There are many excellentfantasyTV shows with only one season. Fantasy has greatly expanded in television to provide a wide variety of stories. Each year provides new and highlyanticipated fantasy TV shows, from stories based on books to original ideas. On the downside, because there are so many narratives to choose from, somegreat fantasy TV shows have terrible endingsor don’t even get a chance to wrap up their stories. because they were canceled too son.
That said, there are several excellent fantasy shows with only one season. Some of these shows have the opportunity to tell their entire story, while others contain so much in just one season that it is satisfying without additional narrative. Regardless of the reason,some of the most iconic fantasy TV shows only have one season.
One of the most iconic one-season fantasy TV shows is Joss Whedon’sFirefly. This show is over 20 years old and is still remembered as one of the greatest fantasy TV shows.Firefly’s cast and crew often talk about the longevity of fandom despite its cancelation after only one season.Fireflyperfectly blends sci-fi and fantasyina futuristic narrative that takes place in 2517, where humanity has expanded and colonized multiple planets in other Solar Systems.Fireflyfeatures a group of outsiders living in a “Firefly-class” spaceship, theSerenity.
Fireflymay only have one season, but it continues to impact popular culture over two decades later, an astonishing accomplishment.
Fireflymay only have one season, but it continues to impact popular culture over two decades later, an astonishing accomplishment. It has inspired countless works of fanfiction, with published works as recently as January 2025.Fireflyhas turned into a franchise, with a spinoff movie,Serenity, comics published by Dark Horse Comics, multiple books, and various games.Fireflyis definitely worth watching, especially given all of its spinoff content, indicating this tremendous universe’s excellence.
Although L.J. Smith’sThe Vampire Diariesis a highly successful franchise that includes three TV shows, her other series,The Secret Circle, is not as successful. In fact, The CW canceledThe Secret Circleafter only one season. However, this supernatural teen drama is still a great show with an excellent cast, including Britt Robertson, Phoebe Tonkin, and Shelley Hennig.The Secret Circlerevolves around an orphaned girl, Cassie Blake, who moves to Chance Harbor, Washington, whereshe discovers she is a witch because of five classmates who want her to join their coven.
In addition toThe Vampire DiariesandThe Secret Circle, L.J. Smith also wrote theNight Worldseries, theDark Visionsseries, and theWildworldseries.
The Secret Circleis often seen as a replacement forThe Vampire Diaries, especially given their clearcut similarities.The Secret Circlewas pretty popular despite its cancelation to the point where fans launched an online campaign, Save The Secret Circle. Although it was ultimately unsuccessful, it still garnered a lot of attention.The Secret Circlestill tells a riveting narrative despite its short run.
Once Upon a Timetwists several iconic fairy tale backstories, so it is no surprise that its spinoff,Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, does the same thing. The one-season show is based on Lewis Carroll’sAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland, with a Victorian twist. The show features Alice, who believes her true love, Cyrus, is dead, only to discover 28 years later that Jafar has kidnapped him. Alice returns to Wonderland to defeat Jafar and the Red Queen. In trueOnce Upon a Timefashion,this spinoff combines various fairy tales with a real-world twist to create a compelling narrative.
AlthoughOnce Upon a Time in Wonderlandis only one season,it is filled with action, romance, magic, and twists. It is easily one of the best one-season fantasy TV shows, given all the heart that goes into this narrative. WhileOnce Upon a Time’s quality declined in later seasons, the beauty ofOnce Upon a Time in Wonderlandis that it remains stellar from start to finish.
Emerald Cityis another of the many adaptations of L. Frank Baum’sThe Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. It features Dorothy Gale as the protagonist, who ends up in Oz and discovers a prophecy involving The Beast Forever, a creature that killed Mother South and could destroy Oz. There areseveral bizarre aspects to this adaptation, from the Wizard’s Council acting as a group of nuns to the Wicked Witch of the West not being the primary antagonist. However, these twists only serve to strengthenEmerald City.
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Unfortunately,NBC canceledEmerald Cityafter only one season, leaving the narrative hanging with the shocking reveal that The Beast Forever is currently reincarnated in Roquat. AlthoughEmerald Cityseason 2 will never happen,the show is still worth the watch, given its fascinating and creative interpretation of the timeless classic,The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz.
I Am Not Okay With Thisis a refreshing, dark comedy coming-of-age narrative told through a fantastical lens. It revolves around protagonist Sydney Novak, who discoversshe has psychokinetic powers and must learn to control them during her turbulent teenage years. Although the show was initially renewed for season 2,Netflix ended up cancelingI Am Not Okay With Thisdue to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a shocking decision, especially given all theunanswered questionsI Am Not Okay With Thisstill had.
