10 best TV shows inspired by fairy tales

Listening to or reading fairy tales is an essential part of growing up. After all, stories show how humans have made sense of the world since the beginning of time, and for many, this begins in childhood. Fairy tales tend to feature a common structure and recurring tropes, many of which became so famous that they left their mark on every story that followed. It's no surprise, then, that many TV shows take inspiration from fairy tales.basing its entire premise around this whimsical narrative or extracting more specific elements from them.

Many movies and shows try to replicate the magic – and sometimes darkness – of fairy tales, with Disney's classic animated films being the most obvious examples. It's no secret that films like Cinderella or Snow White they are modeled after fairy tales, even as they put a new spin on classic narratives. And comedies like Shrek base many of their characters and tropes on these traditional story types, poking fun at them and offering new takes. The continued use of fairy tales to shape modern stories proves how enduring and timeless their charm truly is.

9

Shadowhunters (2016-2019)

Fairy folklore is prominent

Shadowhunters is the second live-action adaptation of Cassandra Clare's film Shadowhunter Chronicles after The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones film. The story follows New York teenager Clary Fray as she realizes she is one of the Shadowhunters: half-human, half-angel warriors tasked with keeping the world safe from demons. The fantasy show unfolds from there, and its main lore relies heavily on religious traditions. However, there are other creatures that populate this world, including fairies.

AND the fairies in Shadowhunters are inspired by western folklorewith its hidden underground courts, love of trickery and wordplay, and inability to lie, all arising, to some extent, from fairy tales. All these things do Shadowhunters the world feels rich, though its lesser influence on the show ranks it below other fairy tale-inspired series.

8

Merlin (2008-2012)

The Arthurian Cycle

All five seasons of Merlin aired on the BBC, reimagining the legends of the Arthurian cycle, which are perfectly poised to infuse fairytale elements into their narratives. Although the stories of King Arthur, his knights and his magical advisor Merlin are not exactly fairy tales, the characters and adventures of the Arthurian cycle seem comparable in many ways. Details of the Arthurian tradition seem as ever-present in Western literature and culture as fairy tales, and certain themes and archetypes even overlap.

That's why it seems Merlin uses fairy tales to tell the story of a young wizard who arrives in Camelot and meets Prince Arthur. From that first meeting, the story progresses through the years and events that most people are familiar with: Arthur becoming King of Camelot, his marriage to Guinevere, and the threat posed to the kingdom by Morgan Le Fay. These events do Merlin feels familiar, even as the show throws surprises our way. It's a great series, even if it's loosely linked to fairy tales.

7

The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016-2017)

Based on a Korean legend about mermaids

Popular K-Drama The Legend of the Blue Sea follows main characters Shim Cheong and Heo Joon-jae — respectively, a mermaid and a swindler — who mysteriously meet in Spain before their paths cross again in Seoul. They are united by fate and were once lovers during the Joseon era, something that is gradually revealed throughout the drama.

The K-Drama's story is based on an ancient Korean legend, one of the first to be documented in a short story collection of its kind. This particular narrative centers on a fisherman who captures and then releases a mermaid. This story is, of course, reworked to The Legend of the Blue Sea. The K-Drama does an impressive job of bringing this narrative to life, honoring Korean folklore and putting an intriguing spin on it. It's one of the shows that takes on a more original fairy tale, even if it's not as well-known or loved as some of the bigger series.

6

Willow (2022)

A feast for fairy tale lovers

Unfortunately, Disney's life was short Willow series is a sequel to the classic 1988 fantasy film of the same namewhere aspiring sorcerer Willow Ulfgood embarks on a journey to save newborn Elora Danan from the wicked machinations of Queen Bavmorda. Now a teenager, Elora Danan has no idea the power she truly wields. But like many Chosen in fantasy stories, she finds out when she embarks on an adventure under Willow's guidance.

80s fantasy movies may not be for everyone, but I owe everything to Western fairy tales and folklore, from their aesthetics to their story structures and tropes. from Disney Willow also uses many fairy tales, including magic, enchanted forests, evil fortresses, brave princesses disguised as kitchen maids, and knights eager to prove their worth. It's an absolute feast for fairytale lovers, and it's a shame Willow will not see the second season. Its shorter length puts it at a lower position among fairy tale-inspired series, but it's still worth watching.

