Bob’s Burgers remains one of the top critically acclaimed animated shows on television today. It sits at a 91% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes while fans have it sitting at 88%, a rare show that reaches both critics and normal everyday TV fans. The question is, what happens when a person is all caught up and itching for a new adult-worthy animated TV series?
As it turns out, there are a lot of animated shows that Bob’s Burgers fans will probably enjoy, from “vintage” crowd-pleasers like The Simpsons to dark, edgy parodies like Archer. The animated shows are all sufficiently quirky, irreverent, and entertaining, delivering the same humor as the Fox hit.
Updated on May 30th, 2022, by Shawn S. Lealos: After 12 seasons and 238 episodes of Bob’s Burgers on Fox, the series earned the right to make its own big-screen movie. Hitting in 2022, The Bob’s Burgers Movie tells a big story featuring the Belcher family as they struggle to pay off a loan when a new sinkhole opens in front of the restaurant. They have to find a way to earn the money to pay the loan or lose their beloved restaurant, while the kids begin to learn there is more to the sinkhole than previously expected. With the movie adding to the incredible legacy of the animated television series, it is always a good time to catch up on the show and then find more similar animated shows to watch that line up with the humor of Bob’s Burgers.
Big Mouth (2017)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
One of the best parts of Bob’s Burgers is the kids who act older than their age and often have more epiphanies than their parents. In Big Mouth, the Netflix series is all about the kids – and their hormone monsters. In this animated series, a group of kids is all reaching puberty and that brings on hormone monsters to lead them into their teenage years.
This means there is a lot of adult humor in the series. This series focuses a lot on the growing libidos of the kids and does so in a way that is not insulting to the viewer’s intelligence. While it is crass and often disgusting, it is also exactly what you would expect to pop into the minds of pre-teens.
The Boondocks (2005)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
For fans of Bob’s Burgers that enjoy the cultural identity of the characters on the show, one of the top critically acclaimed shows about diversity is The Boondocks. Based on the comic strip of the same name, the show is about a dysfunctional Black family who moves into a mostly white suburb.
The series ran for four seasons and 55 episodes. During this time, the stories The Boondocks told involved a look at stereotypes, social classes, racial identities, and cultural identity, all told through satire and comedy.
Central Park (2020)
- Streaming now on Apple TV.
All fans of Bob’s Burgers need to get Apple TV and watch Central Park. This series was co-created by Bob’s Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, along with Nora Smith and Josh Gad. It uses the same animation style as Bob’s Burgers and Central Park focuses on a family in New York City who lives in the park and sets out to save it from a land developer.
There have been two seasons of the show so far and a third season is coming as well. It is also inspired by real life, and people in New York City who knows the park will recognize a lot from the show, making it a must-watch for any New Yorker.
Regular Show (2010)
- Streaming now on Hulu and HBO Max.
Regular Show was a Cartoon Network staple for eight seasons. While the animation was simplistic, it added to the liability of the series, which featured characters that were funny and charming, yet completely absurd. That makes it a perfect show to watch alongside Bob’s Burgers, which succeeds for the same character traits.
The two main characters are Mordecai (a bluejay) and Rigby (a raccoon), two slackers who work for a local park as groundskeepers. They then encounter strange occurrences, sometimes supernatural, and have to deal with them alongside their coworkers and friends, including a yeti, a Muscle Man, and their boss Benson, who is a gumball machine.
Dallas & Robo (2018)
- Streaming now on Fubo, YouTube Premium, DirecTV, SyFy, and Spectrum on Demand.
One animated series that fans of Bob’s Burgers might like, but might have never heard of, is Dallas & Robo. The series had a small following because it aired on the short-lived YouTube Red streaming service and was canceled when that service stopped making scripted shows and movies.
Dallas & Robo is a sci-fi animated series about a space trucker named Dallas (voiced by Kat Dennings) and her robot friend Robo (voiced by John Cena). This is an adult animated series where the two get drunk often and usually end up in fights with rival space pilots, cannibal bikers, and more.
South Park (1997)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
When fans think of adult-themed animated TV shows, South Park is one of the first ones that come to mind. While both shows are heavy on satire, viewers should be aware that South Park’s content is much darker and crasser than Bob’s Burgers.
That being said, both are animated TV shows that feature irreverent, “mature” humor. As long as a person isn’t easily offended and doesn’t mind profanity, South Park is a show that fans of Bob’s Burgers should enjoy.
