Typically, animated shows are supposed to be for kids. After all, most animated shows, like Spongebob Squarepants, Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe, Fish Hooks, and Gravity Falls are children's shows. Because of this, a lot of people often think all animated shows are supposed to be for children only. That is farther from the truth however, for animated sitcoms. They are specifically designed for mature audiences, and feature a lot of mature storylines, recurring themes, and characters. For those who are unfamiliar with the wonderful world of animated sitcoms, this will serve as a nice introduction. This post can help you decide whether you want to start watching animated sitcoms, and if so, which to watch, and if you are already a fan of animated sitcoms, you can be persuaded to watch a new show. Though there have been a lot of great animated sitcoms in the past, like Futurama and King of the Hill, this article focuses on the five best animated sitcoms that still air.
5. Bob's Burgers- The newest sitcom on this list, Bob's Burgers has had four seasons so far (Season 5 starts tomorrow). The show won an Emmy last year and was nominated in the previous two. The show is about Bob Belcher, who runs a not-so-successful burger place. The only workers in his restaurants are his wife Linda, and his children Tina, Gene, and Louise. What makes this show so entertaining is the Belcher family. It's not so much what happens, it's how the family reacts to it (spoiler: it's usually an overreaction). Another great point with the show: interesting recurring characters. While the main characters are very entertaining, the recurring characters are a lot of fun, especially Daryl (voiced by Aziz Ansari) and Andy and Ollie (voiced by Laura and Sarah Silverman, respectively). While this show may not be as popular as the others on this list, it still deserves a watch. You may have to force yourself to get through the first season (I had to), but the wait is worth it.
4. American Dad!- The second-most successful Seth MacFarlane sitcom, American Dad! started its tenth season this fall. Like Bob's Burgers, this show may not be as well-known as the other entries, but it is still a quality show. Also like Bob's Burgers, this show has gotten better since its first season, which wasn't that great. The show's main character is Stan Smith, a very patriotic CIA employee. In contrast to Bob's Burgers, Stan's family is usually not as important to the story. Often, they are just used for comedy bits or side stories. The family consists of Francine, Stan's wife, Steve, the nerdy son, Hayley, Stan's liberal daughter, Klaus, a talking fish, and Roger, an alien who lives in Stan's attic. Roger is by far the most important character out of these five. His various aliases and adventures are extremely entertaining and provide for some hilarious moments. In fact, Roger is one of the greatest animated characters currently on television, sitcom or not. Watch any episode featuring him and you'll know why.
3. Family Guy- It's totally understandable if you've never heard of the previous two entries, but you have to have heard of the following three entries. They are all popular shows that have found their place in mainstream culture. The show, which is set in Quahog, Rhode Island, has won 5 Emmys and been nominated for 13 more. Peter Griffin, who can best be described as a lovable oaf, is the star of the show. Almost every episode features him in a prominent role. Like American Dad!, the family doesn't always take a starring role, especially Chris and Meg, the two oldest children. Lois (Peter's wife), Stewie (the youngest kid), and Brian (the dog) often have good roles. The main popularity for this show is a result from its edginess, which has often drawn a lot of criticism in the past. Another thing that makes the show so interesting: the cutaways. This is unique to the show and often are pretty funny. However, the show has suffered in recent seasons. Fans and critics have noted that the show has lost its original formula and the quality of recent episodes has wavered as a result. Nonetheless, it's still worth your while to check this show out.
2. The Simpsons- Okay, I know you've heard of this show before. Not only is it the longest-running show of all time, it's one of the most famous and most entertaining. Even after more than 560 episodes, fans still tune in to see the adventures of Homer Simpson and his family in the quirky little town of Springfield. Like with Peter Griffin, Homer Simpson plays a central role in most of the episodes, which makes perfect sense, as he is the most entertaining character on the show. His trademark "D'oh!" has become a popular, mainstream phrase. Homer's wife Marge and three kids (Bart, Lisa, and Maggie) are usually more featured than the family members of the previous two entries. However, like Family Guy, this show has gotten a lot of criticism recently. People have said that the show's quality has gone down in recent years, and the show itself is starting to feel a little stale. That last point is totally understandable, seeing as The Simpsons has been on air since the 1980's.
1. South Park- Without question, South Park is the best animated sitcom on television right now, as well as one of the top 100 TV shows of all-time. The brainchild of Trey Parker and Matt Stone has won 5 Emmys and got eight more nominations. The show takes place in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado and revolves around a group of fourth-graders: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. Each one of those characters brings their own personality and distinct gimmick to the group, resulting in awesome chemistry. It is this chemistry that separates this quartet from a lot of other leading groups of characters. The recurring characters, such as those of Chef, Butters, and Ike, only add to this chemistry. I said before that Family Guy was edgy, but South Park takes it to a whole new level. Not only that, but the show has taken on controversial and mainstream topics such as Lance Armstrong's steroid use, Black Friday shopping, global warming, the Washington Redskins, and the NSA spying on Americans. Even while providing this social and political commentary, the show still manages to be ridiculously entertaining. While Family Guy and The Simpsons are declining in quality, South Park is trending upwards.
