Until the 1990s, The Simpsons was the only English-language popular animated sitcom aimed at adults. The longest-running American animated series contained brief nudity and mild profanity but dealt with serious themes and issues, including death, gambling addiction, religion, and suicide. The Simpsons made its debut on December 17, 1989, significantly impacting the development of a variety of subsequent Adult-oriented animated sitcom television programmes.

When South Park first premiered in 1997, it quickly gained notoriety for its coarse language and bizarre, dark comedy that targets an adult audience. Since then, the genre has only grown, and animated situation-comedy is now more than “The Flintstones” and “The Jetsons”.

Here is a list of the best adult animated sitcoms we think will appeal most to fans of South Park and The Simpsons.

1. Family Guy (1999) – IMDb 8.2

As an adult animated sitcom, “Family Guy” was a game-changer when it first aired in 1999, like a shotgun burst of comedic genius that blew the doors off the genre. It’s reasonable that “Family Guy” would be likened to “The Simpsons.” However, it has a more cutting edge in its satire of working-class life. Or it can be depicted as a programme that is essentially an expansion of The Simpsons with more crude humour included prominently.

The show centres on a crazy family that makes fun of almost everything. Peter Griffin (Seth MacFarlane), the chubby and childish patriarch of the Griffin family, messes things up. While his doting wife Lois (Alex Borstein), his resentful daughter Meg (Mila Kunis), and his genetic twin Chris (Seth Green) watch. MacFarlane’s strengths lie in his excellent comedic timing, which he displays by knowing when to cut a scene or how long to linger on a joke.

The series pokes fun at various topics, including those that defy easy categorization, such as disabilities, ethnic groups, media, celebrities, politicians, religion, drug abuse, and sexual comedy. Not everything in “Family Guy” is successful, but the programme as a whole is funny and entertaining.

2. Rick and Morty (2013) – IMDb 9.2

There are many adult animated series out there, but Rick and Morty is undoubtedly the one with the best writing and the most thought-through storylines. What sets this programme apart from all the others is its willingness to break new ground and push the boundaries. Every episode references some facet of contemporary culture that the show intends to lampoon, but the primary focus is always on the tale being told.

Fans of science fiction will enjoy the many sillies but interesting ideas and those who like drama will like how real emotions and problems are brought up in almost every episode.

The primary characters, Rick and Morty, are a comedic pair that blends genius with outright dumb actions. Drunken genius Rick Sanchez has visited galaxies, dimensions, and the multiverse in his quest for knowledge. He has only just returned to Earth to be with his family and take his dim-witted grandson Morty on various adventures and quests across the expanse of space.

3. Archer (2009) – IMDb 8.6

Give Archer a go if you’re a fan of adult comedy and intelligent animation like South Park. This excellent programme has a sharp wit, a cynical edge, and a pitch-perfect cast of characters. This adult show has the highest quality animation, with each scene including vivid, eye-popping realism and minute attention to detail.

The show’s premise centres on the working relationships of a fictional secret organization called ISIS. Sterling Archer, the protagonist, is a gorgeous hedonist who thinks only about himself and his pleasures. He is cocky and pompous but not that competent as a secret agent. With Archer, we have the ultimate satirical portrayal of our image of a super-spy, and the show even goes further by skewering many aspects of our conception of espionage.

The show’s characters are excellent, and they work well together. In addition, they develop a unique character during the changing seasons. There is plenty of drug use, explicit sexual content, and obscene language throughout the programme. Archer is adept at maintaining an episode’s pace via a sitcom plot arc even when the humour slows down.

4. Big Mouth (2017) – IMDb 7.9

Big Mouth is a coming-of-age sitcom about a group of adolescent boys and girls who experience the transitions of adulthood. It doesn’t shy away from confronting taboo topics like masturbation but does it with a lighthearted, realistic, and often humorous perspective. The coming-of-age experience is brilliantly depicted in Big Mouth using various pop culture references and analogies.

The creators of this programme know their target audience well: mature teens and young adults. This programme addresses issues we all face, such as porn addiction, having a first boyfriend or girlfriend, breaking up with them, beginning your period and the shame that might come with it, etc. The series also includes a rundown of the various sexual orientations and how they are defined and an examination of gender roles and gender structures. These topics are sometimes covered on new age television, but not as thoroughly or precisely as on Big Mouth.

The characters have a lot of nuance and complexity, the writing is slick and funny, and there is an ounce of truth in most jokes. The show’s creators obviously have some memory of the social discomforts of their adolescence, which helps make the show’s characters and plots relatable. Adolescent hormones profoundly impact human development, and the Hormone Monsters, Maurice and Connie, serve as excellent metaphors for this phenomenon.

5. Futurama (1999) – IMDb 8.5

Produced by the same creator that gave you The Simpsons, Futurama is yet a very different animation show. It has a unique brand of humorous flare that is, without a doubt, incredibly amusing. Your emotional connection with the characters is the most substantial part of the programme and what elevates Futurama above the Simpsons. Futurama’s seasons conclude on an intellectual or contemplative note rather than with a joke since most of the show’s tales include human conflicts of love and friendship.

