ISSUE 84
NOV/DEC 20
Cover Story:
POGBA
Film and TV
Words by Nathan Irvine
Adults only.
You may not have noticed it, but there has been a massive surge in cartoons geared toward adults lately. They’re here to fill the void left by The Simpsons’ descent into irrelevance and in some cases, surpass the once great show even at its peak.
It also seems like Netflix is the place to be find them. So without further ado, here’s a list of the best cartoons for adults that you can stream right now. Enjoy.
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Let’s gallop straight into it with everyone’s favourite human/horse hybrid. It follows the faded star of a 90s sitcom, BoJack, who finds it difficult to navigate the ups, but mostly downs, of Hollywood. It mixes talking animals, such as dogs (hello, Mr Peanutbutter) with humans with hilarious results. Amazingly, the show has gone from strength to strength, and mixes humour with fairly dramatic themes.
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The exception to the adults only rule. Adventure Time is one for all the family. Finn and his trusty magical dog, Jake get up to all manner of hijinks in the colourful Land of Ooo. At first glance, it may seem too cutesy for grown-ups but listen carefully to the excellent scriptwriting and you’ll find jokes that fly over kids but land hilariously with adults. It’s almost on a par with The Simpsons in its hay day.
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The trailblazer for crude adult comedy is still going strong. The animation has certainly improved since it launched in 1997, but it’s the laser-accurate “takes” on contemporary issues that keeps Stan, Kyle, Cartman, Kenny and Butters in fashion. As the show has evolved, it has unearthed some exceptional bit-part characters that have carried episodes to hilarious effect. We still have to stifle our chuckles when we think about the Canada On Strike episode.
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Stand-up comedian Bill Burr is the genius mind behind this 70s show. He also voices the incredibly tetchy man of the house, Frank, who’s part Homer Simpson, part Peter Griffin, but with brains. Most of the humour comes from Frank’s inability to conceal his rage in the most innocuous of circumstances. The family dynamic will ring all too familiar with folk of a certain age, though there’s something for everyone here.
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Such was the anticipation the next show from The Simpsons and Futurama creator, when Disenchantment finally arrived most were underwhelmed. But the medieval tale soon shook off its shackles and came into its own. It’s largely thanks to the star-studded comedy cast that includes Matt Berry (The IT Crowd), Noel Fielding (The Mighty Boosh) and Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson who plays the lead Princess Bean.
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If you haven’t heard of Rick & Morty by now, where have you been? The cultural phenomenon is worthy of the hype thanks to clever storylines and ability to pull laughs from truly awful events. Rick and his grandson Morty are able to travel through time and space, which opens up infinite possibilities for what they can encounter. A planet populated entirely by snakes? You got it. A gas cloud that can lay gold bricks and voiced by Flight of the Conchords Jemain Clement? It’s here. You simply have to watch this.
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The best animated show you’re not watching? Quite possibly. But what is a fact is that Archer is one of the smartest shows on TV. What starts as a show about not-so-secret agent Sterling Archer and his mother’s spy agency has become something completely different as each series has a different theme. What’s present throughout is the razor sharp script that manages to layer jokes on jokes, which - when you spot them - make Archer even more unmissable.
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