WhatNext TV recommendations

Shows Like Merlin

If Merlin worked for you because of its power plays, elite rivalry, and high-stakes ambition, start with Alchemy of Souls, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and The Magicians. The list leans toward sci-fi & fantasy and drama stories with a similar sense of status-driven drama. It prioritises shared tone and story shape rather than relying on broad genre matching alone.

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21 recommendationsStart with Alchemy of Souls, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Magicians

Recommendations tuned for fans of Merlin

Audience fit

Why Merlin fans may like these shows

If you enjoyed Merlin, try Alchemy of Souls, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and The Magicians. These recommendations focus on sci-fi & fantasy and drama shows that share power, money and strategic conflict and a similar storytelling rhythm.

Ranked recommendations

The closest TV shows to watch after Merlin

Each recommendation includes the reasoning behind the pick, so you can see why it may suit fans of Merlin.

Alchemy of Souls

Alchemy of Souls is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and Action & Adventure Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, She was named Naksu because wherever she went, a trail of heads followed. She performs the alchemy of souls, magic that can change people's bodies and souls, which is forbidden in Daeho, and ends up being chased. Naksu…

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Action & Adventure and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Recommendation graph signal: this title appears close to the anchor show in recommendation data. In practical terms, Beginning in a time of relative peace, we follow an ensemble cast of characters as they confront the re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of…

The Magicians

The Magicians is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Drama and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Recommendation graph signal: this title appears close to the anchor show in recommendation data. In practical terms, Brakebills University is a secret institution specializing in magic. There, amidst an unorthodox education of spellcasting, a group of twenty-something friends soon discover that a magical fantasy world they read about…

House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, and Action & Adventure Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, The Targaryen dynasty is at the absolute apex of its power, with more than 15 dragons under their yoke. Most empires crumble from such heights. In the case of the Targaryens, their slow fall begins when King Viserys…

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, and Action & Adventure Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected…

Legend of the Seeker

Legend of the Seeker is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, and Drama Quality fallback: this title survived the same relevance and quality filters as the main recommendations. In practical terms, The adventures of woodsman Richard Cypher, who discovers that he was born to fulfill a prophecy of becoming a guardian hero to oppressed people. With the help of a mysterious woman named Kahlan and a wise old wizard…

The Witcher

The Witcher is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Action & Adventure Quality fallback: this title survived the same relevance and quality filters as the main recommendations. In practical terms, Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster-hunter for hire, journeys toward his destiny in a turbulent world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.

Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Drama and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, There is a town in Maine where every story book character you've ever known is trapped between two worlds, victims of a powerful curse. Only one knows the truth and only one can break the spell.

Outlander

Outlander is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Drama and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, The story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to…

Stranger Things

Stranger Things is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Action & Adventure and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.

Smallville

Smallville is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, and Drama Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, The origins of the world’s greatest hero–from Krypton refugee Kal-el’s arrival on Earth through his tumultuous teen years to Clark Kent’s final steps toward embracing his destiny as the Man of Steel.

Charmed

Charmed is a strong follow-up to Merlin because it offers power, money and strategic conflict and a comparable sense of status-driven drama. Shared genre fit: Drama and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, Three sisters (Prue, Piper and Phoebe) reunite and unlock their powers to become the Charmed Ones, the most powerful good witches of all time, whose prophesied destiny is to protect innocent lives from evil beings such…

What makes a good show like Merlin?

A good replacement for Merlin is not just another show in the same broad genre. The best matches keep the parts viewers remember most: power plays, elite rivalry, and high-stakes ambition, a sharp and intense atmosphere and status-driven drama. That is why the ranking combines several signals before a title reaches the final list.

How these recommendations are chosen

Audience behaviour: Reddit-style co-mentions and pair signals help identify shows viewers naturally compare or recommend together. Recommendation graph: TMDB recommendation data helps identify titles that sit close to the anchor show. Story fit: genre overlap, semantic keywords and concept-specific guardrails reduce lazy matches that share only a surface-level category. Quality control: vote average, vote count, popularity and freshness checks help remove weak or low-confidence titles from public SEO pages.

Editor's verdict

The strongest starting point is Alchemy of Souls, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and The Magicians because the list balances similarity, quality and viewer behaviour. For best results, choose the recommendation that matches the part of Merlin you liked most: tone, characters, setting, mystery, tension or long-form payoff.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What should I watch after Merlin for more power and money drama?

Start with Alchemy of Souls, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and The Magicians if you want more ambition, strategic rivalry and high-status drama built around power plays rather than action spectacle.

Are these shows similar to Merlin because of finance alone?

No. The ranking looks beyond a business setting and favours series that share the same mix of pressure, status, ego and long-running conflict.

Why do fans of Merlin often end up watching these next?

They usually respond to power plays, elite rivalry, and high-stakes ambition, so the page prioritises series that recreate that feeling instead of just matching on industry keywords.

How can I get more recommendations like Merlin?

Save a few favourites in WhatNext, add shows to your watchlist and rate what you have already seen so future recommendations line up more closely with your taste.

Keep exploring

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