It’s common knowledge thatfantasyTV shows are often lengthy and complex series that take a long time to finish. While some shows begin to flag in the later seasons due to their many intersecting plots, others are fantastic until the final episodes. It’s not easy to keep the momentum of a series going for multiple seasons, andthese projects all continued well past the five-season mark.Most older shows also have a full order, meaning the seasons are over 20 episodes long. Though it can be daunting to start watching such long series, these are worth committing to.
Thesefantasy TV shows will appeal to people who don’t like fantasyand long-time lovers of the genre alike. Settling into a long series and getting lost in the dramas and intrigue of the stories is a rewarding experience when the show maintains its quality to the end. Additionally,investing in a long series means that you get to watch the characters change and grow organically throughout the seasons,which is one of the best parts of TV. The human narratives at the heart of these works are what keep us coming back for many after so many seasons.
The Vampire Diaries
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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.
One of thebest romance TV shows based on books,The Vampire Diarieschanged a lot throughout its eight-season run, but the teen drama weathered these developments and came out stronger. Though the early seasons are the strongest,The Vampire Diariesis a comforting fantasy series that’s always worth returning to. After season 6,when Nina Dobrev left the show, it faced some challenges,but the explosive series finale helped cement the show’s final seasons as emotionally gripping and impactful.
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The world ofThe Vampire Diariesis so engaging and immersive thatit sparked two spinoff TV shows,The OriginalsandLegacies.The Originalsis the perfect follow-up toThe Vampire Diaries, especially for fans of Klaus and the Mikaelson family. Even thoughThe Vampire Diarieshas plenty of content within the original series, it’s impossible to get enough of its storytelling. Fortunately, we can get more of it thanks to the spinoffs.
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Even thoughSupernaturalwas originally planned to end after season 5, we’re so glad that the acclaimed fantasy series went on for ten additional seasons.Supernaturalranks among some of the longest-running fantasy TV shows, and fortunately for us and the series, there were few changes to the cast over the years. The core characters,Sam and Dean, brought to life by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, anchored the series from beginning to end,encouraging viewers to stick with the supernatural action show.
Though the antagonists change and the folklore evolves inSupernatural, the relationship between Sam and Dean and the fact that the brothers would do anything for each other remains a constant of the show.Supernaturaloriginated with a monster-of-the-week premise but quickly evolved past that and incorporated many memorable season-long arcs.The creator, Eric Kripke, managed to pushSupernaturalto its limits every season,never letting the audience get bored.
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Based on the acclaimed romantasy book series by Diana Gabaldon, theOutlandershow has been a mainstay of the genre on TV since its premiere. Though the most recent season is very different from the series' first outing,Outlander’s storylines and evolution into a more family-oriented show have been natural.However, this isn’t to say thatOutlanderhas lost any romance along the way, as Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitríona Balfe) never stop searching for each other across time.
Spanning generations and taking us to different corners of the world,Outlanderis an adventure from beginning to end.
Outlanderseason 8 will have many book changes, as the series' ending has been confirmed to diverge from Gabaldon’s novel’s conclusion. WhileOutlanderhas taken liberties with Gabaldon’s stories throughout its run, it will be interesting to see how Jamie and Claire’s story differs in the final book versus the final season of the franchise. Spanning generations and taking us to different corners of the world,Outlanderis an adventure from beginning to end.
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The final season ofGame of Thronesis one of the most controversial in fantasy TV history,but even the last-minute missteps the writers made don’t detract from the series' overall value. Though season 8 is uneven, there are still plenty of exciting moments and epic battles throughout the episodes. After spending so long with the characters, it’s impossible not to be curious about how their stories end. There’s a reason whyGame of Thronesbecame a crossover hit and reignited our passion for fantasy.
It’s not entirely fair toGame of Thronesto write off the final season, as the source material by George R.R. Martin had run out by the sixth season. Even without a book to base the last few seasons on, the writers do a great job of extrapolating how the plot would unfold and where the character development is headed. While it’s not always perfect,some ofGame of Thrones' best episodes are in the show’s final installments.
Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
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Charmednavigated some serious changes before the series came to an end, losing one of the main characters andintroducing a new one in the transition from season 3 to season 4.A lesser series might have fumbled this adjustment and ended not long after. However, if anything,Charmedonly became stronger after this development, pushing its characters further and exploring new and exciting territory within the story’s world.
Charmedtells us throughout every season that strength lies in positive relationships as well as self-reliance.
