Now this looks cool. The new syndicated series Legend of the Seeker is filling the gap in the fantasy genre, which for some time now has been lacking a show with Medieval wizards, horseback riding, and lots of sword play. From the look of the show’s trailer and video clips that have been released online, it looks to have very high production values and is one for sci-fi and fantasy fans to check out.

Seeker tells the story of a young woodsman named Richard Cypher (Craig Horner), who must stop a ruthless tyrant from unleashing an ancient evil and enslaving the world. Based on Terry Goodkind’s fantasy series “The Sword of Truth,” the new series is produced by ABC Studios and filmed in New Zealand. The first season will include a full 22 episodes (that’s a bonus for syndication … no pesky 9-episode orders followed by a swift cancellation), airing in at least 95 percent of the country.

Watch the trailer after the jump …

The show is the first notable new, original drama to bow in U.S. syndication in recent memory. Ratings for syndication have been in decline over the past decade, since shows like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Hercules, and Xena ruled. (The team behind Seeker actually did Hercules and Xena, as well.) But syndication still has the potential to reach a huge number of homes.

Among the list of executive producers is Sam Raimi (of the Spider-Man Raimis) and former Star Trek: Voyager exec Kenneth Biller.

The show premiered over the weekend of November 1 and 2 with a 2-hour event. A 30-minute preview of the premiere is now available as a free download on iTunes. Check your local listings for a new episode this weekend, and learn more about the show at LegendOfTheSeeker.com.