In the past, we’ve featured various TV shows that showcase supernatural beings like elves, fairies, vampires, magic, and werewolves, among others. This time, we’re delving into the world of witchcraft and folklore.
Witches are among the few supernatural creatures that have a real-life history. The Salem witch trials in the late 1600s are a prime example of this. Even today, there are still those who practice modern-day witchcraft, although it’s more focused on honoring nature and the Earth rather than the magical spell-casting we often see in fiction.
Witchcraft has always been an integral part of human experience, whether in reality or fantasy. This is evident in the TV shows that we watch, which often explore the mystical world of witches and magic.
List Of TV Shows About Witches And Magic On Netflix, OTT
Legacies, The CW (2018 – 2022)
The world of The Vampire Diaries has expanded with two spinoffs: The Originals and now Legacies. While the first two series primarily focused on the relationship between vampires and werewolves, Legacies stands out for its inclusion of witch folklore and other mystical creatures.
Legacies revolve around Hope Mikaelson, a teenage orphan who is the daughter of Hayley Marshall and Klaus Mikaelson from the original series. She comes from a line of powerful vampires, werewolves, and witches, making her a direct descendant of all three bloodlines.
Due to her unique heritage, Hope is enrolled at the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. Here, she and other supernatural students learn how to control their abilities and navigate the challenges that come with their powers.
Where to watch Legacies:
Prime Video
Apple TV
Netflix
A Discovery of Witches, SkyOne (2018 – 2022)
SkyOne’s A Discovery of Witches, based on Deborah Harkness’ novel of the same name, introduces a world where supernatural beings, such as vampires, daemons, and witches, coexist with humans without their knowledge.
The story revolves around Diana Bishop, a clever historian who has denied her identity as a witch. However, her life changes when she stumbles upon an enchanted manuscript at the Bodleian Library.
To uncover the manuscript’s secrets and protect them from evil forces, Diana teams up with a geneticist named Matthew Clairmont, who happens to be a vampire. In season 2, they travel back in time to the 16th century to escape persecution and further explore the manuscript’s mysteries. Finally, season 3 brings the trilogy to a close, revealing how Matthew and Diana’s love story concludes.
Where to watch A Discovery of Witches, SkyOne:
Prime Video
AMC.com
AMC+
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, AMC (2023 – present)
When it comes to TV shows centered on witches and based on novels, one cannot forget about the newest addition to this list – AMC’s Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches. This series is based on Anne Rice’s trilogy “Lives of the Mayfair Witches” and follows the story of Rowan Fielding (played by Alexandra Daddario), a San Francisco pediatric neurosurgeon who unexpectedly discovers that she’s the heir to a lineage of powerful witches. With newfound powers, Rowan must navigate her way through learning to control them while also dealing with the malevolent spirit that has plagued the Mayfair witches for generations.
Where to watch Mayfair Witches:
Prime Video
AMC.com
AMC+
Charmed, The WB (1998 – 2006)
The CW’s reboot of “Charmed,” which has been renewed for its fourth season, is a testament to the show’s enduring influence on popular culture. The new version introduces sisters Mel and Maggie, who live with their mother, a witch unbeknownst to them. When their mother is killed by an unknown force, they discover their older half-sister, Macy, and reunite under one roof. With the help of their advisor, Whitelighter Harry Greenwood, the sisters activate their magical powers and gradually learn to control them, ultimately accepting their destiny as The Charmed Ones.
Where to watch Charmed:
Prime Video
Apple TV
Netflix
WandaVision, Disney+ (2021)
WandaVision, a miniseries by Marvel and Disney, is a true testament to cinematic excellence. It seamlessly integrates into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and serves as the starting point for Phase Four, leading up to the next Doctor Strange film.
The series brilliantly portrays Wanda Maximoff, the witch, and Vision as they navigate their seemingly perfect life in New Jersey while concealing their identities after the events in Avengers: Endgame. Each episode is set in a different decade, with events unfolding through popular sitcom tropes of the era.
As the series progresses, the couple begins to realize that their surroundings are not what they seem, leading to a gripping storyline.
Where to watch WandaVision:
Disney+
Apple TV
Sabrina the Teenage Witch, ABC/The WB (1996 – 2003)
Like Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch is another 90s classic that would almost immediately come to mind when talking about witchy TV shows.
Sabrina Spellman is the protagonist of the series, she appears to be an ordinary American teenager until she turns 16 and realizes that her life is far from normal.
She discovers that she is a witch, and her 600-year-old aunts, Hilda and Zelda, along with their talking black cat Salem, take on the responsibility of teaching her about the magical world.
The show focuses on Sabrina’s journey as she learns more about her magical abilities while navigating the challenges of teenage life in Boston, leading to various obstacles and mishaps along the way.
Where to watch Sabrina the Teenage Witch:
Prime Video
Apple TV
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Netflix (2018 – 2020)
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, also based on the character Sabrina Spellman from the Archie comics, takes a darker and spookier approach compared to its predecessor on this list, Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
The series follows Sabrina as she reaches the crucial age of sixteen and must choose between her human life and the darkly magical world she was born into. As she embarks on her magical education, Sabrina relies on the support of her friends, both human and witch, and family to combat the evil forces rooted in satanic beliefs.
Where to watch Chilling Adventures of Sabrina:
Netflix
Witches of East End, Lifetime (2013 – 2014)
Many shows about supernatural beings have a common theme where the main character discovers their abilities after a pivotal event in their life. This event either awakens their dormant powers or simply makes them aware of their existence.
Lifetime’s Witches of East End follows sisters Freya and Ingrid Beauchamp, who are kept in the dark by their mother to protect them from their tragic fate of dying young in their past lives. When the sisters finally develop their powers, they use them to prevent a vengeful witch and shapeshifter from wreaking havoc in their lives and that of their mother’s.
Where to watch Witches of East End:
Prime Video
Apple TV
Good Witch, Hallmark Channel (2015 – 2021)
Good Witch, a series by Hallmark, differs from the previous shows on this list in that it’s a continuation of seven movies released between 2008 and 2014, rather than a spinoff or adaptation of popular novels.
The series begins where the last movie left off and follows the life of Cassie Nightingale, the titular “good witch”. At the beginning of the series, Cassie is a newly widowed single mother living in the fictional town of Middleton with her teenage daughter, Grace. As the series progresses, more of the town’s residents become involved, including the Nightingales’ new neighbors, the Radfords.
Where to watch Good Witch:
Prime Video
Apple TV
Netflix