There is no denying that the Harry Potter film franchise brought the Wizarding World to life with incredible atmosphere and detail. From the moment moviegoers saw Hogwarts light up the screen, millions of fans wished they would receive their own magical acceptance letter in the mail.
But as beloved as that universe is, movie runtimes are notoriously limited. With Warner Bros. preparing to reboot the franchise as an HBO series to better explore the books, fans online are pointing out that television has already mastered the art of deep, immersive storytelling.
In fact, social media is buzzing over several iconic TV shows that put the worldbuilding of Harry Potter to shame. From deep-space politics to animated masterpieces, these five series are being hailed by fans on TikTok, X, and Reddit as the absolute gold standards of lore.
‘Game of Thrones’ (-)
When it comes to fantasy, the most obvious comparison to Harry Potter is the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. While Harry Potter offers a charming, low-fantasy playground, the world George R.R. Martin created is a masterclass in dense, complex mythology.
Despite the controversy surrounding the show’s final season, Game of Thrones spent years successfully tracking dozens of characters, political schemes, and shifting alliances. Thanks to immaculate production design and stellar visual effects, the series managed to translate thousands of pages of history into digestible, thrilling television without ever feeling bogged down by boring exposition.
‘The Expanse’ (-)
For sci-fi lovers, The Expanse represents the absolute peak of futuristic worldbuilding. Based on the novels by James S.A. Corey, the series explores a fractured solar system where humanity has colonized space, leading to an intense cold war between Earth, Mars, and the working-class citizens of the Asteroid Belt.
The attention to detail in this series is so intense that creators even developed a fully functional fictional language, Belter Creole, for the show. Combined with a stunning visual title sequence that explains decades of fictional history in mere seconds, this show proves how to build a believable, lived-in universe.
‘Star Trek’ (-Present)
You cannot talk about worldbuilding without paying respect to the franchise that practically invented it. Across twelve television series and numerous films, Gene Roddenberry’s creation has given pop culture entire civilizations, languages, and technologies to obsess over.
Whether you are a fan of the original crew or the newer iterations, the Star Trek universe feels truly infinite. The series pioneered the concept of developing entire alien races with distinct cultural customs, proving that a great TV universe can endure and evolve for over half a century.
‘Arcane’ (-)
No one expected a Netflix animated series based on the video game League of Legends to become an overnight masterpiece, but Arcane did exactly that. Set in the wealthy city of Piltover and its oppressed underground sister city of Zaun, the show brilliantly explores the divide between magic and technology.
Fans on social media have endlessly praised the show’s striking, painted animation style and complex characters. By focusing on the emotional and physical divide between its heroes, Arcane managed to build a gorgeous, socially complex world that completely surpassed its source material.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (-)
When it comes to creating a rich, deeply respectful mythology, fans widely agree that the animated masterpiece Avatar: The Last Airbender reigns supreme. In the decades since the show ended, social media users still constantly analyze its brilliant magic system and cultural influences.
Following Aang’s journey to master the elements and end a century-long war, the series tackles heavy themes like totalitarianism, corruption, and healing. By weaving real-world Asian philosophies and martial arts into its fictional nations, Avatar crafted a universe so cohesive and detailed that fans jokingly say Harry Potter’s worldbuilding looks like a rough crayon sketch by comparison.
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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