BoJack Horseman (2014)
- Streaming now on Netflix.
Although it features animals instead of humans, BoJack Horseman, like Bob’s Burgers, is full of sarcasm and satirical takes on current events. BoJack isn’t for the faint of heart, however. The show has been lauded for its realistic exploration of depression, addiction, trauma, self-destructive behavior, racism, and sexism.
Basically, there isn’t a “taboo” topic they haven’t already tackled, but that’s what people love about it. Netflix commissioned six seasons of Bojack Horsemen that traverses every part of the emotional spectrum.
Futurama (1999)
Just like Bob’s Burgers, Futurama is an animated sitcom created for Comedy Central that was not meant for younger kids. Like many of the other shows on this list, Futurama features (cartoon) violence, a healthy dose of sexual humor, along with sex and drug references.
Despite its controversial content, the show has been highly successful and was nominated for 17 Annie Awards, 12 Emmy awards, and four Writer’s Guild of America Awards. In 2014, it was ranked as one of the top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of all time by TV Guide.
King Of The Hill (1997)
Unlike other shows like Bob’s Burgers, King of the Hill is family-friendly, with most of the adult humor going over a kid’s head (and with pretty low-key profanity). Created by Mike Judge (Beavis and Butthead), the series debuted in 1997 and immediately became a hit.
King of the Hill centers on the family and life of Hank Hill, a proud Texan and propane gas aficionado with modest, conservative values. Unlike other animated adult TV shows, King of the Hill finds humor in the mundane aspects of everyday life instead of blatant (and often offensive) satirical references.
American Dad (2005)
Similar to King of the Hill, American Dad owes most of its success to its quirky characters and relatable plot instead of heavy satire and pop culture references. For an animated cartoon, this show relies heavily on character development, with most of the show’s jokes centering on its family members.
Like Bob’s Burgers, the American Dad plots are ridiculous, irreverent, and grounded in real-life issues. The show has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards. The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers named it a top television series.
Family Guy (1999)
If someone enjoys a show that stereotypes Americans and makes frequent pop culture references, then Family Guy was basically made for them. The series follows the Griffin family, their two kids, a baby hellbent on world domination, and their anthropomorphic pet dog, Brian.
The series was actually canceled twice, but diehard fans rallied behind the show and had it resurrected both times. Since its debut in 1999, Family Guy is now on its 17th season, with over 320 broadcasted episodes.
The Simpsons (1989)
- Streaming now on Disney+.
The Simpsons first premiered in 1989, so at this point, they’re animated American TV icons. The idea for the show was originally conceived by creator Matt Groening, who based (and named) the famously dysfunctional family after his own family members, with Bart based on himself.
The Simpsons has been a commercial success for years, sparking movies, video games, merchandise, and widely influencing American culture at large.
Rick And Morty (2013)
- Streaming now on Hulu and HBO Max.
Rick and Morty follow a mad scientist named Rick Sanchez and his anxiety-ridden grandson, Morty Smith, as they enter time portals, travel between dimensions, and experience multiple realities together. This is certainly not the show to watch if a person is looking for positive moral values or role models.
It’s definitely intended for teens and adults who don’t mind a bit of violence, death, and sexual humor. Like Bob’s Burgers, this show explores darker subjects that reflect (and are relevant to) today’s society.
Archer (2009)
Like South Park, Archer is filled with bad language, dark satire, and some pretty offensive content, so prepare to be offended. This anthology cartoon series follows secret agent Sterling Archer and his dysfunctional colleagues and draws its main inspiration from the James Bond franchise.
The agents swear, drink heavily and enjoy relationships with one another with no strings attached. The series does have some partial nudity and violence, but if someone enjoys a good spy parody, this is the perfect show.
Home Movies (1999)
- Streaming now on HBO Max.
Written and created by Bob’s Burgers‘ creator Lorne Bouchard, Home Movies is centered around an eight-year-old amateur filmmaker who creates homemade movies with his friends in his spare time and develops a twisted father/son relationship with his alcoholic soccer coach.
The show explores mature topics regarding family, marriage, and divorce, but there’s not a ton of profanity, violence, and sexual innuendo. Although it only ran for four seasons, Home Movies has always had a significant cult following and was later placed on IGN’s Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows list.
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