Best Fantasy TV Shows of the 2010s: The Greatest Show From Every Year, Ranked
The best fantasy TV shows of the 2010s didn't just entertain audiences — they fundamentally changed what television could be. Before Game of Thrones debuted in 2011, fantasy was considered a niche, second-tier genre for small screens. By the decade's end, it had become the dominant force in prestige television. This guide breaks down the single best fantasy series from each year of the 2010s, giving you the full picture of how the decade shaped the genre forever.
How the 2010s Changed Fantasy Television
Three forces drove the fantasy TV explosion of the 2010s:
- HBO's prestige model — proving that fantasy could carry the budget, seriousness, and cultural weight of any drama
- Streaming services — giving creators freedom to experiment with animation, structure, and subject matter outside network constraints
- A second animation golden age — with shows like Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, and She-Ra proving that animated fantasy wasn't just for young children
The result was the most diverse and ambitious decade in fantasy television history.
The Best Fantasy Show From Every Year of the 2010s
2010 — Adventure Time
Adventure Time launched on Cartoon Network in April 2010, and what began as a goofy kids' show about a human boy and his shapeshifting dog eventually revealed itself as one of the most emotionally sophisticated animated series ever made. Jake the Dog and Finn the Human's adventures in the Land of Ooo started episodic and whimsical — then built into a sprawling narrative about loneliness, loss, and the end of the world.
Why it won the year: There wasn't much competition in 2010, but Adventure Time would have stood tall in any year. Its willingness to sit with genuine sadness inside a candy-colored world is still remarkable.
2011 — Game of Thrones
This one isn't a debate. Game of Thrones premiered in April 2011 and permanently altered the television landscape. The moment Joffrey ordered Ned Stark's execution — defying every TV convention about protagonist safety — told viewers they were watching something genuinely different. Based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the show built a fantasy world of staggering political complexity, tragic realism, and uncompromising consequences.
Why it won the decade (not just the year): Game of Thrones set the template for everything that followed. Its DNA is visible in nearly every prestige fantasy production since. Even its much-criticized final season couldn't undo the revolutionary impact of its peak years.
2012 — Gravity Falls
Gravity Falls premiered on Disney Channel in the summer of 2012 and quickly earned a devoted following that transcended its intended audience. Two siblings spend the summer with their great-uncle in a mysterious Oregon town full of supernatural phenomena. The show hid cryptographic ciphers, ARG elements, and legitimate mysteries inside what appeared to be a family comedy — and resolved them all with genuine intelligence.
Why it matters: Gravity Falls proved that animated fantasy could be as tightly plotted and emotionally resonant as any live-action drama. Its two-season run has no filler whatsoever.
2013 — Sleepy Hollow (Honorable) / Once Upon a Time (Peak)
2013 was a competitive year. Once Upon a Time hit the height of its creative powers, weaving together fairy tale characters in a modern Maine town with genuine sophistication. Meanwhile, Sleepy Hollow debuted with a wild premise — Ichabod Crane as a Revolutionary War soldier revived in the present day — that worked better than it had any right to.
Once Upon a Time takes the year for its ambitious mythological scope at its creative peak, before later seasons complicated its legacy.
2014 — Outlander
Outlander is one of the great underappreciated fantasy series of the decade. Based on Diana Gabaldon's beloved novels, it follows Claire Randall — a World War II nurse who time-slips through standing stones in the Scottish Highlands and lands in 1743. What follows is a rich blend of romance, political drama, and historical adventure across gorgeously filmed Scottish landscapes.
Why it stands out: Outlander's fantasy element (time travel) is nearly incidental to what the show is really about — a woman navigating an impossible situation with intelligence, resilience, and agency.
2015 — The Magicians
The Magicians (SYFY) is what happens when you apply genuine literary ambition to a premise that could easily have been Harry Potter for adults. Based on Lev Grossman's trilogy, the show follows Quentin Coldwater into Brakebills University — a secret school for magic — while simultaneously tracking his friend Julia's darker path outside the system. It handles grief, mental health, addiction, and the cost of magic with unusual honesty.
Why adults love it: The Magicians is one of the few fantasy shows that regularly surprised its audience with narrative choices that felt genuinely brave.
