7 Secondary-World Fantasy Series That Deserve More Attention

Published Oct 11, 2026, 10:30 AM 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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There are many great fantasy TV shows set on Earth and with elements of the genre, but it takes special talent to successfully transport the audience to a secondary, full-on fantasy world. There are various fantasy shows among the best TV shows of all time, all of them offering different stories, characters, mythologies, and, in some cases, completely new worlds. This is the case with high fantasy shows, and there are plenty of great shows from this branch.

The main characteristic of a high fantasy TV show is that it's set in a fictional, secondary world with its own geography, history, and rules. Shows like The Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones (and its spinoffs), The Witcher, and The Rings of Power are some of the best examples of high fantasy TV shows, and one of their biggest strengths is how well crafted their unique worlds are, making them an immersive experience.

However, as happens in all genres, the success of some shows ends up overshadowing other equally great ones. There are plenty of great secondary-world fantasy shows out there, though some got lost among the big hits, were canceled too soon, or suffered the consequences of bad scheduling and thus didn’t get much exposure. Luckily, the streaming era has made many of those available, and it’s time they get the attention they deserve.

The Shannara Chronicles

Based on Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara trilogy, The Shannara Chronicles takes the audience into the Four Lands, thousands of years after the fall of human civilization. After being banished to a place known as the Forbidding, locked by an ancient tree called the Ellcrys, demons begin to return. Wil (Austin Butler), Amberle (Poppy Drayton), and Eretria (Ivana Baquero), with the help of the last druid Allanon (Manu Bennett), set out to protect the Ellcrys and prevent the release of all the banished demons.

Despite its quality and potential, The Shannara Chronicles only ran for two seasons as it was canceled, and even though its producers did their best to find it a new home, the show was over after season 2. This led to The Shannara Chronicles becoming a forgotten and underrated high fantasy TV show, perfect for fans of the genre and those who are just getting started on it.

Galavant

Galavant isn’t just a fantasy show, but it’s also a musical comedy. Created by Dan Fogelman, and with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, Galavant follows the title knight, played by Joshua Sasse. Galavant was once a famous knight, but it all changed for him when the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson) kidnapped the love of his life, Madalena (Mallory Jansen). Unfortunately, Madalena decides to stay with the King for his money and power, but Galavant is now determined to reclaim his reputation and his happy ending.

Galavant is a different type of fantasy show thanks to its musical approach and overall tone, with a good dose of comedy and meta-humor. Galavant also subverted fairytale tropes by having the “damsel in distress” decide to stay with her kidnapper for her own reasons, and, surprisingly, it has great character development.

The Outpost

Created by Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin, The Outpost centers on Talon (Jessica Green), the sole survivor of a race called Blackbloods. Talon sets out to find those who killed her village and her family, and during that journey, she learns that she possesses a mysterious but extraordinary supernatural power that she now must learn to control. Talon’s mission also goes through some unexpected changes as she and her allies find themselves defending the realm against fanatical religious dictators.

The Outpost ran for four seasons from 2018 to 2021, and though it was criticized for its low-budget look, that was a big part of its appeal, especially in a genre characterized by big-budget productions with lots of visual effects. The Outpost is worth watching for its unique visual charm, its fantasy and magic elements, performances, and story, as unlike many other fantasy shows, it was given enough time to tell a complete story.

The 10th Kingdom

The 10th Kingdom is a fairytale miniseries directed by David Carson and Herbert Wise. The 10th Kingdom is set in a hidden realm formed by nine magical kingdoms. The Evil Queen wants to rule all realms, but she’s held in a Fourth Kingdom prison, with this area ruled by Prince Wendell. In order to escape, the Evil Queen transforms the Prince into a dog, who later escapes and ends up in New York City.

In the city, waitress Virginia and her oafish father Tony come across the transformed prince and end up entangled in a bizarre and one-of-a-kind adventure. The 10th Kingdom is certainly different from most high-fantasy TV shows, and its fairytale approach and tone might not be for everyone, but it’s certainly an entertaining show worth checking out – and, even better, it’s just a five-episode binge-watch.

Alchemy of Souls

Alchemy of Souls is a South Korean TV show that takes the audience to the fictional country of Daeho, where young mages must overcome their twisted fates due to a forbidden magic spell known as the “Alchemy of Souls”, which allows souls to switch bodies. Alchemy of Souls, then, follows Naksu, an elite warrior whose soul is trapped in the weak body of Mu-deok. Naksu begins to train Jang Uk, with whom she fights against dark forces, and they end up creating a strong bond. Alchemy of Souls consists of two parts, with a total of 30 episodes.

Alchemy of Souls has an interesting world with magic, darkness, and lots of action, but without forgetting about character development, emotional depth, and a generous dose of drama. It’s worth noting, however, that it changes main characters in the second season, which can make it feel disconnected.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel to Jim Henson’s 1982 movie The Dark Crystal, and as such, it takes viewers to the planet Thra. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance centers on three Gelflings – Rian (voiced by Taron Egerton), Brea (Anya Taylor-Joy), and Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel), who discover that the Skeksis, the planet’s ruling class, are draining the world’s life-force and corrupting the Crystal of Truth. The three set out to unite the Gelfling clans to rise against the Skeksis and save the planet from the Darkening.

One of the biggest strengths of the show is its puppetry, which is a huge part of its charm and makes it a unique visual experience. Along with how it expands the universe of The Dark Crystal, Age of Resistance is a must-watch fantasy show for its depth and complexity, covering themes such as tyranny, corruption, environmentalism, and freedom.

The Dragon Prince

One of the best fantasy TV shows in recent years, as well as one of the best animated TV shows of all time, is The Dragon Prince, created by Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond. The Dragon Prince is set on the continent of Xadia, which takes its magic from six primal sources: the Moon, Sky, Sun, Earth, Ocean, and Stars. Xadia was once inhabited by dragons, elves, and humans, but the latter began to practice dark magic, for which they use the life essence of magical creatures.

This led to a war between Xadia and humans, with King Harrow of Katolis and his people killing the King of the Dragons and stealing the egg of his unborn heir, the title Dragon Prince. Human princes Callum and Ezran, aided by Moonshadow Elf assassin Rayla, discover that the egg wasn’t destroyed, and so they set out to return it to his family and, hopefully, restore peace.

The Dragon Prince has been praised for its story, world-building, lore, emotional depth, character development, and themes, making it one of the most complete animated fantasy shows as well as an immersive experience that every fantasy fan should go through at least once.