10 Hugely Underrated Fantasy TV Shows From The Last Decade

4. The Returned (2012-present)

The Returned has been critically lauded and won an International Emmy for best drama, so it's hardly underrated in that respect, but as a subtitled French import on the Sundance Channel it isn't exactly a ratings hit.

It should be challenging the best scripted shows on cable television, but was marketed misleadingly as a similar beast to The Walking Dead, when in fact it initially borrows far more from the fantasy horror sub-genre than zombie lore. Titled Les Revenants in France, the series explores a small town's reaction to the return of their long dead loved ones.

It is the antithesis of sword and sorcery epics, focusing instead on the ramifications of the reappearances on the living and stretching its premise to breaking point. There's also an evocative and eerie soundtrack courtesy of Scottish band Mogwai which complements the series perfectly. The show is a great way to convert those who "don't like fantasy", as it's a stellar example of the genre's flexibility.