Entertainment
10 Perfect Fantasy Shows With 20 Episodes or Less
In the world of television, very few shows get the chance to continue past their first or second season. This is especially true in the modern era, where streaming platforms and on-demand viewing dominate over cable or network television. As a result, many platforms produce several of their own original series of many genres, in an effort to get people to buy a subscription.
This is getting more and more common in the fantasy genre since it’s experiencing a massive surge right now. A lot of good, enjoyable series are being made, but many aren’t getting the opportunity to make it past their second season. However, there are also some that are brand new, so they only have a few seasons in the first place. In any event, these are the most perfect fantasy shows that have fewer than 20 episodes.
10
‘Over the Garden Wall’ (2014)
Over the Garden Wall is a Cartoon Network animated miniseries that was something of a passion project for its creator; one with a lot of star power to back it up. The premise follows two half-brothers living in a fairy tale world, who become hopelessly lost in a dark, gloomy forest called “The Unknown.” Desperate to find their way home, they encounter many strange and wondrous things.
Even though it’s only a miniseries with a handful of episodes, it gets way deeper than anyone ever expected it to, especially for a kids’ show. For that reason, it’s become a bit of a cult classic, popular among both kids and adults. Things get much darker than its whimsical introduction, exhibiting how even TV shows and cartoons can be a form of art. Over the Garden Wall might be short, but it’s exactly the length it needs to be to make its point.
9
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ (2026–Present)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the second prequel series to the earth-shattering HBO original, Game of Thrones, which was originally based on the unfinished novel series by George R. R. Martin. This show is set roughly 100 years prior to the events of the main show, and is much smaller but more intimate in scale. The premise follows a traveling knight and his misfit squire as they make their way around Westeros accepting local contracts.
While it lacks the epic scale of Game of Thrones, this show has much more adventure in it, as well as a lot more comedy. Since the cast is substantially smaller, there is also a better level of character development and chemistry between the principal actors, so it’s a decent departure from the formula fans of the original are used to. As of right now, there’s only one season, which makes it a short but sweet binge.
8
‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)
Arcane is based on the immensely popular MOBA video game, League of Legends. The 3D animated series follows two of the game’s playable champions in a tale of love, sacrifice, friendship, and individuality. The world of League of Legends is quite an interesting place, featuring elements of sci-fi, fantasy, and even steampunk. Normally, video game adaptations are terrible, but Arcane successfully breaks the mold here, thanks to direct intervention from the game developers.
This animated series bears a really unique art style that isn’t seen anywhere else. It actually resembles the game graphics, which is a nice touch. Even though the show only lasted two seasons before ending its story, it was critically acclaimed, earning high review scores and even an Emmy or two. Very rarely, if ever, is an Emmy given to a video game adaptation, much less an animated video game adaptation. The short length of this show means it doesn’t take long to watch, but it makes for an unforgettable experience.
7
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities’ (2022)
Film director Guillermo del Toro is known for his dark fantasy and horror films, and has received a lot of critical praise for the way he builds tension and atmosphere. Almost every one of his films is eerie, but fun to rewatch multiple times. Being a modern master of the fantasy genre, Netflix offered him a deal for an anthology miniseries, which he took. The result is Cabinet of Curiosities, which is underrated, but truly special.
Since it’s an anthology series, all the episodes are independent of each other and function as mini-movies ranging from 40 to 60 minutes long. Part fantasy and part horror, each episode is loaded with del Toro’s signature style, to the point that the show feels like a playground for his imagination. It’s a passionate love letter to filmmaking and a dark fantasy experience that will make you really think. There are actually fewer than 10 episodes, never mind 20, so it’s another one of those shows that you could easily finish in a day if you really wanted to.
6
‘One Piece’ (2023–Present)
One Piece is a live-action remake of the 1999 anime series of the same name, which is actually still ongoing. The main character is Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), an aspiring young pirate who has swallowed a Devil Fruit, granting him the ability to stretch himself like rubber at will. The series is set on a vast ocean world where pirates rule the waves and treasure lies hidden beneath the sand.