If you have never watched any of these shows before, try one of the shows listed in this article. One of these should grab your attention. After all, they are the five best animated sitcoms on TV right now.
5. Bob's Burgers- The newest sitcom on this list, Bob's Burgers has had four seasons so far (Season 5 starts tomorrow). The show won an Emmy last year and was nominated in the previous two. The show is about Bob Belcher, who runs a not-so-successful burger place. The only workers in his restaurants are his wife Linda, and his children Tina, Gene, and Louise. What makes this show so entertaining is the Belcher family. It's not so much what happens, it's how the family reacts to it (spoiler: it's usually an overreaction). Another great point with the show: interesting recurring characters. While the main characters are very entertaining, the recurring characters are a lot of fun, especially Daryl (voiced by Aziz Ansari) and Andy and Ollie (voiced by Laura and Sarah Silverman, respectively). While this show may not be as popular as the others on this list, it still deserves a watch. You may have to force yourself to get through the first season (I had to), but the wait is worth it.
4. American Dad!- The second-most successful Seth MacFarlane sitcom, American Dad! started its tenth season this fall. Like Bob's Burgers, this show may not be as well-known as the other entries, but it is still a quality show. Also like Bob's Burgers, this show has gotten better since its first season, which wasn't that great. The show's main character is Stan Smith, a very patriotic CIA employee. In contrast to Bob's Burgers, Stan's family is usually not as important to the story. Often, they are just used for comedy bits or side stories. The family consists of Francine, Stan's wife, Steve, the nerdy son, Hayley, Stan's liberal daughter, Klaus, a talking fish, and Roger, an alien who lives in Stan's attic. Roger is by far the most important character out of these five. His various aliases and adventures are extremely entertaining and provide for some hilarious moments. In fact, Roger is one of the greatest animated characters currently on television, sitcom or not. Watch any episode featuring him and you'll know why.
3. Family Guy- It's totally understandable if you've never heard of the previous two entries, but you have to have heard of the following three entries. They are all popular shows that have found their place in mainstream culture. The show, which is set in Quahog, Rhode Island, has won 5 Emmys and been nominated for 13 more. Peter Griffin, who can best be described as a lovable oaf, is the star of the show. Almost every episode features him in a prominent role. Like American Dad!, the family doesn't always take a starring role, especially Chris and Meg, the two oldest children. Lois (Peter's wife), Stewie (the youngest kid), and Brian (the dog) often have good roles. The main popularity for this show is a result from its edginess, which has often drawn a lot of criticism in the past. Another thing that makes the show so interesting: the cutaways. This is unique to the show and often are pretty funny. However, the show has suffered in recent seasons. Fans and critics have noted that the show has lost its original formula and the quality of recent episodes has wavered as a result. Nonetheless, it's still worth your while to check this show out.
2. The Simpsons- Okay, I know you've heard of this show before. Not only is it the longest-running show of all time, it's one of the most famous and most entertaining. Even after more than 560 episodes, fans still tune in to see the adventures of Homer Simpson and his family in the quirky little town of Springfield. Like with Peter Griffin, Homer Simpson plays a central role in most of the episodes, which makes perfect sense, as he is the most entertaining character on the show. His trademark "D'oh!" has become a popular, mainstream phrase. Homer's wife Marge and three kids (Bart, Lisa, and Maggie) are usually more featured than the family members of the previous two entries. However, like Family Guy, this show has gotten a lot of criticism recently. People have said that the show's quality has gone down in recent years, and the show itself is starting to feel a little stale. That last point is totally understandable, seeing as The Simpsons has been on air since the 1980's.
1. South Park- Without question, South Park is the best animated sitcom on television right now, as well as one of the top 100 TV shows of all-time. The brainchild of Trey Parker and Matt Stone has won 5 Emmys and got eight more nominations. The show takes place in the fictional town of South Park, Colorado and revolves around a group of fourth-graders: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. Each one of those characters brings their own personality and distinct gimmick to the group, resulting in awesome chemistry. It is this chemistry that separates this quartet from a lot of other leading groups of characters. The recurring characters, such as those of Chef, Butters, and Ike, only add to this chemistry. I said before that Family Guy was edgy, but South Park takes it to a whole new level. Not only that, but the show has taken on controversial and mainstream topics such as Lance Armstrong's steroid use, Black Friday shopping, global warming, the Washington Redskins, and the NSA spying on Americans. Even while providing this social and political commentary, the show still manages to be ridiculously entertaining. While Family Guy and The Simpsons are declining in quality, South Park is trending upwards.
If you have never watched any of these shows before, try one of the shows listed in this article. One of these should grab your attention. After all, they are the five best animated sitcoms on TV right now.
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