The adult animated sci-fi drama follows Phillip J. Fry, a pizza delivery guy who feels like he doesn’t quite belong in the world of 1999. He is unappreciated at work, rejected by his fiancée, and has no social circle to speak of. Accidentally frozen in the year 1999 on New Year’s Eve, he awakens in the year 3000 to find himself working for a delivery firm owned by a nutjob professor with a robot, cyclops, talking lobster, and others on a variety of adventures.

6. American Dad! (2005) – IMDb 7.4

From the mind of Family Guy’s Seth McFarlane comes American Dad, another animated sitcom for adults. Although the tone and comedy are similar to Family Guy’s, McFarlane has worked magic to give this programme its distinct flavour. While Family Guy is known for its off-the-wall comedy and pop culture allusions, American Dad is well-known for its biting political satire and consistently hilarious gags.

We have the standard formulaic family unit seen in shows like “Family Guy,” complete with a father, mother, brother, and sister, but with two new members: an alien and a talking fish. Stan Smith, the protagonist, is the American Dad since he is a CIA agent who enjoys shooting. He is humorous, suspicious of strangers, and has little regard for the sentiments of others. Stan is willing to risk everything to keep his country safe.

The alien’s character, Roger, adds a new dimension to the drama since he isn’t confined to the human form. There is something special about this programme that keeps it going strong after 18 seasons.

7. The Life & Times of Tim (2008) – IMDb 8.3

Given that this is an HBO production, you should expect nothing less than high-calibre, uncut television. Additionally, it marks HBO’s return to animated programming after Spawn. The absurd situations, the deadpan banter, mounting craziness, and the well-developed characters all contribute to the show’s overall comedic success.

The sitcom follows Tim, who is regularly trapped in clearly ridiculous circumstances, even though they always appear to spin out of control in a manner that is so genuinely plausible. Tim has terrible luck, and his witty justifications for it are the show’s main attraction. Tim’s voice is provided by Steve Dildarian, who also wrote, directed, and starred in the film. Debbie, the friend, and Amy, the girlfriend who is often disappointed by her well-intentioned but terrible boyfriend, are just two of the supporting cast members that stand out among the others.

A few viewers may be offended by Tim’s crude scenarios and language. Still, nothing is employed to be vulgar or without originality or innovation. The animation isn’t that great and has a horrible appearance, but it works to its advantage.

8. King of the Hill (1997) – IMDb 7.5

We can safely say that “King of the Hill” is among the elite of television programmes because of its superb writing and well-rounded characters. It premiered the same year as the last episode of “Beavis and Butt-head,” proving that the creators of both shows were working on similar projects at the time. Both comedies have unique styles and strengths.

In contrast to the programme about the two idiots, this one follows a family in Arlen, Texas, who find themselves in new and exciting predicaments in each episode. The Hill family comprises the father Hank, mother Peggy, and their son Bobby, who never seems to get any older. Their urban neighbours consider them to be nothing more than simple rural bumpkins.

The series pokes fun at many of the tropes and assumptions about America that we tend to take seriously, making King of the Hill an excellent adult sitcom. Despite being the greatest prude ever, Hank has a decent heart and simply desires the best possible outcome for his family. Although Peggy does seem to become dumber with age, everyone is familiar with at least one Midwesterner who exhibits traits remarkably similar to Peggy’s.

This animated comedy lasted for 13 years because the main characters have never aged, and the plots have gone from deadpan to hilarious while tackling essential topics.

9. Daria (1997) – IMDb 8.1

Daria may not get high marks for its animation quality, but the show more than makes up for this with its intelligent and satirical portrayal of adolescence. Daria is a fantastic metaphor for everything wrong with modern culture, from the crazy individuals you encounter to the uncaring grownups around you.

Our boring anti-heroine, Daria Morgendorffer, is not your typical teen girl. Her existence consists of sitting with her closest friend Jane Lane, a misfit artist from a family of unusual thinkers, and studying other people’s behaviours. She is intelligent, snarky, and outspoken yet very uninspired.

Tracy Grandstaff’s sarcasm will make you laugh till it hurts. And Miss Morgendorffer’s reluctance to comply with the “conform or die” mindset imposed on teens by their elders, the famous creeps, and the numerous counter-cultures will cheer you for them all. The rest of the characters may seem like a cliched bunch—the well-liked sister, the mother obsessed with her profession, the blonde bimbo cheerleaders dating an equally idiotic football star—but they are hilarious.

10. Drawn Together (2004) – IMDb 7.1

Drawn Together makes fun of awful reality programmes like Big Brother and develops characters with exaggerated qualities to mock the clichés they represent. As I stated, the characters are caricatures, including an Asian (Ling Ling), a gay (Xandir), a Christian (Clara), a “slut” (Foxxy), a prankster (Spanky), a fat chick (Toot), a not-so-good superhero (Captain Hero), and Wooldoor.

All sorts of media, including video games, cuisine, movies, music, and television programmes, are parodied in this show. But there is also a lot of sexual humour, nudity, racism, violent acts, gore, and other hateful things. Avoid this sitcom if you are easily offended. But if you’re searching for a nasty chuckle, Drawn Together is what you should watch.

The storyline is ridiculously amusing and clever, and the characters are some of the best parodies ever created.