2016 — Stranger Things
Stranger Things debuted on Netflix in July 2016 and became an immediate cultural phenomenon. Set in 1980s Indiana, four kids search for their missing friend and uncover a secret government lab, an alternate dimension called the Upside Down, and a telekinetic girl named Eleven. It works because of its extraordinary character ensemble — the kids, the parents, the teens — all written with specificity and warmth.
Why it defined the year: Stranger Things proved that Netflix could launch a global cultural conversation overnight. Its nostalgia wasn't cynical — it genuinely loves the era it evokes.
2017 — Castlevania
Castlevania arrived as a Netflix anime adaptation of the classic video game series, and it immediately set a new standard for video game adaptations. Vampire hunter Trevor Belmont teams up with a magician and Dracula's own son to prevent the vampire lord from destroying humanity. The show features stunning animation, sharp writing, and voice performances that elevate its source material enormously.
Why it matters: Castlevania demonstrated that animation, anime aesthetics, and Western fantasy storytelling could merge into something genuinely excellent.
2018 — Good Omens
Based on Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's beloved novel, Good Omens follows an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant) who have both become rather fond of Earth and decide to prevent the apocalypse. It's warm, witty, deeply British, and powered by one of the great on-screen partnerships in recent memory. Sheen and Tennant's chemistry is reason enough to watch.
Why it stands out: Good Omens is a genuinely funny fantasy comedy — a rarer achievement than it sounds.
2019 — The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
The year 2019 was crowded with quality fantasy — The Witcher, South Korea's Kingdom, and others. But The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance stands above all of them. Netflix's prequel to Jim Henson's 1982 classic used 40 years of advances in puppetry technology to create an overwhelmingly beautiful, meticulously crafted fantasy world. Its unceremonious cancellation after one season remains one of streaming's great sins.
Why it's the pick: No other show that year matched its craft, world-building, or visual imagination. It's a masterpiece that deserved more.
The 2010s Fantasy TV Decade at a Glance
| Year | Best Fantasy Show | Network/Platform |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Adventure Time | Cartoon Network |
| 2011 | Game of Thrones | HBO |
| 2012 | Gravity Falls | Disney Channel |
| 2013 | Once Upon a Time | ABC |
| 2014 | Outlander | Starz |
| 2015 | The Magicians | SYFY |
| 2016 | Stranger Things | Netflix |
| 2017 | Castlevania | Netflix |
| 2018 | Good Omens | Prime Video |
| 2019 | The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance | Netflix |
For viewers searching best fantasy shows from the 2010s to rewatch, fantasy TV shows ranked by year, underrated fantasy series from 2010 to 2019, or what were the top fantasy shows before Game of Thrones ended — this guide covers every major milestone of the decade. Shows like The Magicians and Castlevania remain criminally underrated 2010s fantasy gems that deserve more attention in any retrospective.
FAQ: 2010s Fantasy TV
Q: What is the greatest fantasy TV show of the 2010s overall? A: Game of Thrones at its peak (Seasons 1–6) is the critical and popular consensus answer. For pure storytelling craft without the divisive finale, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance or The Magicians may actually be more satisfying complete experiences.
Q: Which 2010s fantasy shows hold up best today? A: Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, and Castlevania have aged beautifully. Stranger Things Season 1 remains a near-perfect piece of television.
Q: What happened to The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance? A: Netflix cancelled it after one season despite critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase, citing viewership data. It remains one of the platform's most controversial cancellations.
Q: Is Outlander worth watching for non-romance fans? A: Yes. The historical detail, political drama, and Claire's navigation of impossible circumstances make it compelling far beyond its romance elements.
Q: Where can I watch these 2010s fantasy shows today in the US? A: Most are available via Max (Game of Thrones), Netflix (Stranger Things, Castlevania, Dark Crystal), Prime Video (Good Omens), and Starz (Outlander).
External Authority Links
- Wikipedia: Game of Thrones
- IMDb: Top Fantasy TV Shows — ratings and episode data
- Rotten Tomatoes: Fantasy TV — critical scores
- The Peabody Awards — where several of these shows earned honors
- Archive.org: Jim Henson Company — for Dark Crystal background