While we all love a show we can get whole-heartedly invested in and count the minutes until the next episode is released (hello, Euphoria), we all can admit that sometimes we just love to surround ourselves in a show that serves as comforting background noise or as a pastime to watch during a life lull. While animated programs are more traditionally associated as being made for a younger audience, the world of adult animated TV shows has made a name for itself in the 21st century. While many viewers still turn to these shows for solace, many of them, as being able to be interpreted by a mature audience, have become social phenomenons, deserving of more attention and respect for their writing and underlying messages than we often give them credit for. Here are the three currently airing adult animation shows, in my opinion, that deserve more recognition for their humor, wit, and ability to leave a long-lasting impression on an audience of millions so effortlessly.
1. Bob’s Burgers
A favorite for today’s teenagers and adults alike, Bob’s Burgers, since its inception in 2011, has followed the wacky chronicles of the Belcher family, in their often twisted and unexpected obstacles at running a hole-in-the-ground burger restaurant. Within the family of five, every viewer is bound to find a character they can undeniably relate to, whether that be Louise’s wild streak that often gets her into mischievous trouble, or Tina in her everlastingly awkward quest to find love in all the wrong places. The show has a strong and still growing fandom for good reasons—many have pointed out that it’s nice to see Linda as the it-girl, wild spirit mom as a feminist move by the show’s creator, in addition to Bob’s identity as a bisexual dad, both gender “flaws” that are often stigmatized in today’s world. What viewers love about Bob’s Burgers, apart from some of its similar competitors (Family Guy comes to mind), the show doesn’t need to insult its viewers through its jokes in attempts to be funny—it really centers each and every episode around witty, yet respectful, yet creative, humor. The writers have succeeded in creating a show that everyone can love, regardless of their place in the world, which is pretty special amidst all the uncertainty we’re exposed to on television elsewhere. Bob’s Burgers, then, has done an extraordinary job of creating a safe space for everyone on television.
Watch Bob’s Burgers on Hulu, or new episodes every Sunday on FOX at 9PM Pacific. Also, The Bob’s Burgers Movie is set to hit theatres later this spring on May 27th—don’t miss it!
2. Big Mouth
Odds are you’ve seen my second show in praise—Big Mouth has been, and might always will be, my favorite show to re-watch and relearn from amidst a period of boredom in my life when I need a laugh. Since its release in 2017, with five seasons out to date, the show follows a group of contemporary teenagers through their unhinged catapulting into puberty, both for the good and the bad (and trust me, for these kids, there’s a lot of bad). While admittedly, the show is wildly creative in its visuals and dialogues, and thus definitely isn’t for the faint of the heart or those looking for a “family” show to watch, it nevertheless is an incredible series for its ability to convey the reproductive and sexual rights and issues of today’s adults in America through its storylines. While still maintaining each character’s individual personalities and relationships with one another, the show has addressed crucial messages on abortion, birth control, LGBTQ+ rights, anxiety and depressive diagnoses, and more similar “hot takes” than I can count on my fingers, conveyed in a way that can be educational and thought-provoking for an open-minded viewer. The creators of Big Mouth have brilliantly hit the nail on the head when combining a perfect amount of humor with the uncertainties and tribulations that come with being a teenager, and an adult, navigating a world that has traditionally shunned any discussion on sex or sex education. If you haven’t given this a watch yet, just get on it—you’ll thank me later.
You can find Big Mouth seasons 1-5 on Netflix, with a highly anticipated sixth season expected to be released towards the end of this year.
3. South Park
Need I give this show an introduction? South Park, created by comedians Trey Parker and Matt Stone, is one of my favorite TV shows of all time—I’m reminded of its undeniable brilliance every time I have the fortune of seeing it. Following four fourth-grade boys living in the obscure fictional town of South Park, Colorado, the town has no shortage of impossible events that will having you scratching your head in disbelief. Its views are most often controversial amongst every viewer (there are even certain episodes that are rarely showed on television due to their borderline offensive rhetoric), but that’s just the reason why South Park is so great. The show, through the factor of literally everything on it being unfiltered, has led to its episodes and characters alike becoming prominent cultural icons, to the point where you’re very unlikely to run into an adult that hasn’t seen or at least heard of its shenanigans. In fact, its underlying political and sociocultural viewpoints have led to several colleges designing specific courses that prompt students to strategically analyze the significance of its content through a pop culture lens. And, if my rambling isn’t enough, perhaps the fact that the show is reaching its 25th anniversary in August will convince you of its value—25 consistent seasons since 1997 and renewed to continue at least until season 30 in 2027 makes it the second-longest running adult animation series in television history, after The Simpsons—no small feat indeed.
Catch the new episodes of South Park weekly on Comedy Central, or watch select episodes on HBOMax and Hulu. See what you’ve been missing.