Entertainment
10 Fantasy Shows That Are Even Better the Second Time Around
Fantasy TV has seen a massive uptick in recent years; there’s no denying that. It’s been sort of a trend since the boom in the early 2010s, which has resulted in a lot of great series over the years, both live-action and animated. Most people tend to watch their favorite shows multiple times, which is a normal practice that is becoming more common with the rise of on-demand viewing.
However, there are a lot of fantasy TV shows that should absolutely be rewatched at least once—in fact, they demand it. This is because they are either so complex, comedic, or subtle that there are things that can be missed the first time. Either that or they’re just so good that a second viewing only makes the audience like it more. These are the best fantasy TV shows that are even better the second time around.
10
‘The Dragon Prince’ (2018–2024)
The Dragon Prince is geared more towards younger audiences, but that doesn’t mean adults can’t appreciate it, too. This seven-part animated series takes viewers to the world of Xadia, a vast continent that is tearing itself apart. The humans of Xadia, who are non-magical, have begun a catastrophic war with the magical elves and dragons, and it falls to a select few to bring peace to the land.
One of the main reasons The Dragon Prince is even better the second time around is because Xadia is a vast, lore-heavy world that’s honestly a lot to take in at first. It’s a really fun and interesting place to learn about, but not everything is going to be absorbed by everybody on the first go. As such, it makes a second or even third viewing much more enjoyable, allowing audiences to immerse themselves deeper in this wondrous world.
9
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2019–2024)
Taika Waititi‘s What We Do in the Shadows follows the lives of a group of traditional vampires in 21st-century New York City, which is about as chaotic as it sounds. The fantasy mockumentary often follows the vampires as they clash with other fantastical creatures and beings, but not nearly as much as they clash with themselves. Seriously, it feels like they spend more time fighting each other than they do dealing with their actual problems sometimes.
This absurdist dark comedy got a lot of love online, with people adoring its charming humor, ridiculous premise, and throwback to the television era of the 90s and 2000s (which frequently featured vampires in modern settings). This show gets even better the second time around, not just because of its jokes, but also because the ridiculous plot just gets funnier and funnier the more you think about it.
8
‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)
Arcane is based on the MOBA video game League of Legends, and successfully broke the curse of bad video game adaptations, thanks in no small part to some of the lead game developers also creating the show. The story follows two of the game’s playable champions in a story of love and sacrifice, and incorporates elements of steampunk and sci-fi along with the fantastical setting.
This show was so good that it won a whopping eight Primetime Emmy Awards, which is very impressive for a video game adaptation. To be honest, there aren’t any specific aspects that make this show better on a second viewing. It’s just that it’s so insanely rewatchable that it never gets old, and each subsequent viewing tends to only remind people why they loved it so much in the first place.
7
‘Kaos’ (2024)
Kaos is a Netflix fantasy comedy that was unceremoniously axed after just one season, in spite of positive reviews from critics and audiences. The series follows the pantheon of Greek gods in a modern setting, who are about to be overthrown by three mortal humans. Its dark jokes and gallows humour really set it apart from other fantasy comedies, as did its A-list cast and abrasive wit.
The thing about Kaos is that its punchlines are sometimes so subtle that it can be hard to catch them the first time. A lot of the jokes have multiple layers, which only get funnier once they’ve been heard more than once. At just a few short episodes, the show is certainly easy to rewatch multiple times, as many have done to cope with the unjustified cancellation. Ask any fan of this show, and they’ll likely agree that they only noticed things the second or third time that they didn’t pick up on in their initial viewing.
6
‘His Dark Materials’ (2019–2022)
HBO’s His Dark Materials is based on a novel trilogy of the same name by Phillip Pullman, and is the second adaptation of the work following an embarrassing movie attempt in 2008. The movie barely resembled its source material, a flaw that the show, fortunately, did not suffer from. In fact, it was pretty faithful in almost every way. Its critical scores reflect its inherent quality, with fans of the books praising it for its accuracy and its high production value.
