Cartoons were traditionally meant to be short, sweet, brightly animated shows for children, and while those still exist and dominate the majority of the cartoon genre, there are also cartoons for adults. Think Adult Swim, an entire channel dedicated to adult-oriented animation.
There have been plenty of successful adult cartoons over the years like The Simpsons, Robot Chicken, Futurama, and Family Guy. There are also new ones constantly popping up. As of today, there are over 100 shows listed in the full Adult Swim catalog. Other networks and production companies have created adult cartoons, as well, including MTV, Netflix, FX, HBO and Hulu.
There’s something fun and unique about the juxtaposition of kiddish animation and adult themes. Adult cartoons are funny and oftentimes just as binge-worthy as live-action shows. They also manage to be just as successful as live-action TV, if not more. For example, one of the longest-running shows in television history, The Simpsons, is an adult cartoon.
There are so many adult cartoons to choose from, and while some are certainly better than others, it can be hard to make a list of the best. But here are seven of the greats, both old and new.
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7 The Simpsons
20th Century Fox
With over 700 episodes, The Simpsons is the longest-running animated TV show in television history. Created by Matt Groening in 1989, the show follows the Simpsons family — Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie — and features a satirical depiction of American life in the town of Springfield. The Simpsons is known for its parodies on society, culture, politics, media, and the human condition. The world of The Simpsons has also been adapted into books, video games, a theme park at Universal Studios, and even a movie in 2007.
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The Simpsons broke TV ground when it premiered and served as the inspiration for other shows like Family Guy and Futurama. With 35 Primetime Emmys, 34 Annie Awards, and two Peabody Awards, it’s no wonder The Simpsons has remained on air for so long. The family also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the show has shown no sign of stopping any time soon.
6 South Park
Paramount+
South Park is full of satire and dark comedy as it focuses on the happenings among four boys — Kenny, Stan, Kyle, and Eric — in the Colorado town of South Park. The show is known for its profanity, adult themes, and use of cutout animation. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone in 1997, South Park has been on air for 25 seasons. In 2021, the series was renewed through 2027 and a series of movies were announced for Paramount+, four of which are already available to stream. Prior to the Paramount+ deal, there was also a theatrical movie in 1999, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, that saw both significant commercial and critical success.
South Park officers social satire on a level that isn’t really seen in other shows. It doesn’t hold back or shy away from anything, even if that means dealing with a potential controversy. With over 300 episodes to date, there is plenty to binge if you’ve never watched South Park, or if you’re looking to start the series over.
5 Family Guy
20th Television Animation
Family Guy is like The Simpsons in that it focuses on the happenings around a family — in this case it’s the Griffins — in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. What makes Family Guy so different is its use of hilarious, satirical cutaway gags. Family Guy is full of pop culture parodies, unique and vibrant characters, and humor that is literally laugh-out-loud funny. Created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company in 1999, Family Guy has seen 20 seasons and over 380 episodes thus far.
Family Guy has received eight Primetime Emmy Awards and has received critical acclaim for its humor, writing, and outstanding voice acting from its ensemble cast. The Family Guy franchise has also seen a book, various video games and merchandise, and there’s even talks of a Family Guy movie sometime in the future.
4 Big Mouth
Netflix
Big Mouth is a unique coming-of-age sitcom created by Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett for Netflix. It’s about a bunch of teens as they experience puberty, love, hormones, and all the gritty aspects of growing up. Big Mouth has premiered five seasons with a sixth season on the way, and also inspired the spin-off, Human Resources, focusing on the Hormone Monster characters from Big Mouth.
Big Mouth has received critical acclaim for its frank and honest depiction of puberty. It’s also received recognition for its talented voice acting, humor, musical numbers, and messages of acceptance. Big Mouth is a fun show to watch to reminisce on those awkward teen years and laugh about the shared experiences of growing up.
3 Animals.
HBO Entertainment
Animals. is a unique HBO show. Each episode features a different cast of special guests playing various animals, using retro-scripting and improvised dialogue, based on each episode’s plot. While the main focal point is the animals, each season also has a live-action human story arc. Animals. featured guest stars like RuPaul, Eric André, Mindy Kaling, and Jessica Chastain over its three-season run from 2016 to 2018.
Creators Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano originally independently produced the first two episodes and premiered them at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015, before being picked up by HBO. Unfortunately, HBO canceled the series after its third season due to low viewership. Regardless, Animals. is still an innovative, fun series and is absolutely worth the watch as it’s all available to stream on HBO Max.
2 Rick and Morty
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
This sci-fi sitcom is all about the cynical scientist Rick (Justin Roiland) and his nervous grandson Morty (Roiland), as they embark on various intergalactic adventures. Created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, the series premiered in 2013 and has seen five seasons so far. Rick and Morty is well-loved for its smart, fresh humor and wit, as well as its zany cast of colorful characters. The show also manages to balance humor with philosophical themes of nihilism and existentialism, essentially making you both laugh and think.
Rick and Morty has also seen some franchise action as it has been re-imagined as video games, anime, claymation shorts, and various branded merchandise. With a sixth season set to air this September, there have also been talks of soon creating a Rick and Morty feature film.
1 BoJack Horseman
BoJack Horseman is about a humanoid horse — the show’s namesake — who is a washed-up TV star from the ’90s looking to reignite his stardom with a ghostwritten autobiography. On top of this, he also has to deal with his agent, his rival, his roommate, and various love interests, all while handling his struggles with depression and addiction. Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the series premiered on Netflix in 2014 and wrapped after six seasons in 2020.
BoJack Horseman certainly has elements of dark humor and satire, but it’s also a very honest take on themes like depression, addiction, racism, sexism, trauma, and the general human condition. The series received accolades for its writing and plot and is often considered one of the greatest animated shows of all time by critics, with its ensemble cast, including Will Arnett, Aaron Paul, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie and Paul F. Thompkins. BoJack Horseman is also often credited as contributing to the rise of the “sad-com,” blending both comedy and sadness to create a new genre. So, if you’re looking for an animated show that will make you laugh and maybe even cry, BoJack Horseman is your best bet.
