Adult animated television series in the United States

From 1960 to 1966, the animated sitcom The Flintstones aired on ABC. David Bennett argued that when it was originally released, it was aimed at an adult audience, and called it the "direct ancestors" of current adult animation, because it covered adult subjects.[10] Bennett stated that it specifically influenced The Simpsons, along with animations on Adult Swim and Netflix. His argument was confirmed by the fact that The Huckleberry Hound Show, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, became a "surprise hit with adult audiences."[11] From 1972 to 1974, Hanna-Barbera produced Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, an adult-oriented sitcom in the style of All in the Family.[12] The series dealt with subjects such as feminism and the generation gap.[13]

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a number of animated television programs appeared which challenged the Standards & Practices guidelines, including The Simpsons,[14] Beavis and Butt-Head, The Critic, The Brothers Grunt, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rocko's Modern Life, Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel and Duckman.[15][16] In the case of The Ren & Stimpy Show, some said that was profoundly influential on animators to come.[11] For The Simpsons, it featured the so-called "first man and lady" of romance in adult animation: Marge and Homer Simpson.[17] Both were praised as a "beacon" which represented the "woes and optimism of the dysfunctional family" while talking about the "preconceptions of the nuclear one during its day," as they still stay together no matter what. The Tracey Ullman Show, which featured the original Simpsons shorts, aired in prime time, so it was not self-censored as much as programs intended to air on Saturday mornings. In addition to the show's portrayal of brief nudity and mild language, the series has dealt with mature themes and subjects such as death, gambling addiction, religion and suicide.[14] Years later, some critics called Duckman, based on a comic of the same, a "Simpsons-inspired sitcom" which had a pilot in 1991 and premiered in 1994 on the USA Network as part of the "network's Saturday night programming."[18] The show features humans, animals, and hybreds of both intermingling, with "every design intentionally exaggerated and distorted," looking like the original comics, with theme music from Frank Zappa and set its sights on "1990s incarnations of political correctness and censorship," making it, a critic argued, a precursor to Family Guy and Bojack Horseman.

The Simpsons cast and crew at a stamp unveiling in Los Angeles, California in May 2009

In 1989, The Simpsons began airing on Fox Broadcasting Company in prime time, becoming a massive hit among American audiences. In response, ABC, CBS and NBC each developed animated series to air in prime time, but none of the shows were successful.[19] One series, Capitol Critters, focused on subjects such as gun control, interracial violence and political corruption.[20] In his review of the series, Variety critic Brian Lowry wrote that he felt that the series' approach was "muddled", and that "the bland central character and cartoonish elements [...] will likely be off-putting to many adults, who won't find the political satire biting enough to merit their continued attention. Similarly, kids probably won't be as smitten with the cartoon aspects or look".[20] The series was cancelled after one month. The Critic was somewhat more successful, but achieved low ratings because of ABC's sporadic scheduling, and was cancelled by the network. Fox picked up the series, but cancelled it four months later.[19] While Fox allowed The Simpsons to portray animated depictions of human buttocks, ABC would not allow similar scenes to appear on The Critic.[14] Ultimately, however, The Simpsons was said to be responsible for "popularizing adult animation" while influencing "satirical cartoons" like South Park and Family Guy.[21] Some even said that The Simpsons opened the "door for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim" and praised it for being "extremely unique and...constantly evolving."[22][23] Others stated that it wasn't until the early 1990s that "cartoons specifically for adults" rather than children, did not come to "mainstream prominence" until after the success of The Simpsons, with Fox later airing King of the Hill and Family Guy both of which "generated massive audiences."[24] As animation critic Reuben Baron described it, for a long time, "adult action/drama cartoons" were scarce on television, with only a "few cult hits and flops in the '90s," with almost nothing in the 2000s and more in the 2010s.[25] In terms of King of the Hill, some noted it had the a great example of "young, adolescent love" within adult animation, specifically between Bobby and Connie.[17] Others stated that King of the Hill "a simple, suburban comedy about some friends and family in Texas," served as a "force for adult animation."[26]

Beavis and Butt-Head, which began airing in the early 1990s, was controversial for its portrayal of brief nudity, profanity and violence. Although the series was intended for adult audiences, it was shown in the afternoons, and multiple parents claimed that their children had imitated the show's characters. The first instance of such an accusation occurred when animal lovers in Santa Cruz, California claimed that someone had blown up a cat after seeing Beavis and Butt-head perform this act on television. In actuality, no such scene had ever been portrayed. When a five-year-old boy in Ohio set his bed on fire, killing his two-year-old sister, critics claimed that the incident was the result of an episode involving fire, although it has never been proven that the boy had ever watched the series. MTV responded by moving the series to a later airtime and adding disclaimers to future episodes stating explicitly not to imitate the actions of the characters, as well as removing all references to fire from the episodes.[27] As Beavis and Butt-Head began entered its last season in 1997, a new adult animation began airing on MTV which was titled Daria. It would praised for its "progressive characters," sense of humor, and ability to capture absurdity of teen life in suburbs, while also having a romance which involves the protagonist getting together with the "ex-boyfriend of their best friend."[17] There was also Celebrity Deathmatch. The latter was an American stop-motion claymated series created by Eric Fogel for MTV.[28] which depicts various celebrities engaging in highly stylized professional wrestling matches. As such, it is known for its large amount of gory violence, including combatants employing different abilities and weapons to deliver particularly brutal attacks, resulting in exaggerated physical injuries.[29][30] Two television pilots were broadcast on MTV in January 1998,[31] but the series proper premiered on May 14, 1998, and ended on June 6, 2002, airing for 75 episodes. Then, for a brief period during that year, reruns of the series aired on broadcast network UPN,[32] the series came back for two seasons between 2006 and 2007. Later, in April 2015, MTV2 announced a reboot of the series,[33] but in November 2016, Fogel stated via Twitter that MTV did not pick up the pilot to series.[34] As a whole, the series was called an "off-the-wall show" which has goofy and edgy comedy, becoming a "uniquely appealing romp."[35]

