Family Guy
Family Guy debuted in 1999 and quickly became known for its cutaway gags and takes on American culture. Set in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island, the show centers on the unique Griffin family, made up of Peter and Lois, the father and mother of two teenage children and a highly intelligent, but sociopathic baby, and a talking dog, as they navigate both everyday and absurd situations. Over its run, the show has been known to push boundaries to the edge with its often controversial jokes about current events and pop culture. Despite its edgy humor, Family Guy maintains a strong fanbase to this day, with the show returning for a 25th season on February 16th, 2025.
Bob’s Burgers
This sitcom follows the daily operations of a burger restaurant in Seaside, New Jersey, run by the Belcher family. The show is known for its quirky humor, but is still very down to earth, with lovable characters. The show’s wacky situations are still able to maintain a sense of realism, with often heartwarming lessons along the way. Bob’s Burgers has had great critical success, even receiving an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.
South Park
South Park is equally infamous and beloved for its crude humor, use of profanity, and brash social commentary. It’s drawn criticism over the years due to some believing it approaches its subject matter in an insensitive, or even harmful way. Nevertheless, the show continues to receive high ratings and maintain its iconic status in American culture. The cut-out animated show stars four elementary school boys—Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, taking on insane adventures in their daily lives.
Seasons 1-4 and 14 Available on DVD
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force (often shortened to ATHF) is one of Adult Swim’s most popular shows. Anthropomorphic fast food items live together in suburban New Jersey and often find themselves embroiled in strange adventures. ATHF is often unpredictable, with its nonsensical happenings and improvisational dialogue. It’s often described as anti-comedy, which is not everyone’s cup of tea, but ATHF will never fail to surprise you.
Moral Orel
Twelve-year-old Orel Puppington is a devout Protestant boy, striving to live by his faith’s moral code. Unfortunately, the extent he goes to follow this code often lands him in disastrous situations, much to his parents’ chagrin. Moral Orel uses the lens of black, often unsettling, comedy, to question the foundations of Orel’s belief system, and reveal the dysfunction of his seemingly ordinary family and town.
King of the Hill
Contrasting to other shows on this list, King of the Hill offers a more grounded take on the family sitcom genre. The Hill family lives in small-town Texas, living out everyday, but sometimes mundane situations. The show’s humor is much more gentle, though still satirizing American culture, but in a more nuanced way than shows such as Family Guy or South Park, making a great option for those looking for a less abrasive, more affectionate portrayal of modern family life.
The Boondocks
Based on the comic strip of the same name by Aaron McGruder, The Boondocks is known for its sharp social commentary and distinctive anime-influenced art style. The Boondocks tackles complex racial and political issues as the African-American Freeman family moves from inner city Chicago to the white, suburban town of Woodcrest. Its blunt honesty allows it to address uncomfortable truths, though not without the humor typical of adult animated shows.
Rick and Morty
Rick Sanchez, a brilliant, but selfish scientist, and his awkward grandson Morty Smith embark on interdimensional travels and encounter bizarre creatures and mind-bending realities along the way. It’s no surprise series co-creator Dan Harmon chose to explore parallel universes in Rick and Morty, after dabbling in similar topics on Community, another show of his creation. Rick and Morty frequently grapple with existential questions about life and the universe, leaving them overwhelmed, calling attention to the importance of relationships over pondering unanswerable questions.
The Simpsons
Not just the longest running American animated television show, but also one of the longest running American television shows of all time, The Simpsons has stayed culturally relevant since its premiere all the way back in 1989. In the 1980s, animation was thought to be a medium mostly used for children’s media, but The Simpsons changed this perception and made it possible for future adult animated series to thrive. Over the years, the sitcom has been known to challenge various elements of American culture and at times, even predict future events.
Daria
Originally a spinoff of another great MTV animated series (Beavis and Butt-head), Daria is still beloved to this day, with its timeless witty humor and relatable characters. In contrast to other shows of its time, Daria features a female protagonist, Daria Morgendorffer, an intelligent outcast teen with a dry sense of humor. Though the lessons throughout the series are often approached through satire, it doesn’t shy away from the discussion of controversial topics such as racism, mental illness, feminism, and classism.