Greatest Animated Series of All Time

From old classics to new hits, cartoons don't get better than this.

Greatest Animated Series of All Time

Animated TV shows run the gamut of genres, from wacky cartoons to deep character dramas. The only limit is the imagination of creators and the ability to attract enough viewers to avoid the "cancel" button.

They used to be branded kids-only, but animated shows have evolved into an art form, where there's something for everyone, especially adults. We have old classics, new hits, or just shows that hold a special place in our hearts.

These are the best animated series of all time.

27. The Transformers

Year: 1984-1987

Number of seasons: 4

Number of episodes: 98

Bottom line: Like every other cartoon from the 1980s and 1990s, "The Transformers" TV show was made to sell toys. Unlike most other cartoons, "Transformers" captured the imagination of kids everywhere.

These were giant, transforming robots, each with backstories and personalities, driven by the stupendous voice work of Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime and Frank Welker as Megatron.

While this show doesn't really hold up outside of nostalgic purposes, the 1986 movie, which doubled as a mid-series finale, is still a fantastic film. The amount of love that adults have for robots today is a testament to the original series' insane popularity.

26. Rugrats

Year: 1991-2004

Number of seasons: 9

Number of episodes: 172

Bottom line: Most animated series, even those geared directly toward kids, take the perspective of the adults in the room. But "Rugrats" was different.

"Rugrats" tells the story from the perspective — and the viewing angle — of the babies. Once the adults leave the room, a whole social order of infants takes over, usually with hilarious and charming results.

"Rugrats" had two spin-offs (of varying success) and three movies before it was unceremoniously canceled in 2004. No one really knows why. Maybe those Nickelodeon execs were just a bunch of babies.

25. The Ren & Stimpy Show

Year: 1991-1996

Number of seasons: 5

Number of episodes: 52

Bottom line: There was no other cartoon like "The Ren & Stimpy Show" when it premiered in 1991. It was a sketch comedy program that featured odd characters like Powdered Toast Man, Mr. Horse and George Liquor, the latter being an insane old conservative with a vein-popping rage problem.

"Ren & Stimpy" had very strong adult humor to it, but it was constrained just enough for the show to pass off as a children's program on Nickelodeon. Under the right constraints, "Ren & Stimpy" was weird, unsettling and brilliant. This all went out the window with "Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon," which went whole-hog on the gross-out stuff and thus became bland and unfunny.

A revival of the show is coming from Comedy Central, but without the original creator (for good reasons).

24. Daria

Year: 1997-2002

Number of seasons: 5

Number of episodes: 70

Bottom line: "Daria" reflected all the angst and societal dissociation of young, naval-gazing Gen Xers. The show follows Daria Morgendorffer, a nonchalant high schooler who doesn't quite fit in with her bubbly suburban family — or seemingly anywhere else.

Daria is dry-witted, sarcastic, intelligent and always existing on the outskirts, never letting herself get too involved. This show was cathartic to certain groups of people who couldn't find entertainment produced by like-minded people (at the time, there were few to choose from).

The show got to see out its life, too, with Daria graduating from high school and giving a speech that showed growth, while also not straying from her sardonic roots.

23. Animaniacs

Year: 1993-1998 (original season), 2020-present (revival)

Number of seasons: 5

Number of episodes: 99

Bottom line: The "Animaniacs" was zany to the max by design. The popular after-school cartoon was more like an animated variety hour for kids — at a breakneck pace. The premise? Three main characters — Yacko, Wacko, and Dot — were running amok on the Warner Brothers' studio lot creating havoc in between a typical variety hour mashup.

Kids loved the fast-talking and intense scene switching. Adults loved the dialogue, which for being a kid's show, was actually a refreshing satirical (and insightful) look at Hollywood. Plus, there was some very adult humor that whooshed over the little ones' heads.

Hulu recently rebooted the popular series, but the show is struggling to hold up against other newer, edgier animated shows.

22. Family Guy

Year: 1999-present

Number of seasons: 19

Number of episodes: 366 and counting

Bottom line: It's easy to hate on "Family Guy," and we're not saying the show is without valid criticisms. Its humor can be over the top for the sake of being over the top, and it's difficult to argue that the shoe hasn't gotten stale over the past two decades.

But "Family Guy" was a pivotal animated series that defined a whole new kind of animated sitcom humor (for better or for worse). "Family Guy" introduced the fast-paced, "remember when" flashback humor with completely random and offbeat segments.

It wasn't as surreal as the stuff you'd find on Adult Swim, but it was a new kind of offensive and often clever humor that found an entire generation of fans.

21. The Flintstones

Year: 1960-1966

Number of seasons: 6

Number of episodes: 166

Bottom line: Originally airing in 1960, "The Flintstones" was the first animated series to ever premiere on prime time. Like a traditional sitcom, the show featured two couples and their children. While they did all the usual 1960s things, the men worked in the rock quarry and the women stayed at home, the world was completely (and often repetitively) prehistoric.

