Fantasy fans who are looking for something new would do well to check outGalavant, an underrated two-season series with an 89% onRotten Tomatoes. Even if they’renot for everyone, fantasy TV showsare never going anywhere. There’s literally an endless range of ideas to explore in fantasy by the very nature of the genre. However, because there are so many fantasy TV shows, it can be hard to sift through the vast number of series to find something actually worth watching. An issue, becausefantasy has a low floor along with its high ceiling.
While there are some amazing fantasy TV shows, there are also plenty that make it hard to get through even one episode. The suspension of disbelief aspect of fantasy requires viewers to accept the impossible, and if that suspension is broken, the results can be confusing at best, and embarrassing at worst. There’s one show that takes advantage of the more goofy, awkward side of fantasy, which is a side you have to admit you’ve either reveled in or abided in a favorite show at least once, and it only takes 18 episodes to get through.
Galavant Is A Criminally Underrated Fantasy Musical Show
Galavant Was Composed By Alan Menken And Ran For Two Seasons
Galavantis a musical fantasy comedy that premiered in January 2015 on ABC, with its second and final season premiering in January 2016. Joshua Sasse stars as Sir Gary Galavant, a down-on-his-luck, though dashing, knight who sets out with his retinue of heroes to restore his reputation, which was tarnished by the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson). Along the way, he and his troop encounter all manner of fairytale creatures, monsters, and characters and sing their way through songs composed by thegreat Disney composer, Alan Menken.
The series also stars Vinnie Jones, Mallory Jansen, Karen David, and Luke Youngblood. There are also some notable cameos and appearances by the likes of “Weird Al” Yankovic, John Stamos, Ricky Gervais, Matt Lucas, and Nick Frost, each of whom provides their own singing talents to the series. While there seemed to be more stories to tell at the end of season 2, the show has a satisfying conclusion. A mashup ofGlee,The Princess Bride, andRobin Hood: Men in Tights,Galavantis a campy, tongue-in-cheek romp with something for everyone.
Galavant Is A Hilariously Meta Love Letter To The Fantasy Genre
Fantasy Tropes Are Teased And Picked Apart In The Series
The creator ofGalavant, Dan Fogelman, who shortly after went on to createThis Is Us, clearly has a lot of love for the fantasy genre, and whilethe series sends up a lot of the tropes of fantasy, it’s clearly coming from a place of love. It’s a love letter to the genre, with wicked kings, valiant heroes, magicians, fortune tellers, and a village of “very short giants”.Galavantis an exciting adventure to rescue a damsel in distress, but along the way, Galavant encounters plenty of side stories ripped right from the annals of fairy tales and folklore.
It’s cheeky and rambunctious, with some similarities toMonty Python and the Holy Grail.
The half-hour format of the show makes sure the songs never feel like too much of a time sinkand utilizes the setting and characters extremely well. It’s cheeky and rambunctious, with some similarities toMonty Python and the Holy Grail. Tropes of the genre are often pointed out,characters frequently break the fourth wall, and the modern era is often referenced, despite the magical medieval setting. Other contemporary fantasy TV shows are referenced in universe as well, such asGame of Thrones. It’s a fantasy satire that fantasy nerds will enjoy most of all.
Why Galavant Ended After 2 Seasons
Galavant’s Ratings Kept Sliding
Sadly,Galavantwas canceled a few months after the season 2 finale, bringing an end to the fantasy satire musical comedy. After initial worries thatGalavantwould be canceled after season 1, the show was renewed (viaTVByTheNumbers). However, the good times wouldn’t last, andABC later decided to axe the show after overall ratings declined, with the show only averaging 3.1 million viewers and only 0.9 million viewers among adults 18-49 (viaEW).
Alan Menken suggested that the show could be brought to the stage, saying (viaIndieWire),
“There are people in theatrical circles who think that young audiences in colleges and community theater will [go for this] over time. So we have to figure out a way of bringing this [Galavant] to the stage. That’s where it is now. I look at my experience on ‘Newsies’ which was a hideous flop, and 20 years later it’s beyond a cult classic and that led to it becoming a [Tony Award-winning] Broadway show.”
That statement was made back in 2016, and there’s been no movement on a stage adaptation since.Galavantended its run with one nomination at the 2016 Emmys in the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category. It also leaves a legacy as a unique and delightful show that’s worth checking out for any fantasy fan.
