As thefantasyTV show landscape grows larger and more impressive every year, older shows must conclude and make way for new projects entering the sphere. Plenty of long-running shows currently on the air are not only exiting gracefully but are completing their planned arcs. By having a confirmed end date,these shows get to carefully orchestrate a conclusion that will successfully bring the character development and story full circle,which always satisfies fans. As difficult as it is to say goodbye to such high-quality shows, it’s good to know they won’t suddenly be canceled at their peak.
There’s hope that these series will join the ranks offantasy TV shows with almost perfect endingssince having a definitive conclusion is often better than going on for too long. When afantasy TV show continues for too many seasons, it taints the legacy of the series, making the case that a contained number of installments will cement a show’s longevity. Whilesome of these shows will be releasing their final seasons within the calendar year,others have several more years to go, allowing plenty of time for farewells and exciting narrative turns before the finale.
House of the Dragon
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House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
It’s no secret thattheGame of Thronesprequel seriesHouse of the Dragonhas stirred up controversy among fans, critics, and George R.R. Martinhimself. However, for all its differences from the source material,House of the Dragonconsistently delivers in terms of drama, performance, and stunning visuals. Despite this, the series has been confirmed to be ending with season 4, with season 3 projected to start filming in early 2025 (viaVariety). While it will be difficult to say goodbye to the beloved characters, the series always had an expiration date.
Plenty of newGame of Thronesspinoffs and prequels are in the works, likeA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
Fortunately, plenty of newGame of Thronesspinoffs and prequels are in the works, likeA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. Thedelay between seasons of TV showslikeHouse of the Dragonhas only made anticipation grow between installments and likely means that it will be a few years before the show reaches its conclusion.There’s still a lot of ground to cover in the battle of the Targaryens,andHouse of the Dragonmust work to fit into the franchise’s larger canon if it’s going to be well remembered.
House of the Dragon (2022–Present)
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Outlander
Outlander follows Claire Randall, a married nurse from 1945, who is transported back to 1743 Scotland. Amidst political intrigue and danger, she navigates life in the past and becomes torn between loyalty to her husband and the love for a dashing young warrior.
Outlanderhas evolved a great deal since its premiere in 2014, and thoughseason 8 will be the final installment of the show,Diana Gabaldon’s novels will wrap up with book ten. With the delayed release of season 7 and the extra number of episodes,Outlanderis putting itself in a solid position to stay on track to hit the major beats of Gabaldon’s work that’s already been released. At this point in the series, it’s not just Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan), who the audience is invested in, but their extended family.
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The ending ofOutlanderhas sparked debate as it’s been confirmed that it will differ from Gabaldon’s conclusion, meaning Jamie and Claire’s fate might look very different in the show versus the book. While this presents an interesting challenge for the writers and showrunners ofOutlander,Gabaldon worked closely with the creative team to ensure thatOutlander’s final season would do justice to the charactersand narrative arc. After so many years of crossing oceans and fighting in wars, it will be nice to see Claire and Jamie at peace.
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The Dragon Prince
The Dragon Prince is a Netflix-created animated fantasy series created by the original minds behind Avatar: The Last Airbender. It follows two human princes, an infant dragon prince, and an elven assassin, as they embark on an epic quest to stop the endless war between their worlds and bring peace to the magical continent of Xadia.
The final episodes ofThe Dragon Princeare fast approaching, right on the heels of season 6’s epic conclusion.The Dragon Princeseason 7 will premiere on Netflix on December 19th, 2024,and will bring the character’s epic quest to an end (viaForbes). A six-season run is impressive for any fantasy show, especially within animation, a medium that’s often overlooked and canceled too soon because of the cost and time it takes to produce. Thankfully,The Dragon Princeis ending on its own terms with season 7.
Frequently compared to iconic animated series likeAvatar: The Last Airbender,The Dragon Princehas balanced its child-friendly content with serious and complex topics throughout its run.
Frequently compared to iconic animated series likeAvatar: The Last Airbender,The Dragon Princehas balanced its child-friendly content with serious and complex topics throughout its run. This ability to grapple with nuanced discussions, coupled with the vivid art style and great action scenes, has madeThe Dragon Princestand out amid the competition. It’s certain thatThe Dragon Princewill deliver a conclusion just as compelling as the rest of the gripping show.
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The Witcher
The Witcher, released in 2019, follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter navigating a turbulent world where humanity’s darker nature often eclipses the monstrous.
Based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowsk, Netflix’sThe Witcherhas been successfully led by Henry Cavill as the iconic Geralt of Rivia for three seasons. While manyactors inThe Witcherwill return for season 4,Cavill is being replaced by Liam Hemsworth for the last two installments.Replacing a main character is a difficult task for any TV show, and it’s not surprising thatThe Witcheris planning only two more seasons to wrap up the high fantasy saga.
However,The Witchermust prove that Hemsworth can carry the series as Cavill did if the series is going to go out on a high note. Fortunately,plenty of other characters are primed for engaging arcs with plenty of action to take the pressure off Hemsworthas he transitions into the role. ThoughThe Witcherseason 4 is yet to be released, the explosive conclusion of season 3 left plenty of open-ended plot points and character arcs for the series that will allow for at least two more seasons of action.
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Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender follows a young boy, the Avatar, who embarks on a quest to master the four elemental powers. Tasked with saving a world engulfed in war, he must confront a relentless adversary determined to thwart his mission.