Discussions involving a series based upon Trey Parker and Matt Stone's video Christmas card, The Spirit of Christmas, led HBO to contact Ralph Bakshi in order to produce an animated series targeted specifically toward adults. Bakshi enlisted a team of writers, including his son, Preston, to develop Spicy Detective, later renamed Spicy City, an anthology series set in a noir-ish, technology-driven future.[36] Each episode featuring a different story narrated by a female host named Raven, voiced by Michelle Phillips. The series premiered in July 1997, unexpectedly beating South Park to television by over a month and becoming the first "adults only" cartoon series. Although critical reaction was mixed and largely unfavorable, Spicy City received acceptable ratings.[36] A second season was approved, but the network wanted to fire Bakshi's writing team and hire professional Los Angeles screenwriters. When Bakshi refused to cooperate with the network, the series was canceled.[37] In terms of South Park, it became an "icon for anti-censorship and free speech"[38] while being praised for a consistent relationship between Stan and Wendy through the series[17] and was called "one of the most controversial shows on television."[39] In May 1995, another adult animation began airing on Comedy Central. It was titled Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, featured the voice talents of Jonathan Katz, Jon Benjamin, and Laura Silverman,[40] won a Peabody Award in 1998.[41] and was computer-animated in a crude, easily recognizable style produced with the software Squigglevision in which all persons and animate objects are colored and have constantly squiggling outlines, while most other inanimate objects are static and usually gray in color.[42] Some critics stated that this series offered "plenty of cleverness and humor for those who looked," with funny lines, a unique style, and centered around "therapist discussions with real celebrities."[35]

In 1999, Family Guy debuted on Fox. The series was cancelled twice in the first three years, but became one of the network's longest-running series. It would later be praised for its humor, "cynical commentary, and sci-fi adventures"[38] while having a sincere but tragic and real relationship between Brian and Pearl Burton.[17] While the show was ultimately successful, other adult animations were not. For instance, FOX's The PJs, airing from 1999 to 2001,[43] featured Eddie Murphy[44] and his "stop motion animated story of life within the projects," with the name an abbreviation for "the projects"[45] a fun show which lasted three seasons, but later was cancelled in 2001, fading into obscurity.[46] Similarly, adult animations like Sit Down, Shut Up and Allen Gregory had short-runs in 2009 and 2012 respectfully, both cancelled after their first seasons.[47][48] Both shows had LGBTQ representation. In Sit Down, Shut Up, Andrew LeGustambos is a flamboyant and bisexual drama teacher whose last name in Spanish roughly translates to "he likes both", a reference to his sexual orientation.[49][50] He is in love with Larry Littlejunk and Miracle Grohe, with whom he hopes to get into a relationship should they become a couple. Allen Gregory, on the other hand, featured Richard and Jeremy De Longpre, the fathers of the title character, Allen. Jeremy is a former social worker who had a loving wife and family, although this changed after Richard became one of his clients.[51] Richard was attracted to Jeremy to the point where he started stalking him and his family until Jeremy finally agreed to be his husband. It is said that Jeremy is actually heterosexual but left his wife and children for Richard, who offered him an easy, no-maintenance life as his trophy husband.[51][52] In terms of other animted series, the series, Napoleon Dynamite in 2012[53] and High School USA! in 2013 were short lived, the latter part of the Animation Domination High-Def programing block. Both only had one season and were described as "cheap," "strange," and featuring various stereotypes, the latter in the case of High School USA![46] Later years would bring the comedic Lucas Bros. Moving Co. for two seasons,[46] Axe Cop for two seasons,[54] and Golan the Insatiable for two seasons with "sitcom-style humor."[55][56][46] Apart from these, Bordertown was cancelled in 2016 with only one season,[57] with the same occurring to Son of Zorn, which aired from 2016 to 2017.[58] Bordertown was criticzed for "a variety of racist and political jokes" while Son of Zorn was said to have poor sitcom and animation writing.[46]

From 2000 to 2005, Sealab 2021, an American adult animated television series, aired first on Cartoon Network before the official inception of the Adult Swim block on September 2, 2001, with the final episode airing on April 24, 2005.[59][60] Sealab 2021 is one of the four original Williams Street series that premiered in 2000 before Adult Swim officially launched, the others being Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Brak Show and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. Much like Adult Swim's Space Ghost Coast to Coast, the animation used stock footage from a 1970s Hanna-Barbera cartoon, in this case the short-lived, environmentally-themed Sealab 2020, along with original animation. The show was a satirical parody of both the original Sealab series and the general conventions of the 1970s animated children's series. While there was initial resistance from several of the original series' creators to the reuse of their characters, production moved forward on the series.[61] Sealab 2021 was produced by 70/30 Productions, which eventually closed on January 9, 2009. The series was noted as an "undrwater cartoon comedy" that fans of Adult Swim should revisit, saying there is a "unique charm and historical significance" to the show, as it was said to "pioneer the modern-day trend of goofy and occasionally lude satirical animation."[35] Similarly, Space Ghost: Coast to Coast ran on Cartoon Network from 1994 to 2001, then on Adult Swim from 2001 to 2004, followed by being on GameTap from 2006 to 2008. The first two seasons of this adult animated parody talk show were presented as a serious talk show with subdued jokes, while the later seasons relied more on surrealism, non-sequitur, and tabloid.[62] Not only was it said to be first original series fully produced by Cartoon Network,[63] but it had two spinoff series in the form of Cartoon Planet and The Brak Show, while inspiring series such as Sealab 2021; Aqua Teen Hunger Force; Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law; Perfect Hair Forever; and The Eric Andre Show. The series was described as "zany superhero spoof" which established a formula used on Adult Swim and elsewhere, with a specific "randomness and raunchy sense of humor."[35]

