Netflix’s best fantasy TV shows will transport you to magical realms far and wide

On Wednesday, Tim Burton found more gold in the canon of the Addams family story. The series follows Wednesday Addams, played with gusto by Jenna Ortega, as she is sent off to attend Nevermore Academy – a school for outcasts. During the first season, Wednesday investigates a murder mystery plaguing the school and the nearby town of Jericho. He may not make friends easily, but he definitely leaves a mark (as does the program).

Based on the Vertigo comic of the same name, Sweet Tooth takes place after a pandemic in a dystopian future where human babies are born with animal characteristics. The general public denigrates these “hybrids” and blames them for the extinction-level event known as “The Great Crash”. Our hero is a half-boy/half-deer hybrid named Gus (Christian Convery) who embarks on a journey to find his long-lost mother and, potentially, a cure.

Eiichira Ode’s One Piece is a global phenomenon. The hit anime received a live action on Netflix and, thanks to the insight provided by Oda, this One Piece became an instant hit with fans around the world. A fun ensemble cast and an immersive world-building, action-packed atmosphere proved that a live-action adaptation could work.
The program, like the anime and manga before it, follows Monkey D. Luffy (Inyaki Godoy) as he pursues his dream of becoming a pirate and finds the legendary treasure Gol D. Roger aka, wait for it, One Piece.

Inspired by the comics written by Joe Hill (son of Stephen King) and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, Locke and Key follows the Locke family as they try to pick up the pieces after the unit’s patriarch is mysteriously murdered. They return to Keyhouse, their ancestral home, and soon strange things begin to happen. The three Locke siblings – Tyler, (Connor Jessup) Kinsey (Emilia Jones) and Bod (Jackson Robert Scott) – and their mother, Nina (Darby Stanchfield), discover keys that unlock all sorts of magical secrets that could provide the answers behind father’s death.

Lockwood & Co. is based on the book series by Jonathan Stroud. The IA genre series follows three young paranormal investigators who battle ghostly threats on behalf of their growing psychic detection agency in London. Sharp dialogue and chemistry between the three leads – Lucy Carlyle, Anthony Lockwood and George Karim – make this a fun program.

The Witcher stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, the program’s protagonist. Based on the books by Andrzej Sapkowski — which first inspired the popular video game franchise — the Netflix show follows the adventures of Geralt as he hunts monsters. Thanks to its detailed world-building and ensemble performances, The Witcher is a must-see for all fans of the fantasy genre.

Cavill left the series after the third season, and Liam Hemsworth took over the role.

Sandman comes from the brilliant mind of Neil Gaiman. Inspired by characters and stories from his beloved DC comic book series, the program follows Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), aka Dream King, as he ventures across multiple worlds and timelines to recover items stolen from him, restore his power, and save The Dreaming – aka his home.

The show’s cast is packed with impressive talent, including Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, Boyd Holbrook, Gwendoline Christie, Patton Oswalt, Mark Hamill, Stephen Fry, David Thewlis, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Vivienne Achampong and Mason Alexander Park.

Dead Boy Detectives is the second series in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe coming to Netflix. The spin-off follows two dead teenage boys – George Rexström as Edwin Payne and Jaden Revrey as Charles Rowland – who decide the afterlife is for the naive and instead join forces to solve supernatural mysteries.

Based on the hit book series by Daniel “Lemonie Snicket” Handler, Netflix’s series of unfortunate events follows Violet (Malina Weissman), Klaus (Louis Hines) and Sunny Baudelaire (Presley Smith) – three unfortunate orphans who face challenges as they seek to uncover the truth about to his parents. If only that greedy Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris) would stop standing in their way.

Arcane is an animated series that effortlessly elevates the genre. Inspired by the wildly popular League of Legends, the program explores the origin story of two legendary video game characters. In the process, this beautifully animated program uncovers tough issues like class warfare and trauma.

Shadow and Bone takes inspiration from the popular Grishaverse series of novels by Lee Bardugo. The show follows Alina Stark (Jessie Mei Li), a young woman who learns that she has special abilities. Discovering that she is a Grisha (or magic user) is only the beginning of her adventure as she is faced with the enormous responsibility of bringing peace to a war-torn universe.

Netflix continues its efforts to make the perfect live-action adaptation of the hit anime. Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the stories known from the animated series and follows young Ang, who discovers that he is the last Airbender — the proverbial chosen one who can control the four main elements: air, fire, water and earth. Netflix found enough promise in the new project renew it for a second and third season.

Castlevania comes from comic book writer Warren Ellis and takes inspiration from the Konami video games Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The series follows heroes Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage), Alucard (James Callis) and Sifu Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso) as they battle Dracula and his minions. With an aesthetic that pays homage to Konami games; persuasive writing; and tons of blood-soaked action, this is a worthy title to add to your watch list.

Warrior Nun was inspired by Ben Dunn’s Warrior Nun Areal comic. The series follows Ava Silva, a young woman who wakes up in a morgue with super powers and a divine artifact stuck in her back. Her journey of self-discovery reveals a new purpose in life: to fight demons and other such hellish beasts on Earth. Why? Because he is now a member of an ancient sect of supernatural nuns known as the Order of the Crucified Sword.

It’s a crazy, gory thrill ride that’s been running for two seasons on the streamer — meaning it won’t take you too long to get through it.

Matt Groening, creator of the animation giants The Simpsons and Futurama, has brought his unique sensibility to Netflix with Disenchantment. The five-season series takes viewers back to medieval Europe and a fictional kingdom called Dreamland. The series follows the misadventures of the rebellious, often drunk Princess Bean (Abby Jacobson), her demon friend Lucy (Eric Andre) and their elf friend Elf (Nat Faxon) as they gallop through neighboring countries, confront bizarre characters, and uncover an overarching conspiracy.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel series to Jim Henson’s 1982 cult classic The Dark Crystal. The program follows three brave Gelflings — Riana, Brea and Dita — as they lead a rebellion against the Skeski race after learning the truth about the source of their rulers’ power. The series relied heavily on practical effects and puppetry and kept the use of CGI to a minimum. Due to production costs, the show was canceled after one season. But boy, what a wonderful season this is.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a supernatural IA series created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics. He’s the same person who brought Riverdale to CV, which makes sense given the similar tone of both shows. This Sabrina, unlike the 90s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch, is deeply into the occult. It’s a wonderfully mature take on the character and planted the seeds of what the streamer could do with original programming in the genre. Basically, Sabrina walked so Wednesday could run.