30 Best Adult Cartoons Like Family Guy

Dec. 15, 2020, 4:30 p.m.

Movies

30 Best Adult Cartoons Like Family Guy

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Summary Modern adult cartoons like Rick and Morty, Big Mouth, and Bob's Burgers offer a fresh take on animated sitcoms, challenging long-time archetypes.

Alternatives like Smiling Friends and M.O.D.O.K. provide unique humor, subverting typical family sitcom formats popularized by shows like Family Guy.

With shows like Krapopolis and Harley Quinn taking on new themes, the adult cartoon landscape remains diverse, offering something for every viewer.

For any viewers looking for shows like Family Guy, there are some great adult cartoons available. By using and often subverting the animated family sitcom format popularized by The Simpsons, Family Guy's reign began in 1999, and, like its predecessor, appears to have no end in sight. In recent years, however, long-time archetypes of shows like Family Guy and The Simpsons have fluctuated in popularity and quality. This has allowed newcomers like Rick and Morty, Big Mouth, Bob's Burgers, and Invincible to contend for the after-dark TV throne.

Even loyal viewers of Family Guy's 22-plus seasons don't need to search that far in order to find an alternative to Seth MacFarlane's flagship cartoon. Shaped by audience expectations and the evolution of both animation and storytelling styles, modern adult cartoons rival live-action series and movies in just about any category. The best adult cartoons around are among the best-animated shows available anywhere, especially for fans of Family Guy.

Related The Best TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked The best TV shows of all time will be debated forever, but there are clear contenders. These are the very best TV shows of all time, ranked.

30 Smiling Friends (2020- )

A Company Whose Goal Is To Bring Happiness

Smiling Friends Cast Michael Cusack , Zach Hadel , Marc M. , Joshua Tomar , Mick Lauer , Erica Lindbeck , David Dore , Lyle Rath Release Date April 1, 2020 Seasons 2 Creator(s) Michael Cusack , Zach Hadel

Smiling Friends is an Adult Swim series that follows a business that sets out to bring happiness to customers. However, it is the mission to bring happiness that proves that it is not always easy when the people they service have some pretty disturbing problems. Like Family Guy, this series shows that many people are their own worst enemies, but at the same time, there is always a chance to find a smile somehow before it ends. Also, as in shows like Family Guy, there are some disturbing characters that show up that often create an unnerving and awkward viewing experience.

This is thanks to its subversive humor, which is another way it compares to Family Guy.

Smiling Friends arrived in 2020 and has become one of the top critically acclaimed animated series in recent years. This is thanks to its subversive humor, which is another way it compares to Family Guy. However, the one big difference is that each episode only runs for 13 minutes, so there is a lot more humor condensed into a smaller area of time. With creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack making each episode its own small adventure, it is just different enough, but with similar comedic moments.

Stream on Max

29 M.O.D.O.K. (2021)

A Marver Supervillain With Family Issues

Marvel set out to release some bizarre and off-the-wall adult comic book series on Hulu, and while the venture didn't last long, it did result in some gold. One of the best Marvel shows on Hulu was M.O.D.O.K. The series had almost nothing to do with the character from the comics other than the fact that he ruled over AIM and wanted to dominate the world. However, his biggest goal was to figure out how to run AIM while keeping his family together, which brought great humor to the show.

Thanks to the creative team involving Patton Oswalt, M.O.D.O.K. was a huge success and found support from none other than Kevin Feige, who allowed them to create their own Earth in the Marvel multiverse (Earth-1226). Oswalt took on the voice role of M.O.D.O.K., and the show ended up as a comedic look at supervillains. With the Robot Chicken-styled animation and rapid-fire jokes, it is a great alternative to Family Guy with its humor and the series deserves all the attention it ever receives.

Stream on Hulu

28 Krapopolis (2023- )

A Family Comedy In Ancient Greece

Krapopolis is the brand-new adult cartoon on Fox from the creator of Rick & Morty. The series airs on the same nights as Family Guy and is part of the network's package of adult animation. This allows it to fit in well with shows like Family Guy. The series takes place in Ancient Greece and follows a family of gods, including Tyrannis, a demigod who wants to create the world's first city. Much like Family Guy, there is no shortage of family dysfunction in this adult animated series, as no one can get along, and it is almost harder to keep the peace than it is to build a society.

