From 'Game of Thrones' to 'Adventure Time,' the 10 Greatest Fantasy Shows of the 2010s, Ranked

From 'Game of Thrones' to 'Adventure Time,' the 10 Greatest Fantasy Shows of the 2010s, Ranked Adventure Time characters standing together on a cropped poster.Image via Cartoon Network By  Tyler B. Searle Published 33 minutes ago Born with Autism (formerly classified as Asperger syndrome), Tyler B. Searle has been obsessed with storytelling since he was old enough to speak. He gravitated towards fairy tales, mythology, the fantasy genre, and animated movies and shows aimed at family audiences. When not writing, Tyler enjoys watching more cartoons and reading fantasy books in his home in Ontario, Canada. Sign in to your Collider account 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

Fantasy television has been through many ups and downs over the years. With a smaller budget compared to fantasy movies, TV shows have to get creative through limitations to make these fantastical worlds and creatures feel believable, often by relying more on strong character work and dialogue than flashy effects. Animated shows get a little more leniency due to their medium, which can create whatever landscape or creature the artist can imagine.

The 2010s were a decade with a strong variety of fantasy shows. Between Game of Thrones' emergence as a pop-culture juggernaut, streaming services coming up with different ideas to get people to subscribe, and a second television animation golden age in the West, audiences had plenty of shows to engage with if they wanted to see impossible worlds full of monsters and magic.

10 'Amphibia' (2019–2022)

Anne, Sasha, and Marcy dance in school with purple beams of light in Amphibia.Image via Disney Channel

When Anne Boonchuy (Brenda Song) and her friends Sasha Waybright (Anna Akana) and Marcy Wu (Haley Tju) open a music box, they are transported to different regions of Amphibia, a world populated by humanoid amphibians and giant monsters. Anne awakens near the town of Wartwoot, where she is taken in by the Planters: Hopediah (Bill Farmer) and his grandchildren Sprig (Justin Felbinger) and Polly (Amanda Leighton). As Anne adjusts to life in this new world, she searches for her friends and steadily uncovers a grand conspiracy that threatens multiple worlds.

Amphibia starts a little slowly in its first season, but it gradually found its footing and attracted fans thanks to its inventive worldbuilding and the progression of its story. Early episodes are more slice-of-life and focused on the antics of Anne and the Planters, but it gradually becomes more grounded and serious as more secrets are revealed, and the stakes rise higher and higher. The characters also stand out thanks to their likability and the complex arcs they go on, which see them grow emotionally in a way not often seen in family cartoons.

9 'Once Upon a Time' (2011–2018)

Colin O'Donoghue and Jennifer Morrison in fancy clothes dance together at a ball in Once Upon a Time.Image via ABC

Unbeknownst to the townspeople of Storybrooke, Maine, they are all characters from popular fairy tales cursed with amnesia by a spell cast by the Evil Queen Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle). To break the curse and return to their true selves, they need the help of Snow White's (Ginnifer Goodwin) daughter, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), who was sent to Earth before the curse was cast. Emma's young son, Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), whom she gave up at birth, tries his best to convince his mother of the truth, a task made even harder since Henry's adoptive mother is Regina herself, acting as the town's mayor.

Once Upon a Time takes classic fairy tales and gives them a modern dash of mystery and drama. While it could at times be cheesy in its writing, and the effects left a lot to be desired, it made up for it with some very solid character work and the number of ways it could spin classic stories into interesting "What ifs." Rumpelstiltskin in particular stands out thanks to how deeply the show goes into his backstory, showing how generational trauma and misunderstanding made him who he is, and bringing up questions about the nature of good and evil.

8 'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance' (2019)

Tavra from 'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance'Image via Netflix

Rian (Taron Egerton) is a Gelfling who serves as a palace guard for the Skeksis, immortal bird-like creatures who rule over the planet Thra. That is, until he witnesses them kill one of his friends and drain her essence to create an elixir to restore their youth and vigor, forcing him to flee for his life. Meanwhile, a subterranean Gelfling named Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel) discovers a dark energy infecting the world, while the nobleborn Brea (Anya Taylor-Joy) follows a series of clues that point towards the Skeksis' hidden origins.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a worthy continuation of Jim Henson's 1982 masterpiece, and continues The Dark Crystal's tradition of only depicting puppet characters. Nearly 40 years of advancement mean that the puppets look and move better than ever, allowing for more dynamic action sequences and extravagant character designs, especially on the Skeksis. The story shows us what Thra was like before it was left drained and decayed in the film, allowing for deeper worldbuilding and exploration of characters who slot into classic fantasy tropes, but are carried by strong voice actors and likable personalities.

