Normally, I like to use the fantasy genre as an escape from this world. There is something comforting about using the imagination to create wholly original worlds where epic adventures happen with high stakes, but stakes completely separate from this reality. Basically, I’m a sucker for high fantasy, and it’s my favorite fantasy subgenre for movies, shows, and books.
But sometimes, I like to indulge in something a little more grounded, at least when it comes to fantasy. That’s where urban fantasy comes in. Places that are obviously our world, or something really close to it, but infused with that sense of magic and fantastical wonder. Who wouldn’t want to live in that world instead of our stuffy, boring reality? And some of the best urban fantasy stories simultaneously capture our world in realistic ways but give viewers just enough fantasy to wish that our plane of existence could be just a little bit more like theirs.
The Magicians
Watch The Magicians on Tubi
Based on the popular book trilogy, The Magicians is almost like Harry Potter for adults, but without all the added controversy that comes with that series. The Magicians focuses on a magic college in the real world, and Quentin Coldwater’s (Jason Ralph) adventures in learning magic with some newfound friends. But there’s also a portal fantasy element to the series, akin to something like The Chronicles of Narnia.
All of this is jammed into a very adult story, with a lot of violence, gore, and mature themes. This is what lends The Magicians its sense of realism, and though its world can be hard and violent and borderline apocalyptic, I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to attend its magic school of Brakebills. This is easily one of the best free offerings on Tubi right now.
Hellboy (2004)
Watch Hellboy on Paramount+
I’m a huge fan of the Hellboy comic, so it’s no surprise that when it comes to one of my favorite urban fantasy films, the 2004 version of Hellboy sits pretty close to the top. Director Guillermo del Toro’s film exists within our own world, but he’s very good at showcasing that fantastical world that exists just beneath the surface. Dealing with threats that could easily end the world while keeping the general public blissfully ignorant is one of my favorite tropes that can exist in something like urban fantasy, and Hellboy nails it perfectly.
This level of detail remains in del Toro’s sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, though that film embraces more of a dark fairy tale aesthetic. Still, Hellboy‘s universe of demons, monsters, and misunderstood creatures is one I’d elect to live in anytime, even if there are dire consequences for that choice.
Supernatural
Watch Supernatural on Netflix
Supernatural was one of my first forays into the genre of urban fantasy, and I’m still amazed at how much real-world mythology it managed to fit into each season. It was like every single fantastical idea or monster we have ever feared actually exists, and while that’s a frightening aspect, I enjoy how Supernatural balances horror with the building ofits own urban fantasy lore throughout 15 seasons.
The focus on Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) keeps the world small, even as the stakes become apocalyptic. This show has a ton of great urban fantasy staples, and I would probably credit it with helping to re-popularize the genre on the small screen, at least for a more modern audience.
Grimm
Watch Grimm on Peacock
I would say Grimm is more of a classical version of an urban fantasy story than something like Supernatural, especially given its dedication to staples of the genre like investigations and romance. Grimm is more police procedural with heavy urban fantasy elements than anything else, especially in those early seasons. The show centers on Nick (David Giuntoli), a detective who discovers he’s a Grimm, someone who has to keep the world safe from fairy-tale and mythological monsters.
What I really enjoy about Grimm is its dedication to feeling like a modern dark fairy tale, but existing purely in the real-world setting of Portland. The setting grounds the show, making the fantastical elements feel weightier and more relatable. The show sort of falls apart in later seasons, but Grimm is still an excellent urban fantasy example.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu
If Supernatural helped keep urban fantasy popular with modern audiences, I would argue that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a big reasonthe genre is so popular on television in the first place. Joss Whedon’s classic is part teen drama, part supernatural horror, and all heart. It’s a surprisingly layered series that has mostly stood the test of time.
Focusing on the eponymous Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the chosen Slayer who protects Sunnydale from vampires and various other monsters, Buffy the Vampire Slayer set the mold for a lot of shows that would come after, including stuff like Supernatural and Grimm. This series lasted for seven seasons, and there is even a revival on the horizon, further proving just how well-beloved it remains in the modern era. This is easily one of the best examples of what urban fantasy has to offer. Plus, some of the episodes would make for great stand-alone horror movies.
Underworld
Watch Underworld on Pluto TV
All right, so maybe the Underworld franchise isn’t the most critically acclaimed series on the planet, but it’s the closest urban fantasy live-action approximation of Vampire: The Masquerade we’re likely to see anytime soon. Underworld is set in a modern world where vampires and werewolves live in secret among humans and wage a kind of Cold War against each other.
Not the most original concept ever, but there’s something about the Gothic undertones that really adds to the world-building. It’s a diverting enough time, especially the early films. And the romance elements appeal to me, personally. It’s like one of those cliché-ridden supernatural romance books you find on Kindle Unlimited: Nothing spectacular, but you won’t regret picking it up.
Big Trouble in Little China
Watch Big Trouble in Little China on Tubi
You could probably make the argument that Big Trouble in Little China is more of an action-comedy film than it is urban fantasy, but its use of magic in the real world definitely fits the definition. Focused on Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), a truck driver who finds himself pulled into the magical underworld of Chinatown in San Francisco, Big Trouble in Little China is one of those ’80s films that still works today.
Sure, there are elements that haven’t aged well, but overall, Big Trouble in Little China is hilarious, entertaining, and intriguing in its world-building. I can confidently say that I would happily exist in this world, as long as I can go on strange new adventures with Jack.
True Blood
Watch True Blood on HBO Max
To be honest, I was never a big fan of True Blood while it was airing. Even now, after watching the series, I appreciate it more for its world than for the quality of the storytelling. I get why it was popular—the concept is absolutely brilliant. Set in a world where vampires have made their presence known to humankind after the invention of synthetic blood has allowed them to, essentially, go vegan.
True Blood mixes so many genres so seamlessly, which is one of my favorite aspects of a good urban fantasy story. And while it never hooked me as much as I hoped it would, especially the later seasons, I can absolutely appreciate it for what it did for the genre. I love that it uses the concept of vampire rights to make biting commentary on the real world, and while there is a lot of brutality here, it certainly wouldn’t be my last choice for fictional worlds to get sucked into.
Lost Girl
Watch Lost Girl on The CW
While it did run for five seasons, I still consider Lost Girl to be one of the more underrated urban fantasy shows out there. It perfectly blended fantasy, supernatural, and romance into one of the better adult series of the ’10s. Following a succubus named Bo (Anna Silk), who tries to navigate the world while learning to control her powers, Lost Girl is way more complex than its premise would suggest.
What I really enjoy about Lost Girl is how much it embraces its more queer themes. It doesn’t shy away from them, but it also doesn’t try and pat itself on the back for including them. These are just characters that exist the way they are, and the fact that the main character is bisexual makes it pretty unique in … well, television in general. Lost Girl is fantastic, and a great example of what urban fantasy can be in the modern world.
We need way more urban fantasy in the world
While the shows and movies on this list represent the best of what the genre has to offer, I still fundamentally believe it’s a genre that needs way more representation in fiction. Streaming networks like Netflix tried with big-budget, high-profile movies like Bright, but that was not a particularly good movie. And with television more focused on police procedurals and prestige dramas, now is the perfect time for the next big urban fantasy show to make its debut.
If urban fantasy feels too limiting, here are seven HBO Max shows you might have missed that are absolutely worth checking out now.
