Blending fantasy and mystery elements into a TV show isn’t always an easy task, but the series that pull it off are some of the most engaging on television. While magic and world-building automatically set the best of the fantasy genre apart, introducing an element of intrigue in the form of an overarching mystery, or even a crime component that the characters must investigate, successfully connects with viewers of all kinds. Whether the mystery is rooted in reality or is the fantasy element itself, it creates automatic tension and stakes for the audience and characters.

Mystery series are often great fantasy TV shows for beginners since it can be daunting to take on a speculative fiction story for the first time. However, most audiences are familiar with mystery series, as crime procedurals are some of the most popular projects on television. While most fantasy shows that feature puzzles and detective stories aren’t episodic, they weave the mystery delicately throughout the season, uplifting the overarching story and developing the characters. How and why the strange circumstances occur, and the way this impacts the characters, drives the narrative forward and keeps the audience watching.

Lost (2004–2010)

Well-known for both intrigue and controversy, Lost is eternally memorable

It’s difficult to keep track of the many mysteries and timelines in Lost, as the series wasn’t afraid to utilize plenty of misdirects and open-ended plotlines to confuse and thrill the audience. While there are plenty of things Lost could have done differently, the establishment of the mystery at the start of season 1 is a large part of what made viewers stick with the show until the end. Though not every question was answered satisfyingly, or at all, this doesn’t change the monumental impact of the series.

Some of Lost ‘s most iconic moments came from narrative turns that left audiences and characters speechless and set the story on a new course.

While Lost always bordered on the supernatural and kept the audience on the edge of their seats, it fully established itself as a fantasy show by the final season. Lost‘s twists and unexpected reveals are what the series came to be known for, which led to increasingly convoluted and surprising plot developments over time. However, some of Lost‘s most iconic moments came from narrative turns that left audiences and characters speechless and set the story on a new course.

The Lord Of The Rings: Rings Of Power (2022–Present)

A prequel to the iconic movies and famed book The Lord of the Rings

The liberties that The Rings of Power takes with the source material by J.R.R. Tolkien and its changes to the history of Middle-earth have been a source of controversy, but there’s no question that the prequel series is engaging. Above all, The Rings of Power enjoys dropping hints and foreshadowing the character’s futures, as so many of the individuals in the series play huge parts in The Lord of the Rings. For example, the question of the Stranger’s (Daniel Weyman) identity is a recurring part of the show.

The truth of the characters’ names and roles is a significant part of The Rings of Power, as it affects the reveal of Gandalf, Sauron, and many more throughout the show’s first two seasons. Though The Rings of Power isn’t a mystery in the sense that the characters have to catch a killer or solve a crime, it holds plenty of questions and secrets, making the audience wait for answers. The fact that The Rings of Power is establishing itself as separate from the original books means these mysteries can’t be solved so easily.

Series
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022–Present)
84%
49%

Stranger Things (2016–Present)

Netflix’s smash-hit fantasy series continues to raise the stakes

shows on Netflix, and for good reason. While Stranger Things season 1 still tells the tightest story of the show, each installment has delved further into the mystery of the Upside Down and the source of Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) powers. One of the most enjoyable parts of Stranger Things is that the series has maintained its sense of wonder and intrigue over the years. As the actors grow older and the stakes are raised, it never loses its familiar atmosphere.

Many of the mysteries in Stranger Things stem from the puzzle of how the magic system works.

Many things need to happen before the Stranger Things finale, as there are still plenty of unanswered questions and hidden developments that the iconic series must provide answers to. Many of the mysteries in Stranger Things stem from the puzzle of how the magic system works. However, sometimes, it’s more interesting for a series to keep these answers secret, as this preserves the scope and reach of the series. Seeing the characters put together the pieces and save the day never gets old, no matter what the mystery is.

Locke & Key (2020–2022)

This comic book-inspired show holds deep and dark secrets

Locke & Key begins with a tragedy, as the central three siblings are moved across the country in the wake of their father’s murder. However, their problems are just beginning, as their father’s old house holds immense power and danger inside a set of mystical keys. All of this makes for a great setup for the overarching mystery of Locke & Key, as a compelling emotional element is critical to keep audiences engaged.