In September 2001, Time Warner established Adult Swim as a programming block on Cartoon Network, aimed for an adult audience, in contrast to the different demographic targeted for Cartoon Network, which some said was the beginning of "great changes" in the "world of adult animated series" for the next twenty years.[64] Its schedule currently includes original programs such as Rick and Morty and The Venture Bros., as well as more "experimental" shows such as Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies.[65] Some said that the programming block was inspired by shows like Beavis and Butt-Head and Aeon Flux.[11] The programming block also marked the return of Space Ghost Coast to Coast,[11] which ran on Cartoon Network from 1994 to 2001, Adult Swim from 2001 to 2004, and GameTap from 2006 to 2008. In the case of Venture Bros, it became a fan favorite due to its callbacks, "fast-paced dialogue" and commentaries about the "dark realities behind American television icons" while Rick and Morty had "tightly structured, high concept adventures."[38] The creation of Adult Swim, posed in 2000 by Mike Lazzo and Michael Ouweleen after a Cartoon Network team saw how many adults were watching their channel, originally confused executives who thought that adults don't watch cartoons, leading them to begin with a small number of shows made of the cheap and aimed at young men.[24] This effort was successful, with the programming block developing "a cult following." Later, adult animation got a boost with the revival of Samurai Jack in 2017 on Adult Swim, followed by Primal and gen:LOCK in later years.[25] Additionally, from August to October 2002, the final few episodes of The Oblongs, another adult animation, would air on Adult Swim after The WB did not air the last five episodes of the series. The latter, which some called a "stray gem in the early 2000s," was noted for the romance between a married couple, Bob and Pickles Oblong, who had a healthy relationship where both would "constantly support each other."[17] Apart from these series was Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law, an adult animated television sitcom. While its pilot first aired as a sneak peek on Cartoon Network on December 30, 2000,[66] the series officially premiered on Adult Swim on September 2, 2001, the night the block launched.[67] It ended on July 22, 2007, with a total of 39 episodes, over the course of four seasons. Later, in October 2018, a special, entitled Harvey Birdman: Attorney General, premiered,[68] and a spin-off, Birdgirl, was ordered to series in May 2019.[69] Some described the series as funny, entertaining, zany, amusing. and even featuring Stephen Colbert as the boss of protagonist Harvey Birdman.[35] Others reviewed Aeon Flux. Liana Satenstein called it "cutting edge, bizarrely sexy, and certainly not for daytime television," which has cult-following, while Peter Chung, the director of the animated show, stated he was inspired by the "very naked images of the late Helmut Newton."[70]

Cosplay of Zapp Brannigan at Chewbacchus 2017 Carnival parade in the Marigny & Bywater sections of New Orleans.

American audiences have become more accepting of adult-oriented animation through the popularity of American-produced comedic television shows. Other adult cartoons include Futurama, King of the Hill, The Boondocks,[11] American Dad!, The Cleveland Show, Bob's Burgers, BoJack Horseman, Rick and Morty, Brickleberry, Big Mouth, Superjail!, and Archer. Dramatic series such as Aeon Flux and Invasion America are less common, and still rarely successful.[71] The latter is the case for The Venture Bros., which had been slated to be renewed for an eighth and final season,[72][73] was cancelled in September 2020. On September 5, an illustrator for the show, Ken Plume, said he would be sorry if the show was cancelled,[74][75] which was confirmed by series creator Jackson Publick, with season 8 being axed.[76][77][78] Not long after, Adult Swim stated that they were working to "find another way to continue the Venture Bros. story"."[79] A number of creators weighed in on the decision. For instance, The Owl House creator Dana Terrace criticized the cancellation, as did animator Bryan Brinkman, DuckTales producer Frank Angones, and other fans of the show.[80] At the same time, series like Bob's Burgers were described as a welcome addition to the "Sunday lineup," a passionate relationship between Bob and Linda Belcher[17] while maintaining a large audience.[38] Additionally, the romance between Stan Smith and Francine in American Dad! was praised for being a wonderful romantic pair akin to Archie and Edith Bunker.[17] Similarly, Archer was praised for its "tight, fast-paced, and ever impressively intelligent dialogue,"[38] the so-called "power couple" between Sterling Archer and Lana Kane,[17] On the other hand, Futurama would be complimented for its "intelligent, scientifically accurate, and humanized" approach to adventures, romances, and parodies of sci-fi.[38] This included the growing relationship between Fry and Leela and an "alien relationship" (Kif and Amy).[17] Others described The Boondocks in a similar manner, noting that the show is profound, comedic, smart, silly, has social commentary on class relations, racism, and a unique animation style.[35]

In 2004, Drawn Together premiered on Comedy Central. The show, which is a parody of The Real World, follows the misadventures of the housemates in the fictional show of the same name and uses a sitcom format with a reality TV show setting.[81] It would last for three seasons, from October 2004 to November 2007, before being cancelled, followed by a direct-to-video film and series finale titled The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! released on April 20, 2010. Some reviewers called this a "bizarre and highly entertaining series" which has a unique style of humor and "level of self-parody."[82] The same year that Drawn Together began airing on Comedy Central, the network would have aired Shorties Watchin' Shorties, and it would have a short run from April to December 2004.[83] Some critics called it obscure, has its problematic moments, but also has "colorful rants and ramblings," and even though it is "tailor-made" for YouTube, the latter did not come about until February 2005.[35] These adult animations were not alone. From 2006 to 2008, Frisky Dingo, an animation created by those who had worked on Sealab 2021, aired on Adult Swim. It was described as having nuanced and original animation which is "rife with crazy moments," while having various "epic moments and funny action film parodies."[35]

In 2006, R. Thomas Ulmstead reported that while adult animations aired on Adult Swim, Anime Network, and on the website of Comedy Central, this animation continued to push "television's content envelope beyond anything seen on basic cable," as is the video game business.[84] Mark Lazurus, president of Turner Entertainment Group described animation as something that allows creators "the ability to present more mature subject matters and characters" in a way that couldn't happen in live-action shows. Even so, some groups pushed back against adult animation, such as the socially conservative advocacy group, Parents Television Council, criticizing shows like Drawn Together, while people such as the Matt Harrigan, executive producer of Assy McGee defended animated content. At the same time, it was said that South Park continued to thrive on Comedy Central, with executives defending shows like Drawn Together and South Park from criticize.

