25 Best Shows Like Merlin Every Fan Needs to Watch
Are you a fan of the BBC’s hit fantasy series, “Merlin”? If so, you’re in luck! There are plenty of other shows out there that offer a similar mix of magic, adventure, and mythical creatures. In this article, we’ll be highlighting some of the best shows like “Merlin” that are sure to captivate and entertain audiences of all ages.
From epic quests and mysterious prophecies to forbidden love and political intrigue, these series have it all. So sit back, grab some popcorn, and get ready to be transported to a world of magic and wonder.
Da Vinci’s Demons (2013-2015)
Leonardo finds himself in the midst of a storm that has been brewing for centuries, a conflict between truth and lies, faith and reason, the past and the future. His aspirations are used against him by contemporary opponents – luring him into a game of seduction where he is most needed by those who despise his intellect. Leonardo fights against enemies who use history to suppress the truth. Armed only with his mind, Da Vinci stands alone against the darkness within him and the darkness around him.
Confronted with an uncertain future, his search for knowledge almost destroys him as he explores the limits of his mind. Da Vinci turns to his mind and becomes an unstoppable force that pulls an entire era out of darkness and pushes it toward the light. His story becomes a glimpse into our world and calls on us to join his fight for a free future.
Merlin’s Apprentice (2006)
The Castle of Camelot was once a shining fortress of power and magic. But the legend has fallen silent and the Holy Grail has disappeared. Who will restore Camelot’s glory?
Twenty years have passed since the wizard Merlin (Sam Neill) stepped into Camelot, which has lost its glory after the death of King Arthur: the once wonderful green fields have been taken over by the terrifying Rauskaug, and the villages have been destroyed.
But Merlin has returned, and he will find the Holy Grail again. At least that’s what the charismatic Lord Weston, Lord of Camelot (Garwin Sanford) and his fiancée, the beautiful Lady Yvonne (Tegan Moss) believe…
Reign (2013-2017)
After spending her childhood hidden in a monastery, young Mary Stuart comes to France in order to secure a strategic alliance between Scotland and France, and to do so, she must ensure that the agreed-upon betrothals with Prince François are carried out.
The Shannara Chronicles (2016-2017)
Thousands of years after the destruction of our civilization, the planet Earth is divided into Four Lands whose inhabitants are a mixture of races including elves, dwarves, trolls, gnomes, and humans. At the center is the Shannara family, whose descendants are strengthened by magical powers and whose adventures constantly change the future of the world.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that dark forces, believed to have been defeated, begin to threaten the world. Amberle (a young elven princess), Wil (the last descendant of the Shannara family), and Eretria (a human wanderer) realize that they are the only ones with the power to stop the approaching evil, but they must forge a difficult alliance.
Camelot (2011)
After the sudden death of King Uther, Britain is threatened by anarchy. When Merlin is visited by visions of a dark future, he enthrones young and reckless Arthur, Uther’s unknown son and heir who has been raised as a commoner. But Arthur’s cold and ambitious half-sister Morgan will fight against him to the end, summoning supernatural forces to seize the crown in an epic battle for power.
These are truly dark days for the new king, and Guinevere is the only light in Arthur’s world. Confronted with deep moral decisions and the challenge of uniting a kingdom torn by war and steeped in deception, Arthur will find himself on unimaginable trials.
Cursed (2020)
After a verbal altercation with her mother, Nimue (Katherine Langford) unsuccessfully tries to board a ship that could take her far from home. Upon returning to the village, she is confronted with a massacre carried out by the Red Paladins. An evangelical army of priests in crimson robes aims to wipe out the pagan race to which Nimue herself belongs. They burn houses, hang villagers, and rape women.
Pym disappears, and when Nimue finally finds her mother, the older woman is mortally wounded and hands her a sword wrapped in cloth, saying it is of great importance and must be taken to Merlin. According to legend, the Sword in the Stone or Excalibur can only be drawn by the true ruler of Britain, and in this case it is actually a ruler queen.