"The Flintstones" was the longest-running animated series for its time, staying on the air for six years, until "The Simpsons" dethroned it in the 1990s. The show is fondly remembered by those who saw it during its initial airing, while Fred and pals have become a piece of pop culture.

Its popularity seems to endure, too. In 1994, Fred drove his foot-powered car onto the big screen in a truly surreal real-life version of the animated classic. And if that wasn't enough of the Stone Age for you, Elizabeth Banks is producing a reboot to the show. "Bedrock" will feature a grown-up Pebbles embarking into the enlightened Bronze Age.

Yabba dabba do?

20. Rick and Morty

Year: 2013-present

Number of seasons: 4

Number of episodes: 41

Bottom line: Yeah, diehard "Rick and Morty" fans are notoriously annoying. But that shouldn't take away from the show itself.

"Rick and Morty" follows Morty Smith, an all-around average high school student who is taken through dangerous interdimensional adventures by his grandfather, Rick Sanchez.

Created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, "Rick and Morty" is a highly creative, frenetic, brightly animated show with dark, twisted humor. The voice acting is brilliant as well.

19. SpongeBob SquarePants

Year: 1999-present

Number of seasons: 13

Number of episodes: 267 and counting

Bottom line: "SpongeBob SquarePants" was magic for its first three seasons, but never recovered after creator Stephen Hillenburg left the show before season four, with other main writers dropping off as the series went on.

Before that, "SpoongeBob" was less about kiddy gross-out humor and more about subtle jokes and quirky humor with endearing, more believable characters (at least, as believable as these under-the-sea creatures are).

But those first several seasons were a blast, solidifying "SpongeBob" as an integral, humor-defining show for young millennials. Even those who didn't grow up with it can watch and enjoy.

18. The Venture Bros.

Year: 2004-2018

Number of seasons: 7

Number of episodes: 81 (plus four specials)

Bottom line: In many comedy cartoon shows, what the characters did in one episode didn't matter in the next one. Not so with Venture Bros. Hank, Dean, Dr. Thaddeus and Brock's decisions follow them throughout the course of the show.

Similarly, throwaway jokes in one episode could end up being an important plot point seasons later. "Venture Bros." has layers of meta humor, as well as fleshed-out characters and some ridiculously funny plot lines.

Seemingly always in a state of being cancelled and rebooted since 2004, "Venture Bros." was cancelled once again in 2020. The creators are still hoping for another lifeline.

Go team Venture.

17. Adventure Time

Year: 2010-2018

Number of seasons: 10

Number of episodes: 283

Bottom line: "Adventure Time" follows a a boy named Finn and his shape-shifting dog named Jake throughout the post-apocalyptic fantasy world called the Land of Oo. A colorful cast of characters with story arcs, a fleshed-out world and epic adventures made "Adventure Time" the most innovative and entertaining show on Cartoon Network when it was on the air.

"Adventure Time" has been credited with revitalizing the animated short medium as it used it to spin its 11-minute episodes into character-building tales in a serialized format. Its influence on the animated world is undeniable.

Side note: Those looking for a similar kind of 11-minute adventure with three-dimensional characters should check out "Infinity Train."

16. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Year: 1969-70, 1978

Number of seasons: 3

Number of episodes: 41

Bottom line: Premiering in 1969, the absolutely beloved "Scooby-Doo! Where Are You!" followed a group of kids (and one scrappy dog) who solved crimes with a supernatural theme.

The ghosts and goblins always turned out to be the real human culprit who was unmasked and taken away at the end of every 20 minutes, providing a kind of real-life grounding to the series. And then, just a mere 25 episodes later, the gang rode away in the Mystery Machine for the last time in 1970.

It resurfaced for 16 more episodes in 1978. But the real mystery might have been why cancel it at all? After the original run, Scooby-Doo morphed into a franchise, spawning movies, reboots, and endless piles of merch. Not to mention the complete series box set, which reappears every few years as the newest Blu-ray version or the 50th-anniversary edition, only to get gobbled up by fans again.

Numerous new iterations of "Scooby Doo" have aired since, but the heart of the series lies in its first 41 episodes.

15. Beavis and Butt-Head

Year: 1993-1997 (original series), 2011 (first revival)

Number of seasons: 8

Number of episodes: 220

Bottom line: "Beavis and Butt-Head" are two of the dumbest, most infantile teenagers the animated world had ever seen. And we all loved them for it.

It's difficult to convey just how popular "Beavis and Butt-Head" was on the air, which was only for about four years. A groundbreaking aspect of the show was the two's commentary on actual, recent MTV music videos. The two could declare a band cool or say it sucks, and that opinion would be parroted by teenagers throughout the country. They even did an interview with Rolling Stone.