There were various adult animations in the 2010s. One of those was Brickleberry on Comedy Central, an animated sitcom created by Waco O'Guin and Roger Black, executive produced by O'Guin, Black, and comedian Daniel Tosh, with series following a group of park rangers as they work through their daily lives in the fictional Brickleberry National Park. It was later described as one of the "more vulgar adult-animation offerings" of the 2010s, with Kaitlin Olson only staying "for the first season as the female lead," voicing a "recently transferred Yellowstone ranger named Ethel."[85] It was also said that show had a divided reception from critics but received favorably by audiences, who appreciated the show's "shameless sense of offensive humor and fast-paced writing."

In 2011, Good Vibes aired on MTV, but was cancelled after one season.[86][87] This surfer comedy was described by some critics as "criminally underappreciated," while equipped with engaging plotlines, hilarious gags, vibrant animation, and lamented for only lasting one season.[82] The following year, from January to December 2012, Unsupervised, an adult animated sitcom ran on FX.[88][89] Although it was cancelled in November 2012 after one season, it was praised by critics as a coming-of-age story, with two clueless and ridiculous protagonists, while having "realistic looking backgrounds," contrasting with show's look in general.[82]

A few years later, from 2014 to 2015, Stone Quackers aired on FXX as part of their Animation Domination High-Def block. While only running for 12 episodes, critics described it as having colorful episodes, having hilarious and memorable characters, and said it effectively mixes "black comedy with genuine heartfelt moments," making it one of the "most fun and inventive adult cartoons" of the 2010s.[82] Then, Jeff & Some Aliens, an animated sitcom aired on Comedy Central from January to March 2017.[90][91] The plot surrounds three aliens who travel to Earth to find the most average person to test and understand humans. Most episodes revolve around Jeff having a problem that the aliens can fix with a strange device.[92] In December 2017, the series was canceled after one season.[93] It was described as being "a witty and fun stoner alien romp" which is a comedy akin to Rick and Morty.[82] It was also reported that in 2017, Rick Moranis pitched a cartoon about him as a demon slayer titled The Gatekeeper but Adult Swim passed on the idea. Even though the idea had been developed, even with the drawing of concept art, Adult Swim cancelled the project, concerned about their "target audiences."[94] In September 2020, a ScreenRant writer, Lucas Bermudez, called on Adult Swim to consider the idea once again.[94] The cancellation of Moranis's show came at a time that SYFY, then owned by NBC Broadcasting and Sports, was rebranded, with Chris McCumber, who had become SYFY's president, adding "adult animation, live pop-culture coverage, podcasts and other programming" to the network.[95]

The American Dad cast speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California; photo by Gage Skidmore in July 2012

Over the years, adult animation became cleaved between low-budget productions and universal sitcoms. Netflix saw this development when seeing the large number of people who watched Bob's Burgers and American Dad!, while taboos which discouraged adults from enjoying entertainment made for children fell away.[24] In 2014, Jane Wiseman of Netflix, began to work on a number of animated shows like BoJack Horseman, F is for Family and Disenchantment. Each of these shows diverged from what was accepted as normal, with Netflix embracing these shifts, trying to gain allegiance of smaller, but more fervent, fanbases.[24] This culminated with the beginning of hosting Nick Kroll's show, Big Mouth,[96] which garnered a wide viewership, and led to various advantages for creators like Kroll. Later, Wiseman hired Mike Moon, a veteran in the animation industry, to lead a new division at Netflix focused on adult animation, with Moon later ordering series in 2019 like Hoops[97] and Q-Force, which positioned Netflix as "the leader of a flourishing genre."[24] In the years that followed, the so-called "steaming wars" began, with Netflix competing with Apple TV+, CBS Eye Animation (a division of CBS Studios), HBO Max, and Hulu. In the latter case, Hulu ordered a series by the co-creator of Rick and Morty, Justin Roiland and producer Mike McMahan, titled Solar Opposites.[24] Additionally, in March 2018, Amazon challenged Netflix, known for adult animations like Bojack Horseman, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Castlevania, Big Mouth, F is for Family, and Tuca & Bertie, by beginning production on a sci-fi animated series titled Undone.[98] At that time, the global animation industry was worth over $250 billion as the adult animation field continued to expand.[24] It was later said by Brandon Katz of The Observer in November 2020, that animation was at the front of the "war" between streamers like Netflix, Apple TV+, CBS All Access, HBO Max, Disney+, and Crunchyroll as all try to "take note of animation’s foothold in our collective tastes" even as the barrier to access for fans increases.[99]

In September 2019, the first season of Undone began streaming on Prime Video and it was renewed for a second season in November.[100] Also that year, Netflix ordered 10 episodes of an adult animation produced by Fremulon and 3 Arts Entertainment titled Q-Force, which focuses on LGBTQ superspies,[101] as part of its original programming,[102][103] with its release date currently unknown.[104][105] The same month, a new animated sitcom and mature adult animation premiered on Fox titled Bless the Harts. The show, which stars Kristen Wiig, would continue into the following year and to the present.[106]

