The dark fantasy drama series The Witcher has taken Netflix by storm, having recently been renewed for a third season along with a prequel miniseries, The Witcher: Blood Origin, set to be released in 2022. Audiences are enchanted by the story of the magically enhanced Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as the White Wolf who utilizes supernatural abilities in his battles protecting the princess Ciri from those who wish to use her magic for their own malicious purposes. Based on the book and game series of the same name, the Henry Cavill-starring show has received increasingly positive reviews, the second season boasting a score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics noting the show’s engaging storyline, deep characters, and fun, gory fight scenes.
While waiting for the upcoming third season fans of the series have been enjoying the animated origin story, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which focuses on Geralt’s mentor Vesemir and his discovery of where the monsters the Witchers battle come from. The spin-off received praise for its animation, which was executed by Studio Mir, known for The Legend of Korra and The Boondocks series.
If you’re looking for even more dark fantasy series with lone wolf leads to bewitch your mind while you await the third season of The Witcher, this list will be your farseer.
The Shannara Chronicles
Based on the Terry Brooks novels The Sword of Shannara Trilogy, The Shannara Chronicles follows the series’ second book and its hero Wil Ohmsford, a half-elf who is destined to save the world from demons. Fighting alongside, and sometimes against him, are Amberle, an Elven princess seer and protector of the sacred tree, and Eretria, a half-demon who uses her past as a thief to aid in the war between good and evil. Ohmsford faces epic battles in the futuristic fantasy world where creatures of darkness are being released and wreaking havoc in the world of elven magic. Though the series was filmed in New Zealand, the story takes place in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States 2000 years in the future, with images of a destroyed Space Needle and other icons of the region appearing covered in thick green moss. Critics note the quick-moving story’s execution as a more teen-friendly take on the fantasy quest genre.
Carnival Row
In Carnival Row, mythical creatures have immigrated from their war-ravaged homeland, seeking refuge in an oppressive city. Tensions rise between the wild new residents and the disapproving human citizens, many of whom despise the mythical folk, while others take advantage of the brothels and lifestyle that the fae have been driven to in the poverty of Gloamingside. Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevinge star as Inspector Rycroft Philostrate and Vignette Stonemoss in this story of dark conspiracies, classism, and justice. Murders of Faeries and Pixies lead the inspector down a dark and twisting path, while his former lover smuggles faeries, giving them safe passage through war-torn lands.
Altered Carbon
The year is 2384 when audiences are first introduced to Takeshi Kovacs, a political operative kept alive for over 250 years by the use of “stacks”, a disc-shaped device that holds a person’s memories and consciousness that can be transferred from body to body for a price. Kovacs is the sole survivor of the Envoys, a group of rebel soldiers who were defeated in their attempt to take down the new world order. When his skills are needed, Kovacs’ consciousness is released from prison and the agent is given the task of solving a murder. If he is able to solve the crime, he can get a new shot at life and look for his lost love, whom he hasn’t seen since the Envoys’ defeat. The series utilization of the concept of stacks means that multiple actors play the characters over the various time frames and events that take place. This cyberpunk series received praise for its stellar visuals and noir gumshoe thrills.
Grimm
Set in misty, modern-day Portland Oregon, homicide investigator Nick Burkhardt can see something that his fellow officers cannot. A descendant of the supernatural guardians known as Grimms, Nick learns that the fairy tales his family wrote are based on their true, terrifying discoveries. As he adjusts to his new powers, Nick must keep the balance between humanity and the world of mythical creatures, investigating crimes committed by the beings he must keep hidden from the rest of the world and uncovering the secrets of supernatural organizations along the way. As the name suggests many of the episodes are based on the stories of The Brothers Grimm, working folk tales into modern detective work with haunting twists. With six seasons of haunted fables coming to life, the occult detective series received recognition for its ability to stitch together a range of stories and modern settings, with critics noting the show’s attention to detail, entertaining crime spin, and culturally meaningful plot points.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Based on a 1992 film of the same name, Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy Summers, a young woman who wants a normal life, but her destiny as a ‘Chosen One’ leads her to fight demons, vampires, and forces of darkness. A staple of 90s culture, the series was influential in television, being cited as a harbinger of the golden age of TV and responsible for the re-popularization of long story arcs on primetime television. Writers for the series have gone on to create other notable supernatural shows such as Once Upon A Time, Smallville, and Lost. The female-fronted action series stars Sarah Michelle Gellar in her most recognized television role to date, earning her five Teen Choice Awards and a Saturn Award along with a Golden Globe Award nomination and being mentioned as a catalyst for female-fronted action films and shows.
