For many years, animation has been solely dismissed as a medium for children, with one notable exception. Over the last 40 years, television has allowed adult animation to thrive, pushing the medium far beyond its censor-friendly beginnings. Comedies like Family Guy, South Park, and even The Simpsons comfortably put sexual content, violence, and swearing into the mix, paving the way for shows like Invincible, BoJack Horseman, and The Boondocks to break from the standard sitcom format and push the boundaries of what people come to expect from these shows, emotionally and censorship-wise.
They may deal with more mature subject matter like relationships, racism, and trauma, or just enjoy going further than more conservative-minded shows are willing to go. They’ve even managed to introduce characters that have become beloved all over the world, with some, like Homer Simpson, Eric Cartman, and Invincible, reaching levels previously held by the likes of Mickey Mouse. Adult animation has become not just essential for animation fans, but essential viewings for modern television as a whole.
10
‘Invincible’ (2021-)
Created by Robert Kirkman
Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) seems like an average teenage boy, but his dad Nolan (J.K. Simmons) just so happens to be Omni-Man, the world’s most powerful superhero. Soon, Mark begins to develop powers of his own, and Nolan is all too happy to aid his son with his new abilities. But Mark soon begins to realize his dad may not be nearly as heroic as he thought he was, and the dreams of being a true hero will soon be brought down by a horrifying reality.
Invincible is certainly not the first show to deconstruct and analyze the implications of superhero media, but it effortlessly distinguishes itself thanks to maintaining a somewhat hopeful tone, a genuine love for the genre, and larger-than-life but still realistic characters. Mark continues to face struggles and trauma due to his superhero career, yet he still finds strength and community in those around him and genuinely believes in making the world a better place. Based on the acclaimed comic book series by Robert Kirman, Invincible is a dark superhero story that nonetheless wears its heart on its sleeve.
9
‘Bob’s Burgers’ (2011-)
Created by Loren Bouchard
The titular Bob’s Burgers is a burger shop in Seymour’s Bay, New Jersey, run by the Belcher family. Head chef and owner Bob (H. John Benjamin), offbeat mother Linda (John Roberts), awkward eldest daughter Tina (Dan Mintz), immature son Steve (Eugene Mirman), and manipulative youngest daughter Louise (Kristen Schaal) balance their lives running the restaurant with their own individual dramas.
While maintaining a quirky, offbeat edge, Bob’s Burgers has a more laid-back, calm approach to its humor than the likes of Family Guy or South Park. Like King of the Hill, it is not afraid to be impactful with its messaging when it needs to, and the tone is grounded enough so that its over-the-top moments never feel out of place. If other animated sitcoms are like an over-the-top buffet, Bob’s Burgers is, for lack of a better analogy, a perfect cheeseburger – filling in just that right spot of comfort with unique flavor.
8
‘King of the Hill’ (1997-2009, 2025-)
Created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels
Before Bob’s Burgers provided a more laid-back approach to the animated sitcom, King of the Hill showed the funny in the mundane. Propane and propane accessories salesman Hank Hill (Mike Judge) is a responsible, hard-working family man with old-fashioned values struggling to adapt to a world that’s forever moving onward. But he tries his best to see the best in most situations, largely with the help of his family, wife Peggy (Kathy Najimy) and his son Bobby (Pamela Adlon), and his friends, including conspiracy theorist Gribble (Johnny Hardwick) and army barber Bill (Stephen Root).
King of the Hill focuses less on outlandish situations and more on individual character work amongst its large cast. Unlike the Griffins, the Smiths or the kids from South Park, the Hills are an extremely down-to-earth family that deal with their problems with a humanity sometimes absent from other sitcom families. With a long-awaited revival coming in 2025, the time has never been better to revisit the Hills.
7
‘Rick and Morty’ (2013-)
Created by Dan Harmon & Justin Roiland
One of the most memed animated shows in history, Rick and Morty is an existentialist show that will make you question your sense of reality and provide prime meme fodder at the same time. Rick Sanchez (Justin Roiland/Ian Cardoni) is an amoral, alcoholic scientist who frequently travels on adventures with his anxious, easily distressed grandson Morty Smith (Justin Roiland/Harry Belden). Whether they deal with alien conquests, parallel universes, or just dealing with their complicated family relationships, Rick and Morty are on a constant quest to make it through the big existentialist joke called life.
Perhaps the most iconic show to hit Adult Swim, Rick and Morty gleefully dissects sci-fi and storytelling tropes and makes it look easy. An episode can begin with Morty getting ready for a school dance and end with the two accidentally causing a Cronenberg-shaped apocalypse and still finding a way to make it thematically relevant. Doc and Marty may have fun traveling through time, but Rick and Morty will laugh and cry as they travel across the universe.
6
‘Futurama’ (1999-2003, 2008-2013, 2023-)
Created by Matt Groening
After a botched pizza delivery, slacker Phillip J. Fry (Billy West) is accidentally frozen for 1000 years. Awakening in the cybernetic metropolis of New New York, Fry is promptly assigned as a delivery boy for Planet Express. Which would be a boring job, were it not for the fact that delivering in the future means traveling to far-off worlds, encountering aliens, mutants, and monsters of all shapes and sizes, and boldly going where no delivery boy has gone before.