Then, in October, the pilot for Vivienne "Vivziepop" Medrano's adult animation, Hazbin Hotel premiered on YouTube. This series was described as not appealing toe everyone[107] and a "hilariously dark look" into life in Hell which is "not for kids."[108] One reviewer stated that the series is "definitely for adults," and stated the possibility of the series being picked up by Hulu or Netflix.[109] Others described it either as "no children's cartoon",[110] an "adult cartoon."[111] or an "adult-geared cartoon."[112] The same month, Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal, a mature animated series,[113] began airing on Adult Swim. It would be praised for its narrative approach which completely lacks dialogue.[24] Helluva Boss, which premiered the following month on YouTube, and was by Medrano as well, is set in the same universe as Hazbin Hotel. In December 2019, writing production for more episodes for this series began[114] with 8 episodes ordered.[115] On August 7, 2020, it was announced that A24 had picked up Hazbin Hotel as a full television series, but any information related to its production or release date remains unknown.[116]

In the last month of 2019, critics wrote about the state of adult animation. Andrew J. Crow of Time Magazine noted the influence of The Simpsons on adult animation, with Family Guy, King of the Hill, and Bob's Burgers, among others, featuring some version of the same structure, while "non-family-based shows" have drawn from "Matt Groening’s hyper-referential style, irreverence and slapstick humor."[24] He quoted Alex Hirsch, creator of Gravity Falls, as describing adult animation as an "arms race of different ways to copy The Simpsons." However, Crow stated that The Simpsons is not the only model for such animation, due to new shows coming to TV and streaming platforms like BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth, Rick and Morty and Undone, which some call a boom at the time that "high-quality adult animation shows" are being produced in France, Japan, and in other parts of the world, a new group of creators is pushing existing boundaries.[24] This includes people like Hirsch who signed a deal with Netflix in 2018, stating that animation has been freed from the "need of appealing to everyone." It was also noted that Shion Takeuchi, a writer for Disenchantment, would be heading her own upcoming Netflix show titled Inside Job,[117][25] with Alex Hirsch as an executive producer,[118] with a woman named Alma as the protagonist, and Takeuchi hoping it would "push the boundaries" of adult animation.[24] Hirsch was also quoted as noting that adult animation is changing, saying that it can be something that is "sophisticated, dramatic, beautiful and nuanced" rather than "crass and cruel." The same month, Reuben Baron, an animation critic for CBR pointed out the recent negative toward adult animation, with people calling it "being ugly, immature and generally inferior to cartoons aimed at children," saying that while they make some sense as criticisms of a "lot of the cheaper Adult Swim series," they are exceptions, due to the wide "variety of high-quality adult animation options."[25] He argued that the common criticism of such animation, even a few years before could be true as adult cartoons were comedic while dramatic or action storylines were in children's animation. He stated that apart from the CG animation in gen:LOCK, shows like Seis Manos, Love, Death and Robots, Primal, Undone, Outsiders, and Harley Quinn are well animated, challenging the stereotype they are "ugly." Reuben further stated that adult animation, however, has to increase the "representation of women's perspectives" like in children's animation, while noting that Big Mouth has become "the de facto punching bag for complaints about adult animation" even though it has a female co-creator named Jennifer Flackett and it "tries hard to be socially conscious." He also noted that "old standbys" like Bob's Burgers, Rick and Morty and Bojack Horseman continue to hold weight, even as he noted the failings of Family Guy and South Park, while believing that dismissal of adult cartoons is due to "defensiveness from fans of kids' cartoons." He concluded by looking forward to "existing adult animation" to come in 2020, while stating that we might be "in an adult animation Renaissance." When it came to Love, Death & Robots, which began streaming on Netflix in March 2019, VFX editor and supervisor Brad Minnich described it as "an R-rated, adult animated feature" with various different styles, and that he descovered that there are various animators, and other creatives, who don't get a chance to work on this type of subject matter.[119] Other reviewers said that the show is an "adult animation" with animators deciding this means "tits and profanity...rather than, well, stories fit for adults."[120]

In January 2020, TZGZ, Syfy's new adult animation block, ordered six 15-minute episodes of the series, which would later become Magical Girl Friendship Squad.[121] At the same time, the short form version, Magical Girl Friendship Squad: Origins, began airing on the same late-night programming block.[122][123] At that same time, Netflix and an animation studio, Titmouse, Inc., came to an agreement to produce "multiple original adult animated series" the names of which are yet to be announced.[124][125] In the months that followed, critics wrote about the growing adult animation market. In February 2020, Sophie Fowler noted in the student newspaper for University of North Carolina Wilmington, The Seahawk, the news that YouTube agreed to create "a system of defining criteria for children" but the AI they implemented viewed animated content as for children, noting this is an incorrect assumption, pointing to shows like Family Guy, The Simpsons, South Park, Bob's Burgers, Big Mouth, Bojack Horseman, and Happy Tree Friends.[126] She further stated that animation can cover various subjects and should be taken seriously in the ability to create a wide array of content than be labeled as "for children." The same month, Fox released an animated sitcom produced by Seungyong Ji and Jordan Grief titled Duncanville, focusing on the story of a kid who "daydreams of making it big without having to wear a suit and tie to do so."[127] The next month, Alex Dudok de Wit of Cartoon Brew summarized a new white paper written by John Evershed, co-founder of Mondo Media, writing that adult animation is growing thanks to streaming platforms, a continued loss of cable viewers, animations going beyond comedy, shows which are not comedies are "easier to export," and the shortage of talent in this area even with "the sheer demand for adult animation."[128] Dan Sarto Animation World Network also wrote about the report, stating that non-comedy adult-focused animation "appears to be a growing part of their current and future animation development and programming plans."[129] In his report, Evershed wrote that before 2020, adult animation was either irreverent, were family sitcoms, or anime, but this changed by 2020.[130] This was coupled with strong ratings among those ages 18–34, an increase of platforms with adult animation, and animations of various types, although about half were comedies or sitcoms. Evershed highlighted companies like Titmouse, Inc., Williams Street, and Bento Box producing adult animations, while customers are willing to pay for various streaming services. He also differented between all-ages animation and adult animation, and noted the adult animation strategy of major streaming services, specifically pointing out that Disney+ eschewed adult animated content.