The best way to describe Krapopolis is to ask what the Griffin family would look like if they lived in Ancient Greece instead of modern-day society. The family members here are just as irreverent as in Family Guy and the humor is as full of puns, single-shot gags, and low-brow jokes. With both shows airing on the same night, they share the exact same audience.

Stream on Krapopolis

27 Harley Quinn (2019- )

A DCU R-Rated Supervillain Cartoon

Harley Quinn Release Date November 29, 2019 Cast Kaley Cuoco , Lake Bell , Alan Tudyk , Ron Funches , Tony Hale , Jason Alexander

DC has also worked on creating more adult cartoons based on its characters, and the best of them is Harley Quinn. While Harley got her start as Joker's sidekick, she ended up becoming a popular character on her own and has actually eclipsed Joker in the eyes of many fans. While non-comic book readers mostly know her from Suicide Squad, the Max cartoon has helped position her as a hero with a healthy bit of LGBTQ+ representation thanks to her relationship with Poison Ivy.

For fans of shows like Family Guy, there is a lot to love here. This is a Harley Quinn cartoon, so expect plenty of off-beat humor and references from the lead character throughout the series. The inside jokes are plentiful in this animated series and fans of Family Guy should love the winks and nods the series gives to the DC Universe. However, this series has more heart than most Family Guy episodes, although that isn't to say the Griffin family doesn't have their moments.

Stream on Max

26 Archer (2009- )

A Superspy Satire

Archer Release Date December 28, 2010 Cast Lucky Yates , Aisha Tyler , Adam Reed , Amber Nash , H. Jon Benjamin , Chris Parnell , Judy Greer , Jessica Walter

While the storyline from Archer is as different from Family Guy as it might get, there are a lot of similarities between the two adult cartoons. The biggest comparison is easily the rapid-fire jokes in every episode. Archer is about a secret spy organization led by Sterling Archer's mother, while Sterling is the top agent and also a wise-cracking, womanizing, alcoholic, and irresponsible man-child. Each season had spy action until the later seasons when the series had different themes while Archer was in a coma.

Every episode sees the characters getting in over their heads and doing as many amoral things as possible, all while cracking jokes, making pop-culture references, and being as disrespectful as possible - just like Peter Griffin and his family. The insults and sarcastic wit from Sterling Archer would feel right at home coming out of the mouth of Peter Griffin or Stewie at any given time.

Stream on Hulu

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25 Agent Elvis (2023- )

What If Elvis Was An American Secret Agent?

Agent Elvis Release Date March 17, 2023 Cast Matthew McConaughey , Kaitlin Olson , Christina Hendricks , Kieran Culkin , Gary Cole , Simon Pegg , Fred Armisen , Niecy Nash

Agent Elvis is a bizarre show about an old Elvis Presley real-life story. Elvis met the President of the United States and asked if he could be an undercover secret agent to help bring down drug dealers and other criminals while people just looked at him as a music star. This Netflix adult animated series supposes that the United States took him up on the offer. He also had a drug-addicted monkey sidekick, giving him a friend like Brian the dog in Family Guy. Add in the fact that Matthew McConaughey voices Elvis, and it is an easy Netflix recommendation.

There is a lot of violence, crude humor, and adult language, and fans of shows like Family Guy should feel right at home. With that said, fans of Agent Elvis will only get to laugh along with one season because Netflix canceled it in 2023 and there won't be another season of the hilarious adult animated cartoon.

Stream on Netflix

24 Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

Twin Kids Are Sent To Live With Their Uncle In A Mysterious Town

Gravity Falls Release Date June 15, 2012 Cast Jason Ritter , Kristen Schaal

Gravity Falls is a show that owes a lot to Rick & Morty, and there is a lot that those two shows share in common. They are also smart and funny adult animated series, and they share that in common with shows like Family Guy. Look at just about any Stewie and Brian episode where they time travel, and you will get something that shares a commonality with shows like Gravity Falls. This is a show that features Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel as they arrive in Gravity Falls, a town with something very wrong with it.

Soon, they end up dealing with paranormal activity and the series is about discovering the mystery behind this town. There is a lot that keeps Gravity Falls different from shows like Family Guy, mostly surrounding the episodic storytelling, the paranormal aspects of the show, and the fact that it is not slapstick humor. However, it does share an intelligence to its jokes that Family Guy fans should appreciate.

