For seven seasons, Once Upon a Time told the stories of several different fairytales with the help of an incredible cast of characters. Jennifer Morrison snagged the leading role of Emma Swan, a woman who realizes she must finally confront her demons after the son she gave up for adoption reappears in her life. He tries to convince her that she has a magical connection to Snow White and Prince Charming, but it takes her a long time to finally connect the dots. Eventually, she realizes that the magical fairytale characters are actually her biological parents. There are so many interesting twists and turns to enjoy in Once Upon a Time. Now that the show is over, here are some other great options to watch and fill that magical void.
Grimm (2011)
Between 2011 and 2017, Grimm told the story of a Portland detective named Nick. He came from a long line of warriors who devoted themselves to justice, and members of his bloodline always dedicated themselves to defending the city they resided in from evil mythical creatures. In every episode of the show, Nick faces off against external forces that are half-human, half-animal. Fortunately for him, he doesn’t have to fight his battles alone since his friends are there to help him.
Grimm can be streamed on NBC or rented on Amazon Prime Video.
Bitten (2014)
Living life as the only female werewolf in existence is difficult for Elena Michaels, who considers herself to be a total loner. Her circumstances don’t necessarily allow for the easiest social introductions. She wants to escape captivity, since the man who turned her into a wolf is holding her hostage in a paranormal universe. Once Elena is able to leave the paranormal universe, she starts her life over in a brand new city, finds a career as a photographer, and tries to hide her secret from her boyfriend.
Bitten can be rented on Amazon Prime Video.
Shadowhunters (2016)
Shadowhunters is a paranormal romance drama that ran for three seasons. Its premise revolves around a teenage girl who learns a shocking secret about herself on her birthday; she discovers that she isn’t the typical human like she always believed. In fact, she is actually a human-angel hybrid, sent down to Earth to hunt demonic spirits. After her mother is kidnapped, she realizes that her destiny entails her to be fully immersed in the world of demon hunting. Her initial goal is to save her mother’s life, but she experiences many different adventures along the way.
Shadowhunters can be streamed on Hulu and Freeform or rented on Amazon Prime Video.
The Vampire Diaries (2009)
The Vampire Diaries is one of the most popular vampire TV shows in existence. It includes many different mythical creatures, making it easily comparable to a show like Once Upon a Time. TVD stars Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, and Paul Wesley in the leading roles. They play characters stuck in a messy love triangle for a large portion of the series, but eventually, they are collectively able to decide which pairing is fate. Audiences were beguiled by the magical captivation of this series, which is what allowed it to go on for eight successful seasons.
The Vampire Diaries can be streamed on Netflix.
Legacies (2018)
Legacies is a spin-off series that stems from The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. It focuses on a new generation of protectors residing in Mystic Falls. They attend the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted and figure out how to control their powers as vampires, werewolves, and witches. Instead of giving in to villainous impulses, they must learn how to control their urges to follow an ethical code. Since this show is a spin-off based around two successful series, fans had extremely high expectations for it — and the show creators never let anyone down.
Legacies can be streamed on CW or rented on Amazon Prime Video.
Witches of East End (2013)
Witches of East End is a fascinating supernatural drama that premiered in 2013. The mystery series only had two seasons, but both seasons are thoroughly enjoyable and engaging. It tells the story of a family living in the secluded seaside town of East Haven. When the younger members of the family realize they have magical powers, it turns their lives upside down. Afterwards, the bizarre occurrences that have happened to them for their whole lives begin to make sense, but harnessing their powers for good comes with its own challenges.
Witches of East End can be rented on Amazon Prime Video.
Switched at Birth (2011)
In Once Upon a Time, the main character gives up her son for adoption before reconnecting with him some 10 years later. In Switched at Birth, two baby girls are switched at the hospital and subsequently go home with the wrong parents. Although there aren’t any fairytales or magic spells included in Switched at Birth, the subject of regrettable adoption included in both storylines is heavily comparable.
Switched at Birth can be streamed on Hulu.
Beauty and the Beast (2012)
For four seasons, Beauty and the Beast aired on television between 2012 and 2016. Although the title may be associated with the classic Disney animation, the TV series is a lot different. It stars Kristen Kreuk from Smallville in the leading role as Detective Catherine Chandler. The plot revolves around Chandler, a woman who was once saved by a mysterious man that disappeared thereafter. The “Beast” believes himself to be a menace to society; he harbors a dark secret about a strange medical condition that causes him to turn into a monster. As the seres progresses, Chandler’s willingness to accept the cursed man ends up changing his life forever.
Beauty and the Beast can be rented on Vudu or Amazon Prime Video.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (2016)
Just like in Once Upon a Time, DC‘s Legends of Tomorrow is filled with plenty of legendary characters. As both critical and commercial praise have proven, the Arrowverse typically produces entertaining storylines; Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl have all received a lot of positive feedback over the years. DC‘s Legends of Tomorrow premiered in 2016 and ran for three seasons, focusing on a group of ragtag heroes who come together to stop supervillains in their tracks.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow can be streamed on Netflix.
Teen Wolf (2011)
For a long time, Teen Wolf was considered one of the most popular shows on MTV. The series follows a high school student named Scott McCall that encounters a vicious beast while taking a walk through the woods. He suffers a nasty bite, and nothing is ever the same for him as he must learn to control the urges that start taking over his body. At first, McCall is unsure if he can still consider himself a human or if he will completely transition into a werewolf. Ultimately, Scott turns what feels like a curse into a gift in order to protect the people closest to him.
Teen Wolf can be streamed on Hulu or rented on Amazon Prime Video.