It was always going to be a challenge for the live-action adaptation ofAvatar: The Last Airbenderto compete with the beloved original animated series. However,the series has received many more positive reviews than the critically panned 2010 movieand is deeply committed to doing justice to both the story and the visuals of the 2005 show. The fact thatAvatarisn’t going to attempt to go beyond three seasons bodes well for the continued dedication to the integrity of the series.
The real question will be if the series garners enough interest and popularity to warrant an adaptation ofTheLegend of Korra.
Sincethe animated show has a tight three-season arc,it would have been difficult for the live-action iteration to try and expand this. Due to this, it’s no surprise thatAvatar: The Last Airbenderwill come to an end in season 3. However, the real question will be if the series garners enough interest and popularity to warrant an adaptation ofTheLegend of Korra. The timeless story and mass appeal of the franchise could potentially inspire further live-action projects.
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Good Omens
Based on the bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Good Omens follows an angel and demon as they attempt to defy the forces of Heaven and Hell to avert the apocalypse. With Pratchett and Gaiman’s funny and irreverent style shining through, Good Omens stars Michael Sheen and David Tennant as Aziraphale and Crowley, with a larger cast that includes John Hamm, Francis McDormand, and Michael McKean.
While it will be sad to say goodbye toGood Omensin season, it was impressive thatGood Omenshad such a strong second outing. Since the series is based on the standalone book of the same name, the creative team wrote an original story for season 2, which had enough traction to warrant the series being picked up for a third season. Though the original plan was to have a multiple-episode arc,Good Omenswill be returning for just one 90-minute episode to tie up loose ends and bid farewell to Crowley (David Tennant) and Aziraphale (Michael Sheen).
Part of this is likely due to the sexual assault allegations against Neil Gaiman that came to light in 2024, causing the writer and producer to step away from the project. Though this is a major change for the series, getting this feature-length ending is far better than the show being canceled altogether. No matter the structure or format ofGood Omensseason 3,as long as Tennant and Sheen bring their amazing chemistry back to the screen, it will be an enjoyable season.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
TheLord of the Ringsprequel series,The Rings of Power, was projected to be a hit for Amazon Prime before it premiered. It didn’t take long for the series to be immediately green-lit for seasons 1 and 2, asThe Rings of Powerwas always on track for a five-season arc since its early conception. Dealing with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age and the initial rise to power of Sauron,the action and adventure of the show so far is nothing compared to the epic battles on the horizon for the remaining seasons.
Many of the big streamers, from Max to Netflix, have their own high fantasy TV series.
Despite its mixed reviews,there’s little reason to question whether or notThe Rings of Powerwill complete its planned five-season arc.Though season 3 hasn’t officially been ordered yet, there’s too much promise and potential for moneymaking for Prime to call it quits withThe Rings of Power. Many of the big streamers, from Max to Netflix, have their own high fantasy TV series. While Amazon Prime also hasThe Wheel of Time, the name recognition and beloved magical world ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powermake it a show worth producing.
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Intricately animated and plotted,Blood of Zeusis an underrated addition to the adult fantasy TV genre, chronicling new tales of Greek mythology within the familiar ancient world. Using a visual style similar to anime and following the gods and monsters of legend in new and refreshing legends,Blood of Zeushas something for everyone, even if the gap between seasons 1 and 2 was excruciating.Blood of Zeusis a time-consuming and expensive project, butthe critical and audience acclaim make the waiting easy to bear.
Blood of Zeusseason 3 is slated to release in 2025, a much quicker follow-up to the spring 2024 premiere of season 2. Though the structure and format ofBlood of Zeuscould have propelled the series on for many more seasons, ending at the height of its quality and appreciation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unfortunately,it’s not uncommon for visionary animated series likeBlood of Zeusto be cut short by streamers,but the installments that do exist are brilliantly crafted.
Blood of Zeus (2020–Present)
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The Boys
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
This violently satirical take on the superhero genre has been a massive success for Amazon Prime since its release in 2019. Raising the stakes every season with terrible new villains and all the gore audiences could ask for,The Boyshas consistently kept its finger on the pulse of political and cultural issues throughout its run, and it will be interesting to see how season 5 grapples with this. After the many shocking developments in season 4,The Boysseason 5 will need to up the ante to keep the audience on their toes.
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It might be a few years untilThe Boysseason 5 hits screens, as the final season has recently entered development and has an estimated premiere date of 2026 (viaDeadline).Many of the beloved characters from the past seasons ofThe Boyswill be part of the final seasonsince it wouldn’t be satisfying to say goodbye toThe Boyswithout a few epic showdowns between Homelander (Antony Starr), Butcher (Karl Urban), and the rest of the stellar cast. However, the most exciting part of the upcoming season will be the reveal of the new villains.
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Stranger Things
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
It will be interesting to see how thefantasyTV landscape changed after the final season ofStranger Things. The early years of streaming television have been defined by early juggernauts likeStranger Things. Much of Netflix’s success with original content can be attributed to the long-running popularity ofStranger Things.The season 5 finale will be the end of an era for Netflix and the child actors who have grown up on the series,who are now taking on more serious adult projects and stepping outside their genre work.
Thanks to the legacy and popularity ofStranger Things, the final season will conclude with plenty of pomp, with the episodes reported to be long and intense (viaCollider).Stranger Thingsseason 5 will premiere on Netflix in 2025, meaning there are a few more months for audiences to catch up with the show and witness how far the characters have come since the iconic events of season 1.There’s plenty of speculation about whatStranger Thingsseason 5 will hold,but it’s almost certain that it will be heartbreaking.
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