Rick and Morty has established itself as a cartoon classic, and its rousing success has largely revitalized the adult animation subgenre. The show is often as grim as it is funny, and the maturity of the characters and storylines has made the series a fan favorite.
- Rick and Morty makes its big return to television in September 2022, which is well over a year since the last season hit. With fans excited to see it back, there have only been 10 episodes each season of the show, so it will be over with before anyone knows it. The good news is that there are more and more great animated shows that Rick and Morty fans can watch to fill in those long gaps between seasons, and many of these new cartoons are just as smart and geek-oriented as the beloved show about a mad scientist and his grandson going on adventures in other dimensions.
Hence, to take the mind off of just how dark and dysfunctional Rick and Morty is, or maybe just to find a new favorite series to watch, other similar cartoons ought to provide the much-needed respite. Some are light-hearted and positive while others are absurdist black or toilet comedies, but all of them should keep fans occupied.
Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020)
* Stream now on Paramount+ & Prime Video
The science fiction and otherworldly adventures seem like a fun form of escapism for Trekkies, and now there is an animated series that might even surpass live-action Star Trek movies and TV shows.
Star Trek: Lower Decks tells the stories of the unseen crew members that are not on the main bridge, and it delivers great humor and fun characters. For fans who love to see the sci-fi action on Rick and Morty and want something a little familiar, and a lot of fun, the characters on Star Trek: Lower Decks delivers both.
Archer (2009)
* Stream now on Hulu
There are not a lot of similarities between Rick and Morty and Archer when it comes to the genre and animation style. However, when it comes to ludicrous and over-the-top storylines and characters that subvert the genre, the two couldn’t be more alike.
While Rick and Morty take the ideas from sci-fi and turns them on their head, creating the most absurd situations possible, Archer does the same for the spy genre. Add in characters that never do what you expect, and the same people who laugh along with Rick and Morty’s adventures will laugh along with Sterling Archer’s exploits.
Dexter’s Laboratory (1996)
* Stream now on HBO Max
In Rick and Morty, a young boy gets into all sorts of trouble thanks to his mad scientist grandfather. However, flip that on its head, and you get the 1990s hit cartoon, Dexter’s Laboratory.
In the best episodes of Dexter’s Laboratory, it is the young boy genius who causes all the problems. What started out as a boy with his scientific experiments and his one major foil turned into a show with a super-monkey and a team of superheroes known as Justice Friends, getting more absurd by the season.
Primal (2019)
Primal might be one of the best animated cartoons to come along in the past few years. Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, Primal takes place in a barbaric time period where dinosaurs, prehistoric humans, and Iron Age humans all live in the same era.
This allows the groups to have a strong mix of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and action adventures. The show received critical acclaim, and has similar out-there ideas that fans of Rick and Morty should love. Both of the shows subvert what audiences expect and deliver fantastical ideas that made them both cult favorites.
Samurai Jack (2001)
Before he made Primal, Genndy Tartakovsky created one of the best cult classic cartoon series on television with Samurai Jack. It accomplished a lot for an animated series, picking up eight Primetime Emmy Awards in its five seasons on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.
The idea of time travel and strange aliens battling a samurai master is something that might feel right at home for fans of Rick and Morty. It is also a much more mature story in its last season, and that should also attract Rick and Morty fans who like cartoons to be a little more adult-oriented.
Disenchantment (2018-)
* Stream now on Netflix
Disenchantment is an animated fantasy Netflix series from Simpsons and Futurama creator Matt Groening. The show centers on the misadventures of Princess Bean and her two friends Luci, a literal demon, and Elfo, whose name is self-explanatory.
The three go on magical and at times dark adventures, similar to Rick and Morty, and the series even introduced a more scientific side of things even though it’s set in medieval times.
The Midnight Gospel (2020-)
The Midnight Gospel is an animated Netflix series that explores the existential questions of life and death through its characters in a surreal way. The series follows Clancy as he travels inside a universe simulator going on adventures and meeting new people along his journey.
Rick and Morty has a similar setup, as they travel the universe, and the show frequently reckons with existential questions about life and death while meeting new and intriguing characters on their adventures.
Final Space (2018-)
* Stream now on VRV
Final Space is a newer sci-fi animated series that mostly takes place in space, as the title suggests. It follows an astronaut called Gary who is working off a prison sentence when he meets an alien called Mooncake who is being tracked down so that Mooncake’s powers can be used for evil.
The series follows Gary and Mooncake’s adventures through space in a comedic way similar to Rick and Morty.
The Awesomes (2013-2015)
The Awesomes focuses on a group of B-team superheroes who try to help townspeople with typically disastrous results. Mr. Awesome decides to retire and become the leader of this new team of superheroes trying to prove themselves as protectors.
The Hulu series follows the Awesomes team as they face government and media skepticism and criticism as they attempt to do their jobs.
BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
BoJack Horseman is about a horse called BoJack who is a has-been actor who was most famous for his role on a sitcom where he played a single father to three human children. BoJack Horseman sees him reckon with his life after fame, addiction, anxiety, and depression.
