Shows like His Dark Materials, based on the fantasy trilogy by Philip Pullman, often become huge hits for lovers of the genre. Starring Dafne Keen and James McAvoy, His Dark Materials brought audiences into a world where everyone is born with a literal spirit animal called a Daemon. It follows Keen, who plays Lyra, as she discovers she is destined for greatness after discovering her true heritage and her abilities. However, along the way, she finds allies and enemies, and danger around every corner as she tries to find her place in the world.
His Dark Materials ended after three seasons and 23 total episodes. The series, which aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom and HBO Max in the United States, finished its run in December 2022, while airing its final episodes in the U.K. in February 2023. While many fans wanted to see more of the fantasy series, the show ended it all on a satisfying note, even if it was not as faithful to the source material as some hardcore Pullman fans might have hoped. The good news is that fans can relive His Dark Materials anytime they want on HBO Max and there are even more shows like His Dark Materials that share similar tropes with the fantasy epic.
12 Sweet Tooth (2021- )
- Stream now on Netflix
Just like in shows like His Dark Materials, children end up thrust into a life-or-death battle in Sweet Tooth. However, instead of having animal Daemons, in this show the children are themselves half animals. The main character is Gus, a half-human, half-deer boy. The story sees the humans fearing the hybrids will soon take over, and they want to hold on until extinction kicks in. Also, much like His Dark Materials, Sweet Tooth sees adult characters both as allies, enemies, and those who straddle the line and remain untrustworthy throughout. Based on a comic book series, the story gets very dark at times, and it might get much darker as it goes on.
11 Shadow And Bone (2021- )
- Stream now on Netflix
Much like shows like His Dark Materials, the Netflix series Shadow and Bone is based on a fantasy novel trilogy, and in both cases, the hero is a young woman who finds herself thrown into a battle she might be unprepared to fight. While Lyra has special skills that make her a huge asset in the battle between worlds, Alina has actual superhuman powers needed to keep the dark from overtaking her world. In this case, Alina is a Sun Summoner who can control the light. However, she soon finds who she believes are allies, but are in fact enemies when she falls for a young man who turned out to be a Darkling.
10 The Witcher (2019- )
- Stream now on Netflix
In His Dark Materials, one girl is destined for something far greater but lives her life in secret after her parents were seemingly murdered. In almost identical plots, both Lyra and Ciri from The Witcher have similar destinies. Unlike Lyra, Ciri has a mutated monster hunter at her side instead of a weasel. The Witcher is based on novels and video games of the same name, and it has all the monsters and mystical creatures anyone could hope for - and more. One thing that has fans concerned is Henry Cavill leaving the show as Geralt. However, the series has plans to continue with a re-casting and The Witcher remains a solid watch for fans of shows like His Dark Materials.
9 Watership Down (2018)
- Stream now on Netflix
This Netflix miniseries Watership Down, based on the 1972 novel by Richard Adams, is a little different from shows like His Dark Materials. However, it is a must-watch for fans of that fantasy series. It's based on a family of rabbits that try to fight the incoming intrusion of humans to save their homes. If that’s not intriguing enough, the voice cast is made up of James McAvoy (Lord Asriel from His Dark Materials), Sir Ben Kingsley, and Jon Boyega. Even if it's just four episodes, the miniseries remains a smart re-telling of a classic fantasy tale.
8 The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
- Stream now on HBO Max & Peacock
The CW show The Vampire Diaries is based on two brothers who also happen to be handsome and powerful vampires who both fall in love with the same high school girl. While it sounds like Twilight, the two differ because this show paints vampires as terrifying and cunning creatures, while also including deadly werewolves, witches, and ghosts. Similar to shows like His Dark Materials, this has a young female protagonist who is destined for something greater and must do what she can to save the world. Another comparison is, of course, the fact they are both based on popular novels.
7 The Refugees (2015)
- Stream now on Freevee
The Refugees was a short-lived one-season wonder that was based on a group of “Refugees” that travel back to the past to avoid their barren future. It comes at a cost because they are forced to forget their families and live in silence to avoid being spotted from the future. A glaring similarity between this and shows like His Dark Materials is that they both star the talented Dafne Keen and the plots both revolve around her character. Even if the plots themselves are different, The Refugees is a good show to watch for fans of the talented young actress.
6 Locke & Key (2020-2022)
- Stream now on Netflix
Based on the comic book series by Stephen King's son Joe King and artist Gabriel Rodríguez, Locke & Key follows a family moving back to their family estate after a student murders their father. Like the compass in shows like His Dark Materials, this show is based on supernatural objects with mystical abilities, in this case, mysterious keys. The first person to understand the keys powers is the youngest son Bode, and he unleashes a great evil. Locke & Key lasted for three seasons on Netflix, and while it drifted from the comic book stories, it provided a wholly satisfying story and conclusion with kids forced into dangerous situations to save the world.
5 The Magicians (2015-2020)
- Stream now on Netflix
This Syfy Channel series The Magicians didn't enjoy much critical love, but in its five seasons, it managed to draw in a cult following. In a world where magic and fantasy are very real, five college-age students must work together using their magical abilities to save the world from impending doom. Very similar to the world of His Dark Materials, The Magicians had fantasy, with mystical creatures and a Narnia-like kingdom, and suspense, dealing with the underworld and a pedophilic demon. It even has romance and passion, with the characters often dying for each other, making it a great companion to shows like His Dark Materials.
4 A Discovery Of Witches (2018-2022)
- Stream now on Prime Video
A Discovery of Witches follows a young historian that discovers a way to summon mystical creatures and forbidden love. Like Lyra, the young witch Diana comes into possession of something that completely changes her life and makes her susceptible to unwanted attention. Similar to shows like His Dark Materials, this fantasy series also lasted for just three seasons, originally airing on Sky One in the U.K. and then on AMC and Prime Video in the United States. The series ended early in 2022 and finished with a nice bow on the proceedings, making it a solid watch from start to finish.
3 Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
- Stream now on HBO Max
Despite its controversial season 7, Game of Thrones was one of the most popular shows in TV history, bringing in millions of viewers worldwide and creating an enormous cult following. Similar to shows like His Dark Materials, Game of Thrones is loosely based on the novels, and they follow the tales of a young orphan. Jon Snow is no helpless kid, and his animal companion is a gorgeous Dire Wolf. His destiny is a little different but they both have similar drives and willingness for adventure. Like Jon, Lyra has good and strong morals, and she can easily influence others with her likable personality. For fans of Game of Thrones, there is also the current spinoff series on HBO Max, House of the Dragon.
2 The Librarians (2014-2018)
- Stream now on Hulu
The Librarians is based on the movie series of the same name. It follows the same concept as the movies, but it takes place after those events. Similar to shows like His Dark Materials, the librarians in this show represent all the knowledge in the world and will go to extreme lengths to protect it. There are a lot of demons and other creatures that threaten the librarians, so there’s plenty of action and drama. Every season is jam-packed with action, adventure, and fantasy to keep fans entertained. By the end, there were four seasons and 42 episodes before its cancelation.
1 Carnival Row (2019-2023)
- Stream now on Prime Video
This star-studded show Carnival Row has all the fantasy from His Dark Materials with all the mystery and excitement of a high-budget show. Both Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne put on amazing performances as a detective and a fairy, and their chemistry makes this show a must-watch. To add to that, the mystical creatures and overall effects and feel of the scenes are something that makes this show an instant classic. It took four years to get the second, and final season, but the show has not concluded, so fans of shows like His Dark Materials can binge-watch Carnival Row from beginning to end now.