Charmedis a greatfantasy TV show from the 1990s that still holds up, as it has aged surprisingly well. Young women then and now watchCharmedand feel uplifted to believe in themselves and their inherent power. No matter when you watchCharmed, this is an urgent theme and is uplifted by the fact that the core trio of sisters rely on each other for support and friendship.Charmedtells us throughout every season that strength lies in positive relationships as well as self-reliance.
Anna Paquin has had a long and iconic career, but her best-known role might be Sookie Stackhouse in the HBO vampire dramaTrue Blood. In classic HBO fashion,True Bloodis sexy, gory, and at times grotesque from beginning to end,drawing audiences into its Southern Gothic world. Though much of the story’s thrust revolves around Sookie and her love interests Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård),True Bloodrelied on its ensemble to propel the series forward.
The interweaving storylines, mythical creatures, and hidden folklore were a major draw for audienceswhen the series was airing and now. RevisitingTrue Bloodtoday does shine a light on some of its more dated elements, but it’s a worthy and self-aware addition to the vampire canon. While theTrue Bloodseries finale sparked controversy, this final episode isn’t indicative of the series' overall quality, which kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
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If the upcoming reboot is any indication,Buffy The Vampire Slayerhasn’t lost any of its influence and impact on the cultural conversation.Considered a top-tier fantasy series that was well ahead of its time,Buffy The Vampire Slayerhas influenced some of the most popular contemporary genre shows, as the series was unapologetically original and uniquely itself until the final seasons. While most shows lose a bit of momentum by their ending,Buffynever had this problem.
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It’s true that Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) problems were different, and the way she approached being the Slayer had changed a lot by season 7, but many of these changes were for the better.Buffy The Vampire Slayerisone of the few shows that managed to bridge the gap between high school and adulthoodand come out stronger. Some ofBuffy The Vampire Slayer’s most iconic episodes could only have happened in the last few seasons when the series was in conversation with itself and its legacy.
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Everyone knows Superman, perhaps the most popular superhero of all time, butSmallvilletackles a lesser-known period of Clark Kent’s life, his adolescence. Starring Tom Welling as the younger version of the superhero,Smallvilleexplores his triumphs and pitfalls as a young man, laying the groundwork for the familiar adventures that we know from the comics and films. Though these origin-story shows are more common today,Smallvillewas ahead of its time and justified its place on television through all ten seasons.
Enormously popular throughout its run,Smallvilleis just as fun to watch today, even if making it through all ten seasons can seem daunting. However,Smallvillesucks you into the story even further with every season. Encouraging the viewer to get lost in Clark Kent’s story, even though we know how many of these battles and relationships will end, never gets old. It helps thatSmallvilledrops hints about Clark’s future, which sparks interest in the later seasons.
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Grimmis an underrated recent fantasy TV show that deserves more recognition, especially for its consistency throughout the seasons. If anything,Grimmgets better in the later installments as the series moves away from its episodic formula,taking a more serialized approach. Once we know the rules of the world inGrimmand the way the magic system works, the series starts to play with the premise. By subverting audience expectations,Grimmkeeps us on our toes.
Much ofGrimm's longevity in the later seasons comes from Nick’s as a protagonist, as we grow to care deeply about him.
Starring David Giuntoli as the protagonist, Nick Burkhardt,Grimmsuccessfully balances the action, fantasy, and dramatic elements to create a cohesive balance. Unafraid to poke fun at itself and the fairy tale genre,Grimmis remarkably funny, providing plenty of lighter moments in the midst of violence and crime fighting. Much ofGrimm's longevity in the later seasons comes from Nick’s as a protagonist, as we grow to care deeply about him.
Among anime andfantasyfans alike,One Pieceis considered the gold standard of animated television, bringing incredible stories and action-packed adventures to life onscreen.One Pieceis based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda. It’s been airing since 1999, with over one thousand total episodes. Though many of these installments are filler, even these episodes are worth watching for their imaginative narratives and gorgeous animation. With filler episodes this good, it’s unsurprising thatOne Pieceis so beloved.
After all these years, fans are still tuning into every season ofOne Piece, and newcomers are falling in love with the iconic series for the first time. It’s not just because of its name recognition and popularity thatOne Pieceis still so prominent. The series has maintained this high level of notoriety because its quality is genuinely that good. It can be daunting to start withOne Piecewhen getting into anime, butthere’s a reason why most anime lovers swear by the series.
