FantasyTV shows typically have plot-heavy storylines that allow for many seasons, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some series that overstay their welcome.This typically happens in the last few seasons of a show when the plot lines begin to grow repetitiveor jump the shark. The last few installments might not necessarily be bad, but compared with the rest of the series, they don’t live up to the expectations set by the strongest seasons. When it comes to television, it’s always better to end early on a tight script rather than dragging out and tainting the show’s legacy.
Somegreat fantasy TV shows deserve more seasons, and it’s a shame when a series is canceled before its time when another project has been going on for years. However, popularity and ratings play into how many seasons a show gets, and when a series has been consistently renewed for many seasons, there’s clearly a reason.The viewers' commitment to a series and love for the characters can help a show when the plots are beginning to fail,as dedicated audiences will stick with the project to see if it will end up improving.
Supernatural
Cast
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
WhenSupernaturalreinvented itself after season 5, the fate of the series hung in the balance, but it turned out that this soft reboot was exactly what the series needed. While the first five seasons told a complete story, there was still more to explore within the fates of the Winchester brothers. However,by the last several installments of the show, the plots became repetitive,andSupernaturalhad strayed too far from what the story was originally about.
Action and comedic elements became too prominent in the later seasons.
Supernaturalchanged a lot between seasons 1 and 15, and losing the horror elements and frightening atmosphere that had first defined the show was a major loss. Action and comedic elements became too prominent in the later seasons. This overshadowed the dark tone that had drawn viewers to the series in the first place. Additionally, after a decade and a half,many of the original supporting characters were gone,and the newly introduced characters didn’t have the same chemistry with Sam and Dean as the old actors.
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The Vampire Diaries
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
After Nina Dobrev leftThe Vampire Diaries, it felt like the series was stallingbefore it was inevitably canceled. Like most shows that begin in high school, the series did have some growing pains when the characters transitioned to college, but the show’s downfall was when Dobrev left at the end of season 6. Her character, Elena, was the series’ protagonist, and almost every plot line revolved around her. Without Elena, the tension between Stefan and Damon was diminished, and the stories weren’t as compelling.
The Vampire Diarieshas two spinoffs:The OriginalsandLegacies.
WhileDobrev did return in the series finale as both Elena and Katherine to say goodbye,the series had to pivot and focus more on the supporting characters in the final two seasons (viaCBR). If the show hadn’t put so much stock in Elena’s character and her love triangle with Stefan and Damon, then it could have made a more natural adjustment to life without her. However, without Elena, there was little point in continuing the show.
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10 Great Fantasy TV Shows For Beginners
Some fantasy series are unapproachable because of their heavy world-building, but that isn’t the case with shows for first-time fantasy viewers.
Once Upon A Time
Once Upon a Time is an adventure fantasy-drama series created for ABC that features fairy tale characters and their Disney incarnations in a modern setting. When Emma Swan and her son Henry accidentally drive into the town of Storybrooke, they soon discover the inhabitants are those from fairy tales, and they have no knowledge of the modern world inhabited by Emma and Henry. Robbed of their pasts and given new identities by the Evil Queen known as Regina, the hope of the town’s residents lie solely in the hands of Emma, who has stronger connections to the town than she knows.
Once Upon A Time’s first six seasons, all had something to recommend them, as the series was skilled at reinventing itself and incorporating many different fairytale and fantasy elements. However, when it was announced thatJennifer Morrison was leaving after the season 6 finale and that the show was incorporating a time jump,it was certain that season 7 was going to be different from the rest of the series. Unfortunately, the changes made for the final season only hurt the show.
While many of the original cast returned for season 7, and there were some interesting ideas in the plot, it didn’t have the same magic as the beginning of the series.
IfOnce Upon A Timehad ended one season earlier, the show could have gone out on a relatively high note, but, instead, the final season was generally considered disappointing. While many of the original cast returned for season 7, and there were some interesting ideas in the plot, it didn’t have the same magic as the beginning of the series. Additionally,introducing a new actor as the adult Henry was confusing, as it asked the audience to care about a protagonist who seemed entirely new.