Stream on Hulu

23 Central Park (2020- )

From The Creators Of Bob's Burgers

Central Park Release Date May 29, 2020 Cast Kristen Bell , Tituss Burgess , Daveed Diggs , Josh Gad , Kathryn Hahn , Leslie Odom Jr. , Stanley Tucci , Emmy Raver-Lampman

Fans of Bob's Burgers, which airs in the animation block with Family Guy on Fox, should find a lot to love about the Apple TV+ adult animated series Central Park. That is because Bob's Burger's creator Loren Bouchard was a co-creator of Central Park. It has a similar animation style to Bob's Burgers and focuses on a family who lives in New York City who live in a park and wants to save it from a greedy land developer. Central Park is inspired by real people and really feels like a show taking place in New York City.

This makes it a great watch with smart humor and a socially conscious storyline. While that doesn't hold up to the madcap slapstick of shows like Family Guy, the humor is still sharp and it fits right in alongside Seth Macfarlane's hit animated series when it comes to delivering the laughs with a keep eye on pop culture and funny one-liners. The show lasted for three seasons before Apple TV+ canceled it.

Stream on Apple TV+

22 Dallas & Robo (2018)

A Space-Trucker & Her Robot Companion

At one time, YouTube attempted to enter the realm of streaming services and created a few original series, with Cobra Kai as the most famous. However, it also created an adult animated series with a great voice cast that fans of shows like Family Guy should enjoy. Dallas & Robo is a show about a space-trucker named Dallas and her partner, a robot named Robo, and all the trouble they get into as they traverse the galaxy.

The series only lasted one season before YouTube Red shut down.

It is foul-mouthed and funny and gets bonus points for having John Cena voice Robo while Kat Dennings voices Dallas. The series only lasted one season before YouTube Red shut down. The humor is the exact kind that fans of shows like Family Guy love, and it has the added bonus of being on the former YouTube Red, because that means that the show could drop a few curse words here and there and offer up adult humor people won't find on network television. This was where Cena really proved he could work well in an R-rated comedy.

Stream on YouTube Premium

21 Happy Tree Friends (2006)

Cute Animated Animals Die In Horrific Manners

Around the same time that shows like Family Guy and South Park proved that adult animation could be a huge success on TV, Happy Tree Friends arrived. Originally, Happy Tree Friends was a Flash TV series that aired on the Internet. However, it soon moved to television, airing on G4. The show was shocking at the time, as it took cute little animated forest animals and then subjected them to extreme graphic violence and often gruesome deaths.

If anyone wants to see a cute little bunny rabbit get its head lopped off with a chainsaw, Happy Tree Friends is the best show to scratch that itch. Honestly, this seems like the kind of show that Family Guy would emulate and that fans of the show would love. For anyone who loves the scenes with Peter Griffin and a giant chicken beating each other senselessly, Happy Tree Friends delivers the same type of humor.

Buy on Amazon

20 Disenchantment (2018–2023)

A Fairy Tale Adventure From The Simpsons' Creator

Disenchantment Release Date August 17, 2018 Cast Nat Faxon , Meredith Hagner , Billy West , Tress MacNeille , Lucy Montgomery , Sharon Horgan , David Herman , Maurice LaMarche , Eric Andre , Richard Ayoade , Matt Berry , John DiMaggio , Abbi Jacobson , Noel Fielding

From the genius animation wizard Matt Groening comes Disenchantment, which is a huge change of pace from adult cartoons he has produced in the past. Disenchantment takes place in the fictional world of Dreamland and sees a cast of fantastical characters explore this mysterious kingdom. With a conspiracy slowly getting uncovered, major political themes are at play here, combined with fantasy-bending elements that poke fun at the genre as a whole.

It's a brilliant premise and one that's enjoyed multiple imaginative seasons, that have not become repetitive in the way that a classic sitcom-style piece like Family Guy has. At the same time, Disenchantment still similarly caters to viewers charmed by the complex dynamics of Family Guy's Griffin family. The series lasted for three seasons with 50 episodes and finally came to an end in 2023.

Stream on Netflix

19 Solar Opposites (2020– )

Aliens Have To Get Used To Life On Earth

Solar Opposites Release Date May 8, 2020 Cast Thomas MIddleditch , Sean Giambrone , Mary Mack , Sagan McMahan , Justin Roiland , Tiffany Haddish

Created by Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan, Solar Opposites demonstrates a number of comparisons to its sister show Rick and Morty, but also goes to great lengths to continue to forge interesting and original narratives based on this unusual family. Centered on a group of aliens that have fled their dying planet and are now creating a home on Earth, it's fascinating to see humanity from this very extraterrestrial perspective. It's incredibly meta in its humor, but the setup of these unusual protagonists gives it an edge against the likes of adult cartoons such as Family Guy.

