For fans of TV shows of various genres, each new year represents an exciting time. Multiple new shows premiere every single year. Some of them achieve success and run for a long time. Others get canceled fast, despite their quality. This year was no exception to the rule.
Other than the new shows getting canceled, it also witnessed the ending of several well-rated TV shows that have been airing for a while, usually for years. While it's hard for the fans to say goodbye to their favorite characters and fictional worlds, at least in the best-case scenario, the show didn't end up with a cliffhanger.
5 A Discovery Of Witches
Based on the successful book series by Deborah Harkness, A Discovery of Witches brought the viewers into a world where witches, vampires, and other creatures lived side by side with humans, not always peacefully. The series was centered on the young witch Diana who discovered more of her powers as she got together with the vampire Matthew, even though their species were forbidden from dating. The series offered the right mixture of drama, tension, and romance.
Thanks to the chemistry between Diana and Matthew, it was easy to believe their developing relationship and become invested in it. Teresa Palmer and Matthew Goode gave strong performances in the leading roles, but the series had a talented cast overall, including names familiar especially to fans of British TV shows, such as Alex Kingston, Owen Teale, and Lindsay Duncan. All three seasons had a magical atmosphere and those who would like to return to the world can always do so by reading the novels.
4 Legends Of Tomorrow
Just like its Arrowverse predecessors, Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow successfully ran for multiple seasons, seven in total. What made the show unusual from other Arrowverse shows was that it was a team-up. Various characters went in and left, including well-known names, such as John Constantine. Thanks to the team's opportunity to travel in time, the viewers got to go on many colorful and often dangerous adventures with them.
Legends of Tomorrow was more light-hearted than the likes of Arrow, and mixed humor and drama with ease. Some fans mourned the departure of their original favorite heroes who were with the show from the first season, but Legends of Tomorrow never lacked intriguing characters. It was also one of the few recent sci-fi shows with a considerable female protagonist, Captain Sara Lance.
3 Locke & Key
Based on the popular comic book series by Joe Hill, Locke & Key aired for three seasons and 28 episodes in total, making it one of the longer-lasting Netflix shows of recent years. When three siblings moved to a new house, the youngest of them discovered strange keys and decided to find the door they fit in, not realizing he was about to embark on an adventure that would put both him and the rest of his family in danger.
The joy of discovery was always present in the show, but at the same time, it built an intense atmosphere since the viewers soon realized that the family faced opponents with sinister intentions. The show offered more than one surprising, imaginative moment, and it was intriguing for the audience to see what it would come up with next. Not so many series manage to join together the fantasy and horror genres and create a coherent whole but Locke & Key managed it with ease. Just like with A Discovery of Witches, the good news is that the viewers who will miss the show can always try out the comic book series if they hadn't already read it.
2 The Walking Dead
Another comic-book-based series that ran for 12 years and 177 episodes is the zombie hit The Walking Dead. In a world that has gone through a zombie apocalypse, multiple people have to fight for their survival every single day. The series portrays zombies as horror creatures who have no mercy but at the same time, it shows that humans can sometimes be just as villainous, if not worse.
The scale of death and destruction presented by The Walking Dead leaves a strong impression, making the show a must-watch for all fans of the zombie genre, and horror in general. With so many different characters to choose from, each viewer is bound to find a favorite sooner or later. The cast helps this by giving strong performances as a whole, even though few names still stand out, such as David Morrissey as the Governor, one of the most notable human antagonists of The Walking Dead.
1 Westworld
Drawing inspiration from the original 1970s sci-fi movie that has since been mostly forgotten, Westworld focuses on the thin line between humanity and an artificial line. Westworld originally serves as an amusement park with androids who believe themselves to be human...but that doesn't mean everybody sees them that way.
Westworld is one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi stories that both entertain the audience and make them think about what the future could be like if people keep making the same mistakes over and over again. With the cast including many talented names, such as Anthony Hopkins, James Marsden, Ed Harris, and more, Westworld not only has fascinating characters but an intriguing setting as well. It ran for four seasons, with the last episode airing in August 2022.