Five Best Prime Time Animated Series’ Ever

It’s kind of ironic that the debate for Best Animated series of all time is one of the most intense and cutthroat discussions you’ll find. In the end, we’re talking about cartoons here. Still, there are groups of fans that will fight you tooth and nail in defense of the show they have pledged their allegiance to. When it comes to prime time television, cartoons have taken a more adult approach to their comedy and have heavily focused on the teen and adult demographics. Once again, it’s a very ironic thought: Adult situations in animated shows. For these shows, it has been a recipe for success, but only a handful can be called elite.

Here are the Top 5 Animated Shows in Prime TIme… All Time

5. Futurama

Matt Groening will always be remembered for The Simpsons, but you won’t have to look far to find some folks that will tell you that Futurama is his best brainchild to date. The series follows a present day pizza-delivery guy Philip J. Fry, who finds himself in the 31st Century after being cryogenically frozen for thousands of years. The show revolves around Fry’s experiences in 31st century New York City, including the relationships he creates with the strange folks that exist in this new time and setting. What has made Futurama such a loved show is its very potent satirical humor regarding every day life in Fry’s new environment, which allows for the writers to effectively comment on every day life in our current environment.

The show has has a very interesting life as far as broadcasting goes. Futurama debuted on March 28, 1999 on Fox and ran for 72 episodes before the network (whose executives were never really fans of the show to begin with) decided to stop paying for new episodes, effectively canceling the show in 2003. Comedy Central stepped in to grab the syndication rights and ended up signing a deal to air unreleased episodes for the series in 2008 with a complete relaunch in 2010 that would feature 26 brand new episodes.

4. Beavis and Butthead

The younger crowds may know Mike Judge because of his series King of the Hill, but before he had Hank Hill, he dreamt up two of the dumbest and most entertaining teenagers on television, Beavis and Butthead. For four years, MTV rolled out over 200 episodes of a show that featured the brainless antics of the duo with 12 minute episodes that were comprised of six minutes of storytelling and five minutes of hilarious music video commentary by our stars. Though the series did not reach the status of other animated shows, it was the perfect compliment to MTV’s attitude before the network was completely overtaken by underwhelming Reality TV programs. More than anything, Beavis and Butthead represented a time when MTV was true to itself. The show was taken off the air in 1997 and a film adaptation, Beavis and Butthead Do America, provided the final remnants of the series… until now.

On July 14, 2010, MTV and Mike Judge announced that Beavis and Butthead will be returning to the network with brand new episodes scheduled to begin in 2011.

3. Family Guy

Seth Macfarlane launched a media phenomenon in 1999 with the introduction of Family Guy, a series about an everyday American family and their over-the-top patriarch, Peter Griffin. The show is set in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island and has been the focal point of countless lawsuits and criticism because of its raunchy and politically incorrect content, but that has not stopped Family Guy from receiving four Emmy awards and being nominated for thirteen. Macfarlane’s comedic stylings have been very well received by fans, hailing the creator’s work as “genius” and “brilliant”. Of all the animated series’ on this list, none bring more consistent laughs than Family Guy mainly due to Macfarlane’s extensive knowledge on pop culture.

Family Guy was actually cancelled in 2003 because of all the negative press it received in its original run, but huge DVD sales prompted Fox to give the show another try and in 2005, Family Guy was back on the air and more popular than ever. Macfarlane and crew have now completed 157 episodes and numerous specials. They have also been successful in evolving from a show that relied on quick laughs to one that is now much more story driven. When it’s all said and done, Family Guy may find itself on top of lists like this.

2. The Simpsons

22 seasons, 474 episodes, and 27 Prime Time Emmy awards later, The Simpsons is the longest running American sitcom, the longest running animated sitcom, and longest running Prime Time series in the country’s history. Through all the changes in television and all the competitor’s that have come to fruition, The Simpsons has remained a part of the American fabric and has influenced every single series that has been spawned after its inception in 1989. Their characters are as widely recognized as any actual celebrity or personality around the globe, and although many will tell you that their content is outdated compared to the Family Guy’s and South Park’s of the world, they remain a huge a draw for Fox on Sunday nights.

There really isn’t much else you can say about this show. It has set the standard for all animated series’ that came after it and it has no signs of slowing down.

1. South Park

I assume this will be viewed as a controversial choice, but quite frankly, I feel it’s totally justified. Of all the animated TV-shows I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing, none have come close to Trey Parker’s and Matt Stone’s South Park in terms of originality and creativity. Where The Simpson’s were trendsetters in ridiculous comedy, South Park set the standard when it came to implementing adult themes and situations into an animated program, bringing the show as many detractors as supporters. South Park has paved the way for every single adult oriented cartoon that has seen the light of day since 1998. It was the first animated show in history to receive a TV-MA rating, and while it depended heavily on shock value in its early days, it has evolved tremendously into a program that makes ingenious comments and allusions to all aspects of culture and society. The show has historically shown the adults to be the downfall of society and has shown children to be the ones who maintain common sense and logic.

Above all else, South Park stands out to me because of its consistent commitment to reinvention. Initially, the episodes were strictly centered around the issues in the small town in Colorado, but over time, the creators altered their process and began bringing issues outside of the town into South Park. More so, Parker and Stone have out-shined the others on this list in terms of the evolution of characters. Over its 209 episodes, the folks that make up the small mountain town of South Park have been rounded out far impressively than any other program.