Entertainment
Only 6 Fantasy Shows Are More Rewatchable Than ‘Lost’
Lost is a TV show that dabbles in a couple of different themes. It follows a group of plane crash survivors, each of which has their time to shine in the spotlight thanks to the use of flashback scenes. However, they island they crash land on is more than meets the eye, as they encounter things beyond human understanding. These things let the show dip its toes into both sci-fi and fantasy.
The show, created by J. J. Abrams, famously tapers off in quality near the end, but is also known for being an all-time classic. Many people watch it over and over again, likely because the plot is so complex that multiple viewings are pretty beneficial. It’s not the most rewatchable fantasy TV show by a mile, though. There are a couple that are even more rewatchable.
6
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)
Avatar: The Last Airbender might just be one of the most rewatchable cartoons of all time. A Nickelodeon original, it forgoes the typical Nick format and focuses more on the story than on the outrageous comedy. It’s not that it doesn’t have its fair share of laughs; it just places more attention on the continuity of things. This means that, unlike other Nick comedy series, this show can’t be picked up and dropped at a whim; it has to be watched from beginning to end in order to be understood.
The story follows a continent called the Four Nations, which is comprised of… well, four nations. These nations correspond to one of the elements: air, fire, earth, and water. The Fire Nation has become industrialized and begins a conquest against the other nations. The other nations, and their elemental sorcerers called “benders,” fight back valiantly, but are quickly losing. In the midst of a continent in chaos, it is said that a chosen one called the Avatar will arise, master the four elements, and bring harmony to the land. This show is so rewatchable because it’s funny, it’s got heart, an amazing world, and some genuine moral wisdom. It’s good for kids and adults, because it offers some sage life advice that we all could do well to remember. Evidently, Netflix knows people love rewatching this series, because they came out with a live-action adaptation in 2024.
5
‘Shadow and Bone’ (2021–2023)
Shadow and Bone is a high fantasy series set in author Leigh Bardugo‘s Grishaverse, a shared universe where a significant chunk of her bibliography takes place. Unlike traditional high fantasy stories, which resemble Medieval Europe, this series feels more steampunk-ish and features a world more akin to the Victorian Era than the Middle Ages. Unfortunately for its dedicated fans, this show was axed after just two seasons. It’s not that it was bad–quite the opposite, in fact–it’s just that it wasn’t pulling in the ratings it really needed to succeed.
However, its fans still watch it, as do many of the readers of the original book series. The show was lauded for having witty, quippy dialogue, which is genuinely laugh-out-loud hilarious at times. Fans also adored its immersive world, unique setting, cast of lovable characters, and subtle punchlines, some of which are easy to miss if it’s your first time viewing. Even though it doesn’t really have a lot of episodes and is a fantasy series that can be finished in a weekend, it is still being rewatched. This is because there’s quite a bit to miss your first time around, and because the jokes and the world just never get old. Actually, it’s kind of a good thing that it’s so short, because it’s much easier to binge and re-binge that way.
4
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2019–2024)
What We Do in the Shadows has a pretty comical premise, true to its nature. This fantasy/horror/comedy is a simple “what if?” story, centering on what would happen if a bunch of vampires were dropped into the middle of present-day New York City. Obviously, these vampires would be pretty out of their element without Gothic castles and isolated landscapes, so a lot of hilarious situations arise as the vampires struggle to navigate through this new, weird world of ours.
The show is based on a 2014 movie of the same name, both of which were created by Taika Waititi, who is sort of known for his dark comedies. This show oozes his classic style, but also feels like a breath of fresh air in a sea of fantasy TV shows. It’s funny, raunchy, but also pretty serious at times, which is where it really shines. It’s a super fun show that never gets old, especially with how a lot of its punchlines can fly under the radar. Rewatch this one, and you’re bound to get a joke that you didn’t get last time, and this is probably true no matter how many times you rewatch it.
