As we are now comfortably into 2026, it seems like it is a good time to reflect on what transpired in television in 2025 and consider what shows really did stand out in a given year that really seemed pretty lackluster for the world of fantasy television on a number of levels. In a year that seemed pretty quiet for fans of this type of programming, one series flew relatively under the radar as the best of its kind in 2025 with The Mighty Nein.
With The Legend of Vox Machina being produced by the same creative team, the bar had already been set high to begin with. The expanding influence of Critical Role Productions within the television landscape has already shown that the adaptation of tabletop storytelling has worked surprisingly well, given proper attention to detail. The Mighty Nein not only live up to this but also shattered all expectations with their dark tone, twisty character relationships, and even more extended playtime that gave their storyline room to breathe with ease in a television landscape that has struggled to find its place since the aftermath of HBO’s Game of Thrones success.
Why The Mighty Nein quietly ruled fantasy television in 2025
Premiering in November 2025, The Mighty Nein took advantage of timing as much as quality. It hit the scene at a point when there was some weakness with the genre. Some big guns were either on hiatus with either House of the Dragon or The Rings of Power or had some series with little lasting impact. The Wheel of Time series 3 improved, but it wasn’t enough to counter diminishing popularity with others, such as The Witcher and The Wednesday series.
Not even the strongest late-season shows like “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” season 2 and “Stranger Things” season 5 could fully go up against “The Mighty Nein” in terms of the pure world of fantasy entertainment. “Percy Jackson” still has a limited series solely because of its younger demographic, whereas “Stranger Things” balances sci-fi and horror as much as fantasy. This gave “The Mighty Nein” the opportunity to take center stage. And they did.
What makes the series particularly unique is its blend of both adaptation and reinvention. Based on the second Dungeons & Dragons campaign from Critical Role, the series distills the narrative to its essential elements while maintaining the core emotional points that the fans adore about the campaign. Another thing that deserves equal praise is the show’s handling of its ensemble cast. Every character on the roster gets character development that does not compromise the narrative’s pacing. In just eight episodes, it’s already apparent that The Mighty Nein has the potential to be a series with a lasting shelf life. Not only is it locked in for another season 2, but it might be back in 2026 as well. If it maintains its current trajectory, The Mighty Nein will not only be the best fantasy show in 2025 but also one of the genre-defining shows to come in the next decade.
