The fourth season of The Witcher is supposed to arrive at some point this year, but as we inch past the half-way mark it's beginning to feel like that is becoming less and less of a possibility. Thus far, Netflix hasn't shared so much as a single teaser for the next season even though fans are eager to find out more, especially since it will see Liam Hemsworth stepping into Henry Cavill's shoes as the fabled monster hunter Geralt of Rivia.
In the meantime, those of you craving a new dark fantasy show to fill the void will find that there are plenty out there, many of which are also available on Netflix. The following list highlights nine dark fantasy shows worth watching if you enjoy The Witcher.
1. Game of Thrones
Let's get the most obvious choice out of the way first. Game of Thrones is the most popular and notable mature fantasy show around. If what you like about The Witcher is its gritty, mature world-building then it doesn't get much better than Game of Thrones.
Based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, Game of Thrones follows the powerful families of Westeros in a sweeping fantasy epic. Game of Thrones is more focused on political intrigue and scheming between kingdoms than fighting monsters, but there are some terrifying creatures in the HBO show, like the dragons and the White Walkers.
Streaming on HBO Max
2. The Sandman
The Sandman is available on Netflix and in the midst of its second and final season; the first six episodes have already dropped and the remaining five are coming later this month. Adapted from Neil Gaiman's DC Comics series, The Sandman follows a cosmic entity called Dream (Tom Sturridge).
After being held captive by a greedy sorcerer for a century, Dream must travel to various realms and repair the damage caused by his prolonged absence. The Sandman is slower-paced and more philosophical in tone than The Witcher, but both shows feature unique takes on mythology, with The Sandman leaning heavily into Germanic folklore vs. The Witcher's taste for Slavic mythology.
Streaming on Netflix
3. Castlevania
Netflix also produced the animated Castlevania series, including the original show and its follow-up Castlevania: Nocturne (pictured above). Castlevania is a dark and masterfully made animated series that also features monster hunters in the form of the legendary Belmont family. The original series, which ran for four seasons and ended in 2021, centered on Trevor Belmont (voiced by Richard Armitage).
The main antagonist is none other than Dracula (Graham McTavish) himself, who seeks vengeance on humankind after they falsely accuse his human wife of witchcraft, ultimately burning her at the stake. In his grief and rage, Dracula summons a hoard of demons and sets them loose on the country. Trevor, as the last living Belmont, picks up the monster-hunting mantle and goes to war against Dracula's army alongside Dracula's own son, Alucard (James Callis), and the magician Sypha Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso).
Streaming on Netflix
4. Agatha All Along
If you're looking for dark fantasy that is less adult than The Witcher, then I point you toward the recently released Marvel Television series Agatha All Along, starring Kathryn Hahn in the titular role as the villainous Agatha Harkness. This Disney+ exclusive focuses heavily on magic and witchcraft, ideal for any fan of The Witcher's sorceresses, of which there are many.
Agatha All Along is sort of like if the Lodge of Sorceresses had their own show, albeit tamer because it is part of the MCU. Even if you're not a huge Marvel fan, Agatha All Along is still worth watching for its cast alone, which, in addition to Hahn, also includes Aubrey Plaza, Patti LuPone, Evan Peters, Sasheer Zamata, Debra Jo Rupp, Joe Locke, and more.
Streaming on Disney+
5. Penny Dreadful
The Witcher is fun for anyone with a background in mythology, whereas Penny Dreadful is the perfect match for those who enjoy reading Victorian Gothic literature like The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dracula, and Frankenstein. The name itself stems from the 19th-century "penny dreadfuls," known for their sensational storylines and controversial content.
In some ways, Penny Dreadful can veer into sillier territory than The Witcher, but the show maintains a serious and grim, gothic tone. Both the performances and the writing are stellar, with many fans lamenting that the series didn't receive more Emmy attention when it was airing, especially for star Eva Green, who provided a devastating performance as lead character Vanessa Ives.