There’s a large cast of characters of both humans and animals who are also struggling in their lives and careers. The original Netflix series reckons with existential questions of life and death and would be a show any Rick and Morty fan would enjoy.
Black Dynamite (2011-2015)
This hidden (and unfortunately, canceled) gem from Adult Swim is the cartoon version of the live-action film of the same name.
It’s a satirical jab at blaxploitation films of the 1970s and thus takes regular potshots at popular culture including everything from Richard Nixon to Michael Jackson. The main character himself, Black Dynamite, is voiced by Michael Jai White.
The Venture Bros. (2003-2018)
* Stream now on Hulu and HBO Max
Since many Rick and Morty fans are already familiar with Adult Swim, they’d do well in checking out The Venture Bros. It’s the network’s longest-running original series and is a parody of many things from superheroes/supervillains to space-age or even spy fiction.
It follows the exploits of the Venture family, namely brothers Dean and Hank, as their incompetence leads them to many dangers involving the family’s arch-nemesis, The Monarch. Thankfully, their trusty bodyguard Brock and their father unconventionally keep them safe.
Robot Chicken (2005-)
Robot Chicken is also one of the longest mainstays of Adult Swim. It’s a perfect recommendation for fans of Rick and Morty who can’t get enough of that show’s Interdimensional Cable skits. Each episode of Robot Chicken is an irreverent anthology of pop culture parodies.
It would seem that nothing is off-limits to these guys, from Twilight to even SpongeBob Squarepants. Their jokes are often crass and tend to ruin the fandom for anyone too emotionally invested in a particular show or film. It’s all in good fun, of course.
Solar Opposites (2020-)
At first glance, someone might mistake Solar Opposites for an episode of Rick and Morty. That’s because Justin Roiland, Rick and Morty’s co-creator, is one of the people responsible for this alien family comedy cartoon.
Some might even say that it feels like an expanded version of an Interdimensional Cable skit from Rick and Morty or one of the many dimensions of that show. Either way, it’s worth watching on Hulu for Justin Roiland’s brand alone, and a crossover with Rick and Morty seems inevitable.
Mr. Pickles (2013-2019)
Speaking of an adult cartoon that feels like it came from the hellish depths of the minds of whoever wrote disgusting Interdimensional Cable skits, Mr. Pickles from Adult Swim is relentlessly crude– in a funny way. It features over-the-top shock and gore with lots of satanic iconography.
The whole show revolves around the dog protagonist, Mr. Pickles who is living a double life as a Satanist while protecting his disabled and clueless human boy owner. The most shocking part of the show is that Mr. Pickles isn’t even the evilest character.
Steven Universe (2013-2020)
Now on to lighter and Rated G or E cartoons, Steven Universe is a Rick and Morty adventure if Morty chose the escapade and if the whole multiverse was not messed up and nihilistic. That doesn’t make it boring though, unless you’re Rick Sanchez.
Steven Universe is about Steven and his three Crystal Gem friends who are guardians of worlds. Steven himself is also part-Crystal Gem and is entrusted to save worlds in various adventures. Apart from the charming story and characters, the soundtrack is also what’s going to keep viewers coming back for more.
Adventure Time (2010-2018)
Rick and Morty don’t delve much into fantasy parodies but when they do, their episodes feel like a mature-rated version of Adventure Time. It’s one of Cartoon Network’s most successful shows in the previous decade and holds its own weight well, perhaps even timelessly.
Adventure Time is the therapeutic and psychedelic romp of best friends Finn and Jake as they go around the post-apocalyptic land of Ooo, helping the Candy Kingdom and getting into bizarre but still family-friendly adventures. The show’s music, for that matter, is top-notch as well.
Gravity Falls (2012-2016)
* Stream now on Disney+ and Hulu
Apparently, Alex Hirsch, the creator of Gravity Falls, is a close friend of Justin Roiland of Rick and Morty. As such, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see some Rick and Morty Easter eggs here and there in Gravity Falls, and vice versa.
Gravity Falls is also a wacky series of adventures of Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel as soon as they set foot in the small, weird, and paranormal town of Gravity Falls. Don’t be fooled by the Disney channel tag, it’s brimming with dark and adult humor and innuendos.
The Regular Show (2009-2017)
Like any good comedy show featuring two partners with chemistry, The Regular Show follows nearly the same format as Rick and Morty. Each episode is a short journey where the two protagonists are constantly placed in situations out of their control.
The difference is that Mordecai and Rigby, the show’s heroes, are humble working-class average Joes, except they’re anthropomorphic animals. Their friends are also equally weird and inhuman, which is part of the show’s allure.
Invader Zim (2001-2006)
* Stream now on Paramount+
Last but not least, a kids’ cartoon that was way ahead of its time (and its rating) from Nickelodeon, Invader Zim. It’s a morbid and darkly unapologetic sci-fi show that follows the story of Zim, an alien from the planet Urk whose sole mission is to single-handedly invade Earth to earn approval from his superiors.
The problem is, he’s incompetent, and a human boy named Dib made him out. What follows is a human vs. alien rivalry done unlike any other in cartoons, with frequent dashes of absurdist humor and unhinged characters where Zim appears to be the most stable and most human, ironically.
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