Street-art of Luci, character of Disenchantment TV show, Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne in November 2018

Apart from this, in April 2020, The Midnight Gospel, an animated series created by Pendleton Ward, who previously created Adventure Time, and a comic named Duncan Trussell premiered on Netflix.[131] The same month, Tony Sokol of Den of Geek reported that Syfy was expanding its 90-minute TZGZ animation block with three new series and two pilots, specifically Hell Den, Wild Life, Dr. Havoc’s Diary, Plutonians, and Psycho Psalms.[132] In June, this would be expanded when Syfy ordered the animated series, Devil May Care.[133] That month, Carole Horst Variety also reported that animated featured outside the U.S. have a history of "Telling difficult stories" and that adult animation is increasing across the world, while noting that creators of such animation are embracing it and thinking what they can do with their ability to do effective storytelling, some even calling it "liberating" or a perfect medium to talk about social issues.[22] This included Santa Inc. showrunner Alexandra Rushfield, Shadowmachine co-founders Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico, Crossing Swords creators John Harvatine IV and Tom Root, Fireheart creator Laurent Zeitoun, and Trioscope studios founders L.C. Crowley and Brandon Barr. Horst also stated that as those distributing content and streaming platforms are taking chances with these animations, it is a "golden age of animation as creatives discover the freedom of tooning up." In July and August, critics further talked about the "boom" in adult animation. Some highlighted new series like BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth, Solar Opposites,[134] Disenchantment, F is for Family, Final Space, Duncanville, and Harley Quinn, adding that these series have been in the making for years due to the length of the development process.[135] Others noted the adaption of a comic, Sweet Paprika by Mirka Andolfo in partnership with a veteran of Dreamworks Animation, Gabriele Pennacchioli, which Andolfo calls an "urban fairy tale for adults" and is still in development[136] and how fans of The Simpsons is making Hulu, which hosts shows like Solar Opposites, a streaming hub.[137] The latter also hoped for seeing "more prominent people of color in front of and behind the camera is essential," saying that adult animation needs better representation. At the same time, Chris McCarthy, an executive in charge of ViacomCBS, stated that Comedy Central will "double down on adult animation in a really, really big way" despite the number of adult animations out in the "landscape of content."[138] In August, it was reported that the ViacomCBS was expanding its adult animation offerings, as did Hulu.[139][140] The same month, animation critics noted that in the past, many adult animations didn't have enough momentum to "run longer than a few seasons," even though they gained "cult fan bases" and that in Hollywood, unlike other parts of the entertainment industry, the idea of adult animation is seen as "novel."[82][141]

In early July 2020, Hulu hosted the first ever Hilarious Animated Hulu Awards (HAHA) which is meant to celebrate "adult cartoons, characters, and moments" from those animations streaming on the streaming site. Viewers were allowed to vote on the winners, with awards for the Most Epic Battle Scene, Best Hangover Performance, Best New Show, Best Dance Performance, Best Talking Pet, Most Awkward Moment, Most Insulting Insult, Best Catchphrase, Breakout Star of the Year, and even Best Fart Performance.[142] In later July, the HAHA winners were announced, with characters from Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, Futurama, American Dad!, Archer, Cake, and Solar Opposites winning awards.[143] Some months later, in September 2020, Magical Girl Friendship Squad began airing on SYFY.[144] In interviews the same month, series creator Kelsey Stephanides hoped that the series would expand the "types of new animated stories" with more variety in adult animation,[145] allowing for "different ways" to do adult animation in the future.[146] The same month, reviewers noted rise in Black animation connected to a new animation, Sugar and Toys[147] the changing adult animation field in a so-called "golden age"[148] and the growing demand for adult animation, thanks in part to efforts from streaming services.[149]

In October 2020, it was announced that the first season of Helluva Boss will be released in late 2021 with the first episode being released before the end of October.[150] Around that time, Bradley Lane wrote about the division between children's entertainment and adult animation, noting the rise of animation which tries to be "enjoyed equally by both young and old viewers alike" like Over the Garden Wall.[151] The same month, Michael Price, a former writer of The Simpsons and creator of F is for Family, talked about adult animation, adding that animation naturally "leads to a heightened, distorted version of things," while stating that he did "deeper and more emotional" writing of F Is For Family.[152] Jorge Gutiérrez and Mexopolis, his production company, came to an agreement to produce new animations, including preschool animations, all-ages animations, and adult animations.[153][154] There was other mixed news that month when it came to adult animation. Seth MacFarlane, who works on Family Guy even though his contract expired in 2019, was creating a team to create a Smokey and the Bandit adult animation,[155] Genndy Tartakovsky was said to be beginning a new animation, which would be heading to HBO Max, titled Unicorn Warriors Eternal[156] and it was announced that Marvel's upcoming adult animation, M.O.D.O.K would "directly advertise Marvel comic books."[157] On the negative site, when Quibi shut down, it left animation projects set to be on the site in the lurch, like Doomlands, Filthy Animals, Futha Mucka, Gloop World, Micro Mayhem and Trill League, with their status unknown.[158]