Penny Dreadful
When gunman Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) arrives in dreary 1891 London, he is hired by adventurer Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) to rescue his daughter from a strange and mysterious creature. And that job leads to more than the bandit bargained for. With undead monsters hunting their creators, covens of witches hiding their true forms, and battles with Lucifer over souls, this drama series is a fantastical mix of gothic horror and historical fantasy themes. Audiences may recognize many of the characters from 19th-century fiction, such as Dr. Frankenstein, Count Dracula, Dorian Gray, and Van Helsing, whose stories are worked into the mysterious and dark world of Penny Dreadful. In its three seasons, the series has received multiple awards for its actors as well as costume and production design, with critics noting the skillful camerawork and perplexingly macabre story.
Game of Thrones
The enigmatic fantasy drama Game of Thrones follows seven kingdoms of Westeros as they battle through political conflict to settle who is to sit upon the Iron Throne. And all the while, the threat of winter and what lies in the chilling darkness draws nearer. Whispers of ancient magic reach the capital, and rumors of dragons stir in the south. The characters and the web of stories that tie them together are complex, with writing that keeps audiences intrigued in each of the stories’ many arcs, which take place simultaneously. The story is based on the A Song Of Fire And Ice novels written by George R. R. Martin and combines historical realism with fantasy in this award-winning series that features an ensemble cast said to be the largest ever in television history. The beautiful scenery of the two continents and the vastly different terrains of the seven kingdoms were filmed throughout the United Kingdom, Croatia, Iceland, Spain, Malta, Morocco, and Canada, featuring snowy mountains, gleaming deserts, and bustling cities. Critics have named Game of Thrones one of the best television series of all time, with an average gross audience reaching over 32 million per episode. Game of Thrones changed the playing field for fantasy television, making the genre more widely popular and increasing the budget for future fantasy series.
Midnight Mass
Riley Flynn returns home to Crockett Island at the same time a new priest arrives in the small town. Strange occurrences begin to plague the townspeople of Crockett, who now must deal with tragic unexplainable incidents and supernatural horrors, on top of exacerbating local quarrels and the troublesome division between those who attend the Catholic Church and those who do not. Series creator Mike Flanagan wrote Midnight Mass as a passion project drawing from his personal relationship with religion. Flanagan is known for his horror films Hush and Gerald’s Game, as well as the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House and the related series The Haunting of Bly Manor.
Preacher
Based on the DC Vertigo comic book series of the same name, Preacher follows Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), a preacher with a criminal past whose faith has been shaken, as he leans on his pacifying crutches of alcohol and cigarettes. Custer discovers that he has the power to command others and with this new discovery sets off on a journey to find and confront God while encountering demons, vampires, and other supernatural forces along the way. The neo-western series was developed by Sam Catlin of Breaking Bad along with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg who collaborated previously for the comedy films Pineapple Express, Superbad, and This Is The End. A mix of supernatural horror and southern gothic themes, Preacher is creative and bloody while telling a heartfelt story through profanity and epic fight scenes.
The Mandalorian
A space western series based on the epic Star Wars films, The Mandalorian takes viewers on an interstellar journey with a lone bounty hunter on the run. Din Djarin, a masked mercenary with advanced combat skills, is hired to retrieve ‘The Child’ Grogu, colloquially referred to as ‘Baby Yoda’. Instead of selling the alien to the Imperial Force, he decides to protect his ward from the many assailants who wish to use the infant’s strong connection to the Force for their own gain. The Mandalorian, normally alone in his quests, is now the main caregiver of this small alien child, whom he must get back to its own kind, battling droids and Imperial soldiers throughout his quest. The series was created by Jon Favreau, the actor and filmmaker known for his starring role in Chef. Favreau was also the director of the 2003 Will Ferrel film Elf, and has had significant involvement as a director and producer for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, working on the Iron Man films and The Avengers saga, as well as Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The Wheel of Time
The One Power turns The Wheel of Time, spinning the Pattern of the Ages using threads made of the lives of men and women. The world has broken, and Moiraine of the Aes Sedai channels the One Power in the battles she faces along her quest to find the Dragon Reborn before the powerful reincarnation breaks the world once again. After a well-received first season at the end of 2021, a second season was announced for this epic series starring Rosamund Pike, who is known for her role as Amy in the 2014 film Gone Girl. This fantasy series is based on the Robert Jordan novel series, which gives the show its name. The series was filmed in Prague and features architecture from the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque eras in its misty, mountainous setting.