Also, much like Family Guy, it was able to survive when it could have died. While Family Guy survived a cancelation only to return stronger than ever, Solar Opposites survived a creative change, as Roiland left the series as a creator and voice actor, but it explained it all away with the voice actor change (Dan Stevens replaced Rouland as Korvo) being made a storyline plot device. It is these creative moves that really show how similar the two animated cartoons really are.

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Stream on Hulu

18 Hit-Monkey (2021– )

An Assassin Monkey In The Marvel Universe

Hit Monkey Release Date November 17, 2021 Cast Ally Maki , Olivia Munn , Fred Tatasciore , George Takei , Nobi Nakanishi , Jason Sudeikis

Marvel Comics boasts a wide range of unusual characters that perhaps could only work in an adult animation series. Hit-Monkey is a fantastic demonstration of that, with the animation team holding nothing back in their portrayal of this murderous primate. The character, who was created by Daniel Way and artist Dalibor Talajić, is bonded to the soul of a hitman, looking to get revenge for his murder. There's a complexity to the way in which Hit-Monkey chooses his next move, debating whether sheer violence is the way forward.

It takes a few episodes to get going, but there's nothing else like this from Marvel. Family Guy rarely manages to create storylines of such depth. What is even most impressive about Hit-Monkey is that it is the only Hulu Marvel series that survived the transition when Disney took over all Marvel properties. Hit-Monkey premieres a second season in 2024, with the monkey assassin returning for more adventures.

Stream on Hulu

17 Invincible (2021– )

An R-Rated Animated Superhero Series

Invincible is based on the much-loved comic book series of the same name from Image Comics and created by Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley. The series allows the incredible twists of the graphic novels to get adapted in all their gory beauty, with the familial conflicts at the heart of the piece getting the main focus. The origin story of the lead is unlike anything else on screen, and Family Guy - alongside most other adult cartoons - doesn't boast anything quite as personal in the face of this kind of violence.

Not unlike other subversive superhero shows like The Boys or Venture Bros., Invincible takes huge risks and allows the audience to feel the full force of the genre. With two seasons so far, the second airing in 2024, Invincible remains a smart R-rated superhero series with one of the most dysfunctional families in all of comic books, one that almost makes the Griffin family look normal in comparison. Amazon has renewed it for a third season, but that is likely a ways off from arriving on Prime Video.

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Stream on Amazon Prime Video

16 Final Space (2018–2021)

An Astronaut & His Alien Friend Defend The Universe

Final Space Release Date February 26, 2018 Cast Tika Sumpter , Coty Galloway , Steven Yeun , David Tennant , Caleb McLaughlin , Fred Armisen , Ron Funches , Olan Rogers , Tom Kenny , Keith David , Andy Richter , Vanessa Marshall , Jane Lynch , John DiMaggio , Claudia Black , shannon purser , Ron Perlman , Gina Torres , Ashly Burch , Conan O'Brien Expand

Created by Olan Rogers, Final Space is a full-on space opera, with a tapestry of interwoven beats that paint a galaxy full of adventure and danger. While its duo of unlikely allies trying to save the universe seems basic, it's that very relationship that allows the show as a whole to bloom. Considering one-half of the duo is the very weapon that could destroy worlds, there's a tension there that somehow becomes a brotherhood.

Relationships like these aren't created with the same importance in shows like Family Guy, and could never match the stakes in adult cartoons like Final Space. However, getting past the relationships, the humor here is smart and quick-witted and fans of Family Guy should enjoy the adventures, even though the only thing close to this kind of story involves Stewie Griffin and Brian's more sci-fi-flavored adventures. There were only three seasons, and a graphic novel is planned to finish the show's story.

Buy on Amazon

15 American Dad (2005– )

An American Patriot & His Dysfunctional Family

American Dad Release Date February 6, 2005 Cast Seth MacFarlane , Wendy Schaal , Scott Grimes , Rachael MacFarlane , Dee Bradley Baker , Patrick Stewart , Jeff Fischer

Another one of Seth MacFarlane's creations, American Dad is often noted for its fantastic comedy and great group of characters. It can be argued that it is simply far better than Family Guy, as it possesses stronger storylines and more heart. In terms of creativity, this series tends to always be evolving, which is a necessity for any long-running adult cartoons of any genre. American Dad characters such as Steve and Roger are adult comedy staples, as they bring a lot of marvelous components to the show, whether it be their dialogue or wacky hijinks.