One treasure in particular is said to contain more wealth than any other, which causes most pirates to vigorously search for the final piece of the broken map that can lead to the treasure’s whereabouts. Filled with comedy, ridiculousness, but also high seas adventure, the live-action version of One Piece is much more palatable to non-anime fans and does a fantastic job of bringing a beloved series to life in a new way. There are only 16 episodes so far, so it’s easy to binge, too.
5
‘Shadow and Bone’ (2021–2023)
Shadow and Bone is a high fantasy series based on the novels of the same name by Leigh Bardugo. The series is set in Bardugo’s Grishaverse, which is a setting vastly different from any other fantasy world. A lot of fantasy stories tend to favour settings akin to Medieval Europe, which makes the Victorian London-esque world of Shadow and Bone a breath of fresh air.
This show has a really intricate magic system, hilarious punchlines, and some highly memorable characters, none of which got nearly the amount of attention they so desperately deserved. The show was unfortunately axed after just two seasons due to low viewership, in spite of audiences loving it. The experience of Shadow and Bone might be short, but it’s one heck of a ride.
4
‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is the prequel series to the 1982 Jim Henson film. This means it’s created with puppets, all meticulously detailed and fascinating to watch. All sets are, for the most part, hand-crafted as well, meaning a tremendous artistic effort went into this show. It’s honestly despicable that Netflix gave it the axe after only one season, despite critical acclaim.
The Dark Crystal‘s story takes audiences back to the world of Thra, where no humans exist, only strange and mysterious creatures. The show is set just after the Dark Crystal splinters, releasing the vulture-like Skeksis into the world, who intend to enslave the native life forms of Thra and forge an immortal empire. It’s a beautiful and family-friendly show that you could realistically knock back in a day if you really wanted to since it was only given a handful of episodes.
3
‘The Mighty Nein’ (2025–Present)
The Mighty Nein began as a custom campaign from a tabletop role-playing game that was recorded and uploaded as a podcast. This is actually the second series from this background, the first being The Legend of Vox Machina. Set in the same universe, The Mighty Nein is an animated series about a group of misfit thieves, low-lives, and ne’er-do-wells who unexpectedly come into the possession of a magical artifact that could determine the fate of the world.
Like Vox Machina, the show is voiced by the original podcast members, so it feels nice and familiar to returning fans. For non-fans, it adds an extra layer of authenticity and rawness to their performance. While slightly more underrated than its predecessor, The Mighty Nein has done well for itself so far, and is a great introduction into the vast world created by the podcast.
2
‘Kingdom’ (2019–2021)
Kingdom is a South Korean fantasy horror set in the historical kingdom of Joseon at the turn of the 17th century. Amidst royal feuds, the scheming Haewon Cho clan makes a dangerous attempt at seizing the throne, using a mythical resurrection plant. This accidentally unleashes a zombie horde, although these undead don’t behave anything like the typical zombies you’ve seen in fiction.
Unfortunately, this show got soft-cancelled by Netflix after two seasons and one special feature-length episode. Based on a web comic turned graphic novel, Kingdom has political intrigue, family drama, feuding nobles, gruesome violence, and strong elements of horror, all of which were received very well by critics and fans alike. There’s no indication that it will ever come back (which is infuriating, considering it ended on a cliffhanger), but the 13 episodes that do exist are phenomenal all around.
1
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (2023–Present)
Based on the beloved YA novels of the same name by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is about the titular Percy (Walker Scobell), a troubled boy who discovers he is the son of the Greek god Poseidon. To learn how to hone his powers, he is sent to Camp Half-blood, along with other demigods. Here, he is exposed to a hidden world where Greek mythology comes to life.
This series of books saw a disastrous attempt at movie adaptations in the 2010s, but the show is, thus far, much more faithful and miles more entertaining. This is largely because Riordan himself has a much heavier hand in the show’s production than he did for the movies. In any event, the show is great for teens, tweens. and adults, is filled with wonder, and is just plain fun. So far, there are only 16 episodes, most of which are only 30-40 minutes long, so it’s easy to binge in one short weekend.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
- Release Date
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December 19, 2023
- Network
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Disney+
- Showrunner
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Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz
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Walker Scobell
Percy Jackson
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Leah Sava Jeffries
Annabeth Chase
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