The Witcheris one of the best fantasy series on Netflix, and for those wanting to watch more shows like it, the ambitiousShadow and Boneis worth a look.The Witcherinitially premiered on Netflix in 2019 and was a massive success for the streaming service, eventually branching into multiple spinoffs while the main series is slated to end with five total seasons. Even with such success,The Witcherhas run into several problems over the years, most notablyrecasting two major characters forThe Witcherseason 4, including Henry Cavill as Geralt, the show’s main character.
Despite the hiccups throughout, there is still a lot to love aboutThe Witcherand its ability to scratch that fantasy television itch that every streaming platform seems to push for. The world that Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski built throughoutThe Witcherbooksis incredibly impressive, which made it the perfect franchise to adapt. Thankfully,Netflix’sShadow and Bonealso excels at appealing to fans of the fantasy genre,and with only two seasons, the show is worth watching to see what makes it so compelling.
Like The Witcher, Shadow And Bone Was An Ambitious Fantasy Show Based On A Book
Shadow And Bone Successfully Adapted Its Fantastic Source Material
Based on the book trilogy by author Leigh Bardugo,Shadow and Boneinitially premiered on Netflix in 2021, signaling the start of a new saga that was planned for three seasons, as well as spinoffs based on the other books inLeigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse.The show follows Alina Starkov, played wonderfully by Jessie Mei Li, an orphan and former cartographer who discovers that she is a rare Sun Summoner,who can help shape the future of Ravka, alongside Ben Barnes' General Aleksander Kirigan, a Shadow Summoner.
Alongside the main plot that follows theShadow and Bonetrilogy, the series also adapted some elements of theSix of Crowsduology, though this was mostly the characters from those novels instead of the stories themselves. As a result,Shadow and Bonewas an ambitious adaptation of a fantastic book franchise that did more things right than it did wrongand is one of the best fantasy shows produced by Netflix.
If You Liked Netflix’s Take On The Witcher Universe, You’re Likely To Enjoy Shadow And Bone
Both Shows Approach Their Worlds In Engaging Ways
The Witcherwas an instant hit when it first premiered on Netflix, but began to stumble during its run, eventually losing Henry Cavill as Geralt and replacing him with Liam Hemsworth heading into the show’s fourth and fifth seasons, which will also be the end of the series overall. Despite that,The Witcherand the way Netflix approached adapting its source material earned the popularity. Netflix’sShadow and Boneis similar in many respects,expanding on the existing material in surprising ways.
One advantageThe Witcherhas overShadow and Boneis that the show will run for five seasons, allowing for more storylines to play out than whatShadow and Bonewas afforded.
Shadow and Boneremains closer to its source material thanThe Witcherdoes, but both series really excel at adapting the atmosphere of their franchises,with stunning production values across the board, and interesting world-building that is always engaging. One of the best aspects of fantasy as a genre is indeed the fantastical worlds andShadow and Bonethrives in that regard, feeling unlike any other fantasy adaptations on TV despite dipping into the trusted tropes from time to time.
Shadow And Bone Was Unfortunately Canceled By Netflix After Two Seasons
Netflix Felt The Viewership Wasn’t Worth The Cost
While the series had an engaging premise and enjoyed critical success during its first two seasons,Netflix canceledShadow and Bone, deciding that the combination of viewership numbers in relation to the cost of making the series wasn’t worth continuing. Canceling shows early has been an unfortunate side effect of the streaming era and Netflix seems willing to do it without hesitation if they don’t believe a show is worth producing anymore. Unfortunately,the plans forShadow and Bone’s season 3 and beyond never came to fruition.
Canceling shows early has been an unfortunate side effect of the streaming era and Netflix seems willing to do it without hesitation if they don’t believe a show is worth producing anymore.
While it is sad that fans will likely never see a third season ofShadow and Boneor the potentialSix of Crowsspinoff, the series itself ends on a rather satisfying note. Most of the main plotlines were resolved, but some new threats emerged at the very end to tease what was to come. Despite that, it doesn’t necessarily feel incomplete when watching the show’s two seasons, makingShadow and Bonethe perfect series to watch for fans ofThe Witcher, or even just fantasy fans in general.
Shadow and Bone
Cast
Shadow and Bone is a fantasy series set in a world divided by a barrier of darkness. Released on July 13, 2025, it follows a young soldier who discovers a unique power that could reunite her country amid a backdrop of scheming forces, including thugs, thieves, and assassins.
The Witcher
The Witcher, released in 2019, follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter navigating a turbulent world where humanity’s darker nature often eclipses the monstrous.
