One of the things that have always captivated the imagination of a lot of different fans of TV shows is fantasy. That’s because anything can happen when it comes to things that are related to fantasy, and that is why there are a lot of different fans of fantasy TV shows. Of course, when it comes to fantasy shows, we can never forget about the three most common elements: elves, fairies, and magic.
There are simply a lot of different shows that have elves, fairies, and magic as the centerpieces of their storylines, and that’s why these shows are quite popular among fans of the fantasy genre. After all, we can’t get enough of being able to watch and enjoy things that allow us to improve our imagination. So, with that said, let’s look at the best shows about elves, fairies, and magic.
20. Fairly Odd Parents (2001 – 2017)
Fairly Odd Parents is a classic cartoon series that a lot of different 90s and 2000s kids grew up watching on Nickelodeon. That means that it serves as one of the early introductions of children to fairies and magic.
The series follows the story of Timmy Turner, a young boy that struggles to fit in, as he ends up gaining fairy godparents that grant him his wishes. As such, every single episode is all about the misadventures of Timmy and the different wishes that he asks his fairy godparents to grant him.
19. The Dragon Prince (2018 – Present)
The Dragon Prince is a Netflix original animated series that was created by the same people that worked on the Avatar series on Nickelodeon. In that regard, there are elements that are similar between this series and Avatar as it seeks to carry us into an entirely new world where dragons, fairies, and magic exist.
The series follows the story of a land that has been torn apart by the war between humans and dragons. However, seeking to find a peaceful resolution to the war between humans and dragons, the princes of a human kingdom hope to deliver the newborn prince of dragons back to his mother to prevent another war from breaking out.
18. Elves (2021)
This is probably the most brutal series on this list, as this Netflix original was able to put a horrifying twist to the elf theme that is often prevalent when it comes to Christmas. Although it isn’t necessarily the best series in terms of its quality, it can still be a fun watch for those who want to watch shows with elves in them.
Elves follows the story of a family that went to a secluded island so that they could enjoy Christmas as a family. However, what they didn’t know was that the island was home to bloodthirsty elves that were kept guarded behind a wall so that they wouldn’t be able to wreak havoc throughout the entire town or even the world.
17. The Magicians (2015 – 2020)
The Magicians is a series that tells the story of a secret and magical school that was established to educate students about all things related to magic. As such, we already have the element of magic covered in this series, even though it might not be focused on elves or fairies.
However, what the young magicians that enrolled in this school didn’t know was that everything about magic that they read when they were still children was real and posed real dangers to the real world. As such, they need to work hard to make sure that they get to become strong magicians that can protect the entire world from the supernatural dangers hiding in the magical realm.
16. Charmed (2018 – 2022)
Even though we can argue that the original version of the series was better, the reboot of Charmed is actually an ambitious yet quite successful attempt at recreating the same magic that the first version was able to deliver during its entire run from 1998 to 2006.
This CW reboot follows the story of three sisters who realize that they are actually the Charmed Ones. That means that they are a trio of witches with incredible magical abilities. As such, during the series, they try to learn more about their magical abilities and how to use them to protect the world from the dangerous dark forces that could potentially affect the lives of innocent people.
15. WandaVision (2021)
WandaVision is the first MCU series to see its release on the streaming platform Disney+, as it was able to continue the storyline of two Avengers in Wanda and Vision. Of course, the storyline is set right after the Avengers defeat Thanos at the end of Avengers: Endgame.
The story of WandaVision starts off as a weird classic sitcom that features both Wanda and Vision. However, as the series progresses, things begin to unravel as we get to learn the truth behind this sitcom setup that involves the two titular characters. Of course, the entire series focuses on the reality-warping magical abilities that Wanda herself possesses.
14. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018 – 2020)
The original Sabrina series that 90s kids grew up watching was a hit because of how funny it was. However, the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the darker remake of the Sabrina series as it takes its cue from Riverdale by delivering a storyline with dark themes that were never present in its source material.
This series follows the story of Sabrina, who is a teenage witch that is trying to balance her dual life as a regular teenager and as a growing and developing witch. However, the two worlds begin to collide as Sabrina is right at the center of it.
13. The Shannara Chronicles (2016 – 2017)
The Shannara Chronicles, despite its limited run, was quite entertaining in how it was able to deliver a storyline that revolves around magic and fantasy. Of course, while they are not the focus of this series, there are also elves present in The Shannara Chronicles.
This series follows the story of Will Ohmsford, who is the last remaining member of the Shannara bloodline that is destined to save the world. As such, he has to work together with his friends and his mentor to protect the ancient tree called Ellcrys, as this is the only thing that’s capable of stopping the demons from returning and wreaking havoc on the world.
12. Legacies (2018 – 2022)
Legacies is basically the continuation story of The Vampire Diaries, as it follows the story of the children of the characters that we met in the original series that became a hit among different types of fans all over the world. Of course, that means that elements like fairies and magic are also present in Legacies.
The thing about Legacies is that the series revolves around the development of young and gifted supernatural teenagers while attending a school that was established to help them hone their talents. Of course, like any series involving teenagers, there are numerous issues that need to be resolved while the characters are learning to hone their talents.
11. True Blood (2008 – 2014)
Even though True Blood focuses on the vampires in a world where these bloodsucking creatures have made their presence public to the entire world, there are other supernatural things going on in this series. That is why, other than vampires, there are also other creatures that exist in True Blood.
Much of the entire series focuses on a young woman named Sookie Stackhouse and her developing relationship with a vampire named Bill Compton as they try to keep their love alive despite the differences between humans and vampires. However, later in the series, it was revealed that Sookie herself is also a supernatural creature that isn’t too different from a fairy.