The Tudors (2007-2010)
The Tudors series portrays Henry as a sexy, arrogant, and incredibly attractive and quirky ruler who hedonistically enjoys life, the wealth of his ancestors, food, drink, women, and parties. In the early episodes, we learn of Henry VIII’s dissatisfaction with the distance between him and his wife, which causes the king to slowly become obsessed with the beautiful and attractive Anne Boleyn.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Wolsey begins to raise his power behind the throne of the king himself, while Henry, accepting Cardinal’s advice wholeheartedly, does not realize the kind of plots that are unfolding behind his back. As Anne Boleyn struggles with all her might to become much more than a simple king’s wife, Henry begins to look for ways to break up his marriage with Catherine of Aragon and declare his mistress his new wife.
Since he needs a church annulment of the marriage, Henry increasingly turns to the ambitious Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who gives him his absolute support. Against
Medici (2016-2019)
The series follows the Medici family, bankers of the Pope, during Renaissance Florence. Each season follows the events of a particular moment of the family history exploring the political and artistic landscape of Renaissance Italy.
The Wheel Of Time (2021-)
Set in an epic world where magic exists, but can only be used by certain women, the story follows Moiraine, a member of the exceptionally powerful “shadow” female organization Aes Sedai, as she arrives in the town of Two Rivers.
From there, she embarks on a dangerous journey across the world with five young men and women, one of whom is believed to be the reincarnation of an exceptionally powerful individual – the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity.
Galavant (2015-2016)
Galavant is a musical comedy fairytale of epic proportions. Dashing Galavant lost the love of his life to the evil King Richard. Now, our fallen hero is ready to take reclaim his “happily ever after.” But it won’t be without twists along the way.
The Magicians (2015-2020)
Quentin Coldwater enrolls at Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy to be trained as a magician, where he discovers that the magical world from his favorite childhood book is real and poses a danger to humanity. Meanwhile, the life of his childhood friend Julia is derailed when she is denied entry, and she searches for magic elsewhere outside of the school.
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
In a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime, trouble is brewing. From the scheming south and the savage eastern lands, to the frozen north and the ancient Wall that protects the kingdom from the darkness beyond, two powerful families are engaged in a deadly game of thrones for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
As betrayal, lust, intrigue, and supernatural forces shake the four corners of the kingdom, their bloody struggle for the Iron Throne will have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.
Robin Hood (2006-2009)
An updated series following the life of Robin Hood and his Merry Men in Sherwood forest. Together they steal from the rich and give to the poor – all the while avoiding their enemies Sir Guy of Gisborne and the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Legend of the Seeker (2008–2010)
Fate brings together young Richard Cypher (Craig Horner), the mysterious Kahlan Amnell (Bridget Regan) and the wise and powerful wizard Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander (Bruce Spence) in a battle against the evil Darken Rahl (Craig Parker) and his intention to release a great evil power…
In fact, the powerful wizard Zeddicus reveals Richard’s destiny to him. He is the child of prophecy, the first true seeker in the world in the last 1000 years whose destiny is to wield the powerful Sword of Truth to defeat the evil tyrant.
Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)
Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison, “Dr. House”) knows how to take care of herself. She is 28 years old and makes bail bonds with her clients. She has been on her own since she was a baby. But when Henry (Jared Gilmore, “Madison Boys”), the son she gave up for adoption, finds her, everything changes. Henry is now 10 years old and desperately needs Emma’s help.
He believes that Emma actually comes from an alternate world and that she is the lost daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin, “Big Love”) and Prince (Josh Dallas). According to his fairytale book, they sent her away from home to protect her from the curse of the evil queen (Lana Parrilla), a curse that has forever trapped the characters from the world of fairytales, freezing them in time, and brought them to our modern world.
Constantine (2014-2015)
John Constantine is a demon hunter armed with fearless knowledge and a mischievous sharp mind. He fought for good until his soul was condemned to hell, which is why he decided to give up the fight against evil until circumstances bring him back into the same fight.