In late October 2020, it was announced that WarnerMedia would be changing its "oversight of kids and family programming for HBO Max" from a group led by the latter to one led by Tom Ascheim, a person who formerly worked at Disney and became the president of Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics section at WarnerMedia in June. It was also stated that Casey Bloys of HBO would continue to "oversee young adult content and adult animation" for HBO Max, while Ascheim would focus on "kid-specific originals" with a priority to "develop preschool centric programming."[159] Around the same time, writers for Variety, highlighted film and TV animation projects at the film festival of Argentina, Ventana Sur, presented at the Animation! event. They noted that the adult animation in the selection for 2020 is starting to "take on some of the irrelevant edge of its U.S. counterpart," with animations like 3 Tickets (Dame Tres Tickets) from Chile and Desechable from Colombia, including various projects from first-time female directors.[160] Additionally, it was reported that ViacomCBS was "ramping up its adult animation programming" with CBS All Access launching in 2021 as Paramount+, welcoming series like Tooning Out the News and Star Trek: Lower Decks.[161] On October 31, the first season of Helluva Boss premiered on YouTube. After the first episode was released, Genevieve Tsai, the show's character designer, praised the episode,[162] as did animator Andrew Chesworth who previously directed One Small Step,[163] the co-owner of Studio Yotta, Helix,[164] and actress Morgana Ignis.[165]

In November 2020, a report by A2Z Market Research about the adult animation market was released. The report stated that some of the top companies in this market are the Fox Broadcasting Company, Sony Pictures Animation, VIA (a division of Paramount Pictures, and Studio Ghibli. Others included Sunrise Inc., DreamWorks Animation, Illumination Entertainment, Toei Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, and Williams Street Productions.[166] The report covered adult animation in film and in TV series. It was also reported that one of C21 Media's events at the virtual Content London conference would be a panel titled "Adult Animation Comes Of Age" which would bring together three individuals in the field who would discuss the popularity of the genre and "how their own work is pushing boundaries in the space."[167] Lupus Films producer Camilla Deakin, Submarine co-founder Femke Wolting, and Trioscope Studios CEO L.C. Crowley will be panelists. Furthermore, as Rick and Morty entered its fifth season,[168] the company producing the show began collaborating with Wrangler to create a set of show-appropriate apparel.[169] Other reviewers pointed out additional adult animations. For one, the upcoming Crunchyroll series Onyx Equinox was said have a "serious adult aspect."[170] At the same time, reviewers stated that Blood of Zeus was an adult animation,[171] some calling it "an epic narrative with grandiose music and striking imagery" and good use of tropes, while noting occasional choppy animation[172] and noting it is part of Netflix's effort to have more productions which appeal to adults.[173] The same month, Animation World Network interviewed the showrunner of Hell Den, coming into its second season, Neil Garguilo. He stated that the adult animation block, TZGZ, encouraged them to go "as far as we’d like in terms of the comedy" and stated that they did not face any pushback.[174]

On November 9, it was reported that The Liberator, an adult animated series, was originally "being developed by the History Channel" but then was taken up by Trioscope Studios.[175] Brandon Barr, chief content officer at Trioscope Studios and production coordinator behind adult animation, stated that although the project was "particularly challenging" and a lot of work, while saying that anime opened the door for other visual techniques and styles. He also hoped that the company could be part of "bringing nuanced emotional drama to that broader adult animation push." Then, on November 11, season 1 of The Liberator, began streaming on Netflix.[176][177][178] The same month, it was reported that Bob's Burgers, an adult animation airing on Fox, was approaching its 200th episode[179] and that Comedy Central's deal with Jeff Dunham was part of the channels move away from live-action series and toward "event programming, topical shows and adult animation."[180] Apart from this, the same month, an adult animation review site, Bubble Blabber interviewed a 25-year-old Black New Yorker named Kabrien Gathers on his first adult animation series in development titled Thank You, My Friends which is inspired by The Golden Girls, which "follows the stories of four multiracial, multicultural women and their families," writing the show on his phone. Gathers said, in the interview, that he had the idea for the show when watching The Golden Girls, with the characters including a Black woman named Wendy who is married to a Black man, a female prosecutor named Marvella, an Asian woman named Wendy, and a Dominican woman named Diana, saying he would like to "speak their native languages at home" but he does not know those languages.[181] He further said that some of the show, located in the fictional U.S. town of Flaretown, is based on personal experience, and thought animation would be better for "over the top" storylines, while stating that the best home for the show would be Netflix but that he would like it syndicated on a network like Cartoon Network or Comedy Central.

Bobs Burgers Cosplay at San Diego Comic Con 2015

Later in November, some reviewers would point to how the "foxhole humor" in Bob's Burgers,[182] an adult animation, has kept it going, and even argue that the humor in the children's animation, Animaniacs was "far more adult" than the original series in the 1990s.[183] It was also announced that Tracy Pakosta was leaving NBCUniversal and moving to Netflix, where she would rejoin her "former Universal TV boss Bela Bajaria," overseeing comedy originals which includes adult animation and live-action family comedies.[184] At the same time, Eric Powers talked about his animation, Attack of the Demons, saying he is trying to move away from being compared to South Park, adding that he wants to tell different stories and use humor differently than what South Park is doing, saying that the idea of "what an adult animated show or movie should look like or can look like" is open.[185] He clarified that he doesn't want to tell stories with the "gross-out humor" that South Park employs. Others reported that the head of HBO Max, Andy Forssell, teased that the streaming platform is working on reviving The Venture Bros..[186] The same month, a number of developments in the world of adult animation were reported. Amazon Studies would said to be producing an animated series titled "Oaklandia" which would star the rapper Snoop Dogg and actor Vince Vaughn,[187] with producers including Daniel Dominguez who worked on Gen:Lock,[188] and that Netflix will be producing another animated series titled "Entergalactic" which follows the story of "a young man on his journey to discover love."[189] Additionally, Jermaine Turner left Disney to join Netflix as the director of original series for adult animation,[190] and the production of a romantic comedy named Sweet Paprika was announced.[191] On November 23, the Los Angeles Times did a piece focusing on the expansion of adult animation on streaming platforms, first highlighting adult animations like M.O.D.O.K. (on Hulu) and "Invicible" on Amazon Prime.[192] The article also stated that the number of streaming services has been a "key catalyst for the recent boom in adult animation," with Mike McMahan quoted as saying that "different streamers are really finding their voice" for various shows, as streamers compete for subscribers. The article stated that of all the streaming platforms, that HULU has the "largest library of adult animated TV shows among all the platforms," and quoted executives at Amazon who argued that adult animation is important to "meet the needs of our younger viewers" and that what is happening now "feels like a renaissance." In addition, the article noted adult animations on the Animation Domination programming block of Fox, SYFY, Comedy Central, and Adult Swim, and that streaming has changed the business of animation on television, along with its "narrative structure and aesthetics." The article concluded by noting that animation has not been affected by the pandemic as much as other industries, and quoted McMahan as hoping that what is happening now will "open up doors" for shows to come in the future. The same month, the reboot of Animaniacs, an all-ages animation had an episode pulled which included a real sex hotline number, with the series no stranger to adult humor as the showrunner, Wellesley Wild, is a "veteran of adult animation" as he worked on Family Guy in the past.[193] It was further reported that ViacomCBS, which owns Comedy Central, is "going all-in on adult animation" more than before.[194]

