It’s time to return to the world of Game of Thrones — this time with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (out on Sky/Now on Monday January 19), an epic saga set after House of the Dragon and before Jon Snow and his Crows faced the White Walkers.
Time, then, to ask what is the best fantasy TV series? Here I pick the ten best for your next big adventure, from recent hits like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power to such teatime classics as The Chronicles of Narnia.
Did I miss any? Have your say in the comments below.
What did Jeff Bezos and the executives at Amazon decide to splurge an estimated half a billion dollars on? A show that draws primarily on a few pages in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings appendix, of course. The result is a suitably lavish epic that was ultimately overshadowed by the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon. It may not have been the return to Middle-earth many had hoped for, but at times it can be mesmerising. Prime Video
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9. The Chronicles of Narnia (1988-90)
The BBC’s late-Eighties, early Nineties adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia
BBC
The BBC’s take on CS Lewis’s Christian allegory The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is pure magic. Just look at the impressive animatronic Aslan (voiced by Ronald Pickup). What kid or indeed adult would not be enchanted by this adaptation, overseen by the Box of Delights team? Some of the other effects may be quaint now, especially the animated beasts, but this has a timeless feel. Buy/rent
8. Schmigadoon! (2021-2023) 
Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming and Ann Harada in Schmigadoon!
AP
OK, so there are no gigantic fire-breathing dragons in this show, but its creators, Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, have described it as a fantasy, so it counts. The show follows a bickering couple who chance upon Schmigadoon, a place stuck in a perpetual state of golden-age musicals. What follows is their attempt to escape this all-singing, all-dancing town. “We found our way out of Ikea, we can find our way out of here.” Apple TV
7. The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022)
Nadia Parkes, Jay Lycurgo, and Emilien Vekemans in The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022)
Why did Netflix cancel this show after one series? Adapted from Sally Green’s Half Bad trilogy by Joe Barton, this eight-parter centres on two warring tribes of witches. Barton, one of the most exciting screenwriters in television (he’s behind Black Doves and The Lazarus Project), creates something special, a riveting and witty series with hints of Harry Potter. There’s even a pulsating score by the pop group Let’s Eat Grandma. The streamer made the wrong decision. Netflix
6. What We Do in the Shadows (2019-24)
A gorgeous parody documentary series based on the 2014 New Zealand film of the same name, co-written and co-directed by Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords and Taika Waititi of Thor: Ragnarok. Silly and bonkers, it follows a gang of vampire housemates in New York as they go about their daily activities. It’s easy to fall for its charm — and there’s just enough drama to sink your teeth into. iPlayer/Disney+
5. His Dark Materials (2019-22)
No expense was spared on Jack Thorne’s adaptation of Philip Pullman’s novel (this co-production with HBO reportedly cost $5.6 million an episode). Directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), the series has a stellar cast that includes James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson and Lin-Manuel Miranda. It’s visually stunning too. It didn’t quite hit the heights of Game of Thrones, but still has a wonderful imagination. iPlayer
4. Sweet Tooth (2021-24)
A terrific post-apocalyptic drama about half-human, half-animal children. It’s set in an America decimated by a pandemic and is led by a deer-child hybrid with antlers and an acute sense of smell who one day decides to explore beyond the walls of his remote log cabin. It’s a family-friendly coming-of-age story with a tinge of tragedy. Netflix
• Sweet Tooth review — a dystopia with a deadly virus? I may have seen this one before
3. Game of Thrones (2011-19)
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones
AP
It may not have concluded the way many wanted, but no list of fantasy shows would be complete without this epic series. Based on the fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin, the show became a global phenomenon, winning more than 300 awards, including 38 Emmys. With more than 70 hours of sex, dragons and brutal politics, this was the fantasy series to end all fantasy series. A shame they botched the ending. Sky/Now
2. Kingdom (2019-20)
Netflix’s first original Korean series is a thrilling mix of fantasy, historical political drama and supernatural zombie horror. Set in medieval Korea during the Joseon dynasty, this gory show tells the story of the return of the dead king and a zombie apocalypse that ruins everything. It’s a sweeping epic with breathtaking scenes, chilling undead and some biting satire. Netflix
1. House of the Dragon (2022-)
The Game of Thrones prequel series that took everything that was great about the original series, slowed it down and made it even better. Based on George RR Martin’s novel Fire and Blood, the show followed a civil war between the Targaryens that happened 200 years before the original. The scenes in the first series between Matt Smith and Milly Alcock are particularly electric. Epic battles, forbidden romance and, as its title suggests, giant firebreathers — what more could you want? Sky/Now
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms starts on Sky Atlantic/Now on Monday January 19
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