Top Ongoing Fantasy TV Shows Based On Books

5 Best Ongoing Fantasy Shows Based On Books Interview with the Vampire (2022)

By Angel Shaw Published 8 minutes ago Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Peer Mentor on ScreenRant's New TV team, covering new-release TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy. Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones). Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Some of the best fantasy TV shows are based on books, and a good handful are currently ongoing. Though plenty of great series come straight from the minds of screenwriters, there has long been an appeal to adapting stories from the works of popular authors. For one, these books typically have their own loyal following, which guarantees a viewer base when the TV adaptation releases. Of course, this comes with some downsides as well.

It's never easy to adapt a book to the screen. Something is always lost in the process, and this can be deeply frustrating for those who fell in love with the books. The fantasy genre adds even further complications, given the immense challenge of bringing these magical worlds to life. Said and done, fantasy TV shows based on books are some of the most scrutinized and criticized. If a project can make it through a few seasons with some positive Rotten Tomatoes scores and avoid cancellation, it's a significant triumph.

The Witcher

The Witcher has been divisive since its second season. There has been a lot of online discourse about the changes Netflix has made to Andrzej Sapkowski's books, which, by any account, are numerous. Things got even more complicated for The Witcher after season 3, when actor Henry Cavill left the series and was replaced by Liam Hemsworth. Despite all this, The Witcher holds an overall critic score of 75% on RT.

General audiences have consistently given lower scores for The Witcher, resulting in an overall Popcornmeter of 46%. Therefore, the other shows on this list will naturally rank higher. Still, The Witcher's production value remains fantastic. Performances from the cast are strong, the fight choreography is exceptional, and the magic system is demonstrated perfectly. That 75% score is a fair one for The Witcher.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Morfydd Clark scowling as Galadriel from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is another controversial one. Like The Witcher, this Prime Video series has fared better with critics than with general audiences. Rings of Power has an overall critic score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a lower 49% with viewers. The criticism here comes down again to changes from the source material.

Compared to The Witcher, Rings of Power is much more true to J.R.R. Tolkien's works. The trouble comes from the fact that these stories, set thousands of years before Frodo's adventures in The Lord of the Rings, aren't based on a traditional narrative. Still, Prime Video's massive budget for Rings of Power has allowed for some truly breathtaking fantasy environments. It's purely magical, and Prime Video shows no signs of stopping this series anytime soon.

Good Omens

Crowley and Aziraphale looking at each other suspiciously in Good Omens

The fantasy comedy series Good Omens is based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman. Unlike the previous entries on this list, Good Omens has almost unanimously kept general audiences happy, with a 94% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes. This isn't to say that the fantasy series has done poorly with critics. The slightly lower 84% is still overwhelmingly positive.

Good Omens is nearing the end of its run. There are currently two seasons in existence, and though a third was initially planned, Prime Video has changed course. A final, feature-length episode is expected to be released in 2026, wrapping up this hilarious, strangely sweet, and entirely outrageous fantasy TV show with a bang.

Interview With The Vampire

Interview with the Vampire is a horror fantasy TV series based on The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. This AMC series had twice the fanbase going in, since both those who loved the original book series and those who loved the 1994 film adaptation were eager to watch. So far, this project hasn't disappointed the vast majority of either group.

Of course, there will always be those frustrated that a TV adaptation doesn't align perfectly with the source. However, the overwhelming response to Interview with the Vampire has been positive. The show's overall RT critic and audience scores are 99% and 78% respectively. Season 3 is expected to release sometime in 2026, which is particularly exciting since the story will branch out into Rice's sequel novels.

House of the Dragon

After the global phenomenon that was Game of Thrones, it's no surprise that House of the Dragon has been, so far, a hit. Still, it can't be denied that things got off course with the original series near the end. This had a lot to do with the lack of source material to adapt, since author George R.R. Martin hasn't finished the series. This is a problem House of the Dragon has been able to avoid.

House of the Dragon is a prequel series, and Martin has completed its source book, Fire & Blood. Though, as always, there have been some changes to canon, reception on Rotten Tomatoes has been largely positive, with an 87% critic score and 77% audience score. The fantasy TV show's highlights are the political intrigue, graphic storytelling, and, of course, those heart-stopping dragons. Just like the books, this fantasy series is a true spectacle.

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