The 11 Best New Fantasy Shows Of 2019 By Fans

2019 was the year television basically said, “Sure, reality is fine… but what if we added witches, cursed swords, demon besties, and one extremely marketable tiny green kid?”
Between brand-new streaming services and networks swinging for the genre fences, fans got a buffet of fresh fantasy showssome epic, some weird, some hilariously unhinged.

This list focuses on new fantasy (and fantasy-adjacent) series that debuted in 2019 and earned real love from viewerswhether through strong audience scores,
meme longevity, bingeability, or the universal “I stayed up until 2 a.m. by accident” effect.
If you’re hunting for the best new fantasy shows of 2019, start hereand prepare to lose a weekend.

How “By Fans” Works Here (No Crystal Ball Required)

“By fans” doesn’t mean a secret council of elves met in the woods and voted (though honestly, that would improve most award shows). It means we looked at the stuff fans actually do:
they rate, they review, they rewatch, they argue online with the passion of people defending their favorite pizza topping.

To shape this lineup, we combined audience-facing indicators (like viewer ratings and audience score trends) with coverage and analysis from major U.S. entertainment outlets.
The result is a list that reflects not just what premiered in 2019, but what stuckthe shows people kept recommending with the intensity of a friend shoving their phone in your face saying,
“No, you have to watch this scene.”

Quick Jump List

• 1) The Witcher (Netflix)
• 2) The Mandalorian (Disney+)
• 3) His Dark Materials (HBO)
• 4) Good Omens (Prime Video)
• 5) The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix)
• 6) The Boys (Prime Video)
• 7) The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
• 8) Doom Patrol (DC Universe / streaming)
• 9) What We Do in the Shadows (FX / streaming)
• 10) Carnival Row (Prime Video)
• 11) The Order (Netflix)

1) The Witcher (Netflix)

If you like your fantasy with monster hunting, moral ambiguity, and a protagonist who communicates primarily via exhausted grunts, The Witcher showed up in late 2019 and immediately
became a fan conversation magnet. It’s based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, with Henry Cavill leaning all the way into Geralt’s “tired dad of the apocalypse” vibe.

Why fans stuck around

Viewers loved the creature-of-the-week energy blended with bigger political stakes, plus a soundtrack moment that launched a thousand playlists.
The early timeline-juggling confused some peoplethen delighted those who enjoy feeling like detectives while watching TV.

Perfect for: fans of sword-and-sorcery, monsters, and messy destinies.

2) The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Technically sci-fi, spiritually a space western, and emotionally… a fantasy fairy tale with blasters.
The Mandalorian arrived with Disney+ in 2019 and instantly became a weekly ritual: bounty hunter does job, learns feelings exist, protects tiny chaos goblin (affectionate).

Fan-favorite magic trick

It made the Star Wars galaxy feel big and intimate at the same timemuddy boots, lonely cantinas, and a surprisingly heartfelt code of honor.
Even people who “don’t usually watch Star Wars stuff” somehow ended up knowing what “This is the way” means.

Perfect for: adventure lovers who want fantasy vibes without a family tree chart.

3) His Dark Materials (HBO)

His Dark Materials is what happens when fantasy grows up, gets philosophical, and brings an armored polar bear to make sure you’re paying attention.
Based on Philip Pullman’s books, the series follows Lyra in a world where people have “daemons” (animal souls) and secrets are basically a local currency.

Why fans leaned in

The show’s appeal is its mix of wonder and menace: scholarship and prophecy, innocence and institutional cruelty, magical tech and cosmic stakes.
Fans who wanted “serious fantasy” in 2019 found a rich, moody alternative to more joke-forward genre shows.

Perfect for: viewers who like fantasy with brains, heart, and high-stakes choices.

4) Good Omens (Prime Video)

Apocalypse stories usually involve sweat, screaming, and someone yelling “We’re running out of time!”
Good Omens asks a different question: what if the end of the world is delayed because an angel and a demon are having too much fun being friends?

Why fans fell hard

The hook is the chemistry between Michael Sheen and David Tennantcharming, sharp, and oddly tender.
Fans adored how the show juggled big cosmic stakes with very human silliness (including the eternal struggle of trying to keep a nice jacket clean).

