We're quickly approaching spooky season, though some of us can't wait until October to start watching all of our favorite seasonal shows and movies. If you have already started your annual rewatch of the Harry Potter movies, you aren't the only one. Whether you watch in the fall or wait until Christmas, it's officially the time of the year to revel in the magic of Hogwarts.
All of the movies in the Harry Potter series are full of magic that continues to get better with each rewatch. While the story of the Boy Who Lived will soon be making a comeback to our screens in the form on an HBO series adaptation of the books, which is currently filming and aiming for a 2027 release, fans are probably looking for some magical binge-watches in the meantime.
Searching for some witchy fantasy shows to add to your watch list this spooky season? Whether you have already watched them or have been meaning to cross them off your watch list, here are five shows full of magic and thrilling twists to rewatch or watch right now!
Charmed
- Created By: Constance M. Burge
- Starring: Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, T.W. King, Dorian Gregory, Greg Vaughan, Karis Paige Bryant, Brian Krause, Julian McMahon, Drew Fuller, Kaley Cuoco
- Seasons: 8
- Where to Watch: Peacock
Maybe it seems like an obvious choice for the "witchy fantasy show" genre, but Charmed will never, ever get old. If you've watched it once, you should watch it again. If you've watched it a million times, just keep it going. If you've never watched it, what are you waiting for? The series centers on the three Halliwell sisters living in San Francisco. Together, the Charmed Ones use their unique magical powers to save others from demons, warlocks, and other supernatural entities.
The series premiered on The WB in October 1998 and ran for eight seasons through 2006. Charmed became one of the longest-running television series featuring all-female leads, which is an impressive stat to accomplish, especially back in the 2000s. For a lot of fans, it's the ultimate show about witches and tackles plenty of additional themes like sisterhood, love, grief, and so much more. Charmed might be different than Harry Potter, but it's a series fans will adore.
A Discovery of Witches
- Based On: All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness
- Starring: Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer
- Seasons: 3
- Where to Watch: AMC+, Netflix
If you're looking for something witchy but a little bit darker than Harry Potter, look no further than AMC's A Discovery of Witches, which is based on the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. The series centers on Dana Bishop (Teresa Palmer), a historian at Yale University who studies at Oxford, who becomes roped back into the world of magic as a powerful witch when she stumbles upon a bewitched manuscript. That's where things get spooky, fantastical, and romantic.
Dana teams up with vampire Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode) to both protect the magical tome while solving its various mysteries. The pair also face various threats from creatures and other unpredictable characters in the show's expansive supporting cast. A Discovery of Witches premiered in 2018 and produced to more seasons in 2021 and 2022 to wrap up the trilogy. Overall, it's an enchanting 25-episode binge-watch full of spells and secrets.
Agatha All Along
- Created By: Jac Shaeffer
- Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Debra Jo Rupp, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone
- Seasons: 1
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Watching Agatha All Along during the fall of 2024 might have been one of the most fun television viewing experiences. We were all collectively watching the WandaVision offshoot and wondering where it was taking us, as every episode was magically unpredictable and a non-stop thrill ride led by Kathryn Hahn's dazzling performance as the titular witch. The miniseries was definitely a departure for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it was a welcome one full of surprises.
Agatha All Along features nine delightful episodes as Agatha seeks to escape Westview by walking the Witches' Road. It's a mysterious teen's wish to walk the road, and Agatha puts together a coven in order to embark on the journey of trials and tribulations. There's mystery and music and, best of all, lots of magic. If you're a Harry Potter fan who managed to miss this one the first time around, run, don't walk, for your chance to binge-watch your way down the Witches' Road with Agatha.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
- Created By: Nell Scovell
- Starring: Melissa Joan Hart, Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick, Nick Bakay, Nate Richert, Jenna Leigh Green, Paul Feig, Lindsay Sloane, Martin Mull, David Lascher, Trevor Lissauer, Elisa Donovan, Soleil Moon Frye
- Seasons: 7
- Where to Watch: Paramount+
You probably didn't expect a sitcom on this list, did you? But Sabrina the Teenage Witch definitely falls under "witchy fantasy shows," even if it's not a direct match with Harry Potter. The two characters have a lot more in common than you think. They're both being raised by family members that aren't their parents and they're stumbling their way through learning how to use their magical powers, all while navigating the tricky adolescent politics of school. See? They're very, very similar on paper!
As a sitcom, Sabrina the Teenage Witch still holds up. Just like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the show's various supernatural storylines find Sabrina solving supernatural problems that reflect the stressful experiences of teenagers. But Sabrina brings the laughs as its main character travels between realms and leads a double life as a half mortal, half witch. Whether its high school or college, Sabrina Spellman will cast a spell on you. (Skip the much, much darker Netflix series, though!)
Once Upon a Time
- Created By: Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
- Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Jared S. Gilmore, Raphael Sbarge, Robert Carlyle, Emilie de Ravin, Colin O'Donoghue, and others
- Seasons: 7
- Where to Watch: Disney+
When you think of ABC's Once Upon a Time, if you think of it at all, you probably don't think of it as a "witchy fantasy show." But when you boil it down, that's exactly what it is. The series borrows from fairytale and Disney characters to bring a magical world to life, though the character don't realize it at first. The series takes place in Storybrooke, Maine, where its residents are characters from story books trapped in the human realm. Prince Charming and Snow White's daughter kick stars the story.
Even though she begins as a ruthless villain, Once Upon a Time's best character is Regina, who's the Evil Queen and a very powerful witch that the rest of the characters often contend with in shocking magical battles. Each season tackles different stories and characters, including the Wicked Witch of the West, Ursula, Elsa from Frozen, and so many more. The show's seven seasons make for the most exhilarating fantasy binge that will keep you surprised at every turn.