Constantine finds himself back on the path of good and will do everything to protect the innocent. He uses his skills and travels the country searching for supernatural threats to send them back where they belong.
Atlantis (2013–2015)
It is modern times, Jason controls a small submarine to investigate the turmoil in the deep sea, which caused his father to disappear when he was a child. When he reaches the exact location, the submarine starts to fall and disappears into a white light. Jason wakes up on the shores of the kingdom of Atlantis, ruled by the traditional king Minos, along with his wife, the queen Pasiphae, a manipulator hungry for power.
By chance, Jason finds shelter with the unhappy and unemployed locals: Pythagoras, a young intellectual who loves triangles and former fighter Hercules, a hopeless romantic who spends his time in pubs where he drinks and gambles. The three of them encounter monsters, gods and demigods, experience Greek myths and fight for good and protect the innocent.
The Witcher (2019-)
The series follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter who searches for his place in a world where humans are often more cruel and dangerous than the beasts he hunts. Geralt’s life is forever changed when he is bound by fate to two powerful women – the sorceress Yennefer and Ciri, a mysterious princess with a hidden past.
Shadow And Bone (2021-)
The story in the series is set in a war-torn world threatened by the spread of the Shadow Fold, a dark world full of monsters. Soldier and orphan Alina Starkov discovers her incredible powers that could be key to saving her country. She trains as part of an elite corps of magical soldiers, but struggles with controlling her powers and distinguishing allies from enemies.
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (2016-2018)
It follows the story of James “Jim” Lake Jr., a teenage boy who finds a mysterious amulet and stumbles across a secret realm inhabited by trolls and other magical creatures. Soon afterward, he and his friends are charged with protecting the world from the dangerous monsters that lurk in the shadows of their small suburban town.
Sleepy Hollow (2013-2017)
The series is loosely based on the 1820 short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, by Washington Irving, with added concepts from “Rip Van Winkle”, also by Irving. The first three seasons are set in a fictionalized version of Sleepy Hollow, New York, which portrays the town as much larger than it actually is. For the fourth and final season, the setting moved to Washington, D.C.
Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001)
Xena is an infamous warrior on a quest to seek redemption for her past sins against the innocent. Accompanied her comrade-in-arms Gabrielle, the campy couple use their formidable fighting skills to help those who are unable to defend themselves.
Disenchantment (2018-)
Set in the fictional, medieval European kingdom of Dreamland, the series follows the story of the adventurous, rebellious, alcoholic princess, Tiabeannie, her “personal demon” Luci, and their elf companion, Elfo. Over the course of four parts, the troupe explores Dreamland and other neighboring lands and uncovers a mythical conspiracy.
Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)
Investigator Sir Malcolm Murray, Vanessa Ives, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, Dr. Victor Frankenstein and other characters team up to fight against supernatural threats in Victorian London and save the soul of Sir Malcolm’s daughter, while also battling their own demons and afflictions that haunt them.
Earthsea (2004–2005)
In ancient times, the Land of Dragons was ruled by evil demons known as the Nameless. Powerful high priests managed to lock the demons away in the Temple of Atuan. With their combined power, they created the Amulet of Peace.
When the Nameless lost their power, the Land of Dragons became beautiful and all of its inhabitants lived in harmony. However, when lightning struck and broke the amulet, chaos erupted in the land. The army of the cruel tyrant, King Tigath (Sebastian Roche), set out to conquer. But there is one young man who can save the situation.
Unaware of his destiny, Ged (Shawn Ashmore) sets out on his own hoping to prove himself as a newly minted wizard among his friends. However, Ged’s old neighbor gifts him with a silver pendant – none other than half of the Amulet of Peace! The other half is held by the beautiful priestess Tenar (Kristin Kreuk). Ged must hone his skills in order to save the Land of Dragons from destruction.
Although his teacher Ogion (Danny Glover) warns him to gradually discover his abilities, the impatient Ged chooses the quicker route and releases the evil Gebeth. Ged must find the other half of the amulet as soon as possible in order to stop King Tigath and restore peace to the Land of Dragons.
