Sayak Basu
In 1982, directors Jim Henson and Frank Oz released their dark fantasy film, ‘The Dark Crystal’, which is set in the planet called Thra. The plot revolves around a character called Jen, who belongs to the species Gelfling. When Jen comes to know that Thra is under a massive threat due to the magical Dark Crystal suffering damage, he takes it upon himself to bring stability back to the planet. The film, despite not being that successful upon its initial release, managed to garner a strong cult following over the years.
Netflix’s original series, ‘The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance‘ takes us to a point of time in the history of Thra before the events of the film transpired, and focuses on the adventures of three other Gelflings – Rian, Brea and Deet. They come to know that the species of creatures known as the Skeksis have taken control of mystical powers which might cause excessive damage to the planet if left unchecked. Thus, to prevent this from happening, Rian, Brea, and Deet travel across the planet explaining to the other inhabitants why it is important to fight against this injustice.
Puppet animation is something we do not get to see often on television these days, and it is a welcome sign that Netflix is bringing back this form of animation to the mainstream arena once again. If you enjoyed watching this show and are looking for similar titles, then you have arrived at the right place. Here’s the list of best shows similar to ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ that are our recommendations. You can watch several of these series like ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.
7. Attack On Titans (2013-)
Japanese anime series, ‘Attack On Titans’ is set in a realm where giant creatures called Titans have taken over the world by eating up most of the humans. They are so large and powerful that humans could not do much about it when these Titans decided to conquer all of the earth. The few who remain stay in a walled city which has proved to be difficult for these Titans to climb. But one day even this safety goes for a toss as the Titans manage to break into this city. When siblings Eren and Mikasa witness their mother being eaten alive by these monsters, Eren promises to himself that he will kill each and every one of these Titans. ‘Attack On Titans’ is one of the most popular anime shows in the world today. The show has also used direct political connotations in the story, describing how vulnerable children might feel in the modern world.
6. Tales From The Cryptkeeper (1993-1999)
A children’s animated horror show, ‘Tales From The Cryptkeeper’ is an anthology series where the eponymous central character tells many different stories involving the supernatural. In the later seasons, self-aware humor is also weaved into the narrative by the introduction of characters like the Vault-Keeper and the Old Witch. Besides the stories the Cryptkeeper tells, the show also focuses on different aspects of his own life. ‘Tales From The Cryptkeeper’ is actually a comic book which started publication during the 1950s. The introduction of postmodern elements, along with a strong sense of humor is what makes ‘Tales From The Cryptkeeper’ a show for the ages.
5. Over The Garden Wall (2014)
Set in the strange and mysterious forest known as the Unknown, ‘Over The Garden Wall’ is a miniseries about two brothers and their adventures. Wirt and Greg are the siblings in question, and we meet them at a certain point of time when they have lost their way in the forest of Unknown. Along with them, they have an elderly person called the Woodman, and a bluebird called Beatrice, who is in search of a woman called Adelaide. Beatrice is of the firm opinion that this lady can show the brothers their way home. There is one major threat which might cause severe problems for Wirt and Greg – a monstrous creature called the Beast which turns lost souls inside the forest into trees. The makers have brilliantly created this dreamscape called the Unknown where such strange events unfold and magical creatures roam around.
4. Count Duckula (1988-1993)
Created as a spinoff of the series ‘Danger Mouse’, ‘Count Duckula’ is a series about the eponymous character who is the latest in line of a dynasty of vampires and is the only one who is a vegetarian. But this dynasty progresses in an interesting manner. Each vampire dies to give birth to the new one, and the new vampire does not, in any way, have any character traits or memories of the previous one. However, after the death of a particular vampire, there are certain ingredients required for the resurrection of the new one, and among them are a few drops of blood. However, no blood could be procured during the resurrection of Count Duckula, and ketchup was used instead. This resulted in our leading character ending up as a vegetarian vampire. ‘Count Duckula’ is one of the best comedy horror shows for kids. What stands out in this ITV series is its meticulous attention to detail, which only goes on to increase the humor quotient of the series.
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3. Dark Shadows (1966-1971)
Soap operas were slowly getting popular in the 1960s when ‘Dark Shadows’ first started airing on ABC. The series was distinct from others belonging to the same genre in terms of mood and settings and naturally found a place in the hearts of the audiences fairly quickly. The series centers around the Collins family and the numerous supernatural beings that haunt them continuously. The story of ‘Dark Shadows’ begins after Victoria Winters, a hired governess, arrives at the Collins’ house. And it is through Winters’ perspective that we see many of the events in the Collins household unfold. The series, along with ‘Addams Family’, made horror-comedy a rather popular television genre. The influence of ‘Dark Shadows’ has been massive on pop culture, and the show itself was revived back in 1991 on NBC, and in 2012, a film version of ‘Dark Shadows’ released, starring Johnny Depp.
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2. Castlevania (2017-)
‘Castlevania‘ is a reimagined tale of the famous character, Count Dracula created by Bram Stoker. The story chronicles the tussle between Count Dracula and the people of Wallachia after the latter burned the Count’s wife at the stake, accusing her of practicing witchcraft. Infuriated, the Count promises that the entire city will have to pay for this crime. The series is inspired by the video game of the same name. The visuals we see in ‘Castlevania’ are mind-blowing, to say the least. Besides using all the tropes we usually associate with vampires, the series also keeps its absurdist and humorous tone alive. This is one of the main reasons why the series received massive attention.
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1. Bunnicula (2016-2018)
The children’s book series of the same name by James and Deborah Howe is the inspiration behind this Warner Bros. animated series. The central character of ‘Bunnicula’ is a girl named Mina Monroe. The story begins at a time when Mina has shifted to New Orleans with her father. Mina remembers that her aunt had given her a key to a cellar in the apartment where they are currently living. On opening the cellar, Mina discovers a vampire bunny rabbit inside it. However, this bunny is not like the usual blood-sucking vampire, but instead loves a carrot way more than it loves sucking blood. The series chronicles the numerous adventures undertaken by Mina, Bunnicula, and Chet, Mina’s pet cat. The series is a fine blend of comedy and paranormal activity, using the tropes we usually see in both these genres.
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