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The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on June 23, 2025. It follows Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. He embarks on a journey to locate his family, encountering various survivors amidst the chaos.
Even after eleven seasons of the original show,The Walking Deadfranchise remains popular and is still producing new spinoff series. Though not every spinoff is as successful as the first show, they all demonstrate the best parts of the worldThe Walking Deadcreated and how it lends itself to housing many different storylines and characters. While the original characters inThe Walking Deadremained compelling,the latter half of the series started to rely on shock and surprise rather than good plotting.
The biggest instance of this was the way Glenn’s death was handled and how disappointing his ultimate farewell to the show was. Additionally, there have been manyThe Walking Deadspinoffs that tell the same storyof the characters going on a journey to find someone. This began in the first show and demonstrateshow difficult it became forThe Walking Deadnot to repeat the same plots.The Walking Deadremained strong much longer than most series that go on as long as it did, but it could have tightened its story by ending sooner.
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Riverdale
A darker take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends from the Archie Comics series, Riverdale is a CW supernatural mystery series that sees the group trying to illuminate the truth surrounding various strange occurrences and murders in the titular town. When a teenage girl is found dead in the once-quiet town, the event starts a series of ever-growing mysteries that ultimately lead to darker secrets in the town’s history. Led by Archie, the Riverdale gang will attempt to navigate their new normal while dealing with all of the drama that comes with being high school teenagers.
Riverdalewent through many evolutions throughout its seven-season run, and it didn’t take long for the writers and cast of the supernatural teen drama to lean into the outlandish tone of the show. Though it began as a typical teen soap with a few crime and fantasy elements thrown in,the series became almost recognizable by the end, with multiple dimensions, witchcraft, and time travelall coming into play during various seasons. WhileRiverdalenever wanted to be taken seriously, it became difficult to keep up with the changing plots by season 7.
The series fully committed to being a supernatural fantasy show around season 6, but there were plenty of moments whenRiverdalestarted going off the rails before this.
The series fully committed to being a supernatural fantasy show around season 6, but there were plenty of moments whenRiverdalestarted going off the rails before this. The many secret twins, half-siblings, and other dark versions of family members made it impossible to know who was related and who wasn’t. In some ways,it’s surprising thatRiverdalewent on for as long as it did, but it did provide some memorable television moments,even if they didn’t make much sense.
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Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
Seasons 1 and 2 ofLostare widely regarded as the best installments of the show, and it’s almost unanimously agreed upon that season 6 is the worst. There was always something deeper going on behind the scenes on the island, but it became clear thatLostwas going in an unexpected direction when time travel on the island was introduced.This, along with the smoke monster and the disappointing deaths of fan-favorite characters, made the last few seasons ofLostfail to meet audience expectations.
Many of theLostmoments that made viewers quit the showhad to do with the plot twists that came out of nowhere, like the flash-sideways in season 6. Additionally,it doesn’t help that theLostseries finale is one of the most controversial in TV history,seeing its characters all make their way to the other side and calling the reality of many of the show’s events into question. While there’s still plenty to recommendLost’s many seasons, it could have done without season 6.
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true blood
True Blood is a horror/fantasy drama series created by Alan Ball and starring Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and Alexander Skarsgård. The series follows the life of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with telepathic powers that lives in a fictional town in Louisiana. In this town, a new synthetic “drug” has allowed vampires to escape their coffins and roam amongst the living.
For a series that prided itself on being controversial and looking critically at the issues of race, class, and sexuality through a fantasy lens, the ending ofTrue Bloodcame as a shock. The protagonist, Sookie, is defined by her agency and refusal to let others make choices for her throughout the series, as well as her relationship with the vampire, Bill. Though Sookie didn’t need to end up with Bill at the end ofTrue Blood,the time jump and Sookie being married to someone the audience never sees was a letdown.
