Even five years post-cancellation, Netflix enthusiasts continue to marvel at an acclaimed fantasy series often compared to Game of Thrones.
Fans frequently experience the disappointment of becoming engrossed in a promising Netflix series, only for it to be discontinued before it fully blossoms.
Nonetheless, followers of this ‘perfect’ TV spectacle still rank it among their top three favorite shows of all time.
With the prolonged anticipation for the next novel in George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones saga, this 10-episode fantasy series might serve as a temporary balm.
The fantasy drama explores the origins of Thra’s enigmatic world—a vibrant planet governed by the malevolent Skeksis.
It narrates the journey of three young Gelflings—Rian (voiced by Taron Egerton), Brea (Anya Taylor-Joy), and Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel)—as they uncover the Skeksis’ sinister secret and endeavor to rally the fragmented Gelfling tribes for a rebellion.
The series employs puppetry to vividly portray the elaborate realm of Thra, with critics likening its complexity and grandeur to that of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
The show’s star-studded cast features luminaries such as Mark Hamill from Star Wars, Jason Isaacs from The White Lotus, and Helena Bonham Carter from The Velveteen Rabbit, with narration by Sigourney Weaver.
The series in question is The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, a prequel to Jim Henson’s 1982 fantasy film, The Dark Crystal.
Wired praised the series as ‘a worthy successor to Game of Thrones’, describing it as ‘one of the most radical and political shows you’ll watch all year’, tackling themes of power, dominance, and resistance much like the renowned HBO series.
Despite securing an Emmy and achieving a 94 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the series was unfortunately canceled in 2020.
Speculation suggests that Netflix executives cited high production costs as the reason for cancellation, although fans continue to believe the series merits greater acclaim.
On the R/Netflix subreddit, a user inquired about everyone’s top three all-time favorite series.
Listing Dark, Stranger Things, and Money Heist as their personal picks, the user expressed a desire to find an ‘underrated gem’ they might have missed.
Among many prominent Netflix series, Dark Crystal stood out, and fellow Reddit users appreciated seeing it included in someone’s top three.
“Dark Crystal was criminally underrated. I was so bummed we didn’t get a second season,” one user remarked.
“Dark Crystal has been one of my favorite movies since I was like 7 years old. The joy the show brought me as a 39-year-old cannot be exaggerated,” another commented. “The show itself was perfection, thought for SURE it would get a second season.”
They continued: “I thought it was really exceptional. It seemed to do pretty well, but ultimately I guess it was too expensive and time-consuming. Broke my heart.”
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is currently available for streaming on Netflix.