7 underrated fantasy shows you need to watch

3. Merlin

Sticking with fun shows that don’t go too far down the doom-and-gloom rabbit hole (because really, isn’t there enough of that in the world right now?), the BBC’s Merlin is a (somewhat) campy romp of a good time. If Cursed couldn’t quite scratch your Arthurian Legacy itch, this might be the show for you.

Merlin goes for a younger take on the famous wizard, following him through his teenage years as he comes to Camelot and tries to help King Arthur become the ruler the kingdom needs. The twist is that Arthur’s father Uther (played by Anthony Head of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame) hates magic, and has outlawed it. Merlin becomes a servant in the castle, helping Arthur as best he can and keeping his powers a secret.

The camp is strong with this one; it’s also unerringly fun and heartwarming. Although there are many serialized elements, the episodes stand on their own for the most part. That makes Merlin the perfect to dive into for an episode or two at a time…at least until it sinks its claws in.

As an added bonus, Merlin also features cameos by a veritable who’s-who of Game of Thrones actors. As in, there are literally so many familiar faces from Westeros that it’s hard to keep track of them all. I lost count somewhere around 25.

All five seasons of Merlin are currently available on Netflix.