7 underrated fantasy shows you need to watch
By Daniel Roman
Photo: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance; Credit: Kevin Baker / Netflix
1. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
While Netflix’s new flagship show The Witcher was hogging all the hype for the streaming platform last fall, another show debuted to much less fanfare. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was well-received, sure…but considering that it’s quite possibly the single biggest feat of puppetry ever committed to film, it doesn’t get talked about enough.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel to the 1982 Jim Henson film The Dark Crystal, which details the fight of the elf-like Gelflings against the evil Skeksis, the most terrifying bird-person puppets you’ll ever see, and free their world from their talons. Age of Resistance is set many years before the film, right when things took a turn for the worst in the conflict between the Skeksis and the Gelflings. This is a story full of exotic locales and even more exotic creatures, a tale of heroism with a setting that could give any fantasy in history a run for its money.
Even if you’ve never seen the original Dark Crystal movie or aren’t into Jim Henson, Age of Resistance is still absolutely worth giving a chance. The voice acting talent alone is enough to raise eyebrows. Game of Thrones vets Nathalie Emmanuel, Lena Heady and Ralph Ineson, Outlander‘s Caitriona Balfe, Mark Hamill, Jason Isaacs, Simon Pegg, Awkwafina, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Taron Egerton, Anya Taylor-Joy, Toby Jones…they’re all part of the cast, and the list goes on and on and on.
Plot-wise, Age of Resistance doesn’t necessarily subvert any expectations, but what it does do is tell the classic oppressed-populace-rising-against-their-oppressors story flawlessly. The writing and acting (both voice and puppetry) are top notch all the way through the show’s first season, with not so much as a single flat scene.
And all that’s on top of absolutely jaw-dropping practical effectS. The puppetry is a wonder to behold. The things the Age of Resistance team did with those puppets and meticulously crafted sets is nothing short of mindblowing.
Simply put, there is just nothing else quite like The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance available right now. Netflix has yet to green-light a second season, due in part to how ridiculously difficult and expensive it was to make…but the first one is plenty enough to dazzle you for now.