The CW Made Some Surprisingly Good Fantasy TV Shows, And These 5 Are Easily The Best
Fantasy television has exploded on the heels of Game of Thrones’ success, but many of today’s biggest series are available on streaming services or premium networks, like HBO. There aren’t nearly as many recent additions to the genre on network television, likely because of the hefty budgets required to bring fantasy to life — and the fact that they’d be competing with the likes of Netflix or Prime Video. But while fantasy is harder to do on network TV, a number of solid series have come from there. And The CW has made some truly memorable additions to the genre.
The CW doesn’t boast a ton of high fantasy projects, but it ventures into the genre by infusing elements of it into other series. It has a great deal of shows with supernatural themes — which technically puts them in the genre — and it even inserts the fantastical into its teen dramas and superhero fare. The CW is certainly ahead of other networks when it comes to such offerings, but a few stand out as the best options on its lineup.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the original Charmed are not featured on this list, as they were made before The WB and UPN merger that spawned The CW.
5
Riverdale (2017-2023)
7 Seasons
Riverdale starts out as a teen drama and mystery show, but it leans into its fantasy elements during its later outings — and it’s one of the most memorable CW series to do so. Riverdale is a perplexing CW series, as it goes off the rails many times over its seven-season run. This is part of its charm, however, as Riverdale is now known and loved for its outrageous and fantastical twists. And its small-town vibes and compelling characters add to its strengths, ensuring people will be talking about it even years after its ending.
Riverdale is campy fun, and it’s one of The CW’s most recognizable series to debut in the last 10 years.
Of course, with so many wild storylines, Riverdale has its flaws — including narrative inconsistency and iffy writing at times. The fact that it doesn’t embrace its fantasy elements until later also stops it from ranking higher among The CW’s offerings, as other series utilize the genre’s conventions more fully. Even so, Riverdale is campy fun, and it’s one of The CW’s most recognizable series to debut in the last 10 years. Its legacy and entertainment value still grants it a place among the network’s best fantasy shows, though several others surpass it.
4
iZombie (2015-2019)
5 Seasons
iZombie is one of The CW’s most underrated TV shows, and it’s certainly one of the most entertaining and unique offerings to feature fantastical elements. A procedural with a main character who’s a newly turned zombie trying to pass as a human, iZombie‘s premise alone places it ahead of many other supernatural series on The CW. However, its merits go beyond being a fresh addition to the zombie subgenre. Despite the show never gaining as much traction as The CW’s other best fantasy series, it has solid writing, great characters, and a good mix of suspense and humor.
iZombie deserves far more attention than it gets, and its 92% Rotten Tomatoes score proves how well it resonates with those who do give it a chance. The series has few flaws to speak of, which lands it among The CW’s best supernatural fantasy series. Unfortunately, its smaller influence on the genre places it below several bigger hits, though it’s just as worthwhile.
3
The Originals (2013-2018)
5 Seasons
The Originals is impressive for a 2010s fantasy series and a spinoff, even if it never quite reaches the heights of The Vampire Diaries. The five-season show has plenty of action and vampire lore, making it an ideal watch for fantasy lovers. It also has a complex cast of characters, many of whom viewers will want more of, assuming they watch The Vampire Diaries first. Through these characters, it explores the meaning of family, even among increasingly complicated dynamics. While some of its storylines grow tiresome after a while, it’s an entertaining and immersive ride.
Related
10 Harsh Realities Of Watching The Originals
The Vampire Diaries spinoff, The Originals, ran for five seasons and the show featured some harsh realities that are difficult to overlook.
The Originals also leans further into its lore than The Vampire Diaries, so it’s arguably a better addition to the fantasy genre in that regard. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the same legacy, nor does it capture the heart of the original. And as its 84% Rotten Tomatoes score suggests, The Originals does lull in places, running out of steam a bit faster than its predecessor — though it still has a great ending. These details are why it ranks just below TVD when comparing The CW’s fantasy offerings, though, despite being among the network’s hits.
2
The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
8 Seasons
The Vampire Diaries peters off during its final seasons, but that doesn’t prevent many fans from rewatching The CW series year after year. And the fact that The Vampire Diaries has such a lasting legacy is why it ranks so highly among the network’s fantasy shows. TVD‘s lore isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but combined with its small-town setting and lovable characters, it presents an immersive world that viewers want to revisit over and over. And it never loses sight of its lore, always seeking to build on it, season after season.
Its flaws prevent it from ranking at the top of The CW’s offerings, but its legacy lets it come close.
The Vampire Diaries is also a teen drama and a 2010s project, so it doesn’t boast the same quality as a series like Interview With the Vampire. However, for what it is, it’s a compelling addition to network TV’s fantasy lineup, even with its shortcomings. And despite falling off during the last few seasons — the result of cast members leaving and storylines running out of steam — The Vampire Diaries still resonated enough to earn an 86% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its flaws prevent it from ranking at the top of The CW’s offerings, but its legacy lets it come close.
1
Supernatural (2005-2020)
15 Seasons
The best fantasy show to come from The CW has to be Supernatural, and its 15-season run and enduring legacy are a testament to its worth. Not all of Supernatural‘s 15 seasons are perfect; like many other long-running series, its quality dips in places and jumps back up in others. But the adventures of Sam and Dean Winchester leave their mark, eliciting strong emotional responses in viewers and giving them a show that’s ripe for revisiting, even after they’ve finished it. Supernatural has humor, heart, great twists, and several 10/10 episodes — all the makings of good TV.
Related
10 Best Stand-Alone Episodes Of Supernatural
With over 300 episodes and 15 seasons, Supernatural is a long show to commit to. So here are the 10 best standalone episodes to watch without context.
In terms of its fantasy elements, Supernatural does a solid job of building and expanding its world, even as it reuses established lore and mythology to present the Winchesters with new obstacles. There’s a reason Supernatural remains relevant to this day, and part of that is its immersive setting. Of all the fantasy shows The CW has produced, Supernatural is easily the strongest. Even its weakest seasons and episodes are leagues ahead of other series, and it has far fewer flaws than many other projects from the network. It wouldn’t have a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score after 15 seasons otherwise.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