10. Lost Girl (2010 – 2015)
While it isn’t one of the most popular series on this list, Lost Girl was actually quite entertaining in how it was able to put a different twist on fairies. And the thing that viewers need to understand is that this is a more serious series than some of the other titles on this list.
Lost Girl follows the story of a girl who ends up discovering that she is a Fae called a Succubus after she killed her boyfriend when they had sex. As such, she now needs to trace her origins in order to learn how to control her abilities while helping humans and Fae alike using her newfound powers.
9. Shadow and Bone (2021 – Present)
Shadow of Bone is another Netflix original series that was adapted from a novel series. It is also a series that focuses on supernatural powers that allow certain characters to use magic to control natural elements, materials, and other people.
The show focuses on the story of Alina, who is an assistant cartographer that ends up realizing that she is a Sun Summoner, which has the ability to use the power of light to take down the Shadow Fold, which is a wall of darkness that has divided the land in two for a long time. However, because of her powers, Alina is now in more danger than she ever was.
8. The Wheel of Time (2021 – Present)
The Wheel of Time is an Amazon Prime adaptation of the classic fantasy novel books by Robert Jordan. This book series has a lot of different fans as it is one of the few storylines that were able to build a fantasy world and universe that’s unique and full of magical elements and themes.
This series follows the story of a woman belonging to an order of magical women as she goes on a quest to find a young person called the Dragon Reborn, which is a person that’s capable of incredible magical abilities. Her search leads her to a village with many young people that she believes could be the Dragon Reborn. As such, she seeks to bring them to their leader in the hopes of teaching them how to hone their powers so that they can finally defeat the dark entity that seeks to return to the world and plunge it into darkness.
7. Shadowhunters (2016 – 2019)
Shadowhunters is a supernatural drama series that takes place in our world. However, it is home to a group of human-angel hybrids called the Shadowhunters, as they seek to hunt demons in a world where ordinary people are unaware of what has been happening in the dark. In that regard, it is a series that has magical elements at its forefront.
In Shadowhunters, we follow the story of Clary Fray, who learns that she is actually a Shadowhunter as she gets caught in this hidden world she never knew about. As such, she now has to hone her abilities as a Shadowhunter while finding out more about herself and the mystery behind the disappearance of her mother.
6. Once Upon a Time (2011 – 2019)
Once Upon a Time is a series that explores a lot of different elements that are related to elves, fairies, and magic, as the title itself already suggests that it is actually about fairytale characters. However, there is a twist in the fairytale theme of this series.
The fairytale characters actually end up getting their memories erased by the Evil Queen. Meanwhile, Emma Swan, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, was transported to the human world as an infant so that she could one day become the one to break the curse that has erased the memories of all of the fairytale characters.
5. Cursed (2020)
Cursed might have been a promising storyline that had a lot of potential but was seemingly unable to live up to it, as it only lasted a single season. Nevertheless, it is still a very entertaining series that puts a different twist on the King Arthur origin story.
This series focuses on a girl named Nimue, who is actually a Fey woman that is fated to become the legendary Lady of the Lake, she is a powerful fairy that is important to the legend of King Arthur. As such, with the Sword of Power in her hand, she has to embrace her fate as the Fey Queen so that she can save the rest of the Fey from the Red Paladins.
4. Fate: The Winx Saga (2021 – 2022)
When it comes to fairies and magic, Fate: The Winx Saga is never short on them. This series is a retelling of the animated Winx Club series that is quite popular among younger audiences. Of course, Fate is actually a darker and more mature version of Winx Club.
The series follows the story of five fairies who are in their first year at Alfea College, which is a magical boarding school for fairies. As such, they are supposed to learn how to control their powers while attending school, but they end up getting caught in a series of events that could potentially endanger the entire world.
3. Carnival Row (2019 – Present)
Carnival Row is one of the most unique shows about fairies and magic because it dives into the supernatural fantasy genre while adding a mix of urban themes. Of course, there are a lot of political themes in Carnival Row as well.
The series focuses on a group of mythological and supernatural creatures that have been pushed out of their homes by humans and are now forced to live alongside them in regular society. However, as society grows more intolerant of the creatures, things escalate between them and humans. As such, the main character, who is half-fae, needs to investigate a series of mysterious murders to get to the bottom of the problems that are plaguing both humans and supernatural creatures.
2. The Witcher (2019 – Present)
The Witcher is the live-action adaptation of the novels of the same title and is also similar to the video games, which were also adapted from the novels. While the series deviates a bit from the books, this is one of the best shows to watch if you’re into supernatural elements like fairies, magic, and monsters.
In The Witcher, we follow the story of a Witcher or monster hunter named Geralt as he goes about his business slaying monsters. However, he ends up getting entangled in a grander scheme that involves the fate of the entire world. And that is why he has to protect a princess with powerful magical abilities to make sure that both the princess and the entire world are safe.
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power (2022 – Present)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a prequel adaptation by Amazon Prime about the history of Middle-Earth during the Second Age and thousands of years before the events of The Lord of the Rings. As such, it is a retelling of JRR Tolkien’s classic books and novels.
In The Rings of Power, we follow the story of an Elf named Galadriel, who is on a journey to find an evil dark lord named Sauron so that she can stop him from plunging the world into darkness once more. However, there are also other subplots in play here as we get to see how the world that was already established in The Lord of the Rings becomes what it was in the classic Peter Jackson trilogy of movies.
