perfect.

Highlander: The Series (1992-1998)

Highlander: The Series is an alternative sequel to the 1986 Highlander movie, meaning that, in the show’s continuity, some of the events of the movie never happened. As such, Highlander: The Series follows Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), an Immortal born in the same clan of Scottish Highlanders that Connor MacLeod was a part of. Duncan tries his best to live a normal life, but he ends up clashing with some rogue Immortals.

Highlander: The Series expands the world of the movie while also being its own story, and it’s an interesting blend of fantasy, action, and a unique mythology. Highlander: The Series also stands out for its complex characters, who go beyond being just heroes and villains, and with a rich backstory as they have lived very long and intense lives.

Twin Peaks (1990-1992)

Created by Mark Frost and David Lynch, Twin Peaks is a surrealist mystery drama TV show that ran for two seasons in the early 1990s. Twin Peaks takes the audience to the title town in the Pacific Northwest, where FBI special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) is investigating the murder of local teenager Laura Palmer. However, Cooper soon finds himself in a surreal town where his investigation takes many turns.

Twin Peaks is a masterpiece of fantasy, mystery, and surrealism, very on-brand with David Lynch. Twin Peaks is also brilliantly written, with one-of-a-kind characters who, to the surprise of many, bring emotional depth to the show. Twin Peaks was followed by a movie and a one-season revival in 2017.

Gargoyles (1994-1997)

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Gargoyles is one of the best animated TV shows of all time, as well as a perfect fantasy show. In 994, a clan of gargoyles lived in a castle in Scotland, and they were warriors by night and turned into stone by day. Unfortunately, the clan was betrayed by humans, who killed most of them while petrified, and cursed the rest to remain frozen in stone until the castle “rises above the clouds.” A century later, in 1994, billionaire David Xanatos has the castle reconstructed atop his skyscraper, thus breaking the curse.

The gargoyles adapt to the modern world and become the city’s night protectors, and come into conflict with Xanatos. Gargoyles stands out for its animation, mature themes, and mythology, and even though it was canceled too soon, that ultimately helped it become a cult classic and one of the best shows of the decade.

Sailor Moon (1992-1997)

Based on Naoko Takeuchi’s manga of the same name, Sailor Moon is a Japanese fantasy superhero anime TV series. Sailor Moon introduces viewers to Usagi Tsukino, a 14-year-old girl who is given the power to become a Pretty Soldier, turning her into the title character. This gives Usagi magical powers, which she uses to battle evil forces and save the world. Usagi is later joined by other Sailor Soldiers, such as Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, and Sailor Jupiter.

Sailor Moon has a flawed, vulnerable, and relatable main character who goes on exciting cosmic adventures while also struggling with everything that comes with being a teenager. Sailor Moon has a rich mythology, with tragic and complex characters, and through the Sailor Guardians, it brings a beautiful exploration of female friendship, support, and acceptance.

Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001)

Created by John Schulian and Robert Tapert, Xena: Warrior Princess is a spinoff of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and it’s one of those cases where the spinoff is better than the original show. Xena: Warrior Princess centers on the infamous warrior Xena (Lucy Lawless), who is looking to redeem herself by using her fighting skills to help those in need. Xena is accompanied by Gabrielle, an aspiring bard who becomes a fierce Amazon warrior and Xena’s loyal sidekick (and more).

Xena: Warrior Princess has exciting action scenes, a combination of different mythologies to build its own, and surprising emotional depth through themes like redemption, guilt, identity, and change. Xena is unlike most TV heroes and has a fascinating journey and development throughout six seasons, as does Gabrielle, with their relationship making TV history.

The X-Files (1993-2002)

Although generally categorized as a sci-fi drama TV show (which is correct), The X-Files also falls into the category of dark fantasy. Created by Chris Carter, The X-Files follows conspiracy theorist Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and skeptic Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), both FBI special agents partnered to investigate the “X-Files.” These are forgotten, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena, which test both Mulder and Scully’s beliefs.

The X-Files is one of the best and most influential TV shows of all time, with a perfect blend of supernatural horrors, sci-fi elements, drama, and dark fantasy. The chemistry between Scully and Mulder is unmatched, helping ground the show amid all its fantasy elements. The X-Files offers a bit of fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and drama to its audience through its monster-of-the-week format, which also ensured that the show would have variety to offer.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is widely regarded as the best fantasy TV show of the 1990s (and, by many, of all time), and with good reason. Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduces the audience to Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the latest in a long line of young women chosen by fate to battle evil forces. These women are known as “Slayers”, and as such, Buffy fights vampires, demons, monsters, and more, with the help of her Watcher, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), and her best friends.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a perfect blend of fantasy, horror, drama, and comedy, with character development and depth, and a complex mythology that keeps its audience hooked from beginning to end. Surely, there’s the infamous episode “Beer Bad”, widely regarded as the show’s worst, but even this episode has its memorable parts (like Buffy knocking Parker out), and it’s not enough to ruin the rest of the show.