SomefantasyTV was amazing from the very first scene, ensnaring viewers with a wild opening and keeping them gripped long after it finished. Shows likeGame of ThronesandSupernaturaldemonstrated the “in medias res” technique well, throwing the audience straight into the action and then dialing it back a notch to allow for some calm before the next storm. Meanwhile, otherfantasy TV showsopened more peacefully but very swiftly demonstrated their vivid world-building and danger. Regardless, first scenes often say it all about the production to come.
Some ofthe best characters in fantasywere introduced in episode 1 of their respective shows, but not at first, with a key mystery suggested in the first scene instead. Presenting an enigma in a fantasy movie or TV show’s first scene is a tried-and-true way to tease the viewer and set up one of the show’s later plot points. From the small and independent to the globally popular, fantasy shows have been on the rise in the 2020s and show no sign of stopping, making it a good time to look back on some of these fantastic first scenes.
His Dark Materials
Cast
Based on author Philip Pullman’s beloved novel trilogy, His Dark Materials is a fantasy/drama television series that follows Lyra, a brave young woman from another world. Lyra’s quest to find her kidnapped friend leads her to uncover a sinister plot of a secret organization, encounter extraordinary beings, and protect dangerous secrets. Lyra will find that her life is inextricably linked with another as they discover they may be the ones to change the world.
Based on Philip Pullman’s grippingHis Dark Materials,the exceptional BBC fantasy opened with a man wading through a floodto give a baby away. This baby would, of course, turn out to be the show’s main character, Lyra Belacqua. This proposed the compelling mystery of the baby’s parenthood and the circumstances of her birth, which would go on to be significant throughout season 1 and key until its final outing. The show remained excellent, featuring stars like Morfydd Clark and James McAvoy.
His Dark Materialsis based on the novelsThe Golden Compass,The Subtle Knife,andThe Amber Spyglass.
Before displaying the flood, the show panned over the UK’s picturesque Oxford in a nighttime aerial shot, but something was amiss. The city was split into small islands and looked more like Oslo than Oxford, with fjord-like bodies of water stretching across the cityscape.This fascinating alternate universe successfully implied the mind-blowing sci-fiand fantasy twists to come.
The Leftovers
The Leftovers is a three-season drama that follows a group of people as they deal with the effects of the sudden disappearance of 2% of the word’s population. It was created by Lost co-producer Damon Lindelof and Election writer Tom Perrotta, with famous actors such as Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Margaret Qualley, and Justin Theroux in the ensemble cast.
The opening scene of 2014’s starkly originalThe Leftoverswas utterly chilling, portraying the start of an impossible global tragedy that would take years to unpick. And, indeed, the long show never wore out its welcome from its first season until its last. As a mother left her child in her car and the camera panned in, it was obvious that this was going to be no ordinary trip to the supermarket.
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The Leftoversis exemplary low fantasy, and it shouted that from the rooftopsof its first scene. Blending the modern world with the supernatural,The Leftoverstook fantasy, horror, and drama to new dimensions. When 2% of the world disappeared, leaving the Leftovers behind, viewers got to witness the impact in episode 1’s first scene. This drove a powerful curiosity as to how the Departed disappeared and set a new standard for lowfantasy and supernatural drama.
Supernatural
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
TheSupernaturalpilot opening scene showed Mary and John Winchester experiencing the tragedy that would define the lives of their children,Sam and Dean Winchester. And, henceforth,fantasy TV was never the same again. Eric Kripke’s iconic dark fantasy show uniquely combined supernatural fantasy with the classic Americana of a road story. Leaning into American classics likeThelma and Louiseand biker movies likeThe Wild One, the show proved it was far more than a fantasy show.
Eric Kripke’s iconic dark fantasy show uniquely combined supernatural fantasy with the classic Americana of a road story.
Nonetheless,Supernatural’sopening scene took no prisonersin its graphic depiction of Mary Winchester’s demise at the hands of a supernatural monster. Smartly, this arc would only come full circle many seasons later, setting up years’ worth of the Winchesters' investigating and hunting paranormal entities. From its very first scene,Supernaturalwas bold and focused, creating the show’s central drama around two brothers and how they processed their dysfunctional family.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
“Nothing is evil in the beginning” go the opening lines of 2022’sThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, impressively assessing its whole premise in six words. As showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay explained toThe Hollywood Reporter, the show is “an origin story for Sauron.” This unfurled over the course of season 1, although viewers didn’t know it until the final episode, whenSauron’s real identitywas finally revealed.It turned out that Sauron had been on-screen far more than many realized, demonstrating that literature’s greatest villain had humble and innocent origins.
WhileThe Rings of Powerseason 3 is expecting renewal, there is also an animeLord of the Ringsmovie coming out on June 17, 2025, calledThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
The gorgeous opening scene wasn’t just prophetic and smart, it was a luscious dive into Payne and McKay’s inventive world-building based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Adapting stories fromthe Second Age of Middle-earth,The Rings of Poweroffered an unprecedented live-action visualization of the Elder Daysin its opening scene. This flashback allowed the show to visit material from before the Second Age and explore the start of time itself - the Years of the Trees. This opening scene was a treat for Tolkien fans and promised a high-budget adaptation of epic proportions.
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is a dark fantasy series that follows Nathan, the illegitimate son of a notorious witch, as he navigates a dangerous world of magic and oppression, uncovering secrets about his parentage and his own powers.