For Family Guy audiences looking for something else that doesn't fall far from the tree, American Dad is the perfect choice. Of course, it helps that the same voice types from Family Guy appear in this series, from the Seth MacFarlane-voiced Stan and Roger the Alien to similar voices for the rest of the characters. Both shows also have the same dysfunctional family that never seems to be on the same page, much less care what happens to anyone else in the family.

Stream on Hulu

14 Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2000–2015)

Three Food Items Set Out To Save The World

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Release Date December 30, 2000 Cast Dave Willis , Carey Means , Dana Snyder

Focusing on a band of anthropomorphic fast-food superheroes, Aqua Teen Hunger Force ran on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim from 2000 to 2015. Varied to the point that the show didn't even bother to keep a consistent name, Aqua Teen was one of the most out-there shows, even when compared to the strangest adult cartoons on Cartoon Network's late-night lineup. Though often more crass than Family Guy in many areas, Aqua Teen arguably offered up a suite of more memorable characters.

From the ever-hilarious Master Shake and the quick-to-anger Carl to the straight-man Frylock, each and every Aqua Teen character is consistently comical. This is probably the closest that a hit animated series comes to shows like Family Guy, as the jokes often alternate between puns and one-liners to sharp insults and pop cultural references. The only difference is that the quotes come from talking food items and not a human family. The dysfunction is strong in this series as well.

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13 F Is For Family (2015–2021)

Another Animated Dysfunctional Family Comedy

F Is for Family Release Date December 18, 2015 Cast Bill Burr , Justin Long , Sam Rockwell , Laura Dern

A Netflix original series, F is for Family is criminally underrated. This show is truly incisive, and, although it is a comedy, it does a marvelous job displaying the true struggles dysfunctional families face with one another. Set during the 1970s, the show has an emotional, raw feel to it that's almost totally absent in a series as irreverent and low-brow as Family Guy.

What truly differentiates F is for Family from other adult cartoons is that it was created and also stars stand-up comic Bill Burr, who based the stories on his own equally hilarious and traumatic experiences from growing up in the '70s. The family strife and dysfunction are the same between Family Guy and F is for Family, with the only real difference being that Peter Griffin is mostly clueless and doesn't care, while it seems that Frank is a lot more angry and dismissive, giving the two shows a slightly different outlook on family.

Stream on Netflix

12 Big Mouth (2017– )

The Struggles Of Middle Schoolers Hitting Puberty

Known for its raunchy comedy, Big Mouth has become one of the most popular adult cartoons today. The way it focuses on gross-out humor is unlike anything viewers have ever seen, which has allowed it to gain a lot of attention. However, what is often not spoken about is the fact that it does an immensely solid job tackling real issues that adolescents experience during puberty. It may be a hard sell due to its unique style, but fans of adult-oriented comedy series owe it to themselves to check this one out.

The biggest comparison would be that Big Mouth is a mix of the kids from South Park and the comedy dynamics of a show like Family Guy. While South Park is a lot about current pop culture, political, and social issues happening, Big Mouth is about nothing more than kids dealing with puberty and all the troubles it brings. That allows it to hit with jokes one might find in Family Guy, so this might be the one show that could bring together fans of South Park and Family Guy to agree that Big Mouth is a masterpiece of animation.

Stream on Netflix

11 The Simpsons (1989– )

The Show That Family Guy Stole Its Format From

The Simpsons Release Date December 17, 1989 Cast Tress MacNeille , Julie Kavner , Harry Shearer , Pamela Hayden , Nancy Cartwright , Hank Azaria , Dan Castellaneta , Yeardley Smith

For the record, it should be noted that The Simpsons has fluctuated in quality much like Family Guy. However, at the end of the day, it not only objectively remains the superior show, but it's also the trendsetter that puts adult cartoons on the map. Both of these television shows were golden when they hit the air, but The Simpsons completely changed the TV landscape and made adult animated content relevant to mainstream audiences.

During its prime years, it was a show that possessed so much heart and had some of the funniest writing that audiences had ever seen in an animated series. It should also be noted that Family Guy has not only name-dropped The Simpsons in episodes but there was actually a crossover. One Family Guy episode was criticized for making fun of The Simpsons, but a later episode had Peter Griffin make the quip that his show stole everything from The Simpsons, almost like a badge of honor.

Stream on Disney+