Fairies in pop culture is a subject that I try to keep an eye on, as it impacts different areas of interest to me and also, from what I’ve observed, actively influences some corners of modern paganism. And recently, like witchcraft, fairies are seeing a surge in renewed popularity on the small screen with several new shows coming out over the last few years that feature or focus on them. A good example of this is the recent release of Amazon’s show ‘Carnival Row‘ which has a human detective and a cast of various fairy creatures in an alternate Victorian age reality.
Since many of us are currently looking for good or interesting things to binge watch I thought it might be the perfect time to mention some of the recent fairy-related shows that I like and recommend. They cover a wide spectrum from atmospheric to cartoons but they all involve good world building, some aspect of folklore, and they are all entertaining to watch.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell – an epic 7 episode miniseries on Netflix that was based on the book by Susanna Clarke. The premise is about two magicians in 19th century England who try to resurrect genuine magical practice. The Fair Folk come into it early when one of the magicians makes a very unfortunate deal. From that point on the story intertwines prophecy with the machinations of a Fairy Lord.
The visuals of this show are amazing and the plot and world building are exceptional, likely because it is based on a novel. The folklore is on point and this is also a show I recommend to give people an idea of what fairies are really like.
Siren – On Freeform and Hulu, the series is in its third season. A rare show about mermaids that depicts them as dangerous predators of the sea, the series begins with one mermaid captured and used for government experiments and another wandering onto land to find her. The folklore here is a blend of some genuine material about mermaids (not the Disney sort) and some fantasy for plot purposes in the show. Despite this it has a strong feel to it and the storyline is, in my opinion, interesting. Definitely worth a try for people who like mermaid lore or the darker side of fairy stories.
Lost Girl – 6 seasons, originally on SciFi now on Netflix. The story follows a succubus named Bo as she discovers her connections to the world of Fairy* and learns to navigate this new reality. Urban fantasy; the setting is our modern world but with folkloric beings as a real, hidden part of it. The show was groundbreaking when it began in 2010 for featuring a bisexual main character with love interests of both genders. The human ‘side kick’ Kenzi is a standout character. The folklore is very back and forth for accuracy so don’t take any of it at face value but it can be a fun show to watch and with 6 seasons it’s a good binge option.
Full disclosure I don’t actually like this show myself** but it’s so popular among my friends I feel obligated to include it.
The Dragon Prince – I’ve done a full blog about The Dragon Prince before and I won’t pretend it isn’t one of my favourites. It is a Netflix series that currently has 3 seasons of 9 episodes each, with a fourth season planned. The only high fantasy option on this list, Dragon Prince intertwines several storylines into a cohesive whole, featuring humans and elves, along with a multitude of other fantasy creatures. The world building is very strong and independent of existing folklore, giving us a unique approach to beings like elves and dragons which is really fun. Another great binge option, I’ve found that I catch new details every time I rewatch.
Hilda – Another Netflix original, Hilda is based on the comic books and graphic novels of Luke Pearson. The story follows a young girl who fearlessly interacts with supernatural beings as she and her mother move from the countryside into a city called Trollberg. The folklore featured here is partially based on Icelandic or Norse as far as I can tell but also includes an array of purely invented creatures. The folklore as it appears is often modified for plot purposes or aesthetic, for example the måran that appear in several episodes are depicted as mean teenage girls who cause nightmares then share the stories with each other, when in folklore they are ‘night hags’ who torment and try to kill people in their sleep. Definitely a great series (my 7 year old’s favourite) but the folklore should be understood as largely fiction.
Those are my current options for fun shows that feature fairies and folklore in some way. If you have any suggestions please add them in the comments, I’d love to hear about anything folklore or fairy related that you all are enjoying right now.
*Succubi are not actually fairies, however in this show effectively all supernatural beings are lumped together.
** I will die salty about the raw deal Dyson got throughout the series.
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