In the grand tradition of numerous fantasy TV shows and movies before it,The Bastard Son & the Devil Himselfopened with its main character as a baby. Much likeHis Dark Materials,this incredible British fantasy drama established its main character as a dangerous mysteryin its opening scene. Set in the real world, people with strange superpowers broke into a beautiful cottage in episode 1 ofThe Bastard Son & the Devil Himself,finding Nathan as a baby.
Abandoned with a note saying “Kill it,“Nathan embodied the central issue of the whole show from its opening scene. R&B star Amerie was a notable addition to the soundtrack ofThe Bastard Son & the Devil Himselfin its first scene, promising a story that was as fun as it was gripping. Setting the tone suitably, scene one ofThe Bastard Son & the Devil Himselfopened one ofthe best fantasy showsof recent years.
The Boys
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
The opening scene ofEric Kripke’sThe Boyswas hilarious and smart, just like the rest of it.Scene one swung from the visually beautiful to the comically brutal, with its slow-motion shot of cash stacks raining down on Queen Maeve after she thwarted a bank robbery and then Homelander unceremoniously throwing a man to his death like so much paper waste. Even Maeve’s glamor and beauty were bitingly satirical.
The wads of cash took Maeve from superhero to stripper in an incongruous image that critiqued the sexualization of female superheroes.In the world ofThe Boys, superheroes were globalized commodities and corrupt celebrities, making for one of the most irreverent and modern takes on fantasy around. Scene one said all of this perfectly. Hughie’s formative tragedy occurred not long after the Maeve and Homelander moments, confirming thatThe Boyswould be even gorier than Kripke’s famousSupernatural.
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
There was a beautiful simplicity to the opening scene of the majestic and brilliantLost. Offering up a tropical island thriller to rival classics likeThe BeachandLord of the Flies,Lostexhibited all the hallmarks of an escapist adventure from its first scene. Luring viewers into its storyline with stunning scenery and sweeping views,Lostbegan with the survivors of a plane crash gaining consciousness in and around a gorgeous beach.
The show reinvented itself each season, becoming a genre-bending journey, but its gloriously scenic setting and propensity for thrills were evident right from the start.
As Jack awoke in the jungle in the show’s opening minutes in a suit,Lostproved that it would be tackling the castaway story, which had been neglected by TV and cinema for too long. What viewers didn’t expect was the show’s shocking sci-fi and fantasy twists.The show reinvented itself each season, becoming a genre-bending journey, but its gloriously scenic setting and propensity for thrills were evident right from the start.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thronesis one of the best fantasy TV shows ever made, and that was clear from its very first scene. Displaying the disturbing ritualistic murder of the Wildlings,episode 1 made it clear that this was a high fantasy set in dark times. Opening with this original fantasy premise was excitingly different, bringing a fresh perspective to an old genre.
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Based on George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Fire,Game of Throneswas a political drama set in Westeros, but it also had epic, dangerous magical creatures, as episode 1 insinuated.Game of Thronesbrooks little rivalry as the best high fantasy TVshow of the 2020s, so far. Even diminishing respect in the fandom for later seasons couldn’t detract from its stature as a unique and visually arresting show, all of which came through in its first scene.
Good Omens
Based on the bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Good Omens follows an angel and demon as they attempt to defy the forces of Heaven and Hell to avert the apocalypse. With Pratchett and Gaiman’s funny and irreverent style shining through, Good Omens stars Michael Sheen and David Tennant as Aziraphale and Crowley, with a larger cast that includes John Hamm, Francis McDormand, and Michael McKean.
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’sGood Omensnovel was adapted into 2019’s groundbreaking, eponymous TV show, which showed off its cosmic humor from episode 1’s first scene. AsCrowley and Aziraphale met in the Garden of Eden, the show made it clear that this was no ordinary angel and demon duo. They were bizarrely friendly, had a strange amount in common, and were utterly hilarious together.
Good Omensis unquestionably the best Terry Pratchett adaptation ever, and it shone in all its Pratchettian glory even in scene one. Irreverent, satirical, and yet beautifully good-natured,the show’s script reflected its source material perfectly in its opening momentsand would continue to do so.Good Omensis such a faithful reflection of its source material because it is helmed by none other than Neil Gaiman himself, and season 3 is promising.
Interview with the Vampire
Based on Anne Rice’s novel series that began in 1976, Interview with the Vampire is a gothic horror fantasy series that explores the life of Louis de Pointe du Lac through an interview with a journalist. Told through flashbacks of Louis' life during the interview, the series examines Louis' relationship with the vampire that turned him, Lestat de Lioncourt, and a teenage girl named Claudia, whom he turns. The series is the first of Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe media franchise.
Anyone familiar withAnne Rice’sThe Vampire Chronicleswould have been flabbergasted by the opening moments of AMC+’s 2022Interview with the Vampire. The show took one of Anne Rice’s best characters, centralized him, and aged him up by a few decades, promising far more than an adaptation. This was an adaptation, a sequel, and a redo, all at the same time. And,those with no prior knowledge of Anne Rice would have been intriguedby the journalist Daniel Molloy and his bold TV ad strategy.
The show’s meta opening scene promised an intelligent series that broke expectations at every turn, and it soon gave the floor to the ever-enchanting Louis de Pointe du Lac. Louis was the main character of the firstVampire Chronicle. Seasons 1 and 2 covered a redo of its titular interview, first attempted by its lead characters many years back. Asthe opening of episode 1 turned to a seemingly normal press Q&A, normality was brilliantly shattered by Daniel interrogating Louis’fantasyspecies - “How long have you been dead?”
