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As an art form, fantasy has always sailed into the fierce headwinds of elite dismissal. Then there are the wild exceptions: These superb series are beloved by both critics and audiences alike.
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997-2003)
A group of teenagers in the town of Sunnydale battles demons and vampires emanating from the “Hellmouth” in this witty, kitschy cult classic that doubles as a coming-of-age story. A “knockout” series, it articulates the “realities of growing up, when perception and loyalties are constantly shifting,” said Steve Vineberg at The New York Times. (Disney+)
‘Charmed’ (1998-2006)
Three San Francisco sisters lead double lives as benevolent witches fighting the forces of evil in a show that delivers a masterclass in network-era storytelling. In addition to “schlock horror, campy giggles and skintight leather pants,” the series contains “some really meaningful and resonant messages,” said Isabelle Oderberg at The Guardian. (Peacock)
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Sporting cinematic aesthetics, a lavish budget and A-list actors, “True Blood” follows Louisiana vampires who can join human society by drinking a synthetic blood substitute, a premise that leads to intrigue and social upheaval. It’s a “juju-laced, borderline-bonkers slab of Southern Gothic that delights in its pulpiness,” said William Thomas at Empire. (HBO Max)
Ultraviolent and explicit, HBO’s franchise-launching, discourse-driving hit revolves around the warring kingdoms in the fictional realm of Westeros as they battle one another plus supernatural threats. The “singularly epic” series became a “cultural juggernaut that heralded new norms in TV storytelling,” said Inkoo Kang at Slate. (HBO Max)
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David Faris is a professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of "It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics." He's a frequent contributor to Newsweek and Slate, and his work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New Republic and The Nation, among others.