3
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997–2003)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a massive hit for its time, for multiple reasons. The show stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy, who is an ordinary teenage girl by day, and a professional monster hunter by night. This was one of the earliest shows to pioneer the “monster-of-the-week” format, though it was far from the first to invent it. In short, vampires aren’t the only thing that Buffy is capable of slaying. This show is a lot less one-dimensional than it seems on the surface, however.
In fact, it became such a hit because it’s surprisingly relatable. Buffy might be a gifted individual with a really cool and dangerous, yet fictitious job, but she still has to navigate through the daily life of an adolescent. She still has to deal with the awkwardness of puberty, of the desire to fit in and belong, of having crushes, of seeking acceptance, and of finding her way and her purpose in life. Despite the fantastical setting, many of the things that Buffy feels are things that most people can relate to. It’s a great rewatch if you’re feeling lost in life, but also a great first watch if you happen to be a teenager yourself. It perfectly nailed the social climate of the late 90s and early 2000s, which is why it practically defined the era. Beyond that, people still rewatch this classic fantasy show today for nostalgic purposes.
2
‘His Dark Materials’ (2019–2022)
His Dark Materials is based on a trilogy of novels by Phillip Pullman. Appropriately, this HBO series only lasted three seasons, one for each book. This is actually the second attempt at adapting the original series, following a disastrous movie adaptation in 2008. This movie was so bad that all plans for a franchise were canceled, and Hollywood refused to lay a finger on the books for over a decade. Make no mistake, though, this TV adaptation is much more faithful and has much higher quality.
The story is about a tyrannical organization called the Magisterium, which controls much of this parallel version of Earth. True to their name, they deal heavily in magical concepts and ideas, repressing people’s innate magical gifts and their special connection to their shape-shifting animal companions, called daemons. Standing against them is a youth named Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen), who has a daemon named Pantalaimon (Kit Connor), or “Pan” for short. The reason His Dark Materials is so rewatchable is that the show was made by fans of the book, who packed a lot of love into this series. There are countless references and Easter eggs to find, many of which only book readers will notice, and it’s almost impossible to catch them all on the first viewing. As such, the more one rewatches it, the more one notices about it, especially if they’ve read Pullman’s work.
1
‘Supernatural’ (2005–2020)
Supernatural lasted a whopping 15 years before coming to a close, so you know they had to be doing something right. The story follows the two Winchester brothers, paranormal investigators who travel across the continental United States searching for new cases to tackle. But the things they encounter go beyond the simple ghosts and ghouls, as they frequently deal with vampires, demons, werewolves, and other monsters from folklore. This is one of those “monster-of-the-week” shows, which is to say, each episode features its own monster, or creature that the brothers do battle with.
Supernatural has a little bit of everything. It is primarily a drama, but it also includes bits of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and its fair share of comedy as well. The main reason it’s so rewatchable is that it isn’t afraid to experiment and go outside its typical format to do something new. For example, one episode is entirely a musical, with little explanation given as to why the characters are suddenly singing everything they say. There’s just no telling what will come next, or how the show will surprise you in the following episode, which is why it never gets boring to rewatch.
- Release Date
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2005 – 2020
- Network
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The WB, The CW
- Showrunner
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Eric Kripke
- Directors
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Philip Sgriccia, John F. Showalter, Kim Manners, Thomas J. Wright, Charles Beeson, Guy Norman Bee, Richard Speight Jr., Mike Rohl, John Badham, Steve Boyum, Amyn Kaderali, Jensen Ackles, Tim Andrew, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeannot Szwarc, P.J. Pesce, Nina Lopez-Corrado, James L. Conway, amanda tapping, J. Miller Tobin, Stefan Pleszczynski, John MacCarthy, Jerry Wanek, Ben Edlund
- Writers
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Meredith Glynn, Davy Perez, Raelle Tucker, Cathryn Humphris, Brett Matthews, Nancy Won, John Bring, Ben Acker, Daniel Knauf, David Ehrman, James Krieg, Trey Callaway
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