"Beavis and Butt-Head" came back for an eighth season in 2011. In 2020, Comedy Central announced they would be bringing the show back for a Gen-Z audience (we assume they're going to be much more politically correct) while a new movie will be airing on Paramount Plus.

14. Bob's Burgers

Year: 2011-present

Number of seasons: 11

Number of episodes: 212 and counting

Bottom line: Like "King of the Hill," "Bob's Burgers" sets itself apart from the rest of animated shows by planting itself firmly in reality.

"Bob's Burgers" is about a family and their hamburger joint. There's no high drama. The show's biggest draw is its comforting setting and an aspirational look at an American family managing their life and work.

"Bob's Burgers" is relatable, smart, wonderfully voice acted and charming. It's not quite as funny as other shows on this list, but there's something just so nice about watching the Belchers, and sometimes you just need a TV show that can double as a warm blanket.

13. Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Year: 2000-2015

Number of seasons: 11

Number of episodes: 139

Bottom line: "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" was one of the pioneering forces behind absurdist and surrealistic humor that became in vogue during the early 2000s. ATHF is a show about a shake, a meatball, a box of French fries with lightning eyes and a pathetically depraved next-door neighbor named Carl.

Originally, the team was supposed to solve crimes, but that premise was quickly abandoned after the pilot episode, leaving the fast-food trio to get into increasingly bizarre situations.

Odd villains like the Hand Banana and the "cybernetic ghost of Christmas past from the future" appear in one episode, only to never be seen again, and the main characters are often killed off, only to be perfectly fine in the next show.

12. Avatar: The Last Air Bender

Year: 2005-2008

Number of seasons: 3

Number of episodes: 61

Bottom line: "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is one of the most critically acclaimed cartoon shows of all time, and for good reason. This series was carefully crafted long before the show aired, with the showrunners setting up three major arcs to be told over three seasons.

The result is a tightly told story with rich character development, redemption arcs, interesting villains and a wonderful, fully realized world.

The first few episodes of "Avatar" are quite childish, though, which likely turned many would-be fans away from the series. But stick with it, and you'll be dutifully rewarded.

11. X-Men

Year: 1992-1997

Number of seasons: 5

Number of episodes: 76

Bottom line: "X-Men" took storylines from the established Marvel comics and brought them to life in vivid, exciting detail. This was the show that you'd watch on Saturday morning and then rush out to buy the newest "X-Men" comic on Sunday, and then argue in the playground about who gets to be Wolverine for the upcoming recess fantasy fight.

"X-Men"'s handling of bigotry and persecution of mutants as a metaphor for the persecution of minorities in the real world was never subtle, and the show may not be quite as good as we remember, but it's still one of the defining cartoons of the past 30 years.

It was ahead of its time for certain storylines, like the "Dark Phoenix Saga," which spanned nine episodes and introduced a darker, grittier tone. That was something we never saw on Saturday morning.

10. Looney Tunes

Year: 1930-1969

Number of seasons: N/A

Number of episodes: N/A

Bottom line: "Looney Toons" literally defined the cornerstones of animated jokes. Run off a cliff? As long as you don't look down, you'll keep going. Get something from ACME? It's going to break. Someone pointing a gun at you? Plug it with a carrot, it'll blow up in their face.

"Looney Tunes" humor is incredibly simple and clean, but like a silent Buster Keaton movie, they're also timeless. And the characters — Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Wild E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, etc. — will be around for centuries to come, in one form or another.

9. Gargoyles

Year: 1994-1997

Number of seasons: 3

Number of episodes: 78

Bottom line: What do you get when you mix Shakespearean themes with superhero creatures and a gothic New York City? You get "Gargoyles," a children's show that was far ahead of its time and one of the rare 1990s Saturday morning cartoon shows that got better as you got older.

"Gargoyles" had its life cut far too short thanks to the O.J. Simpson murder trial, which severely screwed with its programming. It's a brilliant show that dealt with mature themes and had some very talented voice actors — many of whom came from "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

That's another positive in our book.

8. Cowboy Bebop

Year: 1998-1999

Number of seasons: 1

Number of episodes: 26 (plus a movie)

Bottom line: "Cowboy Bebop" is a one-season anime series about a ragtag group of space bounty hunters with incredible music and some of the best characters any animated show has to offer.

There's something so rich about "Cowboy Bepop"'s world, and every episode has a compelling story (and some great action). The show is a mix of spaghetti western, noir, kung-fu and sci-fi themes, although this is a show mainly about characters, their pasts, and their relationships.

"Cowboy Bepop" is largely considered one of the best, if not the best, anime ever made.