When we first meet Vanessa in season 1, she has just started her journey in London in 1891, assisting her longtime friend Malcolm Murray (Timothy ) on a rescue mission to save his daughter, Mina Harker (Olivia Lllewellyn) from a terrifying creature. If the name "Mina Harker" sounds familiar to you, that's because she's plucked straight from the pages of Bram Stoker's Dracula, which gives you some idea where Penny Dreadful is going.
Streaming on Hulu
6. The Magicians
Like many of the shows on this list, The Magicians is based on a series of novels, in this case, The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman. Originally airing on Syfy from 2015 to 2020, The Magicians is an urban fantasy story mixed with dark academia that takes place at a university focused on training magicians.
If that sounds a little too similar to Harry Potter for your tastes, just wait. While the premise of a magical school isn't groundbreaking by any means, The Magicians is much darker and adult-oriented, with some elements of the show veering right into psychological horror.
Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) has been obsessed with the Narnia-esque book series Filory and Further his entire life, so he's shocked when he discovers that the land of Filory is a real place. After enrolling in the legendary Brakebills University to further his magical education, he meets fellow magicians. Together with his friends, Quentin begins to learn the horrible truth about his childhood dream world.
Streaming on Tubi
7. Wednesday
Monsters are the bread and butter of The Witcher franchise. If you want something similar, albeit more lighthearted, you could give the Netflix series Wednesday a try. Jenna Ortega is excellent in the leading role of Wednesday Addams, and the show promises to take a darker, more horror-centric turn for its upcoming second season.
Unlike The Witcher, Wednesday isn't as action-oriented and is focused primarily on Nevermore Academy, where Wednesday goes to school. It's ideal for those who enjoy teen dramas with supernatural elements and dark academia. Things at Nevermore don't get as grisly as they do at Aretuza, but it might tide you over for a little while as the wait for next season of The Witcher drags on.
Wednesday returns with new episodes on August 6, followed by part two on September 3.
Streaming on Netflix
8. Carnival Row
While The Witcher is mostly considered a medieval fantasy, Carnival Row takes things in a radically different direction, incorporating elements of steampunk and noir storytelling. It's set in a fantasy world modeled after Victorian England, which makes it feel more like Penny Dreadful.
Most of the story takes place in the struggling capital city the Burgue, which is in constant turmoil due to class divides and racism. The city is home to all sorts of mythical creatures, including faeries, centaurs, and fauns. Humans live in this world as well, and there is a lot of tension. When a dangerous serial killer begins targeting fantasy beings, Detective Philo (Orlando Bloom) is assigned to investigate.
Sadly, Carnival Row only ran for two seasons before Amazon opted to cancel it, but the second season wraps up most of the storylines in a satisfying way.
Streaming on Prime Video
9. Shadow and Bone
Writing this list, I've come to realize that Netflix has an ample amount of dark fantasy series, as Shadow and Bone is yet another streaming on the platform. The only downside to Shadow and Bone is that Netflix canceled the show after two seasons, leaving the story incomplete. On the plus side, there is a full trilogy of books by Leigh Bardugo waiting to be read if you want to know what would have happened next on the show, in addition to a couple of spinoff duologies that follow show characters like Kaz Brekker (played Freddy Carter in the series).
Shadow and Bone is a YA dark fantasy series with an intricate magic system revolving around magic users referred to as Grisha. Grisha can manipulate matter through the elements, materials, and even the human body. The story centers on Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), an orphan who discovers that she is a Grisha with the rare ability to summon light, making her the Sun Summoner and immediately painting a target on her back.
The Sandman season 2 episode reviews:
- The Sandman season 2, Episode 1: "Season of Mists"
- The Sandman season 2, Episode 2: "The Ruler of Hell"
- The Sandman season 2, Episode 3: "More Devils Than Vast Hell Can Hold"
- The Sandman season 2, Episode 4: "Brief Lives"
- The Sandman season 2, Episode 5: "The Song of Orpheus"
- The Sandman season 2, Episode 6: "Family Blood"
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