10 Best Fantasy Shows With Less Than 20 Episodes, Ranked for a Shorter Binge

Fantasy Without A Long Run

Long-running television can demand time that busy viewers may not have. Shorter fantasy series provide another option for those looking for a binge that does not require following a show for years.

The featured shows span different styles, including adventure, comedy, mythology and horror. Their episode counts stay below 20, although some stories may continue or end without resolution.

Elemental Chaos And Greek Gods

The live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender adapts the Nickelodeon animated series. Its world is divided among four nations tied to fire, air, earth and water, and a prophesied Avatar must master all four elements to restore peace. The series combines action, adventure, humor and moral lessons, while falling short of the original animation in some respects.

Netflix’s Kaos places Greek gods amid political conflict on Mount Olympus, while mortals bear the consequences. Prometheus, played by Stephen Dillane, tells of three mortals destined to rise against Zeus, played by Jeff Goldblum. Critics praised its dark, quirky humor and contemporary approach to mythology; Netflix canceled it after one season.

Magic, Monsters And Cliffhangers

Shadow and Bone adapts Leigh Bardugo’s young adult novels, using an industrializing setting reminiscent of Victorian England rather than the usual medieval European backdrop. Its magic system is complex without being too difficult to follow, and fans praised its writing, characters and action. The series was canceled after two seasons, reportedly because of low viewership, and finished on a cliffhanger after 16 episodes.

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is an anthology, with each episode telling a separate story and featuring its own cast and setting. Its eight installments range from dark fantasy to horror and showcase the filmmaker’s style. The self-contained format makes it suited to a brief binge.

A Pirate Adventure Begins

The live-action One Piece reworks the long-running anime, which began in 1999. Set in a world of pirates and sailors, it follows a race to find a legendary buried treasure after a map is left behind, though one piece is missing. The available description ends during its account of the series, so it provides no further details about the live-action show’s episode count or reception.