7. King of the Hill

Year: 1997-2010

Number of seasons: 13

Number of episodes: 259

Bottom line: Other popular animated series airing at the same time embraced their cartoon nature. Homer Simpson became an astronaut for one episode and a vigilante the next, while "South Park" killed Kenny over and over again.

"King of the Hill" did the opposite, introducing us to Hank Hill, Peggy Hill, and the gang in completely realistic — if not occasionally downright suburban — scenarios. The result was hilarious and relatable.

The series ran for 13 seasons and is in syndication to this day. But for fans that can't get enough of the small, fictional town of Arlen, Texas, rumor has it a reboot might be in the works.

6. Futurama

Year: 1999-2013

Number of seasons: 7

Number of episodes: 140

Bottom line: Good news, everyone! "Futurama" always deserved a bigger following (and better ratings) than it received. Created by Matt Groening, "Futurama" follows the intergalactic shipping exploits of the Planet Express and its crew.

There's Fry, our cryogenically frozen pizza boy who wakes up 1,000 years in the future; Leela, a tough cyclopean captain; Bender, an alcoholic robot; and Professor Farnsworth, a forgetful but semi-brilliant scientist, among other memorable characters.

"Futurama" had a long start-and-stop programming history and was canceled twice, finally ending in 2013 after Comedy Central stopped ordering new episodes. Both fans and the cast are hopeful for yet another reboot. But even if that doesn't happen, "Futurama" has a place in our hearts for being one of the greatest animated series ever made.

5. Archer

Year: 2009-present

Number of seasons: 11

Number of episodes: 118 and counting

Bottom line: "Can I offer you a drink? How about this expensive prostitute?"

"Archer" follows the bumbling exploits of Sterling Archer (voiced by the prolific H. Jon Benjamin), a spy with the soul of a 12-year-old boy and the skills of a drunken James Bond.

Filled with fast, witty dialogue and a cast of incredible characters (RIP, Jessica Walter), even the worst "Archer" episodes are better than most anything else on television.

4. BoJack Horseman

Year: 2014-2020

Number of seasons: 6

Number of episodes: 77

Bottom line: Bojack might be a horse, but he's more human than any other cartoon character we've seen.

"Bojack Horseman" is a tragicomedy centered around both the purposelessness and purposefulness of life.

The more you watch, the more real it gets, until you realize you're not watching a comedic cartoon, but an insightful, expertly written drama that'll have you feel things you didn't expect to feel, or even want to feel.

3. Batman: The Animated Series

Year: 1992-1995

Number of seasons: 2

Number of episodes: 85

Bottom line: Even though he was animated, Batman from this show was more realistic than the cartoonish depictions of the caped crusader played by Adam West. That's largely in part due to Tim Burton's gritty-ish "Batman" films, which made the character popular again for a whole new generation.

"Batman: The Animated Series" introduced entirely new, iconic, villains, too, like Harley Quinn, and set a defining tone for how Batman and Joker should sound. The writing of the show was excellent, too, and the animation was absolutely beautiful.

The show only lasted two seasons, but fans should rejoice: a reboot for HBO Max is reportedly in the works.

2. The Simpsons

Year: 1989-present

Number of seasons: 32

Number of episodes: 703 and counting

Bottom line: First airing in 1989, "The Simpsons" has run for 32 seasons and 703 episodes (and counting). The animated giant practically invented modern, adult-themed animated TV shows.

Originally written largely by Harvard grads, "Simpsons" used the day-to-day lives of the Simpson family to ponder life's big questions and explore social themes. And make some great cracks at everything in pop culture, politics and life.

"The Simpsons" reached unheard-of heights for an animated series, sparking a feature film, video games, and an endless stream of merch. Those first eight to 10 seasons shaped an entire generation's humor, to the point where some millennials can communicate solely using "Simpsons" references.

Yes, the show has gone downhill as of late — what show can keep its golden age for over 30 years? — but "The Simpsons" changed the way we view cartoons.

1. South Park

Year: 1997-present

Number of seasons: 23

Number of episodes: 309 and counting

Bottom line: When "South Park" debuted in 1997, it was little more than silly toilet humor that pushed the boundaries of network television, angering all types of conservative groups and providing an endless amount of laughs for middle schoolers.

But as the series progressed, it just got better, and transformed into some biting social commentary. Whether Trey Parker or Matt Stone wielded their criticisms like a scalpel or with a sledge hammer, it was funny.

We're not saying "South Park" is perfect, but as a show, this long-running series has covered almost everything, from presidential elections to dying jobs to the Great Recession ("Aaaand it's gone!") to the pandemic, and it always manages to find some brilliant observational humor.

It feels like a sin to place "South Park" above "The Simpsons," but the latter has fallen so far in quality that for every good "Simpsons" season, there are four times as many mediocre or terrible ones.

Don't agree? Well, screw you guys, we're going home.