Summary
- Buffy The Vampire Slayer resonated with viewers for its powerful female lead and connection to the occult.
- For a period-flair alternative, Salem offers a darker witchy experience set during the infamous witch trials.
- Fans of dark humor and the occult will enjoy What We Do In The Shadows, a comedic take on vampire life.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer was one of the biggest shows of the 1990s, and its popularity carried it into the 21st century as it evolved into a successful franchise. The original movie that prompted the creation of the series was released in 1992 and already had a solid fanbase, which is another reason it was so popular.
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The show resonates with viewers for many reasons, one of the main ones being the powerful and resourceful female lead, but other features were also important. The show’s connection to the occult was part of the trend during this era, and plenty of other shows have the same elements for those who love Buffy.
7
Salem
Another Kind Of Witch
For those looking for something like Buffy but with more period flair and Gothic romance, there’s Salem, which takes place in that famous city that hosted the infamous witch trials. The main character is a powerful witch named Mary Sibley, played by Janet Montgomery, and instead of being a victim of local circumstances, she’s the one in control of them. Mary has a few wyrd sisters to help her but she also has to dodge the local clergy and the friendly neighborhood witch hunter.
Mary’s specialty is black magic, which means what medieval alarmists envisioned regarding witches and devil worship. Her manipulation of the witch trials is actually part of her plan to summon the Devil, but her plans are halted by an old flame returning to town.
6
What We Do In The Shadows
The Nightly Lives of Vampires
Imagine being the vampire instead of the person hunting them. Being a bloodsucking immortal isn’t glamorous or exciting, as Anne Rice or Bram Stoker would have you believe. What We Do In The Shadows is a series that combines comedy, horror, and mockumentary like the 2014 Taika Waititi movie on which it’s based, and it’s great for a few laughs along with a familiar occult aesthetic.
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The series includes several vampires, some of which are the traditional variety that suck blood, but modern society also has energy vampires, which fit in with the mythological kind really well. The show is about how these ancient, immortal beings deal with contemporary society along with the occasional visit from other supernatural beings.
5
Charmed
The Power Of Three
The Halliwell sisters are three of the most powerful witches the world has ever known, and they use their powers for good instead of evil. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are the three Charmed Ones, and they protect humanity by fighting malevolent supernatural forces, such as demons and warlocks.
There’s also a superhero element to this show because it takes place in modern times and the three main characters have to keep their identities as powerful witches a secret. Events in the series draw in local law enforcement, including the FBI at one point, which is yet another obstacle the Charmed Ones must avoid.
4
Xena: Warrior Princess
An Iconic Girl Boss
Xena: Warrior Princess
- Release Date
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1995 – 2000
- Network
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NBC
- Showrunner
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Sam Raimi
An interesting take on the concept of the ancient world on film, Xena: Warrior Princess is an interesting combination of peplum flick, action drama, and dark fantasy. The show wasn’t alone, either; it was a spinoff of the equally popular and similarly-themed Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
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Sam Raimi was part of the writing and development team of Xena, with Robert Tapert and R. J. Stewart taking care of production. The main idea behind the story was one of redemption as the main character used her fighting prowess to protect the innocent instead of killing them and looting their villages.
3
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
An Adaptation Of The Popular Novels
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
- Release Date
-
September 27, 1996
Based on a vintage cartoon that was in turn based on a classic comic book from the 1970s, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, a series that was part of the Archie comic franchise. The show shared a universe with other ABC network sitcoms that were running back in the 1990s and there were the occasional crossovers with shows like Boy Meets World and the Happy Days reboot.
Unlike her comic book counterpart, who was born understanding her powers, Sabrina in the TV show only discovers she’s a witch on her 16th birthday. Her 600-year-old aunts Hilda and Zelda are the other main characters in the show and act as her guides and mentors as she learns more about how to be a witch.
2
The X-Files
Experimental TV With An Occult Twist
The X-Files
- Release Date
-
1993 – 2017
- Network
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FOX
A mix of the occult, two ideologically opposed leads, and a gritty location and filming style made The X-Files one of the biggest sleeper hits of the 1990s. The adventures of Agents Mulder and Scully combined true crime with the occult and used the same techniques behind found footage and guerilla casting to create a show that would inspire others for decades.
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Other than the mysterious and sometimes funny and horrific cases the team was working on, which included the occult in the form of supernatural monsters as well as extraterrestrial threats. The main storyline was about aliens, but Scully and Mulder faced everything from ghosts to the chupacabra along with the threat of the Smoking Man and his clandestine allies.
1
Dune: Prophecy
A Sisterhood From The Future
Members of the Bene Gesserit Order of the Dune franchise are often referred to as “witches” and Frank Herbert also said as much in his literary masterpiece. This HBO series explores their earliest incarnation, which existed about 8000 years before the Denis Villeneuve adaptations. The order was called the Sisterhood and shunned both political opportunism and thinking machines.
The arrival of two sisters representing House Harkonnen, Valya and Tula, changes the neutral and benign face of the order. Not only does Valya bring the concept of the Voice to their teachings but she also rises through the ranks to be Mother Superior with less than moral means, while her meek sister uses subterfuge and poison to wipe out almost every single male member of the Atreides clan.