I recently discovered the seriesBeastMaster, an obscure late 1990s fantasy series whose three seasons have become my favorite guilty pleasure. More often than not, fantasy projects from the 1990s and early 2000s are not considered in the same way later fantasy works are, as both technology and the genre as a whole have shifted toward more exciting stories and sharpened their techniques. Even so, many of thesefantasy TV shows from the 1990sare still enjoyable in their own ways,BeastMasterincluded.
WhileBeastMasteris one of the moreobscure fantasy TV showsfrom that era, its over-the-top campiness and premise were exactly what I needed.Fantasy series today can be difficult to follow, so to have a show that has easy-to-understand lore and the fun character dynamics that later projects attempt to capture can be hard to come by within that sphere. Fortunately,BeastMasterhas these attributes and more, making this late 1990s series a great pick for audiences who love the fantasy genre.
BeastMaster Is One Of The Late ’90s' Best Guilty Pleasures For Fantasy Fans
BeastMasters Has Both Familiar Dynamics And Deeper Themes
BeastMastercan be a very fun watch for modern fantasy fans as the series has aspects from other popular shows while also executing a thought-provoking premise quite well.The series follows Dar (Daniel Goddard), the last survivor of his tribe who protects the land and animals as he searches for his lost love, helping others as he goes. When he stumbles upon Tao (Jackson Raine), a fearful but psychology-inclined man, the two join forces, encountering new friends and foes like the Sorceress (Monika Schnarre) along the way.
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Dar and Tao’s dynamic reminded me of Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Jaskier (Joey Batey) of Netflix’sThe Witcher,though Dar was less stoic than Geralt. This, combined with the classic 1990s campiness, makesBeastMastera fun show, but what cemented it for me was its deeper themes.BeastMaster’sstory maintains itself through exploring themes of change, naturalism, and imperialism, as the maincharacters are all from destroyed tribes. Those themes were not just added to the show; rather, they trace back toBeastMaster’s beginning, which includes a prominent fantasy author.
BeastMaster’s Original Book & Movie Adaptation Explained
BeastMaster’s History Spans From The 1950s To The 2000s
BeastMaster’sjourney through adaptations has allowed the story to go through several iterations, ultimately making it an even more fascinating fantasy universe to get into.The original book,The Beast Master,was originally published in 1959 by Alice “Andre” Norton, the first female science fiction author to be inducted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame and earn the Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy award. In 1982, a film based on Norton’s book was released, gaining more popularity and becoming one of the mostunderrated classic fantasy moviesof the time through multiple reruns on TV.
After the two sequel films failed to capture the same appeal, the television series was created in 1999, becoming the most popular rendition ofBeastMaster. Still, the series sadly only ran for three seasons and was canceled in 2000 due to a multitude of reasons, such as production issues. Despite all of this, the series does stand the test of time, making it an interesting watch for any fantasy fan.
BeastMaster
Cast
BeastMaster is a Canadian television series that aired from 1999 to 2002, inspired by the 1982 film The Beastmaster. Produced by Coote/Hayes Productions, the series ran for three seasons and garnered nominations from the Australian Film Institute and the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films.