7 'The Magicians' (2015–2020)

A group of people outdoors hold their arms up and mouths open in The Magicians.Image via SYFY

Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) is a budding magician and lifelong fan of the Fillory and Further fantasy book series. He and his friend Julia Wicker (Stella Maeve) apply to Brakebills University to practice magic, but while he is accepted, she is not, and leaves clues to remind herself of the experience before her memory is erased. As Quentin settles into Brakebills, he becomes acquainted with some of the other students, and soon learns that the Fillory and Further books might not be a work of fiction after all.

Adapted from Lev Grossman's trilogy of the same name, The Magicians is an urban fantasy show that plays with the usual tropes of the genre. Sure, it's still got the whimsical moments of escapism that magic brings, but it also explores themes of grief, mental health, and how everything comes with a price. The magic system was also well-crafted and allows each member of the team to contribute with their own diverse skills and personalities.

6 'Good Omens' (2019–)

Good Omens's Michael Sheen and David Tennant staring forward in shock.Image via Prime Video

The angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and the demon Crowley (David Tennant) live among the humans of Earth, representing Heaven and Hell. Over time, the two develop a close friendship and a love for humanity, which inspires them to try and halt the fast-approaching Armageddon by influencing the Antichrist. The only problem is that the Antichrist was accidentally swapped at birth with a regular child, and the two must track him down before the forces of Heaven or Hell do.

Based on the book by Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens combines sharply-witted satire with solid character work. Aziraphale and Crowley's friendship is the linchpin of the show: if you strip away the angel and demon angles, theirs is a relationship built by two people who didn't fit in where they came from, and conveyed perfectly by Sheen and Tennant's infectious chemistry. There are also a fair few thought-provoking themes in the show, such as the complex nature of good and evil, and whether one has free will or is destined to succumb to the will of fate, all told with some witty comedy.

5 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' (2010–2019)

Twilight Sparkle spreads her wings after becoming an Alicorn in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.Image via Discovery Family

Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong) is the personal student of Princess Celestia (Nicole Oliver) of Equestria, and travels to the town of Ponyville on her orders to make friends. She does so with local farmer Applejack (Ashleigh Ball), weather manager Rainbow Dash (Ashleigh Ball), animal caretaker Fluttershy (Andrea Libman), party planner Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman), and dress designer Rarity (Tabitha St. Germaine). Together, they study the importance of friendship, grow as friends and individuals, and save Equestria from several major threats.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic took the world by storm because of the quality of its writing, animation, music, and characters. Rather than just aim at young girls like the earlier generations of My Little Pony, showrunner Lauren Faust aimed to please the parents who would be watching as well, leading to many hilarious jokes, pop culture references, and adult issues for the main characters to solve alongside ones more applicable to children. The characters were perhaps the show's biggest success: each of them has a distinct, well-developed personality that grows and matures with each season, and showcases relatable flaws, including anxiety, depressive episodes, and perfectionism.

4 'Outlander' (2014–)

Caitriona Balfe as Claire and Sam Heughan as Jamie sit on a hillside in period clothes in Outlander.Image via Starz

When World War II comes to an end, nurse Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe) takes a trip to Scotland with her husband, Frank (Tobias Menzies). Unfortunately, she stumbles upon a stone circle that transports her back to 1743, where she encounters Jacobite rebels fighting to restore the House of Steward to the throne of England and Scotland, and "Black Jack" Randall (Tobias Menzies), a loyalist ancestor of Frank's. She joins the rebels as a healer and steadily falls in love with tacksman Jaime Fraser (Sam Heughan).

Outlander proved to be a successful adaptation of the books by Diana Gabaldon, and even received a prequel series, Outlander: Blood of my Blood, in 2025. The magic is minimal and only manifests through time travel, allowing the show to focus more on depicting historical fantasy and diving into the characters and their dynamics with one another. This allows the show to delve into strong themes of love, loyalty, and even a bit of free will versus destiny.

