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 a few animated greats, both old and new.

Updated August 4th, 2023 by Callum Jones: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.

14 Family Guy

Family Guy is despised by many comedians and television writers for being lazy and appealing to the lowest common denominator, but there's no denying its success and appeal. The series 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 laugh-out-loud funny.

Created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company in 1999, Family Guy has seen 21 seasons and over 400 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 are even talks of a Family Guy movie sometime in the future.

13 Star Trek: Lower Decks

As part of Alex Kurtzman's plan to reshape the Star Trek universe, the franchise's first adult animated comedy came about in 2020 in the form of Star Trek: Lower Decks. The series follows the low-ranking members of the crew on the U.S.S Cerritos — Starfleet's least important ship — as they come up against a seemingly endless string of alien anomalies. Though the Star Trek universe has been parodied several times over the years, it remains fertile ground for humor.

Furthermore, Lower Decks proves that self-parodying can be just as, if not more, funny than external spoofing. Though Lower Decks got off to a slow start with an underwhelming first season that was unsure of its identity, seasons two and three have seen a vast improvement in quality, with both receiving high praise from critics and fans alike

12 Harley Quinn

Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, Harley Quinn follows the adventures of the antiheroine as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery after breaking up with her boyfriend, The Joker. Along the way, she is joined by her best friend and fellow Gotham resident, Poison Ivy. The show puts a fresh and darkly comic spin on a fan favorite and, since its debut has garnered critical acclaim. Much of the praise has been directed at the voice cast, which consists of well-known actors including Kaley Cuoco, Alan Tudyk, Lake Bell, Tony Hale, Jason Alexander, and many others.

Harley Quinn is sharply written, consistently funny, and, at times, surprisingly insightful. Before the first episode, many fans had reservations about the show. However, four seasons (and counting) later the show has been a big hit, with many DC fans considering it one of the best depictions of the character to date.

11 King of the Hill

King of the Hill was created by Beavis and Butt-Head creator, Mick Judge, and originally ran for an impressive 13 seasons between 1997 and 2010. Like many other great animated sitcoms, it focuses on the antics of an American family and the wacky characters that populate their lives. In this case, it's the Hill family, headed by dad Hank (voiced by Judge himself), a straight-laced propane accessory salesman who dwells in a ranch-style house in Arlen, Texas. He is joined by his wife Peggy and son Bobby and is often visited by his close friend/source of annoyance, Dale.

Though it never experienced the same level of popularity as shows such as The Simpsons and Family Guy, King of the Hill was, nevertheless, critically acclaimed throughout its run, and has gone on to amass a large cult following. In 2023, it was announced that Hulu had picked the show up for a revival, so now seems like the perfect time to go back and watch the original 259 episodes.

10 Tuca and Bertie

Netflix/Adult Swim cartoon Tuca & Bertie is, on the face of it, one of the zaniest adult-oriented animations to have come out in the last ten years. However, once you strip away the bright colors and anthropomorphic characters, it's one of the most grounded and relatable cartoons to date. It focuses on the relationship between Tuca the toucan (voiced by Tiffany Haddish) and Robert "Bertie" in the song Thrush (Ali Wong), two 30-year-old female best friends living in the same apartment complex.

The two have very different personalities, which sometimes causes conflict, but is often a strength. The series was created by Lisa Hanawalt, who previously worked on BoJack Horseman and, like that show, Tuca & Bertie doesn't shy away from dealing with adult themes such as alcoholism and sexual abuse. Despite being acclaimed by critics, Tuca and Bertie was canceled after just three seasons. This is no reflection on the quality of the show, which is charming, funny, and poignant, and deserves to be treated better.

Related: Tuca & Bertie: Why You Should be Watching the Adult Swim Series

9 Bob's Burgers

Created by Loren Bouchard, Fox's animated comedy Bob's Burgers follows the exploits of the Belcher family, led by patriarch Bob (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) who runs a burger restaurant with his wife Linda and three children, Tina, Gene, and Louise. After a bumpy first season, the show has received increasingly positive reviews from critics, who have praised its zany, deadpan humor and unique characters.

It also boasts a large and loyal fanbase and, despite having already aired 13 seasons with more on the way, still manages to pull in some pretty solid viewing figures. Compared to other adult cartoons, Bob's Burgers is sweeter and less cynical, and could easily be consumed by the whole family. Its sweet, gentle tone also makes it dangerously bingeable.

8 Archer

The smash hit FX series Archer chronicles the many sidesplitting misadventures and delightful dysfunction of eight colorful secret agents at a mysterious New York City intelligence agency. Lauded for parodying espionage, human nature, and the complex facets of society, the animated sitcom features rapid-fire dialogue and extremely raunchy humor that takes advantage of a workplace comedy setting.

Archer's unique animation style captures a Mad Men aesthetic, and creator Adam Reed developed the show due to his appreciation of adventure-driven comedy, with Reed drawing inspiration from pop culture juggernauts like the James Bond and The Pink Panther franchises. With 14 successful seasons under its belt, Archer continues to amass new fans and deliver edgy and provocative humor; Entertainment Weekly praised the series for its "solid plotting, vividly distinct characters, and some of the most unexpected punchlines and sight-gags in prime time."

7 Big Mouth

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 released six seasons 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 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.

6 Animals.

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 worth the watch as it's all available to stream on HBO Max.

5 Rick and Morty

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 having premiered this past September and a seventh recently confirmed, there have also been talks of soon creating a Rick and Morty feature film. However, with the recent domestic abuse and kidnapping charges of co-creator Justin Roiland, who voices the two titular characters, the future of the show (and its toxic fans) is up for debate.

Related: Why Rick and Morty Needs to Either End or Have Major Changes

4 The Simpsons

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 of 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.

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. Unfortunately, it probably should, as the past 15 years of the show have featured many more hits than misses.

3 Futurama

Futurama has been entertaining audiences for over two decades with its self-deprecating humor and hilarious satire of life in the future, with the award-winning series focusing on the lazy delivery boy Philip J. Fry who awakens in 2999 after being cryogenically frozen for centuries. With an A-list voice cast led by Billy West, Katey Sagal, and John DiMaggio, the fan-favorite sitcom has never been one to turn away from pushing boundaries, delighting viewers with its slapstick jokes and black comedy while also exploring and paying homage to "legitimate literary science fiction concepts."

Futurama has gone on to attract a passionate cult following and has won numerous accolades including six Emmys and nine Annie Awards while also receiving critical acclaim throughout its run. The enduring series has spawned four direct-to-video films and a highly-anticipated eighth season is set to premiere on Hulu this summer. TV Guide went on to rank Futurama as one of the Top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time in their 2013 list.

2 South Park

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 the 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.

Before 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 officer's social satire on a level that isn't 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.

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. Tompkins. 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. It simply puts the 'adult' in 'adult cartoon' more than any other show.