DespiteI Am Not Okay With This' mysterious cliffhanger, the show still produces a finality effect that provides satisfaction with just one season.I Am Not Okay With Thisalso conveysa poignant message about growing up and adolescence by combining dark comedy and fantasy. It is disappointing thatI Am Not Okay With Thisended before its time, but it does not stop the show from telling a succinct and compelling story.
Arthurian Legend is a popular storytelling theme, withvarious portrayals of King Arthur across movies and TV shows. One of the most popular adaptations is BBC’sMerlin, but other variants of the story are also noteworthy, especially Netflix’sCursed. Starring Katherine Langford,Cursedfocuses on Nimue,a Fey woman responsible for the Sword of Power, while discovering her magical history.Cursedis a feminist retelling of Arthurian Legend, but it is just as compelling as the classic tale. Unfortunately, like many of Netflix’s projects, the streaming service canceledCursedafter only one season.
Arthur of the Britons
1972 – 1973
June 15, 2025 – August 12, 2025
MGM+
Cursedis based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler.Cursedends on a rocky point for Nimue, leaving her fate hanging in the air. However,the book continues Nimue’sCursednarrative, ending on a more final note with room for future stories. Although Tom Wheeler promised aCursedsequel, there has been no recent news of this book. Nevertheless,Cursedis still an excellent show, and the graphic novel is also worth reading.
The Neversis another one-season wonder created by Joss Whedon. It revolves around a group of women in Victorian London called the Touched, whosuddenly find themselves with magical abilities and a responsibility to change the world. However, they must grapple with their newfound powers in a world that does not accept the impossible. The first six episodes premiered on HBO and Max, but HBO canceledThe Neversbefore the remaining episodes aired. It was two years beforeThe Neversseason 1, part 2 premiered, a considerable amount of time for a mid-show hiatus.
AlthoughThe Neversseason 1, part 2 finally made it to air, the show still ends with many unanswered questions, especially revolving around the origins of the Touched and the show’s primary antagonist. Nevertheless,The Neversstill portrays an action-packed sci-fi fantasy narrative with shocking plot twists and compelling characters, making it worth watching despite only one season.
One of Netflix’s most notorious cancellations was its hit fantasy show,First Kill. The show is based on V.E. Schwab’s short story. Despite the show’s popularity, Netflix canceledFirst Kill, which prompted a significant backlash.First Killis a compellingenemies-to-lovers fantasyshow about Legacy vampire Juliette Fairmont and vampire hunter Calliope Burns,who fall in love against all odds and their families' extensive antagonistic history. AlthoughFirst Killreceived mixed reviews, audiences adored the show, as illustrated by Rotten Tomatoes' 89% audience score.
First Kill’s Cancellation Continues A Netflix LGBTQ+ Problem
First Kill has been added to an unfortunately long list of shows starring female LGBTQ+ characters to be canceled by Netflix after just one season.
First Kill’s cancelation was heartbreaking and disappointing, to say the least. The show had so much story left to tell, especially considering the astonishing cliffhanger. Nevertheless,First Killstill tells a beautiful love story between a vampire and a vampire hunter. Although they do not receive their happy ending,First Killstill has so much to offer in just one short season, from comedic moments to passionate scenes to shocking plot twists.
2Love Between Fairy & A Devil
A High Fantasy Story Based On Jiu Lu Fei Xiang’s Novel
Netflix’s Chinese fantasy drama,Love Between Fairy & Devil, has an extensive season containing 36 episodes, but it is the show’s only season.Love Between Fairy & Devilrevolves around the Moon Supreme Demon Lord, Dongfang Qingcang, and his tumultuous and complex relationship with Goddess Xiyun. Xiyun is destined to stop Dongfang Qingcang, but their fates become complicated when Xiao Lanhua casts a “One Heart Curse,“linking Dongfang Qingcang and Goddess Xiyun’s live experiences together.
Love Between Fairy & Devildepictsa heartbreakingly beautiful and complex love story between two sworn enemies. There are many Asian fantasy shows to watch, from Chinese fantasy dramas toNetflix’s supernatural and fantasy K-dramasto Chinese ancient fantastical love stories. However,Love Between Fairy & Devilreigns supreme with its talented actors, riveting plot, and explosive chemistry between the two protagonists.
My Lady Janeis a historical fantasy retelling of the notorious Lady Jane Grey, based on the book by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, and Cynthia Hand. Prime Video released a stunning first season filled with comedy, romance, and action. Unfortunately,My Lady Janeseason 2will not happen because the show has been canceled, leaving many unaddressed storylines hanging. However,the show still has a lot of heart and conveys a great story despite being unfinished.
The central conflict ofMy Lady Janewill never be resolved. However, Jane and Guilford’s love overcomes the trials and tribulations they endured together, providing a somewhat satisfying ending for the show.My Lady Janehas a lot of potential that will remain untouched, but the show still provides a funny, entertaining, and surprisingly poignant interpretation of these historical events throughfantasylens.