Perfect for: people who want fantasy comedy with a surprisingly sweet center.

5) The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix)

This is the rare prequel that didn’t just cash init committed.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returned to Jim Henson’s world of Thra with practical effects, puppetry, and an atmosphere so immersive you can practically smell the moss.

Fan appeal: craft + myth

Viewers praised it for feeling tactile in an era of glossy CGI overload. It’s epic fantasy with handmade soul: rebellions, prophecy, corrupt rulers, and a world that feels ancient and lived-in.
If you’ve ever wished modern fantasy looked less like a video game cutscene, this one hits.

Perfect for: fantasy purists, lore lovers, and anyone who respects artisanal weirdness.

6) The Boys (Prime Video)

Imagine superhero fantasy, but the heroes are terrifying, the corporations are worse, and your moral compass is spinning like a ceiling fan.
The Boys debuted in 2019 and quickly became a fan favorite for its savage satire and fearless “did they really just…?” moments.

Why fans binge it

Fans latched onto the show’s gleeful takedown of celebrity worship and power. It’s violent, yesbut also weirdly thoughtful about how systems protect monsters in plain sight.
Plus, the characters are messy in a way that feels painfully human.

Perfect for: viewers who like dark fantasy energy in modern, brutal packaging.

7) The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)

The Umbrella Academy is the fantasy show you get when you mix superpowers, family trauma, and the unstoppable force of a really good needle-drop soundtrack.
It’s about adopted siblings raised to be heroes… who grow up into adults with issues the size of a small moon.

The fan hook

It’s funny, sad, chaotic, and surprisingly emotional. Fans loved the dysfunctional sibling dynamic because it feels realjust with time travel and apocalyptic deadlines.
Also: there’s a talking chimp. Television is a gift.

Perfect for: fans of character-driven fantasy with humor and heartbreak in equal measure.

8) Doom Patrol (DC Universe / streaming)

If most superhero shows feel like polished action figures, Doom Patrol feels like a box of mismatched toys that somehow forms a masterpiece.
It’s strange, heartfelt, and often beautifully gross. (That’s a compliment here.)

Why fans championed it

Fans celebrated how it treats its “misfit” characters with empathy instead of cynicism. The show is willing to be absurdtalking cockroaches, bizarre dimensionswhile still landing emotional punches.
It’s fantasy-adjacent storytelling that rewards viewers who like their genre with risk.

Perfect for: anyone bored of “safe” genre TV.

9) What We Do in the Shadows (FX / streaming)

Vampires have been romantic, tragic, and terrifying. Then What We Do in the Shadows arrived in 2019 and reminded everyone that immortality would mostly be:
arguing about chores, failing at modern slang, and accidentally ruining your roommate’s eternal vibe.

Fan-favorite flavor

The mockumentary style makes the supernatural feel hilariously mundane. Fans loved the cast chemistry and the show’s commitment to jokes that are both smart and delightfully stupid.
(And yes, “energy vampire” became a personality diagnosis for half the internet.)

Perfect for: comedy fans who still want a spooky-fantasy glow.

10) Carnival Row (Prime Video)

Carnival Row is a grimy, Victorian-ish fantasy noir where fae refugees and humans collide in a city full of prejudice, secrets, and murder mystery energy.
It’s ambitious world-building: wings, horns, politics, and a whole lot of “we are definitely not okay as a society.”

Why fans kept watching

Fans who clicked with it praised the atmosphere and the way fantasy becomes a mirror for real-world tensionespecially around migration and power.
It’s not the lightest ride, but it’s the kind of show that makes the setting feel heavy, lived-in, and worth exploring.

Perfect for: viewers who like fantasy with noir vibes and social bite.

11) The Order (Netflix)

The Order is the 2019 “just one episode” trap that somehow turns into “why is it 3 a.m. and I’m emotionally invested in werewolf politics?”
It’s set around a secret magical society at a universitybecause of course the campus has a hidden basement full of terrible decisions.

Fan appeal: pulpy fun

Fans enjoyed its bingeable pace and genre mash-up: part campus mystery, part witchcraft drama, part creature feature.
It’s not trying to be prestige TV; it’s trying to be funand for many viewers, that’s exactly the point.

Perfect for: fans of supernatural YA vibes with teeth.