The reason this show is so great the second time around is that it was made with love by people who had deeply studied the books. This means that, for those who have seen the show or read the books prior to a second viewing, there are tons of little Easter eggs inserted into the background and foreground that fans of Pullman’s will appreciate. There are so many that it can be hard to spot them all at first unless you know what to look for, which is why a lot of fans appreciate the show even more upon viewing it a second time.
5
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997–2003)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the defining teen fantasy series of the late ’90s and early 2000s, which defined an entire generation and became a good piece of nostalgia for millions. The reason why it was so successful is that it’s not just about hunting monsters, but it also explores the difficulties of adolescence and navigating life whilst coming of age, something that everyone can relate to.
This show used the “monster of the week” format, coming in as part horror, part fantasy, and part teen dramedy. It’s a role that defined star Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s career, and which became an instant classic in the world of television. Almost three decades after its release, it still makes for a good bit of nostalgia, which fans will only appreciate more upon rewatching it. It’s really a shame that the Buffy reboot never happened.
4
‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)
The Good Place starts out like a basic sitcom, taking place in an alternate dimension that functions as an afterlife for those who lived their lives virtuously. What the show quickly proved is that, despite being a comedy at heart, it can still tackle some pretty heavy concepts and make viewers emotional and giggly all at once. With a monumental and iconic plot twist at the end of its first season, this show really showed what it was made of.
There are a couple of reasons why it’s even better when you rewatch it. For one, there are a lot of layers to it, and not just in its story. Some of the punchlines and jokes fly under the radar a bit, which not everyone will catch the first time around. Secondly, as people age, the moral wisdom at the heart of the show starts to become more and more relatable, as they talk about the finality of death and how it is nothing to be feared, because death gives life meaning. It’s not just funny, it’s profound too, and it definitely benefits from multiple rewatches.
3
‘Over the Garden Wall’ (2014)
Over the Garden Wall was sort of a passion project for its creators, and it really shows. The Cartoon Network original miniseries comes with a star-studded cast and follows two brothers as they get lost in a deep, dark forest called “the Unknown.” On their journey home, they make friends, enemies, and revelations, finding things out about themselves that were completely unknown, even to the audience.
The show drops a huge plot twist at the end, one that completely changes the plot and the energy of the series. If one already knows what it is, rewatching the series will be an entirely new adventure. The prior knowledge frames the episodes and the story in a whole new light, allowing audiences to pick up on subtle hints and such that they might not have caught on to before. The best part is that this show is really short, so a rewatch isn’t just necessary, but also easy.
2
‘Kingdom’ (2019–2021)
Kingdom is a criminally underrated Netflix series set at the very end of the Middle Ages. In the historic kingdom of Joseon, a noble family makes a bold move for the throne by using a mythical resurrection plant to raise the dead, which results in the accidental release of a zombie horde. But these are no standard zombies. By day, there are just corpses. By night, they come alive to feast. This fantasy/horror series definitely does a good job at making some scary zombies, it should be noted.
The show itself is full of political intrigue, horror, gruesome violence, and family drama, and has a cast of lovable and unique characters. While it’s unfortunately been soft-canceled by Netflix, it received stellar reviews from critics and audiences. Infuriatingly, it ends on a cliffhanger, but it’s still fun to watch more than once. The plot is quite complex, so there are probably a few things you’ll miss on the first watch, making a second one much more interesting.
1
‘The Wheel of Time’ (2021–2025)
The Wheel of Time got off to a bit of a rocky start with its first season. Every season after that, though, only improved upon the one prior. By the time the third season rolled around, the show had really hit its stride and was doing better than it ever had, which is why it’s confusing that Amazon Prime Video decided to axe the show at that point.
Based on the novels by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, the show is set in a future Earth, where a saviour is born, known as the Dragon Reborn. The Dragon is destined to either save the world or destroy it, with the characters in the show trying to guide him on a specific path. The Wheel of Time had a massive fanbase and got a lot of support, and it gets even better when it’s binged in rapid succession rather than waiting between seasons.
The Wheel of Time
- Release Date
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2021 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Rafe Judkins
- Directors
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Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip
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