Animation is not exclusively for children, but you already know that if you’ve clicked on an article about Adult Swim. There’s a whole host of adults-only animation out there from the alternative Cartoon Network, including the new season of Smiling Friends.
Workmates Pim and Charlie are back in a world that “needs them now more than ever” for season two of one of the best Max shows, where we’ll continue to follow this unlikely duo as they attempt to bring smiles to eccentric characters and find themselves in bizarre situations.
Season two's finale episode aired last week on June 24 over on Max for US audiences and Channel 4 for UK ones – and for those that haven't seen it, it was well worth the wait with plenty to look forward to, including one of the biggest jump scares they've ever delivered (I was not ready). The entirety of season one is also available on each respective platform.
If you’re looking for even more adult animation, there’s plenty out there. While Rick and Morty is a popular choice – the seventh season is currently on Netflix – there are some other Adult Swim gems you may not have seen yet. Here are four more to consider watching, all of which can be streamed on Max and Channel 4.
Housing Complex C
- RT score: N/A
- Age rating: TV-MA
- Length: ~24 minute episodes
- Creator: Yūji Nara
Animation can be creepy too, and Housing Complex C is a must-watch for fans of the best horror movies out there. It follows an eccentric little girl who lives at a low-cost housing complex in a fictional seaside town. During the summer, she befriends a city girl who has moved with her family from Tokyo, and they get along despite their differences.
But strange things soon start happening. If you're in the market for eerier stuff you'll get it here, because this housing complex is weird. Tenants start disappearing without a trace, dead animals show up, and moss mysteriously grows, which might make you grateful for any issues with your own apartment.
Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal
- RT score: 100%
- Age rating: TV-14
- Length: ~22 minute episodes
- Creator: Genndy Tartakovsky
The first season of Primal doesn't have any dialogue, which may sound like a gimmick, but here it really works. Mostly because it's set in prehistoric times where communication was limited, and actions really did speak louder than words.
It largely follows the unexpected bond between a Neanderthal man Spear and a female Tyrannosaurus rex named Fang, who fight off against an array of enemies including carnivorous dinosaurs, prehistoric mammals, and more advanced homo sapiens who live in their world.
Royal Crackers
- RT score: N/A
- Age rating: TV-14
- Length: ~21 minute episodes
- Creator: Jason Ruiz
Dysfunctional families are the backbone of any good comedy, and this one definitely puts the fun in dysfunctional (yes, I know that was terrible). Here, the Hornsby family run Royal Crackers Incorporated, a once-popular snack food company. But when patriarch and CEO Theodore's mind starts to slip, his two sons Stebe and Theo Junior are left to run the failing company.
Think of it like Succession only weirder and about saline crackers instead of a media conglomerate. There's even a rival company for them to fight off and plenty of misadventures along the way, because it just wouldn't be an Adult Swim series without those.
Metalocalypse
- RT score: N/A
- Age rating: TV-MA
- Length: ~14 minute episodes
- Creator: Tommy Blacha and Brendon Small
It may have ended in 2013 but if you haven't heard of this gem, step to it! If you're a metalhead and you like weird comedy, this show is for you as it's all about the fictional death metal band Deathklok and the band members who frequently end up in fights, especially with their manager Charles Foster Offdensen.
As it happens, Offdensen has the hardest job in the world cleaning up after these people because they like to cause destruction wherever they go. And we're not just talking about trashed hotel rooms and depleted mini bars, their concerts are so dangerous that attendees are forced to sign 'pain waivers'. Rock on.
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar is the show's finale 2023 movie and has a flawless 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, so it's well worth a watch. You can check out the trailer for that above.
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