Most fantasy TV shows are going to have some kind of system of magic, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to necessarily make sense. Magic and fantasy go hand-in-hand, and I struggle to think of more than a handful of fantasy shows that don’t utilize magic in one way or another.
Magic is tricky, though. It may be made up, but that doesn’t mean it’s free from logic, rules, and the viewers’ expectations. There is no shortage of magical systems in media, and some are more tightly constructed than others. The fantasy shows on this list may be good, but thinking too long about their magic usually results in a headache rather than wonder.
Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)
Once Upon a Time is a seven-season ABC fantasy series that incorporates both public domain and Disney characters into its epic story. The series takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, where the inhabitants begin to realize that they are all fairy-tale characters and have been stripped of their memories by an evil queen (Lana Parrilla).
Over the course of seven years, viewers watched everyone, from Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) to Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit), make an appearance. With so many characters from so many properties, each with their own magic and rules, things tend to get a little bit messy.
The original magic of season 1 is fairly straightforward. It’s the kind you’d find in Snow White, with witches, curses, and one-action solutions to break spells. As the series goes on, the magic of Aladdin, Peter Pan, and even Frozen piles in, turning the proceedings into a dizzying magical spectacle.
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
Game of Thrones is the phenomenon HBO fantasy series from the 2010s, and despite the struggles towards the end of the show, it remains one of the greatest fantasy TV shows of all time. The fight for the Iron Throne is a compelling, exciting, shocking story that brings in politics, humanity, and magic.
Magic takes a lot of different forms in George R. R. Martin’s story, and as a self-described gardener when it comes to his writing, allowing his story to grow rather than direct it, the magic often doesn’t make a lot of sense. There are various kinds of magic, from the fiery prophecy of the Lord of Light to the nature magic of the Old Gods, and much more.
At first, the ambiguous nature of all this magic is fascinating and leaves open a lot of possibilities for the story. However, as the show draws to its end, the magic narrows and sets more rules for itself. By the end of season 8, the mechanics of a major event, like the Night King surviving dragon flame, are completely inexplicable.
The Witcher (2019-Present)
The Witcher, the Netflix series based on the franchise of the same name most recognizable for its video games, is an ongoing fantasy action series that is set for a fifth and final season, and has managed to survive a major acting change, with Liam Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill as the lead character, Geralt of Rivia in season 4.
The series follows Geralt’s efforts to keep Crown Princess Cirilla of Cintra (Freya Allen) safe, and therefore, protect the whole world, slaying a litany of monsters and opponents along the way. Cirilla has Elder Blood, granting her immense magical powers even when compared to her magical world.
Magic figures heavily into The Witcher, and despite there being more rules for the magic in the show than in the games or books, it somehow makes even less sense than in either of those mediums. The consistency of the magic is the most confusing aspect, with extremely powerful characters apparently restricted to the most mundane of spells.
Lovecraft Country (2020)
Lovecraft Country may be one of the most unique TV shows of the 2020s. The 10-episode horror fantasy series is based on Matt Ruff’s 2016 novel of the same name, though it serves more as a continuation. The show isn’t an anthology, but each episode is only tangentially related to the one that comes before it, with only some plot being tied tightly together.
The series stars Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors as Leti and Tic, respectively, two African American lovers living in 1950s Jim Crow America. Sometimes using them, and sometimes completely ignoring them for side characters, Lovecraft Country explores the racism of the era using Lovecraftian horror as a metaphor.
There is quite a bit of magic in the show, and not just the kind that comes out of occult-style rituals. There’s too much magic, in fact, and the kind that can transform a woman into a man and back again feels totally disconnected from the kind that involves nine-tailed fox spirits out of Korea.
Loki (2021-2023)
Loki is arguably the best of the MCU TV shows, and maybe one of the best post-Avengers: Endgame projects ever. The series follows Tom Hiddleston’s god of mischief, Loki, the former villain of the MCU and currently one of its biggest heroes. After the events of Endgame, an alternate version of Loki gets into trouble with the TVA.
After stealing the Tesseract, Loki messes up the timelines, and if he wants to stay alive, he has to help the Time Variance Authority stop an even greater threat to the many timelines. Timelines and multiple universes are the center of the Multiverse Saga, and it’s here, in Phase Four of the MCU, that we get our first taste of the conceit.
The problem with magic in the MCU has been a franchise-long problem. Marvel Comics still has some very confusing rules regarding magic. Loki highlights these issues, however. Loki is supposed to be one of the greatest magic users in the known multiverse, and yet it’s completely unclear what his limits are, how powerful he is, and what exactly he can do, even after a show dedicated to him.
The Wheel Of Time (2021-2025)
The Wheel of Time is based on Robert Jordan’s beloved book series of the same name, and retains the confusing magical system of the novels. The series features an ensemble cast led by Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike), a member of the magical Aes Sedai society, a group of women who can use the One Power.
Moiraine and the rest of the Aes Sedai are searching for a young person who could be the reincarnation of the Dragon, a powerful magic user capable of saving the world from the Dark One. Those are just a few of the words and names in The Wheel of Time to trip you up and keep you confused.
The magic system in the series is very complex, with rules about the gender of the magic user, weaving threads, and the introduction of elements. It’s too much to juggle, and the show doesn’t have the space or the interest in explaining it thoroughly, leaving viewers in the dark about what exactly is happening on screen.
The Sandman (2022-2025)
Based on Neil Gaiman’s comic book series of the same name, The Sandman is a fantasy drama that ran for two seasons and stars Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, the personification of dreams and nightmares. In 1916, Morpheus, or Lord Dream, was captured in an occult ritual.
In 2022, Morpheus escapes the ritual and sets out to restore his realm, known as the Dreaming. Along the way, he has to capture the Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook), an escaped dream on a murder spree. The magic in The Sandman has always been nebulous, and its connections to the wider DC universe are not completely clear.
Morpheus’ powers are at once immense and totally ineffective, and it’s not always understood how or why he’s doing something magical. Things get even more complex in this fantasy series as other powerful deities and characters are introduced, flooding the story with a mismatch of magical rules.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