Quick FAQ: New Fantasy TV Shows of 2019

Are these all “pure fantasy”?

Not strictly. 2019’s best genre TV blurred linessome shows lean into sci-fi, superhero mythology, or horror. But each one delivers the core fantasy promise:
new worlds, new rules, and the thrill of stepping outside reality.

What if I want something lighter?

Start with Good Omens or What We Do in the Shadows. They’re funny, fast, and friendly to viewers who don’t want homework with their magic.

What if I want the biggest “epic fantasy” feel?

Go for The Witcher, His Dark Materials, or The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistanceall three aim big with lore, stakes, and unforgettable worlds.

Conclusion: 2019 Was a Very Good Year to Escape Reality

Looking back, the fan-favorite fantasy shows of 2019 weren’t all the same kind of fantasyand that’s the point.
Some delivered mythic quests, others gave us cursed families, corporate “heroes,” puppet revolutions, or vampires arguing about interior design.
But every show on this list did one crucial thing: it made viewers care enough to keep watching, keep talking, and keep recommending.

If you’re building a watchlist of the best new fantasy shows of 2019, pick based on your mood:
grand adventure, dark satire, cozy chaos, or full-on puppet epic. The portal is open. Bring snacks.

Bonus: 500+ Words of Fan Experiences You’ll Actually Relate To

One of the funniest things about revisiting 2019’s new fantasy shows is remembering how fans watched thembecause the viewing experience became part of the story.
Some series weren’t just “a show,” they were a weekly ritual, a group chat event, or a meme factory that accidentally colonized your entire social feed.

Take The Mandalorian. Plenty of people didn’t even start it because they were loyal Star Wars fans; they started because they couldn’t escape the baby-eared, big-eyed internet
phenomenon. You’d see one clip, then another, and suddenly you were in a conversation about bounty hunters and honor codes with someone who previously only watched cooking competitions.
That’s fantasy at its best: it sneaks into your life through delight and curiosity, then sits on your couch like it pays rent.

The Witcher sparked a different kind of fan experience: the “wait, did I miss something?” binge. People watched, rewound, Googled, argued, rewatched,
and then decided the confusion was part of the charm. It became common for fans to recommend it with a grin and a warning:
“You’ll be lost at first, but lean into it.” That’s a very specific genre rite of passagelike getting inducted into a secret club where the password is “Hmm.”

Then you have Good Omens, which fans often treated like comfort food with a sharp edge. Viewers talked about it the way they talk about a favorite sweater:
soft, familiar, and somehow still stylish. People rewatched scenes not because they forgot the plot, but because the character chemistry felt like a warm lamp in a dark room.
(Also because some fans are connoisseurs of meaningful glances. No judgment. We contain multitudes.)

What We Do in the Shadows became a “quote it to your friends” show. Fans didn’t just enjoy it; they adopted it as a second language.
It’s the kind of comedy where one character’s ridiculous deadpan line becomes how your friend group describes every mildly annoying coworker for the next year.
The best fantasy comedies create inside jokes that feel like magic spells: say the words, summon the laughter.

Some fan experiences were pure admiration of craft. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance inspired the “how is this real?” reactionviewers pausing to stare at the
textures, the movement, the physicality. In a world of ultra-slick effects, fans loved seeing something that felt handmade and bold.
It reminded people that fantasy doesn’t have to look perfect; it has to look alive.

And then there’s the guilty-pleasure binge experiencehello, The Order. Fans bonded over it the way people bond over snack food: “Is it the finest cuisine?
No. Is it satisfying at midnight? Absolutely.” There’s something special about a show that’s unashamedly pulpy.
Sometimes you don’t want a 10-hour dissertation on destinyyou want witches, werewolves, and a plot that sprints like it stole something.

If you want to recreate the best “fan” experience today, try this: pick two shows from opposite ends of the vibe spectrum.
Pair a heavy epic (like His Dark Materials) with a lighter cleanser (like Shadows).
Watch one episode of each, back-to-back. Congratulationsyou’ve just built a fantasy flight tasting menu.
It’s the easiest way to keep the wonder without burning out, and it’s exactly the kind of viewing strategy fans quietly invented in 2019 to survive peak streaming.