5

The Magicians (2015-2020)

A darker, more mature take on Narnia

The magicians is based on the book trilogy of the same name by Lev Grossman, which focuses on a group of young magic users who attend the prestigious Brakebills University of Magical Pedagogy. The premise of the show is very reminiscent The Chronicles of Narnia, and that's because it draws inspiration from CS Lewis's books, as well as stories like Harry Potter. Obviously, these extract elements of their narratives from fairy tales, but The magicians it also puts a dark spin on common fantasy motifs, giving them a tone that almost seems more in line with certain fairy tales.

The magicians looks more “adult“to assume The Chronicles of Narnia, and its fantasy elements draw on fairy tales and folklore in intriguing ways. This is best seen in Fillory, but it goes beyond the fantastical world and its creatures and encompasses the lessons the characters learn and the dark turns the story takes. All these things do The magicians one of the best TV shows based on fairy tales and folklore, although the more subtle use of its inspirations puts it in the middle of the list.

4

Galavant (2015-2016)

A musical version of classic fairy tales

Galavant This is what would happen if The Princess Diaries it was a musical it also subverted all of its predictable tropes. When Galavant, a dashing knight, invades the castle of the evil King Richard to rescue his beloved Magdalene, he discovers that she would rather marry the king and have access to his money and power. From there, Galavant embarks on a hilarious and musical journey to win back his happily ever after. The premise alone is reminiscent of classic fairy tales, but that's not all.

Hilarious and packed with songs that will reach anyone's ears – starting with the opening number, “Galavant” – Galavant has all the aesthetics and charm of the most classic fairy talesand features all archetypes – from knights and princesses to kings and wizards. But while it recycles these fairy tale elements, it gives them a unique twist, resulting in a compelling series that should have continued for more than two seasons. It's not as well-known as other shows based on fairy tales, but it's still easily in the top five.

3

Grimm (2011-2017)

Fairytale meets police procedural

NBC's Grimm is the perfect example of reworking fairy tale conventions for modern audiencesas the program combines this category of narrative with a police procedural format. GrimmThe story follows detective Nick Burkhardt, who is a Grimm, a guardian tasked with keeping the human world safe from the legendary and folklore creatures known as Wesen. He fights a large number of them over the course of Grimmacross six seasons, working alongside his partner, Detective Hank Griffin, who is initially unaware of Nick's supernatural nature.

As the title suggests, Grimm is inspired by the work of the Brothers Grimmwho brought together the most popular German fairy tales of his time in the book Grimm's Fairy Talespublished in 1812. Most of his fairy tales, even those that became popular thanks to adaptations, are dark and bloody in nature. Grimmthe dark fantasy tones reflect the original works well. This elevates it to one of the best fairy tale TV shows of all time, although there are some that capture its essence even better (even if they aren't quite as dark).

2

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

A dark and whimsical animated fairy tale

The critically acclaimed Over the garden wall is an animated show that follows two half-siblings as they travel together and become lost in a mysterious, enchanted forest. The forest itself resembles common fairytale settings, and even its name – the Unknown – alludes to the mysterious whimsy of this type of story. In the Unknown, the brothers encounter a series of people and creatures as they try to find their way back home. At the same time, they must escape the terrible Beast, which traps lost souls who have abandoned all hope.

Although not inspired by a specific fairy tale Over the garden wall without a doubt it is inspired by the genre. The dark forest is just the tip of the iceberg; There are also magical helpers who are not what they seem, an imminent evil that threatens the protagonists and two brothers willing to sacrifice themselves for each other. There's a reason Over the garden wall continues to be discussed a decade after its release because it embodies everything we love about fairy tales. However, there is a program that does this on an even larger scale.

1

Once Upon a Time (2011-2018)

The biggest and best fairy tale mash-up

Once upon a time is perhaps the most famous media inspired by fairy tales, as a large number of them are adapted throughout its seven seasons. Every fairy tale character anyone can imagine appears in Once upon a time, and they are all connected to each other. This creates a rather complicated family tree in Once upon a timebut it's also the perfect setup for a shocking number of twists.

The story begins when Emma Swan arrives in the fictional town of Storybrooke.whose residents are all fairytale characters transported to the real world by a spell from the Evil Queen. The spell steals their memories, and they believe in the identities the Evil Queen creates for them. Emma discovers this and tries to save them with the help of her son, which leads to an emotional and emotional journey. It's without a doubt one of the best TV shows to cover fairy tales because it covers a wide range of them in a new way.