True Bloodstruggled to maintain its momentum after season 3, as this was when the central relationship between Bill and Sookie began to fall apart. However,seasons 6 and 7 are consistently rated the lowest,with season 7 being the worst because of the lackluster finale and the many great characters that were killed off during the season. The best ofTrue Bloodhappened in the first three seasons, and after that, the show slowly declined in quality.
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Charmed
Charmed is a television series centered on three sisters—Prue, Piper, and Phoebe—who discover their powers as the Charmed Ones, destined to fight evil forces. Set in modern-day San Francisco, the series explores their evolving magical abilities while they juggle personal lives and combat demons and warlocks.
When Shannen Doherty leftCharmedafter season 3 and was replaced by Rose McGowan as Paige, it was a shake-up for the series, but the show sustained itself for five more seasons after this. While season 4 worked as a soft reboot, there weren’t many standout storylines after this,especially in the final three seasons. As the show progressed,Charmedlost touch with what made the show stand out from other supernatural dramas.
The earlyCharmedseasons embody what typically drew audiences to the series:the mystical atmosphere and an emphasis on the sisters' dynamic rather than their romantic relationships. One of the reasonsCharmedseason 8 wasn’t well-received was because of the introduction of Billie, who didn’t fit into the existing dynamic of the Charmed Ones. However, it was clear before this thatCharmedwas struggling, as season 6 saw the separation of the sisters, as they each decided to follow the men in their lives instead of each other.
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10 Great Supernatural TV Shows If You Loved Charmed
Plenty of supernatural series share tones and themes with Charmed — which remains a beloved fantasy TV show nearly two decades after its finale.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Based on the Archie comic series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a Netflix supernatural horror series that follows Sabrina Spellman, a young half-witch, half-human that is coming into her powers in her teenage years. To protect her friends, family, and the world itself, Sabrina will have to harness her powers and ignore the calls from her darker side to embrace her evil potential fully and instead use her powers for good. Despite the series cancellation in 2020, the show’s story was continued in The Occult World of Sabrina, a comic book serial.You can buy the seasons for just $9.99 for Prime Day.
Despite only running for four parts,Chilling Adventures of Sabrinawould have been better suited to a shorter narrative considering the poor reception of the final season.A darker reboot of the beloved teen sitcomSabrina the Teenage Witch,Chilling Adventures of Sabrinahad style and a distinct tone,which is what lent it to garnering a decent following. However, even within the fantasy genre,Sabrinawent too far in the final season by disconnecting from the initial premise and upending the character development of many individuals.
With many different plots and overlapping events, it felt like the series had run out of ideas and didn’t know where to go next.
The pacing ofChilling Adventures of Sabrinawas a consistent issue for the series, as it felt like the show spent too much time on unnecessary plots while rushing through the climatic and action-filled moments.In part 4, the series needed to reinvent itself after the amazing journey Sabrina took in hell,and most of the storylines failed to live up to the excitement of the third installment. With many different plots and overlapping events, it felt like the series had run out of ideas and didn’t know where to go next.
Lucifer
Lucifer, released in 2016, follows Lucifer Morningstar, the former Lord of Hell, who retires to Los Angeles. There, he partners with LAPD detective Chloe Decker to solve crimes. As he distances himself from the underworld, a potential threat looms, risking the unleashing of humanity’s darkest forces.
ThoughLuciferwas rightfully saved from cancelation and given new life by Netflix for its fourth season, it went on for a little too long after this.Moving to Netflix was the best thing that happened to the series,as thefantasyshow was able to ease away from the crime procedural format and lean into the supernatural elements and season-long arcs that made the story interesting. However, once it came to Netflix, the streaming service kept it going for one too many seasons.
Luciferseason 5 would have been the perfect ending to the beloved series, and the fact that it came back for a sixth installment was a bit of a misstep. While season 6 is far from the worst season of the show, it didn’t feel necessary and lacked the stakes of season 5. In some ways, it seemed thatLuciferseason 6 happened so that the writers could create more scenes of Lucifer and Decker together.
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