3 'Gravity Falls' (2012–2016)

The Pines family resemble a relatable family in 'Gravity Falls.'Image via Disney Channel

Fraternal twins Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mable Pines (Kristen Schaal) are sent to spend the summer with their great-uncle Stan (Alex Hirsch), who operates a tourist trap in the town of Gravity Falls called the Mystery Shack. They befriend Stan's employees: Soos Ramirez (Alex Hirsch), Stan's loyal handyman, and Wendy Corduroy (Linda Cardellini), the Mystery Shack's apathetic teen cashier, whom Dipper crushes on. Dipper also discovers a mysterious journal that details paranormal activities around the town, and the more he investigates, the weirder things become.

Gravity Falls has cemented itself as one of Disney's most beloved cartoons thanks to how masterfully it balanced silly adventures with deep, emotional storytelling. Stan is the best representation of this: most of the time, he is a comically over-the-top miser who will do anything to make a buck, but the more time is spent exploring his character, the more complex and empathetic he becomes. The show also encouraged paying attention to detail thanks to its many running gags and hidden Easter eggs, which rewarded sharp-eyed viewers and made them even more invested in the local mysteries.

2 'Adventure Time' (2010–2019)

Jake, BMO, and Finn sitting together in their tree house in Adventure Time.Image via Cartoon Network

The land of Ooo is a fantasy land divided into themed kingdoms ruled by princesses, ruins of the ancient past, and plenty of monsters. Fortunately, Ooo has a pair of heroes ready to help when needed: energetic adventurer Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and his adopted, shapshifting brother, Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio). They are aided by various friends, including Princess Bubblegum (Hynden Walch) of the Candy Kingdom, Marceline the Vampire Queen (Olivia Olson), and the friendly robot BMO (Niki Yang).

Adventure Time starts off similar to a Dungeons & Dragons show, with plenty of random yet inventive adventures that see the heroes fight monsters, get loot, and interact with colorful characters. As time goes on, the show takes a more mature turn, with many episodes dedicated to exploring existential themes and ideas, from ego death to musing about the purpose of life. This makes it one of the best coming-of-age shows, as it grows up alongside the audience and sees the characters gradually take on more adult responsibilities without losing their core traits.

1 'Game of Thrones' (2011–2019)

The death of Hand of the King, Jon Arryn (John Standing), prompts King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) to travel north and request his friend, Lord Eddard Stark (Sean Bean), to fill the position. Though reluctant, Eddard agrees when it becomes evident that there is a sinister plot against the crown, likely linked to the ambitious House Lannister, whom Robert married into. Meanwhile, his bastard son Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) joins the Night's Watch at a time when mysterious occurrences are happening in the lands of Always Winter, and across the sea, exiled Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) sets off on a path to reclaim the Iron Throne of Westeros.

There is no denying that Game of Thrones is the seminal fantasy show of the 2010s, and its inspiration is still felt in shows and movies coming out today. Even when the show's budget increased to the point where it could create epic battles and realistic dragons at a near-cinematic level, what kept audiences hooked was the complex web of political intrigue and grey vs grey morality found among the characters. This makes its tragic downfall and abysmal ending sting even worse, but fans continue to go back to the most iconic moments as the gold standard for what fantasy television can achieve.

game-of-thrones-poster.jpg Like Follow Followed Game Of Thrones TV-MA Drama Action Adventure Fantasy Release Date 2011 - 2019-00-00 Showrunner David Benioff, D.B. Weiss Directors David Nutter, Alan Taylor, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff Writers D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, David Benioff

Cast

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• Kit Harington Jon Snow
• Isaac Hempstead Wright Brandon Bran Stark

Franchise(s) Game of Thrones Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Fantasy Main Genre Drama Seasons 8 Producers Frank Doelger, Christopher Newman, Duncan Muggoch, Bernadette Caulfield, Greg Spence, Lisa McAtackney, Mark Huffam, Ralph Vicinanza Creator(s) David Benioff, D.B. Weiss Story By George R.R. Martin Streaming Service(s) MAX Executive Producer(s) Carolyn Strauss, David Nutter, Frank Doelger, Miguel Sapochnik Powered by Expand Collapse

• TV
• Fantasy
• Game of Thrones

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