WhatNext TV recommendations

Shows Like Xena: Warrior Princess

If Xena: Warrior Princess worked for you because of its big ideas, mystery, and long-form payoff, start with Merlin, Penny Dreadful, and Charmed. The list leans toward sci-fi & fantasy and drama stories with a similar sense of concept-heavy storytelling. It prioritises shared tone and story shape rather than relying on broad genre matching alone.

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15 recommendationsStart with Merlin, Penny Dreadful, Charmed

Recommendations tuned for fans of Xena: Warrior Princess

Audience fit

Why Xena: Warrior Princess fans may like these shows

If you enjoyed Xena: Warrior Princess, try Merlin, Penny Dreadful, and Charmed. These recommendations focus on sci-fi & fantasy and drama shows that share mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a similar storytelling rhythm.

Ranked recommendations

The closest TV shows to watch after Xena: Warrior Princess

Each recommendation includes the reasoning behind the pick, so you can see why it may suit fans of Xena: Warrior Princess.

Merlin

Merlin is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. Shared genre fit: Action & Adventure, Drama, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Quality fallback: this title survived the same relevance and quality filters as the main recommendations. In practical terms, The unlikely friendship between Merlin, a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers, and Prince Arthur, heir to the crown of Camelot.

Penny Dreadful

Penny Dreadful is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. 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, Some of literature's most terrifying characters, including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, and iconic figures from the novel Dracula are lurking in the darkest corners of Victorian London. Penny Dreadful is a…

Charmed

Charmed is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. 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…

The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. Shared genre fit: Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and Drama Recommendation graph signal: this title appears close to the anchor show in recommendation data. In practical terms, Warrior Odysseus leaves his idyllic life in the kingdom of Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War. Following victory, he now must endure a lengthy, decade-long return journey, and with all his wits, overcome deadly…

The Magicians

The Magicians is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. 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 Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, and Action & Adventure Quality fallback: this title survived the same relevance and quality filters as the main recommendations. 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…

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Drama Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, Magic and mischief collide as half-human, half-witch Sabrina navigates between two worlds: mortal teen life and her family's legacy, the Church of Night.

The Witcher

The Witcher is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. 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.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. Shared genre fit: Action & Adventure and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Quality fallback: this title survived the same relevance and quality filters as the main recommendations. 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…

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, and Action & Adventure Quality fallback: this title survived the same relevance and quality filters as the main recommendations. 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…

Carrie

Carrie is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. 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, After her father's sudden, untimely death thrusts her into the unforgiving ecosystem of public high school, Carrie is forced to navigate a viral bullying scandal that tears through her community, the relentless…

Angel

Angel is a strong follow-up to Xena: Warrior Princess because it offers mystery, world-building and payoff over time and a comparable sense of concept-heavy storytelling. Shared genre fit: Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Drama Story-shape signal: this title was selected because its themes and tone are a close fit. In practical terms, The vampire Angel, cursed with a soul, moves to Los Angeles and aids people with supernatural-related problems while questing for his own redemption. A spin-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

What makes a good show like Xena: Warrior Princess?

A good replacement for Xena: Warrior Princess is not just another show in the same broad genre. The best matches keep the parts viewers remember most: big ideas, mystery, and long-form payoff, a atmospheric atmosphere and concept-heavy storytelling. 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 Merlin, Penny Dreadful, and Charmed because the list balances similarity, quality and viewer behaviour. For best results, choose the recommendation that matches the part of Xena: Warrior Princess you liked most: tone, characters, setting, mystery, tension or long-form payoff.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Which shows scratch the same itch as Xena: Warrior Princess?

These are not just similar on genre. They were chosen because they offer a related mix of mystery, world-building and long-form payoff for viewers who connected with Xena: Warrior Princess.

What should I watch after Xena: Warrior Princess for more big-idea storytelling?

Merlin, Penny Dreadful, and Charmed are a good place to start if you want another series that unfolds gradually and rewards attention over time.

Are these recommendations more about mood or plot?

Usually both. The strongest matches tend to share atmosphere as well as structure, so the page does not just chase shows with similar premises.

How do I find more shows once I finish these?

Build up your favourites and ratings in WhatNext and the app can keep narrowing in on the sci-fi and fantasy shows that suit your taste best.

Keep exploring

Explore more recommendations

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