A Discovery of Witches
Demons, vampires, and witches are hiding in plain sight in a human world that was once filled with magic. Diana Bishop, a Yale University historian and an unwilling witch who is reluctant about her magical ancestry, happens upon an important discovery. While researching alchemy and science at Oxford’s Bodleian library, Diana finds a bewitched document that leads to her being thrust back into the world of magic. Rumors of her discovery make her the target of those searching for the book of spells. With steamy scenes, mysterious deaths, and magic battles, A Discovery of Witches is full of enigmatic energy and magnificent visuals. Based on the Deborah Harkness novel of the same name, the series released its final installment in January 2022 after four positively reviewed seasons, the first of which scored a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
His Dark Materials
Based on the Philip Pullman trilogy of novels of the same name, His Dark Materials takes place in a multi-world universe with extraordinary animal companions and prophetic witches. The novels attained commercial success following their publishing and as a result were adapted into the 2007 film The Golden Compass, though the film received criticism from fans who noted the dilution of the novel’s story elements. The television series has received much higher ratings from audiences and critics as the long format is able to adapt the novels more thoroughly. In His Dark Materials, a young woman named Lyra sets out on a quest to find her best friend who has been kidnapped. Along her journey, Lyra finds herself in the twisted schemes of a secret organization and is entrusted with their dangerous secrets. Dafne Keen of the 2017 film Logan stars as Lyra, alongside James McAvoy, known for his role as Charles Xavier in the X-Men film series.
Merlin
The fantasy adventure drama Merlin tells a story based on the Arthurian legends and the relationship between a young warlock drawn from the fictional figure Merlin and his close relations to a young King Arthur. The series, which was created for the BBC, takes place in the buzzing and vibrant kingdom of Camelot during a time when magic is outlawed. Merlin begins to practice magic while working under the king, who is pursuing and prosecuting those involved in the mystical arts. Though Merlin and Arthur feel disdain for one another, their adventures thrust them into an unlikely friendship as they battle against evil for the sake of their home and their destinies. The medieval fantasy series was filmed throughout Wales and France, utilizing the architecture of castles as well as stunning, mossy woodlands, and the spectacular Clearwell caves. The award-winning series wrapped up in 2012 after five seasons, ending in the same fashion as the legends that the story was based on.
Vikings
Inspired by the stories of legendary Norse Viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok, Vikings is a historical action drama, featuring gore, epic fight scenes, and breathtaking Scandinavian and Mediterranean landscapes. Ragnar, a great adventurer and feared leader of the ferocious Norse soldiers, takes his men across oceans to explore and raid villages abroad. Ragnar’s ambition leads to him clashing with his chieftain, provoking the adventurer to set off on his own path and take to the rough northern seas. Battles of religion, jealousy, and greed stitch together the story of brotherhood, heart, and loyalty that make Vikings a deep, rich saga of Norse legend. After six seasons, the series concluded in 2020, though to the delight of fans a sequel series has been announced and is set to premiere on Netflix in 2022.
American Gods
Old Gods fear becoming irrelevant as the New Gods gain power. Mr. Wednesday, an incarnation of Odin, begins recruiting manifestations of the Old Gods to participate in a battle against those who embody modernity and technology – the New Gods. Shadow Moon, an ex-convict, takes a job as the bodyguard to Mr. Wednesday following the death of his wife while he was still behind bars, realizing the life he left behind is long gone. Shadow is thrust into a mysterious world of modern mythology where he must navigate ethereal battles and mob-like dealings of otherworldly beings. Based on Neil Gaiman’s novel, American Gods kept to the book for the first two seasons, bringing in new ideas and elements in the third and final installment. The fantasy drama series received recognition for its visual style, specifically its design and visual effects, as well as nominations for Best Drama Series, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
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