Magical realism can be one of the trickiest things to pull off on a TV show, but when it can be used successfully, it's one of the most interesting devices in media. Magical realism, which adds magical or fantasy elements to an otherwise realistic or grounded story, doesn't always work for viewers. Some are looking for an entirely realistic experience on screen, while others may not mesh with the elements of fantasy that are added into the story, but some magical realism can work for any audience. When used well, the device can tie together loose ends or accentuate meaning. While there are many shows that wouldn't benefit from a dose of magical realism, the ones that are able to successfully incorporate it into the foundation of their stories typically find it to be positive. Shows that are able to use magical realism to add a layer of surrealism to their story often find that they make their thematic points more easily, telling their stories in a layered way rather than using one note. The bonus, as well, is that magical realism adds a sense of memorability to the shows that choose to invest in weaving it into their fabric. 10 Pushing Daisies Although it was short-lived, ABC's Pushing Daisies was one of the most interesting uses of magical realism in modern TV history. The series, created by Bryan Fuller, sees baker Ned (Lee Pace) with the ability to bring people back from the dead with just a touch. The catch, unfortunately, is that Ned can only touch those he revives once. Pairing him with private investigator Emerson Cod (Chi McBride), Lee's interpersonal stories often trump the cases he helps work on. With whimsical supernatural elements throughout Pushing Daisies, the series takes a storybook tone and uses its magical realism to the fullest. 9 The House Of The Spirits Adapted from the Spanish language novel by Isabel Allende, The House Of The Spirits is a Prime Video original that attempts to weave the long-sweeping story of the Trueba family. Pulling from a sense of Latin American magical realism, which is an often-used device in novels by Spanish language authors, The House Of The Spirits sees the family through war and political upheaval. Their stories include moments of clairvoyance, telekinesis, and experiences with ghosts that are natural occurrences, playing into the general narrative rather than defining it. A newer entry, the series has found its footing throughout its first season. - Release Date - April 29, 2026 - Network - Prime Video - Writers - Isabel Allende - Cast - Alfonso Herrera, Nicole Wallace, Dolores Fonzi, Fernanda Castillo, Aline Kupenheim, Eduard Fernández, Sara Becker, Fernanda Urrejola, Rocío Hernández, Juan Pablo Raba, Pablo Macaya, Nicolás Francella, Antonia Zegers, Amparo Noguera, Catalina Saavedra, Pedro Fontaine, Chiara Parravicini - Creator(s) - Francisca Alegría, Fernanda Urrejola 8 The Leftovers A post-apocalyptic story that adapts Tom Perrotta's novel of the same name, The Leftovers follows a group of people trying to rebuild their lives after the sudden disappearance of 2% of the global population. While The Leftovers never comes to explain what happened to those who disappeared, it allows the event to ambiguously shape what happens to those who are left to come to grips with their loss. The Sudden Departure in itself is magical realism, asking the characters to live in a world they have to treat it as a normal part of their life, rather than a fantasy. 7 One Hundred Years Of Solitude One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Netflix's wonderful adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s novel, follows multiple generations of a family through their lives in the fictional town of Macondo. As one of the most pointed-to works that uses magical realism, the series took painstaking care to ensure that its story was built around a sense of normalcy, no matter how extraordinary things got. One Hundred Years Of Solitude brings ghosts, memory-bending, and surreal phenomena into a maddeningly cyclical story as the family deals with war, conflict, and political upheaval through generations. With a distinct point of view, the series is phenomenal. 