Three Things to Stream: Best of Adult Swim

Adult Swim is a late night hub for some of the most clever and funniest animated series.

By Angela Davis
CORRESPONDENT

Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim has been a mainstay on the channel since its creation in the 90s. It’s a late night hub for some of the most clever and funniest animated series. While many may know it for being a block that rebroadcasts bigger shows like Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers, it also features some clever original content that makes it rival the biggest channels. Here are some of the best series Adult Swim has to offer that you can binge this weekend.

Smiling Friends (HBO Max) (Rated TV-MA)

This wacky sitcom from creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack has become a pop culture sensation since it premiered in 2022. While it’s preparing to officially end after three seasons this April, fans have already declared it to be one of Adult Swim’s best. The series follows a group of colorful characters working for a charity called Smiling Friends. Each day they work to bring smiles to people’s faces, no matter how outrageous things get.

What makes Smiling Friends stand out among other shows on Adult Swim is its clever blend of traditional animation and other designs. From rotoscoping to claymation, various new characters drop in to make for a surreal and hilarious experience. Mix it together with the dry wit and delivery of Hadel and Cusack, and you have a series that will have you laughing nonstop.

Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law (HBO Max) (Rated TV-MA)

Some of Adult Swim’s most recognized series are the ones that take obscure Hanna Barbera characters and retool them in hysterical new stories for adult audiences. The best show of the bunch is undeniably Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. It follows Harvey Birdman, a former superhero who now serves the public as a lawyer. From Scooby-Doo to Fred Flintstone, he takes cases to represent his clients, no matter how bonkers the trial.

This series has become legendary for longtime Adult Swim viewers. The way it twists iconic Hanna Barbera characters is exceptionally funny. Above all else though, the shining beacon of the series is the cast in the law firm. Harvey himself in particular is a tremendous foil to the eccentric nature of his colleagues … while still being a bit on the naive side himself. This is a series that can’t be missed if you love classic cartoons with a bit of edge.

Rick and Morty (HBO Max) (Rated TV-MA)

This Adult Swim blockbuster has become one of the most well-known series on the block. Though it’s had its ups-and-downs, Rick and Morty is still going with a dedicated fanbase. The series follows a boy and his grandfather who go on outrageous sci-fi adventures that range from exciting to absolutely traumatizing.

Rick and Morty has become somewhat of a controversial case for Adult Swim. Its first two seasons were a major hit with fans, then its surge of popularity in season three led to a rapid decline in viewership. However, despite what people may say about the series nowadays, it’s still going strong. The show continues to push boundaries with hysterical episodes that are as funny now as they were when the show premiered over a decade ago. It may not be on the same level of the first two seasons, but the series is still as good as it ever was.

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