Top adult animated shows of 2019: From 'BoJack Horseman' and 'Undone' to 'Tuca & Bertie' and 'Final Space'
It was a good year for fans of adult animated series. In fact, 2019 saw the return of old favorites and a new crop of animated series that quickly garnered a fan following.
From 'BoJack Horseman' returning for its final season to 'Big Mouth' getting renewed till its sixth, animated shows are here to stay. It was difficult for us to rank these shows in one list because each one is unique. So here is an unranked list of the best-animated shows this year:
'BoJack Horseman' [Netflix]
'BoJack Horseman' continues to maintain its rank as one of the best adult animated shows. The Netflix original, created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, follows the ups and (mostly) downs of a once-famous actor BoJack Horseman.
In BoJack's world, humans and anthropomorphic animals live alongside one another. As BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett is simply spectacular.
The self-loathing alcoholic is not alone in his (mis)adventures. Amy Sedaris stars as Princess Caroline, Alison Brie as Diane Nguyen, Paul F Tomkins as Mr Peanutbutter and Aaron Paul as Todd Chavez.
Through its satirical take on the entertainment industry, the show has brought attention to its very realistic take on depression, addiction, childhood trauma, racism, sexuality and the human experience.
In its later seasons, the show commented on some of the most important social issues we currently face — sexism in the workplace, the Times Up movement and even news ethics. One could easily deem it as one of the best animated shows of all time for its critical view of issues.
The latest season, which is released in two parts, the second of which arrives on Netflix on January 31, 2020, revolves around BoJack's redemption arc.
'Undone' [Amazon Prime Video]
From the creators of 'BoJack Horseman' comes another masterpiece. If 'BoJack' packed a punch, then 'Undone' delivers enough for a first-round KO. The Amazon Prime Original is a philosophical show about death, culture, history and the concept of time.
Animated through a rotoscope style that blends video visuals with art sequences, 'Undone' can be called one of the most visually stunning shows of the year as the protagonist falls in and out of dream sequences, time jumps, and talks with her father about the nature of existence.
'Tuca & Bertie'
At first, 'Tuca & Bertie' looks very similar to 'BoJack Horseman' and if you didn't know better you would easily assume that it is a spin-off. Well, it does come from Lisa Hanawalt, who serves as production designer and producer on 'BoJack Horseman'.
The adult animated series stars Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, John Early, Richard E Grant, and Reggie Watts and follows the friendship between two bird-women Tuca (Haddish) and Bertie (Wong).
What make the show special are the colorful, contrasting personalities of our female protagonists and wholesome, heartwarming friendship that blooms between them.
It is a shame the show was canceled in its infancy making it quite an unfortunate decision for itself. And even now, fans remain bitter as to how much the show has suffered at the hands of Netflix.
If you are looking for an animated series that artfully fuses surreal humor with comedy and a whole lot of slice of life, look no further than 'Tuca & Bertie'. The show also earns brownie points for a diverse cast, impressive take on complex social issues, and most of all, a heart-warming, beautiful camaraderie between two female friends.
'Rick & Morty'
An Adult Swim original, 'Rick & Morty' requires no introduction. Created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, the adult animated science fiction sitcom follows the interdimensional, intergalactic misadventures of the mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith.
The series' commentary on existentialism, nihilism and the human experience has received critical acclaim and a large round of applause from a very loyal audience that patiently waited since the end of the third season in 2017. A long-teased series, Season 4 has been worth the wait.
Roiland lends his voice to both protagonists while Chris Parnell voices Jerry, Sarah Chakle voices Beth and Spencer Grammar. Summer. Join 'Rick & Morty' on their intergalactic adventures that are never a disappointment.
'Love, Death & Robots'
'Love, Death & Robots' evolved from a late 2000s meeting where David Fincher and Tim Miller decided to make a remake of the 1981 film 'Heavy Metal'.
Beautifully blended farcical elements make 'Love Death & Robots' a fascinating watch and the credit goes to VFX expert Tim Miller and a pinch of magical realism from the adapted works of Phillip Gelatt.
The first season, encompassing 18 episodes that are produced by different casts and crews, has its foundations in one of the titular themes. Watch 'Love, Death & Robots' for a spellbinding animation technique and stellar storytelling.
'Final Space'
With shows like 'Rick & Morty' dominating the sci-fi adult animated genre, 'Final Space' carved its own niche. The show's protagonist Gary Goodspeed (voiced by creator Olan Rogers) is boisterous and inept but a thoroughly adorable, endearing character whose unconventional methods form the USP of the show.
Do not consider 'Final Space' and 'Rick & Morty' as competitors, as both shows, with their intergalactic adventures and eccentric characters make them unique. 'Final Space' has a gripping storyline, powerful antagonists and an intergalactic mystery.
The show also features biggies like David Tennant who voices the terrifying Lord Commander and Conan O'Brien who voices Clarence and Chuck and serves as the executive producer.
'Big Mouth'
Created by Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, 'Big Mouth' follows a group of teenagers and their struggle with puberty.
A coming-of-age story based on the Kroll and Goldberg's life growing up, 'Big Mouth' must be commended for its realistic portrayal of teen issues — something we very rarely get to see on screen.
The latest season deals with peer pressure, body shaming, sexual abuse, homosexuality and compulsive masturbation. With Season 3 dropping in October 2019, Netflix renewed the show for six seasons.
'Disenchantment'
Coming from 'The Simpsons' and 'Futurama' creator Matt Groening, the satirical animated sitcom follows the misadventures of the rebellious and alcoholic Princess Teabeanie, her elf companion Elfo and her personal demon Luci.
The show stars the stellar cast of Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre, Nat Faxon, John DiMaggio and Billy West. Watch 'Disenchantment' for its hilarious storyline and characters with a wild imagination. The crux of the show lies in an age-old mystery that Teabeanie is slowly unraveling but getting deeply sucked into.
'Paradise PD'
First impressions of 'Paradise PD' are weak. The raunchy comedy picks up pace after you acclimatize yourself with the very eccentric group of characters.
Based in a small-town police department, the show follows the slightly overweight and somewhat ineffective police officer Kevin Crawford (voiced by David Herman) and his colleagues.
As far as office comedies go, 'Paradise PD' places itself in a comfortable spot with office clashes, competition, and its signature treatment of crucial issues like workplace harassment.
'F for Family'
Created by Bill Burr and Michael Price ('The Simpsons' alumni), 'F for Family' might have raunchy, vulgar characters but the story has a heart with its characters evolving from Season 2 onwards.
The show, which remains one of Netflix's favorite products, is also a fan favorite with Burr's loyal audience returning each season for the quick-tempered, foul-mouthed Frank Murphy.