6 Dollface A series that follows a group of women facing their thirties feeling unmoored and far away from what they expected, Dollface blends a mundane and emotionally fraught world with a sense of magical realism for its main character, Jules (Kat Dennings). The Hulu original sees Jules trying to rebuild her friendships after a breakup, only to realize how much of her life revolved around her ex-boyfriend. Using surreal imagery and the aptly named Cat Lady (Beth Grant) to drive home Jules' internal clash, Dollface is able to blend Jules' chaotic inner and outer lives in a distinct, clear, fascinating way. 5 Reservation Dogs A Hulu series, Reservation Dogs explored a group of Indigenous friends who grow up together on an Oklahoma reservation as they deal with grief, crime, and dreams of leaving home. Using magical realism in a variety of ways, the show grounds itself in a gritty sense of reality in order to make the more magical elements pop when they do come to pass. Whether using magical realism in moments of spiritual visitations or through a surreal sense of horror, Reservation Dogs does its best work when it's bending itself into a space that's just outside the boundaries of reality. 4 Lost Beginning as a story about the survivors of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815, Lost subverts expectations when it leans into the supernatural. A series from J. J. Abrams that quickly took over the world's attention, Lost sees the survivors stranded on a mysterious island, but what seems vaguely normal quickly turns into a story with deeply-rooted mythology that viewers aren't immediately privy to. Blending reality and surrealism, Lost sees its characters struck by prophetic visions, apparitions, and other seemingly impossible events throughout the course of the series. It's lean into magical realism is what makes Lost stand out from the crowd. - Directors - Jack Bender, Paul A. Edwards, Tucker Gates, Eric Laneuville, Bobby Roth, Greg Yaitanes, Daniel Attias, J.J. Abrams, Karen Gaviola, Kevin Hooks, Rod Holcomb, Stephen Semel, Adam Davidson, Alan Taylor, David Grossman, Deran Sarafian, Fred Toye, Mario Van Peebles, Marita Grabiak, Mark Goldman, Matt Earl Beesley, Michael Zinberg, Paris Barclay, Robert Mandel - Writers - Jim Galasso, Christina M. Kim, Graham Roland, Kyle Pennington, Brent Fletcher, Dawn Lambertsen Kelly, Janet Tamaro, Jeffrey Lieber, Paul Dini, Jordan Rosenberg 3 Dark Winds A procedural at heart, Dark Winds follows Navajo Tribal Police officers as they investigate crimes in the American Southwest during the 1970s. A period piece and a series with specific Indigenous lore, the series typically revolves around Joe Leaporn (Zahn McClarnon) and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) as they investigate cases that bring Indigenous cosmology into play. The elements of magical realism within the story typically hit home big themes, like grief, and ensure that the show is leaning toward cultural continuity rather than straight-up fantasy magic. Using a strong sense of place, Dark Winds brings Navajo lore into its identity. - Directors - Michael Nankin - Writers - John Wirth, Steven Judd, Max Hurwitz, Rhiana Yazzie, Thomas Brady, DezBaa' - Creator(s) - Graham Roland 2 What We Do In The Shadows Based on the film of the same name, What We Do In The Shadows asks its audience to jump into a world of vampire roommates that live on Staten Island and navigate the complexities of modern-day life. While the series does lean into the fact that it's a supernatural comedy at heart, the elements of magical realism come into play quickly and push viewers to reconcile the reality of a world where vampires would be able to live among everyday people. Bringing vampire lore into the conversation, the series expertly blends horror myth and deadpan realism into an incredible package. - Directors - Kyle Newacheck, Jason Woliner, Jackie van Beek - Writers - Chris Marcil, Lauren Wells, Tom Scharpling, Rajat Suresh, Jeremy Levick, Max Brockman, Duncan Sarkies, Iain Morris, Josh Lieb, Aasia LaShay Bullock 1 Twin Peaks David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks is a series that begins as a murder mystery, but eventually spirals into something much more sinister and supernatural. The series, which begins with FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) coming to the small town of Twin Peaks to investigate a murder, sees its characters dealing with visions, prophetic dreams, and eventually, supernatural entities. The small town Americana setting mixed with its quiet characters lends itself to Twin Peaks' eventual push into the surreal, where it takes flight. One of TV's most powerful examples, Twin Peaks remains a gold standard of magical realism. - Directors - Lesli Linka Glatter, Caleb Deschanel, Duwayne Dunham, Tim Hunter, Todd Holland, Tina Rathborne, Diane Keaton, Graeme Clifford, James Foley, Jonathan Sanger, Mark Frost, Stephen Gyllenhaal