On December 6, the second season of the adult animation, Lazor Wulf began airing on Adult Swim.[195] Then on December 12, Sean Cubillas of Comic Book Resources said that The Venture Bros., among others, should continue on HBO Max.[196] Around the same time it was announced that Disney+ would add a separate section for adult content, which will be available starting in February 2021,[197] even though Hulu has become Disney's place for "more adult-focused programming."[198] The separate section for adult animated content may be a reference to Disney Star, which will allow those Canada, New Zealand, and various European countries to see series like King of the Hill, Family Guy, American Dad!, Solar Opposites, Archer (2009 TV series), Futurama, The Cleveland Show, and Bob's Burgers while "Disney+ will be the home for The Simpsons."[199] Additionally, the cast of the upcoming Amazon Original, another adult animation, Invincible was revealed.[200][201] Other articles noted that the creator of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Mike McMahan had inked a deal with CBS Studios to "produce all television content created and developed" by him going forward.[202][203] Some said that Apple TV+'s Central Park was one of the best shows of 2020 and described it as the network's "first foray into adult animation,"[204] and praised Close Enough, another adult animation.[205] At the same time, one adult animation, Hoops was cancelled by Netflix after its first season received low ratings and negative reviews.[206][207] Hoops was described as "puerile comedy ... perfect for Trump's America,"[208] not funny,[209] and "crude, rude, and aimless."[210] Despite this cancellation, other series surged ahead. A new series, titled Light Year will focus on Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story but have a "more adult sci-fi imprint"[211] and the new voice of Missy on Big Mouth (Ayo Edebiri) was revealed.[212] In late December it was reported by Cartoon Brew that ViacomCBS had created a upcoming channel known as Comedy Central Animation which will be launced by Pluto TV, including animated series from MTV and Comedy Central, created as part of ViacomCBS's Adult Animation Unit.[213] This would put the channel in direct competition with other streaming services like Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access).

On January 15, 2021, the first part of season 2 of Disenchantment was released on Netflix.[214] Also, in early 2021, the third season of Final Space, where the show's heroes are "set to encounter some powerful entities, dangerous spacescapes and a fair number of plasma explosions" will return to Adult Swim[215] while a raunchy YouTube web series, The Chronicles of PB&Jay, by animator Christopher Cromwell, will continue releasing its episodes in January 2021.[216] At the same time, HBO Max unveiled a new landing page for some of the best animations on the streaming service, including a section on adult animation, listing series like South Park, Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken, Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons, The Boondocks, Close Enough, Watership Down and Harley Quinn.[217] In late January, it was announced that HBO Max had begun developing a Game of Thrones animated series, which would be an adult animation.[218] It will likely be similar to the Game of Thrones TV series. It was also announced that Netflix authorized a 10 episode order for an adult animation, and animated sitcom, produced by Roger Black and Waco O’Guin titled Farzar which follows Prince Fichael and his crew as "they venture out of their domed human city to fight the evil aliens that want to kill and/or eat them."[219]

In an interview with The Hindu in early February, Mike McMahan, the creator of Star Trek: Lower Decks said he focused on the support crew of the ship because no one had told "stories about the crew on the lower decks" or about a ship that wasn't "important," and that he wanted a funny show about Star Trek.[220] He also noted that work on the show was done when everyone was "in lockdown" in Los Angeles because of the coronavirus pandemic and praised the amount of detail put into the show, saying that the show's crew wanted the show to look like an adult animated comedy "in a primetime Sunday night setting." He also confirmed that Mariner is named after his sister and that she he can't pick between Marine, Brad, Tendi, and Rutherford over which one is his favorite, while saying that Star Trek is about "the friendships." Around the same time, it was announced that the companies of Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre, Idris's wife, would be developing an Afrofuturist adult animated, and sci-fi, series, tentatively titled Dantai, for Crunchyroll, which would be about a time when biotech has "created an ever-widening gap between the haves and have-nots."[221] The same month, on February 23, the Star, a hub within the Disney+ streaming service for television and film content intended for an adult audience, was launched.[222]

Sometime in 2022, the second season of Natasha Allegri's Bee and Puppycat, which has "cleanness and stylistic commonalities" with shows like Adventure Time,[25] will be premiering on Netflix.[223]

• Animation in the United States during the silent era
• Animation in the United States in the television era
• Modern animation in the United States
• List of adult animated films
• List of adult animated television series
• List of adult animated internet series

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