Television series
The Almighty Johnsons
Four New Zealand brothers discover they're incarnations of Norse gods—complete with divine powers that mostly just complicate their ordinary lives. The Almighty Johnsons blends myth with suburban comedy, finding genuine heart in watching deity manage dating, jobs, and family drama. It's charming, funny, and surprisingly warm about what it means to be extraordinary in an unmysterious town.
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Supernatural2005
Two brothers hunt monsters across America while wrestling with destiny and family loyalty. Like Johnsons, it finds humour and weight in mythological chaos, but sustains it across fifteen seasons with escalating stakes and devotion to character.
But The tonal whiplash between joke and tragedy gets exhausting. Later seasons lose focus as the mythology inflates beyond repair.
American Gods2017
Gods living secretly among Americans, trying to stay relevant in a country that's forgotten them. Same premise DNA as Johnsons—divine beings rendered mundane—but grittier, more visually ambitious, and far darker in its examination of belief.
But Uneven pacing and a narrative that resists traditional structure frustrate some viewers. The show sometimes feels more interested in style than story.
What We Do in the Shadows2014
Mockumentary about vampires sharing a house in New Zealand, juggling immortality with flatmate squabbles. Same deadpan absurdism, same setting, same joy in treating the supernatural as a roommate problem rather than a crisis.
But The humour is very dry and very specific. If the first ten minutes don't land, the whole thing won't.
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Thor: Ragnarok2017
Both find comedy and heart in Norse gods forced to be ordinary, treating mythology as a backdrop for relationships rather than the main event.
Thor's mythology meets roadtrip comedy as gods face apocalypse with terrible humor and genuine affection for each other. Same tonal DNA as Johnsons—making Norse mythology funny without ever losing sight of why you care about these characters—but with a $180 million budget.
But Marvel formula means predictability. It prioritizes accessibility over surprise, which mutes what makes Johnsons special.
More like this (8)
Grimm2011
Detective discovers creatures from fairy tales are real and hiding in his city. Johnsons-adjacent blend of myth, detective work, and found family, though Grimm leans harder into procedural crime-solving than relationship comedy.
But Repetitive case-of-the-week formula. Quality wobbles significantly across its six seasons.
Constantine2014
Occultist detective battles demons and angels while smoking and looking perpetually exhausted. Shares Johnsons' commitment to making the magical world feel lived-in and weary, though Constantine trades comedy for gothic dread.
But Only one season before cancellation. The ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying.
The Magicians2015
College students discover magic is real and must master it to fight cosmic threats. Like Johnsons, it's about ordinary people suddenly thrust into mythological responsibility, with sharp humour grounding the fantasy elements.
But Tonal shifts are jarring—it lurches between comedy and very dark trauma. Some storylines feel designed to shock rather than serve character.
DC's Legends of Tomorrow2016
Time-travelling misfits protect history from catastrophe. Chaotic ensemble energy, witty banter, and the same willingness to be silly about impossible premises while maintaining genuine stakes.
But Requires familiarity with the broader Arrowverse. Continuity becomes a burden; some seasons prioritize jokes over narrative coherence.
Penny Dreadful2014
Victorian characters from classic literature team up to fight supernatural evil in London. Grand, gothic atmosphere and sophisticated writing, though it shares Johnsons' interest in how mythological figures navigate mortal consequence.
But Very slow and deliberately atmospheric—pacing will test your patience. Some viewers find it overwrought and self-serious.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency2016
Eccentric detective and his reluctant partner solve crimes through chaotic interconnectedness. Absurdist comedy with genuine emotion underneath, celebrating the weird and the accidental in the same warm way Johnsons does.
But Only two seasons before cancellation. The narrative becomes increasingly convoluted and the ending is unresolved.
Fleabag2016
Both series find their deepest moments in family dysfunction, using comedy as a survival mechanism rather than escape. Both are ultimately about learning to let people in.
Woman breaking the fourth wall navigates family chaos, romance, and self-destruction with desperate humour. British comedy-drama about flawed people in a small world, with the same willingness to undercut jokes with genuine vulnerability and family tenderness.
But The protagonist is often unlikeable and makes terrible choices. Not everyone wants to spend time with someone so determined to sabotage herself.
Wellington Paranormal2018
Both are New Zealand productions that treat the magical as mundane—not by ignoring it, but by refusing to let it overshadow the small human moments that actually matter.
New Zealand police officers investigate supernatural incidents with deadpan competence. Same country, same tone of treating the impossible with working-class pragmatism, but this is a procedural mockumentary that finds horror in bureaucracy and routine.
But The humour is extremely dry and depends on understanding New Zealand's comedy sensibility. Episodes can feel repetitive in structure.
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