7 Fantasy TV Shows That Improve With Each Season

Every TV show, fantasy or not, varies in quality between seasons, with many flagging as the story expands, as the writers and showrunners begin to run out of ideas. However, these fictional series only get better with each season, finding ways to stay fresh and interesting by raising the stakes in every installment and tracking compelling character development that keeps us invested.

Most of these are fantasy shows with perfect endings, as every moment of the story leads to the spellbinding conclusion. Some of these projects aren’t over yet, while others were canceled too soon. However, regardless of their differences, all of these fantasy shows are worth watching because they draw the audience deeper into the story with each season.

The Leftovers (2014–2017)

The Leftovers doesn’t immediately come to mind as a fantasy series, as the HBO drama is firmly rooted in reality in many ways. However, the show’s premise rests on the inexplicable events of the pilot episode, which see two percent of the population mysteriously disappear, leaving the remaining characters to grapple with the aftermath of this global loss.

Not just an iconic fantasy series, but one of the best mystery box TV shows, The Leftovers works because the series doesn’t feel the need to reveal all of its secrets or answer every question. The Leftovers tackles themes of grief and faith, positing that sometimes there’s no grand reveal that will put everything into perspective and that we must find peace with the unknown.

It’s a heavy, high-concept series that isn’t always easy to watch. The Leftovers season 1 drips with sadness and emotional upheaval, but it’s worth sticking with the show, even when it’s at its most depressing. The Leftovers expands in scope throughout its three seasons, leaving the viewer with a cautiously hopeful finale that puts the entire series into perspective.

The Legend Of Vox Machina (2022–Present)

There have been many attempts to bring the universe of Dungeons & Dragons to the world of movies and television, with varying levels of success. However, The Legend of Vox Machina might be the best TV show set in the world of the game. Based on the web series Critical Role, which followed real gameplay, The Legend of Vox Machina began by launching into a Critical Role campaign.

In the years since The Legend of Vox Machina premiered, the series has stayed true to the heart and soul of the original campaigns and characters, but has successfully brought in more traditional elements of fiction and onscreen storytelling. With incredible action sequences and character arcs that audiences will fall in love with, The Legend of Vox Machina has been on a steady upward trajectory.

As The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 approaches, there are high hopes for the next installment. However, there’s good reason to believe that the show will live up to the audience’s expectations. The Legend of Vox Machina has demonstrated that Dungeons & Dragons lends itself well to a long-running fantasy series full of new adventures, which have allowed the show to evolve in each season.

The Wheel Of Time (2021–2025)

It’s a shame that Prime Video’s take on the high fantasy novel series by Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time, was canceled after season 3, as the show never had a chance to fully begin. With fourteen books in the series, The Wheel of Time could’ve stretched on for many seasons, and the trajectory of the show made it clear that the project was only getting better.

Watching The Wheel of Time after its cancellation is tough, as it’s clear that the show could’ve continued for many seasons, reaching the heights of our favorite fantasy projects. The Wheel of Time season 3 was the best installment yet, making it all the more confusing as to why Prime would decide to cut the series short when it had so much potential.

It’s not a complete shock that The Wheel of Time fell victim to this fate. Many contemporary fantasy shows end early unless they achieve unprecedented popularity. However, by the final season, The Wheel of Time had started digging into the characters and potential of the fantasy world. With time and more seasons, The Wheel of Time could’ve connected with a larger audience base.

His Dark Materials (2019–2022)

Philip Pullman’s seminal fantasy novel series, His Dark Materials, is widely regarded as a pivotal addition to the contemporary genre landscape. Touching upon relevant themes of fighting against fascism and exploring systems of power like religion, government, and social class through a critical lens, His Dark Materials spins a complex narrative that stays with readers long after they’ve finished the series.

After the failure of the 2007 film adaptation of the first book, it took a long time for the 2019 TV show to appear, but once it did, it was clear that this would become the definitive screen iteration. Though the His Dark Materials series crosses the boundaries between books, including elements from later installments as early as season 1, this ultimately works in the TV show’s favor.

Due to the nature of the story, His Dark Materials was naturally going to become more complex and high-concept as the show progressed, and this comes through in the quality of the seasons. His Dark Materials is perfectly paced from the beginning. However, the emotional impact of the final installment can’t be ignored, as it will break the viewer’s heart, even if there’s no other way it could’ve concluded.

Arcane (2021–2024)

Just two seasons long, the biggest complaint we can lodge against Arcane is that we wish there were more seasons of the hit video game adaptation. Loosely based on the world of the game series League of Legends, Arcane takes the best parts of the source material and uses them to craft a distinct, original story full of characters who we can’t get enough of.

Arcane season 2 is better than the first installment in a few key ways, but it must be acknowledged that season 1 does the hard work of setting the stage for season 2’s most high-concept moments. Vi and Jinx, the protagonists of the series, are different in the second installment and even more estranged from each other, but this makes them into more interesting archetypes.

Visually, Arcane season 2 pushes itself, blending the complex nature of the multiple universes, time streams, and magic systems into the look and feel of the series. Arcane didn’t hold back from breaking the audience’s heart in the series finale, but this only makes us more excited for potential spinoffs within the Arcane universe (via Collider).

Interview With The Vampire (2022–Present)

The most recent screen adaptation of Anne Rice’s books, the 2022 series Interview with the Vampire, has been hailed as the most faithful to the novels, both narratively and thematically. Bringing the subtextual love story between Louis and Lestat to the forefront of the series, Interview with the Vampire balances its fantastical elements with the exploration of the epic search for connection that the characters embark on.

A notable work of contemporary Gothic fiction, Interview with the Vampire is an underrated recent fantasy show, but audiences starting the series now must stick with it to get to the heart of the story. While season 1 is what draws you into the seductive and dangerous world of the vampires, season 2 demonstrates everything the show is capable of, pushing Louis as a narrator and protagonist.

Interview with the Vampire season 3 will see a distinct change in the style of storytelling and structure as the show prepares to adapt the next book in Rice’s series. Since the show isn’t finished, it will be interesting to see how the project raises the stakes and maintains the audience’s attention in the upcoming installment. However, season 2 has set a positive precedent for the series’ future.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)

Every season of Avatar: The Last Airbender offers something fantastic for the audience to fall in love with, and it’s no surprise that each installment is considered a perfect addition to the fantasy genre. However, ATLA thrives in seasons 2 and 3 after most of the world-building and exposition is over, and the writers get to explore how the characters interact with this vivid landscape that’s been created.

ATLA season 2 includes a few of the best stand-alone episodes of the series, like “Zuko Alone” or “The Tales of Ba Sing Se.” However, it’s in season 3 that the show begins to synthesize the themes and lessons it’s been teaching throughout the narrative, and pushes Aang, our hero, further than he’s ever gone before, leading to the incredible four-part series finale.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a highlight of the fantasy genre, not just because of its magic system and fun fictional universe, but because the characters go through so much natural and compelling development across the seasons. By the show’s final installment, audiences are desperate to see how the arcs will come to a close, and the series doesn’t disappoint.