About Sanctuary
Sanctuary follows Dr. Helen Magnus, a brilliant and impossibly long-lived scientist who leads a clandestine global network dedicated to sheltering, studying, and protecting "Abnormals" — cryptids, mutants, and superhuman beings who live hidden among ordinary humanity. Operating from a vast, secret facility, Magnus and her team track down dangerous and endangered creatures alike, balancing compassion for their charges against the threat some of them pose to the outside world.
The series begins when forensic psychiatrist Will Zimmerman is recruited into Magnus's world, serving as the audience's entry point into a hidden reality of monsters and miracles. As Will adapts to life inside the Sanctuary, the team confronts shadowy adversaries, ancient secrets tied to Magnus's own past, and a sprawling conspiracy known as the Cabal that seeks to weaponize Abnormals for its own ends.
Across four seasons, Sanctuary deepens its mythology — exploring Magnus's century-and-a-half of history, the origins of the Abnormals, and the existence of a hidden underground civilization. The show became notable for its groundbreaking production approach, shooting almost entirely against green screen to build its expansive worlds digitally, an ambitious technique that gave the series a distinctive look on a cable budget.