Is there anything better than discovering a new fantasy show? It’s simultaneously easy and challenging to find something new to watch in the age of streaming. After all, the constant churn of content means some series will inevitably fall through the viewership cracks. Certain fantasy shows, like Pushing Daisies and Extraordinary, burned brightly before being snuffed out by the studio/streamer machine. While these shows have a small (but mighty) following, they’re not as well known to the general public.
Thankfully, we’re here to recommend the 10 greatest fantasy TV shows that nobody remembers (and where you can stream them). Well, we remember. We remember.
‘Being Human’ – BritBox (2008-2013)
“A vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost” sounds like the beginning of a bad bar joke, but it’s the core part of the premise for Being Human, a multigenre series hailing from the UK. (It also spawned the US version of the same name that ran on Syfy concurrently.) The five-season series changed casts about halfway through, but thankfully, Being Human never lost its luster. While the special effects aren’t anything to write home about (it premiered in the late 2000s, after all), the performances truly anchor this show. It packs an emotional punch. There’s something compelling about watching three supernatural creatures exhibit more humanity than actual humans.
Extraordinary deserved at least another season to resolve that massive cliffhanger from its now series finale. Sure, it ended two years ago, but the Hulu fantasy-comedy ran under the radar during its tenure. I certainly never saw Extraordinary discourse on social media. The short-lived series follows Jen, a 20-something woman without superpowers in a world where everyone has them. Try as she might, she can’t seem to manifest any latent abilities. Máiréad Tyers makes for an enchanting, hilariously relatable lead in this equally heartfelt and humorous show. It challenges our notions of what it means to be “extraordinary.”
‘Penny Dreadful’ – Showtime (2014-2016)
What if the horrors lurking in the shadows were actually real? Showtime’s Penny Dreadful is a Goth kid’s dream. The dark fantasy/horror series is deliciously macabre, with Eva Green delivering a spellbinding, visceral performance as a woman possessed. Bolstered by haunting visuals and a tragic narrative worthy of the Bard, Penny Dreadful is Gothic horror at its best. Our misfit heroes battle monsters like vampires, werewolves, and demons, but it’s their choice to embrace all aspects of themselves, especially the darkest parts, that makes for a riveting watch. We’re all nuanced creatures capable of good and evil.
‘Preacher’ – AMC+ (2016-2019)
Jesse Custer is hell-bent on finding God … literally. A hard-living preacher enduring a crisis of faith, Jesse becomes infused with an extraordinary power seemingly hailing from the divine. Jesse’s journey takes him to unexpected places, but thankfully, he has his ex-girlfriend, Tulip, and vampire buddy, Cassidy, by his side. Preacher is a wild and weird ride – emphasis on the latter. “Weird” is my brand, though, and Preacher ticks off all the right TV boxes for me. It’s unabashedly weird, broad in mythological scope thanks to its intricate source material (a comic book series created by Garth Ennis and the late Steve Dillon), and scathing in wit.
‘Pushing Daisies’ – Available for Purchase on Prime Video (2007-2009)
This “forensic fairy tale” might have coasted under your radar in the late 2000s, but it certainly warrants a watch. Pushing Daisies is another utterly delightful series that deserved more than what it got. Starring Lee Pace as a pie-maker who can bring the dead back to life by touching them and Anna Friel as his formerly deceased childhood crush, Chuck, the series is an amalgam of fantasy, comedy-drama, and mystery. Ned and Chuck rekindle their romance; however, due to Ned’s abilities, he can never touch her, or she’ll die again. Talk about stakes. Pace and Friel boast excellent chemistry, and they’re supported by a wonderful cast of quirky characters.
‘Galavant’ – Available for Purchase on Prime Video (2015-2016)
If you love your fantasy to have a smattering of musical comedy and a dollop of silliness, look no further than the short-lived Galavant. The ABC series had the legendary composer Alan Menken on its side, along with Broadway lyricist and frequent Menken collaborator Glenn Slater. Galavant follows the titular knight, Galavant, as he attempts to rescue the love of his life, Madalena, after King Richard kidnaps her. The problem? She would rather stay with Richard for his immense wealth and power. What transpires next is a laugh-out-loud musical adventure. The songs are easily the best part about Galavant. It’s a shame that this series didn’t get more time to find its audience.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
