5 Low Fantasy TV Shows Where Every Episode Is a Masterpiece

Image via Disney+ Published Aug 29, 2026, 8:34 PM EDT Sign in to your Collider account Low fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy which refers to stories that have real-world settings. What this means is that the plot is set on the same planet we call home, albeit in an alternate version of it, one where magic and monsters exist and intersect with everyday life. It differs from high fantasy, as high fantasy is about worlds that are completely invented, thus allowing more creative freedom. Low fantasy isn't quite as common for this reason, but it's still been done. It's pretty prominent in the world of television, especially since these shows offer versions of Earth that are far more interesting than the one we live in. With themes ranging from hidden pantheons of deities, magic, vampires, and an outbreak of the undead, they can be pretty varied. However, there is one thing they all have in common: there isn't a single bad episode. 'American Gods' (2017–2021) Image via Starz American Gods is based on a 2001 novel by Neil Gaiman, who surprisingly wasn't as involved in this show as he could've been. Maybe that was the right choice though, because the show did pretty well for itself in the critical department. The story is about a recently-widowed man named Shadow (Ricky Whittle) who is offered a job by a mysterious individual named Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane). Not knowing what he's getting into, Shadow agrees, serving as a chauffeur for some of the United States' most prominent figures. These aren't politicians or celebrities, but literal gods. They live beneath the surface of the world, and are under the threat of what they call "New Gods." These New Gods are abstract concepts that humans are beginning to worship, such as Technology (Bruce Langley) and Media (Gillian Anderson), threatening the existence of the Old Gods. The Old Gods derive their power from the number of followers they have, so if they lose their following, they could cease to exist. The pantheon of gods present in the show is a little disjointed, with some coming from Norse mythology and others being ripped straight out of West African, Arabian, and Egyptian mythos. This might not make sense at first glance, but it really adds a lot to the world, especially since there is a whole unique pantheon of gods that's basically a mishmash of other cultures. In any event, the show did not deserve its premature cancellation. It is absolutely phenomenal, with each episode only adding to the fascinating world that the author created. 'The Magicians' (2015–2020) Image via SYFY The Magicians is based on the novel trilogy of the same name by Lev Grossman, which is about a young man who attends a prestigious university to study magic. What he discovers there, however, is that not only is magic real, but so is the world from his favorite childhood storybook. More still, that world is in serious jeopardy, and is more dangerous than he ever could have imagined. Naturally, it falls to him to save it. For a low fantasy series, the show has a pretty fleshed-out magic system, which isn't always common in the subgenre. Deviating a bit from the source material, magic is drawn from a far-off anomaly in the universe known as the Wellspring. Once magical energy is collected, a spell can be cast. This requires a mix of dexterity, mental fortitude, and intelligence. First, the magician must speak the incantation in a language that no longer exists, usually Old Slavonic or Latin. Then, they must perform an intricate and complicated hand gesture to seal the deal. This is obviously no easy feat when under pressure, which makes it even more impressive to watch. While the show did get cancelled, at least it was given an extra season to wrap things up, meaning nothing is left unanswered or up for debate. Truth be told, its cancellation was likely due to low viewership rather than quality, because every episode of this series is seriously amazing. It's a fresh take on classic fantasy tropes and a stellar adaptation that no fantasy fan will want to miss. 'Kingdom' (2019–2021) Image via Netflix Kingdom is a criminally-underrated South Korean Netflix series based on a webtoon-turned-graphic novel. The story is set in the historic kingdom of Joseon at the turn of the 17th century, shortly after the Imjin War between the Koreans and the Japanese. The king has married a new wife from the power-hungry Haewon Cho Clan, with his wife expecting a child. This would give the Haewon Cho a claim to the throne once they have an heir. However, the adult prince from the king's previous relationship stands in their way. This is made even worse when the king dies of smallpox, and the Haewon Cho have no heir to place on the throne. To maintain their claim, they use a mythical resurrection plant to bring the king back from the dead, accidentally unleashing a zombie horde in the process. These zombies are not your ordinary army of undead. For one, they are only active at night. During the day, they look like regular corpses, only hunting when the sun goes down. They are also faster, stronger, and more supernatural than your typical zombies from fiction. While the show was a huge hit with critics, it never really took off. Though Netflix has yet to officially announce its cancellation, no new content since 2021 means that it's unlikely it will ever return. Still, the two seasons and special prequel episode we got are insanely awesome. It's got political intrigue, feuding royals, and an army of the undead. What's not to love? Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the RingsCharacter Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide. 💍Frodo 🌿Samwise 👑Aragorn 🔥Gandalf 🏹Legolas ⚒️Gimli 👁️Sauron 🪨Gollum BEGIN YOUR QUEST → 01 You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders. AAccept it. Someone has to, and running changes nothing. BStay by the side of whoever carries it. They shouldn't go alone. CStep forward and lead. This is exactly what I was made for. DIt's mine now. I won't let anyone else have it. NEXT QUESTION → 02 Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis. AFollow them without hesitation. I'd rather die beside them than live without them. BRally others and forge a plan to help — strength in numbers. COffer wisdom and guidance. My counsel may save them where swords cannot. DLet them go. Only the strong survive, and sentiment is a weakness. NEXT QUESTION → 03 Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it. ADestroy it. Nothing good comes from power this absolute. BUse it to protect those I love — just this once. CWield it wisely. I have the will and the knowledge to do good with it. DSeize it. I have waited long enough. It belongs to me. NEXT QUESTION → 04 What does "home" mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are. AA simple, peaceful place — green hills, good food, no adventure required. BWherever the people I love are. Home is a feeling, not a place. CA kingdom I must earn before I can truly claim it as mine. DI lost it long ago. That loss is what drives everything I do. NEXT QUESTION → 05 When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not. ASurvive by any means. I'm not a fighter — but I'll do what I must. BFight for the person beside me, not for glory or honour. CLead the charge. Nothing inspires an army like a king at the front. DStrike from range, fast and precise — never let them get close. NEXT QUESTION → 06 Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it's knowing which questions to ask. AListen, then offer honest encouragement. Sometimes people just need belief. BGive them practical help — words are fine, but action is better. CSpeak carefully. I have seen much, and I know what counsel can cost. DTell them what they want to hear. Trust is a tool like any other. NEXT QUESTION → 07 How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind. ASmall and ordinary — but perhaps that's exactly why I was chosen. BDefined entirely by who I serve and love. I am nothing without them. CForged by hardship into something the world has not yet fully seen. DDiminished from what I once was — and consumed by the need to reclaim it. NEXT QUESTION → 08 Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen. AI find peace in it — forests, rivers, open skies. Nature restores me. BI prefer the earth underfoot — stone, mines, solid and real things. CI have watched the world change for longer than most can comprehend. DNature offers hiding places, cold water, raw fish. That's enough for me. NEXT QUESTION → 09 You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character. AShow mercy. Even the most broken souls deserve a chance at redemption. BPity them — but never trust them. They made their choices. CSee them as a tool. Their knowledge or skills may still serve a purpose. DDestroy them before they can cause more harm. Mercy is a luxury we cannot afford. NEXT QUESTION → 10 When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories. AThat an ordinary person did an extraordinary thing — and came home. BThat I never abandoned the person who needed me most. CThat I was worthy of the crown — and everything it demanded. DNothing. I don't need songs. I needed it, and now it's gone. REVEAL MY FATE → The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earthThe scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people. 💍 Frodo 🌿 Samwise 👑 Aragorn 🔥 Gandalf 🏹 Legolas ⚒️ Gimli 👁️ Sauron 🪨 Gollum You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don't have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is. You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you'd do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one. You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you. You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late. Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them. You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don't do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything. You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you're not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct. You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 'What We Do in the Shadows' (2019–2024) Image via FX What We Do in the Shadows is based on a 2014 movie of the same name by Taika Waititi. The premise concerns a group of four vampire roommates living in Staten Island, New York, and how their blood-sucking lifestyles clash with the modern world. The show was created by Jermaine Clement, who also co-created the film, and is actually the second spin-off TV series based on the movie. It is, however, unquestionably the best one. It's got a little bit of everything for everyone. Obviously, since it's about vampires, it has elements of horror in it, even though it isn't a traditionally scary show. The horror elements become stronger when the vampiric roommates encounter other paranormal beings around New York. It's also got a ton of comedy woven into it, with the show being filmed in a mockumentary style. Many of the punchlines are gallows humor more than anything, but this is a signature part of Waititi's style, and is faithful to the original film. Of course, it also leans heavily into fantasy. The presence of magical creatures creates a secret world where people's worst nightmares and elements of European Gothic folklore come to life. This show is full of catchphrases, dark comedy, and individuality. There's just nothing else like it, which is probably why it lasted six seasons before coming to a close. Surprisingly, it didn't overstay its welcome, as every single episode is a solid ten out of ten. 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' (2023–Present) Percy Jackson and the Olympians is based on the critically-acclaimed YA novel series by Rick Riordan. This is the second attempt at an adaptation following a disastrous movie in the early 2010s, which somehow got a sequel. The movies were far from faithful to the source material, and earned the ire of fans. The show has been much better received so far. Not only is it more faithful, but Riordan had a heavier hand in its production, meaning it is more in line with the author's vision that the films were. The story is about Percy (Walker Scobell), a troubled youth who discovers he is the son of a Greek god. Not only are the Greek gods real, but so are all the monsters from Greek mythology, some of whom are out hunting for him. He is whisked away to Camp Half-Blood, a secluded resort where Percy and other demigods learn to hone their talents and abilities, and how to survive in this hidden and dangerous world. The show includes much of the signature wit that the movies were sorely missing, and features confrontations with some of the most memorable beasts and beings from Greek myth. It's been a massive success, and with two seasons thus far, there haven't really been any episodes that have missed the mark. The best part is that it's perfect for both older kids and adults, making it accessible, adventurous, and enjoyable no matter your age. Percy Jackson & the Olympians Release Date December 19, 2023 Network Disney+ Cast Walker Scobell Percy Jackson Leah Sava Jeffries Annabeth Chase Showrunner Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz Directors James Bobin Writers Joe Tracz, Andrew Miller Franchise(s) Percy Jackson & The Olympians Main Genre Fantasy Seasons 3 Producers John Catron Creator(s) Rick Riordan, Jonathan E. Steinberg Story By Rick Riordan Streaming Service(s) Disney+ Executive Producer(s) Rick Riordan