Entertainment
7 TV Shows To Fill The Fantasy-Shaped Hole Left By 'A Discovery Of Witches'
Last year saw the television debut of historical fantasy series A Discovery of Witches. The Sky One show was an adaptation of the 2011 All Souls book trilogy, penned by author Deborah Harkness. The story follows the character of Dr Diana Bishop, a witch who denies her own supernatural being, and eventually crosses paths with a vampire. But, sadly, the first series concluded in November 2018, and there's been a fantasy-shaped hole in many people's TV schedules ever since. So, I've compiled a list of TV shows like Discovery Of Witches to get you through these dark days. You're welcome, guys.
The first Witches series — which ran for eight episodes — began airing on Sky One in September last year, and starred actors Matthew Goode as vampire Matthew Clairmont and Teresa Palmer as Dr Bishop. Fans of the show were no doubt thrilled to learn that the broadcaster had renewed Witches for a further two series, as Harkness announced via a Facebook post. And, according to Harkness, it's all thanks to the super-dedicated fans. The author said:
"The enormous success of the show in the UK and Europe has made it possible for future seasons to be greenlit and go into production. The writers are already hard at work to produce scripts so that we can cast and shoot season 2 next year. Elizabethan London, here we come! Thank you to all our loyal viewers on the UK and territories covered by HBO Europe. Now we pass the baton to viewers in Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia and the US who will be seeing the show in the next few months."
But if you just can't wait until next year, here's what you can watch in the meantime:
1'Supernatural'
This dark fantasy series follows the story of the Winchester brothers, who hunt down supernatural beings such as ghosts, demons, and monsters. The series stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as the lead characters, and first began airing back in 2005. Since then, the supernatural drama has gone onto spawn a further 13 seasons, and has even launched its own comic book series. If you're into spooky drama, this show is definitely for you, and episodes are currently available to watch on Amazon Prime.
2'True Blood'
The HBO vampire series True Blood was born from The Southern Vampires Mysteries book series, and tells the story of Sookie Stackhouse — a fairy who's life is turned upside down after she falls in love with local vampire Bill Compton. In the UK, the show began airing in 2008 on Channel 4, before moving to FX, where the series concluded after seven seasons in 2014. True Blood is currently available on Amazon Prime, and is not for the faint-hearted. Don't say I didn't warn you.
3'The Originals'
This U.S. series acts a spin-off from The Vampire Diaries (we'll get to that later) and follows vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson as he and his family become tangled up in the supernatural politics of New Orleans. The show debuted in October 2013, and the fifth and final season will conclude in 2019. The Originals is now available to stream on Netflix, so if you're a fan of Diaries, or the horror-fantasy genre in general, you won't want to miss out on this.
4'Buffy The Vampire Slayer'
For many, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is the OG of fantasy TV, and the popularity of the show has carried through right into 2019, as a reboot of show was announced last year. The cast of the original series was fronted by Sarah Michelle Gellar, and made its television debut more than 20 years go. If you'd like to revisit the iconic drama, you can do so on Amazon Prime, and you really should because as the title suggests, this legendary series absolutely SLAYS.
5'Angel'
Fans of Buffy will no doubt be more than familiar with its equally brilliant spin-off, Angel. The series follows the character of Angel (David Boreanaz), a 200-year-old Irish vampire. In the past, Angel was renowned for his murderous rampages across Europe, but after being cursed with a soul, he began forming a conscience. The character left Buffy the Vampire Slayer after season three, and went on to thrive in a show that become a huge success in its own right. Angel is currently available to view on Amazon Prime and if you're a Buffy fan, you have to check this out.
6'The Vampire Diaries'
Supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries provides viewers with a perfect blend of romance and fantasy. It's set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, an area with a rich supernatural history dating back to the late 19th century. The story initially focuses on Elena Gilbert, an orphaned teenage girl who falls in love with a 162-year-old vampire, Stefan Salvatore. The series kicked off in 2010 and ran for a respectable eight seasons. If you've somehow missed this thrilling TV drama, you're in luck, because every episode is currently available to stream on Netflix.
7'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'
Fans of the original Sabrina The Teenage Witch series were surely delighted after Netflix unveiled its modern-day reboot Chilling Adventures of Sabrina last year. Like the '90s version, the show is centred around Sabrina Spellman, a teenage witch who struggles to balance her human identity with her supernatural one throughout her high-school years. The entire first season is available on Netflix, and if you're a fan of the original, you simply cannot miss out on this.
