Better Than The Simpsons: 9 Adult Cartoon Series You Should Watch
The Simpsons have been proving since the late 1980s that cartoons aren’t just for kids – and over 30 years later, adult animation is booming like never before. Here are 9 adult cartoon series you should know about.
The Simpsons can’t be killed after more than 30 seasons, but they Homer, Marge and Co.’s best days are long gone. Other series have since taken their place and prove that adult cartoons still deserve their place in pop culture – these 9 series are worth watching even if you don’t watch The Simpsons (anymore).
Bob’s Burgers revolves around the Belcher family, who struggle to keep a burger joint running. Unlike many other adult cartoons, the series is warm-hearted rather than cynical, and develops largely through her curious characters their inimitable charm. It’s never about the end of the world, but about the small, bizarre situations in which family members find themselves and that’s exactly what makes Bob’s Burgers so strong.
You can currently find Bob’s Burgers on Disney+.
After The Simpsons, South Park is currently the longest-running adult animated series. Matt Stone and Trey Parkers irreverent satirical sweepstakes has been on the air since 1997 and felt like it had already parodied every imaginable topic. However, because the series is produced at very short notice, it can often pick up on very topical issues and pull through the cocoa and other brown liquids. Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny still have their stinginess – in fact, unlike the Springfield family, South Park has actually regained some of its relevance in recent years.
You can currently find South Park on Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+.
Big Mouth captures the horror and joys of growing up in all its glory, and doesn’t shy away from surprisingly explicit portrayals – the series, which draws inspiration from showrunners Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg’s adolescence, takes absolutely no prisoners. Big Mouth is not only brutally open, but also refreshingly honest and quite funny, while numerous important topics related to body, sexuality, family and mental health be addressed.
Big Mouth is currently on Netflix.
The agent parody Archer puts a small, dysfunctional espionage agency in the foreground, in which all employees have to struggle with more or less large complexes – above all Sterling Archer, a self-absorbed, boozing womanizer, who is also the best agent in the world. There are now 13 seasons of the series, in which the creators keep surprising us with new ideas and storylines. Not all of them reach the same quality standard, but the brilliant drawing style, dry humor and fantastic voice cast make Archer more than worth seeing.
Archer is currently on Netflix.
The sci-fi series about the brilliant but self-absorbed scientist Rick Sanchez, who drags his grandson Morty through the multiverse while incessantly drinking, belching and philosophizing about the meaninglessness of life, has evolved developed into a pop culture heavyweight. Creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland rely on an overdose of meta-humor that occasionally veers into narcissistic self-infatuation in the wacky adventures, while also leaving room for improvisation. However, from the seventh season onwards, the series has to do without Roiland due to serious allegations of domestic violence.
You can currently find Rick and Morty on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and WOW.
Seth MacFarlane already took up the perceived legacy of the Simpsons with Family Guy in the late 1990s – but after more than 20 seasons, Family Guy has also waned significantly. American Dad, on the other hand, has improved in quality in recent years – the series about CIA agent Stan Smith, his family and the alien Roger and the talking fish Klaus features numerous quirky yet endearing characters and has earned a place among the top animated sitcoms independently of Family Guy.
You can currently find American Dad on Disney+.
Bojack Horseman is not only one of the best animated series, it’s one of the best series on Netflix out there. The Dramedy about a worn-out sitcom star is a sharp-tongued Hollywood satire with complex characters whose tragic comedy develops a tremendous emotional impact in six seasons despite the talking animals.
Bojack Horseman is currently on Netflix.
The charming adventure series Gravity Falls revolves around an eventful summer that the twins Mabel and Dipper spend in the eponymous and actually sleepy little town. But it quickly becomes clear that in Gravity Falls supernatural powers are at work behind the facade. Borrowing from classics like The Goonies, Ghostbusters, The X-Files and Twin Peaks, the cartoon is perfect for older children and kidults of all ages.
Gravity Falls is currently on Disney+.
Matt Groening not only created a monument for himself with The Simpsons, but also developed an excellent second project with Futurama. The sci-fi sitcom um the adventures of the Planet Express delivery crew has quirky characters, intelligent stories and surprisingly heartwarming moments that make Futurama a must-see series even years later. Groening’s latest cartoon project Disenchantment can’t keep up, but two cult series are a more than respectable achievement.
You can currently find Futurama on Disney+.
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The Simpsons no question paved the way for the adult cartoon genre, but now there is a multitude of fresh follow-up projectsvying for your attention. In addition to the 9 series already mentioned, you can also pass the time on Disney+ with Koala Man, Little Demon, The Great North or Solar Opposites. Amazon Prime Video has Invincible, Harley Quinn and Star Trek: Lower Decks, while Netflix offers Tuca and Bertie, The Midnight Gospel and Final Space.