The show is based on the comic book series of the same name, and the stylistic influences from the comic can be seen through the visuals and aesthetics. Incorporating elements of gothic horror, Locke & Key doesn’t shy away from making its mystery frightening and putting the characters in dangerous situations. This comes to the surface in the form of the demonic forces the children fight, even though they have no idea what the source of these malevolent entities and the keys’ power is.

School Spirits (2023–Present)

Even in the afterlife, the characters in School Spirits aren’t done figuring out their lives

It’s hard to be stuck in purgatory while trying to solve your own murder, but this is what happens to Maddie (Peyton List) after she mysteriously dies and wakes up as a ghost haunting her high school. Luckily, she has company, as the spirits of other kids who were killed on school grounds all haunt the premises and try to help each other get by. However, unlike the other characters, Maddie can’t remember her death and has the ability to communicate with her still-living best friend, Simon (Kristian Ventura).

The identity of Maddie’s killer isn’t the only mystery in School Spirits , as the plot only grows more complicated and contradictory as Maddie gets closer to the truth.

Together, Maddie and Simon grieve and attempt to piece together the final moments of Maddie’s life, hoping that this could help her find some peace in death. However, the identity of Maddie’s killer isn’t the only mystery in School Spirits, as the plot only grows more complicated and contradictory as Maddie gets closer to the truth. Leaving off on an unbelievable cliffhanger, School Spirits season 2 will up the ante on Maddie’s quest to reclaim her life.

Dead Boy Detectives (2024)

This mystery spinoff show proves to be just as fun as its source material

Based on characters and stories from the comic book and TV series The Sandman, Dead Boy Detectives follows two ghosts, Edwin (George Rexstrew) and Charles (Jayden Revri), who solve otherworldly crimes. Just as the name suggests, despite having passed on, Edwin and Charles take it upon themselves to be the detectives that the dead and the supernatural living turn to for help in sticky situations. Teaming up with the psychic Crystal (Kassius Nelson), the mystical investigators have plenty of mysteries to solve.

Despite its high critical and audience acclaim, Dead Boy Detectives season 1 will be its last outing, but there’s still plenty to enjoy within its singular season (via Variety). The dynamic between Edwin and Charles and their differing approaches to solving the crimes and problems is consistently compelling. Even though they’re tapped into the supernatural universe, this doesn’t mean they hold all the answers, and the more powerful forces at work behind the scenes are consistently making their ghost lives more difficult.

Wednesday (2022–Present)

Jenna Ortega leads this supernatural spin on the coming-of-age genre

This iteration of Wednesday Addams, played by the deadpan Jenna Ortega, is much more than an amateur sleuth in Wednesday, the gothic teen dramedy series. Though she’s drawn to the darkness and unsettling events, Wednesday finds herself at the center of a much more sinister plot when she enrolls in Nevermore Academy and realizes that the ominous deaths and dangerous circumstances are connected. Using her psychic abilities, Wednesday takes it upon herself to unravel the web of lies at Nevermore and the neighboring town.

Though Wednesday is based on the beloved IP of The Addams Family , it was still a surprise that the series was as big a hit for Netflix as it was.

Since Wednesday season 2 has been confirmed, fans won’t have to wait too much longer until the fate of Wednesday and her classmates at Nevermore is revealed. Though Wednesday is based on the beloved IP of The Addams Family, it was still a surprise that the series was as big a hit for Netflix as it was. However, since it so successfully blends fantasy and horror with spellbinding mystery, it’s no wonder that audiences connected with it.

The Leftovers (2014–2017)

Questions of faith and survival are at the forefront of this philosophical show

Though it tackles some heady topics, The Leftovers is one of the most boundary-pushing series to be released by HBO in the past decade. Starring Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon as two people struggling to adapt to life after 2% of the population suddenly disappears, The Leftovers isn’t always an easy watch. The questions of how and why the characters’ loved ones disappeared frustrate the characters as much as it does the audience, and the series isn’t afraid to be bleak.

The Leftovers series finale is one of the best in TV history and presents some answers about what happened to the people who disappeared, but the conclusion is ultimately open-ended. It’s up to the audience to decide what they believe and whether or not it matters if there’s a concrete answer to the mysteries plaguing the characters throughout the show. The point of The Leftovers‘s story is that the answer to why tragedies occur will never be satisfying and that the world must pick up and keep going.