Matt Groening’s previous show already had its wacky moments, but Futurama’s high-concept premise allowed it to go even further with its humor while still maintaining some grounded emotional beats. Fry’s struggle to adjust to a world that’s far outgrown him is a source of both laughs and heartbreak, and the complexities of life in the future provide both funny satire and tragedy for the rest of his supporting cast. All the while parodying every sci-fi trope and franchise under the sun to build its own complex canon.
5
‘The Boondocks’ (2005-2014)
Created by Aaron McGruder
Adapted by Aaron McGruder from his comic strip of the same name, The Boondocks balances thoughtful social commentary with extremely over-the-top storylines. The Freemans, consisting of young, left-wing radicalist Huey (Regina King), his little troublemaking brother Riley (Regina King), and their grouchy grandpa Robert (John Witherspoon), have just moved into the predominantly white suburb of Woodcrest, Maryland.
Unapologetically crude and high-minded, but not afraid to get outlandishly silly, The Boondocks satirizes elements of American culture, especially African-American culture, in the most unorthodox way it can. From Robert getting involved in their world’s equivalent of a Tyler Perry movie, to Huey assisting Martin Luther King Jr. after he wakes from a coma, to even depicting BET as a network run by supervillains. While the fourth and final season suffered from a dip in quality thanks to McGruder’s absence, The Boondocks has still gone down as one of the biggest cult animated shows of its day.
4
‘Family Guy’ (1999-2002, 2005-)
Created by Seth McFarlane
It seems today that all one can see is violence in movies and adult content on TV. And if one is looking for those good, old-fashioned values on which we used to rely, then they’re going to have to keep looking because the Griffins do not have those. The Griffins include idiotic husband Peter (Seth McFarlane), sarcastic wife Lois (Alex Borstein), dim-witted son Chris (Seth Green), often-bullied daughter Meg (Mila Kunis), evil genius baby Stewie (Seth McFarlane) and intellectual talking dog Brian (Seth McFarlane).
Family Guy, much like The Simpsons, has become almost defiant in its refusal to get canceled, still going strong since 1999. The humor is less based on plot and more based on cutaway gags that imagine the characters in outlandish, absurdist situations, lending the show an extremely flexible reality. Though it can often be a bit too mean-spirited for its own good sometimes, at its best, Family Guy is a charming watch that never takes itself too seriously.
3
‘South Park’ (1997-)
Created by Trey Parker & Matt Smith
Set in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado, this crude, unapologetically un-politically correct show revolves around four foul-mouthed fourth-graders, all of whom are voiced by the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Moderately reasonable Stan Marsh, his best friend Kyle Broflovski, their sociopathic, racist friend Eric Cartman, and their frequently either mute, dead, or both friend Kenny McCormick navigate growing up whilst dealing with the ever-increasing insanity of life viewed through a satirical lens.
With several episodes in its roster being among the most controversial things ever aired on TV, South Park does not spare anyone, and we mean anyone, from its satirical approach. Since most of the episodes are scripted, voiced and animated within a week, this usually allows Parker & Stone to satirize literally whatever they want with pinpoint accuracy. Some will debate the relevancy of their methods, but there’s a reason South Park has been continuously running for almost three decades.
2
‘Bojack Horseman’ (2014-2020)
Created by Raphael Bob-Waksburg
Back in the 90s, the titular BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett) was in a very famous TV show called Horsin’ Around. In the present day, he’s a washed-up alcoholic trying to write his biography while dealing with his ghostwriter/new best friend Diane Nguyen (Alison Brie), his agent/on-and-off-again girlfriend Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), his slacker housemate Todd (Aaron Paul) and his romantic and professional rival Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Thompkins). As the show progresses, these individuals go on journeys that cause them to grow and examine what it means for them to just be alive.
BoJack Horseman is one of the most acclaimed animated shows in history, detailing the darkest sides of celebrity culture and human behavior whilst still retaining empathy for its characters. The first season takes some time to find its footing, but the viewer should quickly realize this is not some standard show where the lead character makes questionable choices that are undone by the next episode. Every character’s actions have consequences, and a lot of them are not good ones.
1
‘The Simpsons’ (1989-)
Created by Matt Groening
The longest-running American sitcom of all time. The town of Springfield is home to many quirky, unusual residents, but none more so than everyone’s favorite dysfunctional family. Dim-witted breadwinner Homer (Dan Castalennetta), caring yet sheltered housewife Marge (Julie Kavner), mischievous prankster son Bart (Nancy Cartwright), intellectual daughter Lisa (Yeardley Smith), and baby Maggie. The series chronicles their exploits in the town, the developments in their lives, and continually finding new ways to parody popular culture in the zeitgeist.
The Simpsons has run for so long that it’s practically become its own reboot, and while some will argue about a dip in quality past its golden age, every season has still had its fair share of hilarious moments. Originally dismissed by the likes of former president George Bush, it has inspired a feature film, a ride at Universal Studios, and countless amounts of merchandise and video games. Some will argue it should have ended a long time ago, but The Simpsons may still go on long after television itself has ended.