20 Adult Animated Series Perfect For Fans Of “Rick And Morty”
Rick and Morty are back for their sixth season, and have already come out of the gate by pulling back the curtain on the established universe of our favorite animated grandpa/grandson team.
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But with each episode dropping weekly, some fans might find themselves missing out on the adult animation action in the downtime between new chapters of Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland’s twisted series. With this in mind, I’ve assembled 20 other animated series that should serve as a thematically appropriate distraction until your next fix of Rick and Morty .
1. Harley Quinn
Warner Bros. Animation
A gleefully chaotic animated spin on the Batman universe as told through the warped lens of antihero Harley Quinn, this hysterical and screwed-up series works as both a clever send-up and a loving tribute to the Caped Crusader’s extensive rogues’ gallery.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
2. Smiling Friends
Goblin Caught on Tape
2022’s most buzzworthy adult animated series about friends who work for a company specializing in cheering up others expertly blends absurdism, parody, and gross-out humor to create a wholly original, laugh-out-loud vision that’s definitely NSFW.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
3. Saturday Morning All Star Hits!
Broadway Video
Blending dark comedy animation and nostalgic ‘90s live-action interstitials, this bizarre series sees Saturday Night Live actor Kyle Mooney delivering his brand of off-beat humor in multiple roles.
Where to Watch: Netflix
4. Love, Death + Robots
Prod DB / Netflix / Blur Studio / Alamy
This adult animation anthology offers stories of quirky comedy, shocking violence, and science fiction madness, all of which should appeal to Rick and Morty fans.
Where to Watch: Netflix
5. Archer
FX Productions / Album / Alamy
This critically acclaimed spy parody from the creator of Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo offers risqué humor, a pompous rogue protagonist, and a cavalcade of strange and entertaining supporting characters, which Rick and Morty fans are sure to appreciate.
Where to Watch: Hulu
6. Metalocalypse
Williams Street
Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha’s ridiculously violent comedy series about a rock band with a seemingly apocalyptic destiny puts the “death” in death metal (and hits all the right notes in doing so).
Where to Watch: HBO Max
7. Clone High
MTV Animation
Before becoming some of the most dependably amazing voices in Hollywood, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller showed off their comedic potential with this questionably tasteful yet undeniably clever series about a high school populated by the clones of famous historical figures.
Where to Watch: Paramount Plus
8. The Boys Presents: Diabolical
Amazon Studios
The warped sense of humor shared between The Boys and Rick and Morty goes into hyperdrive in this animated anthology series set in the super-powered universe of the former franchise.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
9. Primal
Williams Street
Genndy Tartakovsky’s badass action series follows the kinship between a caveman and dinosaur, whose shared grief forms an unlikely bond (and touches upon many surprisingly emotional beats that Rick and Morty fans might recognize from the show’s dramatic revelations).
Where to Watch: HBO Max
10. The Legend of Vox Machina
Critical Role Productions
Based on the legendary inaugural D&D campaign from the hit YouTube series Critical Role , this Amazon original series gleefully indulges in violence, sex, and crude language while remaining respectful and faithful to fantasy lore.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
11. The Oblongs
Warner Bros. Television
With a uniquely strange sense of humor that was way ahead of its time, this Will Ferrell-starring animated sitcom not only has a biting sense of humor reminiscent of Rick and Morty but delves into social issues with a nearly identical, cynical wit. Where to Watch: Tubi
12. Invincible
Amazon Studios / Album / Alamy
From the producers of The Boys and The Walking Dead , this twisty, critically lauded superhero series packs one hell of a punch and fosters the edge to which Rick and Morty fans have grown accustomed.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
13. Superjail!
Williams Street
It’s Willy Wonka meets Riki-Oh in this surreal splatter series that takes place in a sadistic yet whimsical prison from an alternate dimension.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
14. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Studio Trigger
This brand new anime series perfectly encapsulates the breakneck sci-fi anarchy so often associated with the Cyberpunk franchise (and, of course, Rick and Morty , albeit not as viscerally so).
Where to Watch: Netflix
15. Little Demon
Atomic Cartoons
Possibly the most controversial animated series of 2022, Little Demon is certain to hit the funny bones of Rick and Morty fans with its deranged and provocative humor.
Where to Watch: Hulu
16. Star Trek: Lower Decks
Roddenberry Entertainment / CBS Eye Animation Productions / Album / Alamy
Though it may be more “PG-13” than some of the other entries on this list, the irreverent humor and manic energy of Rick and Morty is definitely apparent in this animated Star Trek comedy series.
Where to Watch: Paramount Plus
17. Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
Williams Street
Lovingly lampooning pop culture both classic and contemporary, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law was a gut-busting and clever breakout hit for Adult Swim during its broadcast run in the early-to-mid-’00s.
Where to Watch: HBO Max
18. Futurama
20th Century Fox Film Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection
Matt Groening’s second hit animated series definitely leans closer to the adult animated space than The Simpsons , while its spin on sci-fi tropes paved the way for the likes of Rick and Morty in a number of ways.
Where to Watch: Hulu
19. The Venture Bros.
Astro Base GO!
One of the funniest shows in Adult Swim history, the deep, growing universe of The Venture Bros. and its take-no-prisoners approach to parody seem like a sure fit for fans of the equally rambunctious RIck and Morty .
Where to Watch: HBO Max
20. Samurai Jack
Alamy / Cartoon Network Studios
Though Samurai Jack often rode the line between family-friendly and “too intense for younger viewers,” the show’s darker and more violent revival season in 2017 feels like it was catered toward an audience that had become comfortable with Adult Swim’s more mature audience, which had grown exponentially thanks to series such as Rick and Morty .
Where to Watch: HBO Max
What shows would you add to the list?