T&T’s Top 10 Animated TV Shows (as of Aug 2025)
- th1sandth8tcom
- Aug 12
- 4 min read
Ranking cartoons like they’re Oscar contenders 🎯👇
1. Rick and Morty (9.5) – Chaotic genius meets interdimensional therapy.
Few shows can juggle nihilistic philosophy, absurd science fiction, and laugh-out-loud comedy like Rick and Morty. One moment, you’re following Rick’s drunken ramblings about quantum theory; the next, you’re crying over a sentient butter-passing robot questioning its purpose. It’s a masterclass in blending crude humor with deep existential dread — and still making it feel like the smartest show on TV.
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2. Avatar: The Last Airbender (9.3) – Peak storytelling with better character arcs than most live-action dramas.
Avatar is proof that animated TV can be timeless, universal, and emotionally devastating — all while being “for kids.” Over three seasons, it delivers one of the best redemption arcs in TV history (shoutout Zuko), stunning worldbuilding, and fight choreography so good it makes most action movies look lazy. If you don’t choke up during “Leaves from the Vine,” you might actually be a Fire Nation war criminal.
3. Arcane (9.1) – League of Legends lore turned into one of the best TV shows ever made.
Even if you’ve never touched League of Legends, Arcane will blow you away. Visually, it’s a moving painting — a fusion of hand-painted textures and fluid animation that feels alive. Narratively, it’s Shakespearean tragedy meets cyberpunk grit: sisterhood, betrayal, and power struggles woven through Piltover’s glittering heights and Zaun’s neon underbelly. With voice acting that elevates every line and a soundtrack that slaps, Arcane isn’t just a great video game adaptation — it’s one of the greatest seasons of television, period.
4. Love, Death & Robots (9.0) – Black Mirror if it snorted Adderall and started animating.
An anthology of sci-fi, horror, comedy, and surrealism, LDR proves that short-form storytelling can hit harder than a 10-season epic. One episode might be a grotesque monster horror, the next a poetic meditation on the meaning of life (Zima Blue supremacy). The animation styles range from photorealistic to dreamlike, each serving its story perfectly. It’s Netflix’s most ambitious animated experiment — and one of its best.
5. BoJack Horseman (8.8) – A cartoon horse said, “You will never be happy,” and I felt that.
What starts as a cynical Hollywood satire about a washed-up sitcom star becomes a raw, unflinching portrait of depression, addiction, and self-destruction. BoJack dares to let its characters fail, learn, relapse, and hurt each other — and still somehow remain lovable. It’s therapy disguised as a cartoon about talking animals. And sometimes, it’s funnier than it has any right to be.
6. Inside Job (8.7) – The deep state is real, and they have interns.
Part workplace comedy, part conspiracy theory fever dream, Inside Job turns every wild theory — from lizard people to moon landing hoaxes — into office politics. The jokes land fast, the Easter eggs are endless, and Raegan Ridley might be one of the most underrated protagonists in modern animation. Think The Office, but if Michael Scott ran the Illuminati.
7. Family Guy (8.4) – Timeless nonsense with a cutaway for every occasion.
Family Guy is comfort food for the absurdist at heart. The humor is offensive, unpredictable, and sometimes painfully drawn out — and that’s exactly why it works. From Peter’s endless chicken fights to Stewie’s world domination schemes, the show has turned its own brand of chaos into an art form. It’s been over two decades, and somehow, the madness still hits.
8. South Park (8.3) – No one is safe and that’s exactly the point.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s satirical sledgehammer has been swinging for over 25 years, skewering politics, pop culture, and whatever’s trending this week. The fact that they can write, animate, and air a topical episode in under a week means South Park is often funnier — and more cutting — than any nightly news segment. Offensive? Sure. Brilliant? Absolutely.
9. Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (8.1) – Inner peace? Nah, I want spin kicks and dumplings.
This underrated gem expands the Kung Fu Panda universe with sharp humor, heartfelt lessons, and plenty of butt-kicking action. Po remains as lovable as ever, the supporting cast gets their moments to shine, and the fight scenes are surprisingly well-choreographed for a kids’ TV spinoff. Bonus points for making dumplings look like the ultimate life goal.
10. Archer (8.0) – Spy games, mommy issues, and vodka. Lots of vodka.
Archer takes the sleek style of a Cold War spy thriller and injects it with relentless sarcasm, workplace dysfunction, and inappropriate innuendo. The animation is crisp, the running gags are endless, and Sterling Archer might be the most endearing narcissist in TV history. If James Bond had a crippling Oedipus complex, this would be the result.
11. The Simpsons (7.8) – Still running. Still better than your favorite show’s last season.
The golden years of The Simpsons remain unmatched in TV comedy — razor-sharp writing, iconic characters, and a satirical take on American life that still resonates decades later. While modern seasons are hit-or-miss, the show’s legacy is untouchable. Without The Simpsons, half of the shows on this list wouldn’t exist.
Honorable Mentions: Solar Opposites, Futurama, Gravity Falls, Samurai Jack
Next Watch: F is for Family
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