Short, Excellent Fantasy TV Shows Are Rare, But You Can Binge These 5 In Just One Day
Over the past few years, fantasy TV shows have earned a reputation for being long and winding series that require a significant commitment from the viewer. While this is the case with plenty of projects, there are also just as many great works of fantasy that are quick, bingeable, and easy to get lost in. Whether they're miniseries that use their tight runtime to the story's advantage or shows that were unfortunately cut short after season 1, these series are equally immersive.
While some fantasy TV shows fall off after one season, many of these series are so good that audiences will wish there were more seasons. However, there's something incredibly satisfying about being able to consume the entirety of a story in one sitting instead of painstakingly dedicating hours, days, or even weeks to a single show. While there's no wrong way to watch TV, these series are well-suited to the streaming age, as they provide the ups and downs of a well-crafted story and provide plenty of gratification by the narrative's end.
5 Cursed (2020)
King Arthur gets an exciting update in Netflix's Cursed
Katherine Langford might be best known for her work in 13 Reasons Why, but the actress does an amazing job leading the cast of Cursed and Nimue, the Lady of the Lake. Entrenched in the legends and lore of King Arthur and Camelot, Cursed explores the other side of these fantastical tales through the eyes of the Fey. Devon Terrell plays the young Arthur, who joins Nimue and helps her lead a rebellion to save her people, cultivating a strong romantic connection with her along the way.
Though critical and audience reception of Cursed was mixed, the show laid the groundwork for exciting future installments and likely only would've gotten better with time.
Cursed is a fantasy TV show that deserved better, which only becomes clearer with every successive viewing of the series. Though critical and audience reception of Cursed was mixed, the show laid the groundwork for exciting future installments and likely only would've gotten better with time. However, since it only ran for one season, viewers can join Nimue and Arthur on their adventures and love stories quickly and efficiently. In conversation with similar fantasy teen dramas, Cursed carves out a niche for itself effectively.
Title | Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
Cursed (2020) | 65% | 52% |
4 Over The Garden Wall (2014)
This animated miniseries has made a huge impact on the genre
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Over the Garden Wall
- Release Date
- 2014 - 2014
- Network
- Cartoon Network
Cast
Elijah WoodWirt (voice)
Collin DeanGregory (voice)
Gorgeously animated and perfectly written, Over the Garden Wall is the kind of TV show that can, and should, be revisited year after year. With an atmosphere and tone suited to the autumn months, Over the Garden Wall strikes the right balance between being slightly scary and warm. Led by iconic actors like Elijah Wood and Melanie Lynskey, who lend their voices to the series, Over the Garden Wall is as well acted as it is animated.
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With ten episodes that clock in at less than fifteen minutes long, Over the Garden Wall only takes a few hours to watch, and every moment of the series is captivating. On a cozy fall night when there's a chill in the air and maybe a little rain coming down, there's nothing better than diving into Over the Garden Wall and getting lost in the woods. Though the series came out over ten years ago, Over the Garden Wall has lost none of its potency and will continue to be a fantasy classic.
Title | Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
Over the Garden Wall (2014) | 94% | 98% |
3 Kaos (2024)
Jeff Goldblum leads this modern take on Greek mythology
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There are many takes on the Greek mythology genre, but Kaos was especially original. Starring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, Kaos takes many of the familiar gods and heroes of legend and transforms them into characters that suit the modern era. However, this doesn't mean that Kaos isn't just as interested and engaged in the fantasy elements of the series. The stellar ensemble cast is committed to bringing the fantastical story to life and keeps up with the fast-paced, witty dialogue.
Since it's only eight episodes long, Kaos lends itself to being viewed in one sitting, sucking the audience into the narrative from the opening scene.
Though Kaos fell victim to Netflix's pattern of canceling a TV show before it can truly take off, the series hits home for every viewer who watches it. However, since it's only eight episodes long, Kaos lends itself to being viewed in one sitting, sucking the audience into the narrative from the opening scene. As the lives of the central humans intertwine with the prophecies of the gods, the series proves itself to be one of the best recent retellings of classic mythology.
Title | Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
Kaos (2024) | 77% | 83% |
2 My Lady Jane (2024)
Amazon Prime's most compelling fantasy series was canceled too soon
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Despite the overwhelmingly positive critical and audience reception,My Lady Jane was canceled after its incredible first season. While some series are difficult to watch all the way through after being cut short before their planned finales, My Lady Jane gave itself an ending that works both as a potential cliffhanger and a satisfying conclusion. Despite the many calls to save the series, it's unlikely that My Lady Jane will return to the small screen anytime soon.
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However, the good news is that there's a well-crafted season of My Lady Jane ready to be binged by new audiences and fans who can't get enough of the show. Anchored by the explosive chemistry between Emily Bader and Edward Bluemel, Jane, and Guildford, My Lady Jane is unafraid to be funny and poke fun at the tropes of the fantasy genre while cultivating a captivating romantasy story that sweeps away the audience. If George R.R. Martin is a fan of My Lady Jane, it's a good indicator that the series is worth diving into (via Georgerrmartin.com).
Title | Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
My Lady Jane (2024) | 95% | 90% |
1 Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2015)
This fantasy miniseries uses historical elements to weave a compelling tale
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is an obscure fantasy TV show few people remember based on the beloved book by Susanna Clarke. Set in a fictionalized history where magic is real and understood to exist, if not well thought of, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell follows the titular characters as they navigate the brewing dark forces and contemporary issues. Like Clarke's original novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is full of sharp humor and smart writing alongside its mystical elements.
Each episode paves the way for the next installment of the fantasy series, making it impossible to turn off.
A faithful adaptation of its source material, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a tight miniseries with seven total episodes that don't waste a moment. Though it came out in 2015, before binging shows on streaming services had become mainstream practice, it seems as if Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was crafted to be consumed this way. Each episode paves the way for the next installment of the fantasy series, making it impossible to turn off.
Title | Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2015) | 92% | 87% |
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