For years, HBO has been one of the biggest names in creating unique, original television. So, it makes perfect sense that its streaming platform, HBO Max, has so thoroughly embraced animation and all the storytelling it has to offer.
The streaming platform has added some of the best and most creative animated TV shows ever made to its library while also producing original series of its own. Whether it’s family-friendly shows that kids and adults can enjoy or dark, depressing, and hyper-violent adult animation, HBO Max is streaming cartoons that will have viewers glued to their seats.
It’s hard to think of a better streaming platform for animated content to live. The medium allows creators to bring imaginative worlds to life that would be difficult, if not prohibitively expensive, to recreate in live action. So, for the network that brought the world big worlds in shows like “Game of Thrones,” “The Last of Us,” “Dune: Prophecy,” and even “Lanterns,” animation is a pretty logical place for the likes of some of the below animated shows.
Whether you’re looking to laugh, think, or cry, these shows that are currently streaming on HBO Max are sure to get you where you’re going.
10. Spawn
It’s often a no-brainer to take a popular comic book and bring it to life through animation, which is exactly what happened with creator Todd McFarlane’s “Spawn.”
Based on the character from Image Comics, the show premiered on HBO in 1997 as a rare foray into adult animation. At a time when the majority of cartoons were thought to be for children, McFarlane and HBO recognized its potential to tell grown-up stories and used the immensely dark character of Spawn to do so. And boy, is the animated “Spawn” a dark show.
When it initially came out in 1997, it was overshadowed by the live-action movie that released the same year. Over time, it became a favorite among fans who appreciated its writing, high-quality animation, and willingness to tell dramatic, violent, and sexually explicit stories through cartoons. The show is a faithful adaptation of the Image Comics character and, despite its three-season run ending in 1999, holds up as an animated classic to this day.
9. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
In 1984, the movie “Gremlins” captivated pop culture with the introduction of its mischievous titular little monsters and their adorable counterparts, the Mogwai — specifically Gizmo. Things went enjoyably off the rails for the franchise in 1990 when the sequel “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” hit theaters.
Despite their popularity, the Gremlins have yet to get a third live-action movie. However, an ambitious “Gremlins” prequel story hit HBO Max in 2023, following a young Sam Wing as he helps Gizmo return to his family in China.
The family-friendly show, like the movies, is full of heart, mayhem, and of course, the kind of cuteness that only Gizmo can bring. Unlike the movies, though, “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” gets to be a little more ambitious with its plotlines, taking Gizmo and his friend Sam Wing on a wild romp through China, where they encounter all kinds of mythical creatures.
Thanks to the power of animation, this series gets to continue the legacy of the Mogwai and the Gremlins, putting characters like Gizmo in far more serialized situations than a difficult-to-produce third movie ever could. If all that isn’t enough to convince one to tune in, the reliable adorableness of Gizmo ought to do the trick.
8. Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
It would be an injustice worthy of a superhero attorney’s time to have a list of exceptional animation and not mention “Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.”
The show follows a former superhero who has begun a new life as a licensed attorney. The entire series is at times both a love letter and direct parody of animated classic characters from Hanna-Barbera cartoons, as many of them come up as either the titular Harvey Birdman’s clients or on the other side of the courtroom from him.
The show first appeared with it’s pilot on Cartoon Network in 2000 before joining Adult Swim’s lineup when the programming block launched in 2001. So, naturally, it’s packed with off-color jokes and incredibly surrealist humor that made it a rare installment in the adult, animated, and comedic genre at the time.
The show should be commended for its laugh-out-loud quality, its homages to classic cartoons and, above all else, its risky humor that helped launch the network that is, today, filled to the brim with comedies like it.
7. Superman: The Animated Series
There is perhaps no more quintessential superhero than the Man of Steel himself, Superman. So, in 1996, when Kids’ WB was expanding its animated superhero offerings, it made perfect sense to give Superman a cartoon all his own.
The Golden Age hero debuted in 1938, and this series was able to pull inspiration from the many, many stories told in the comic books between then and its premiere in 1996. However, what really makes this show a worthwhile watch is its portrayal of Superman, also known as Clark Kent, himself. It kicks off with a three-part origin story that introduces a new generation of kids to Smallville and establishes the character’s moral code.
While the show doesn’t talk down to its young audience, it manages to make the ultimate good guy fun to watch and anything but boring. Unlike some of his more complex DC counterparts, watching “Superman: The Animated Series” is a much more hopeful experience.
Additionally, the show deserves high marks for embracing the concept of a team-up. In a world where superhero film and TV universes are bending over backward to make team-ups work, Superman was crossing paths with Batman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, the Flash, and more way back in the late 1990s.
6. The Boondocks
Although This Adult Swim show had its fair share of controversy throughout its four-season run, “The Boondocks” remains one of the funniest and most thought-provoking animated series in recent memory. The show follows the goings-on of the Freeman family and their life in the predominantly white suburb of Woodcrest. The show offers a compelling, satirical look at Black culture and race relations in America through the perspective of a Black family living among relatively affluent white neighbors.
The series ran from 2005 to 2014 and didn’t hesitate to tackle pop culture issues throughout its time on Adult Swim. Everything from the trial of R. Kelly to the wealth of Oprah Winfrey was on the table and skewered by this whip-smart series.
Not only does it offer some pretty biting commentary on Black America, but the show also remains thoroughly watchable and funny with each passing episode, making it a terrific binge-watch. “The Boondocks” is somehow timeless and, paradoxically, a time capsule of the early to late 2000s. Additionally, the show’s anime-inspired animation style will likely appeal to fans of Japanese animation and storytelling.
5. Adventure Time
Unless you’ve been living under a rock since 2010, you’ve probably heard of “Adventure Time” or heard someone quote one of its many famous, meme-worthy lines. The show blew up in popularity due in large part to its ability to appeal to both children and adults alike.
The show is pure creativity and imagination and is, quite frankly, the kind of cartoon one doesn’t see very often in the modern day. It’s wacky, bizarre, and unafraid to go to dark places or tackle heavy subject matter, all without taking itself too seriously. “Adventure Time” finds a way to make its audience think while still being a pure, totally out-there joy to behold.
One needs only to hear the show’s premise to get an idea of just how fun and creative it is. Viewers follow Finn, a fiercely loyal and brave boy, and his best friend and adoptive brother, Jake, a talking dog who can change his shape and size at will. Together, they navigate the Land of Ooo and all the fantasy-leaning insanity that lives there, including the Ice King and a talking piece of gum – see, creative.
4. Robot Chicken
The first and (spoilers) only installment on this list that uses stop-motion animation rather than traditional cartoon animation. “Robot Chicken” is a delightful stop-motion animated series packed with lightning-fast jokes based on completely out-there premises that would be difficult to pull off in live action.
Episodes of “Robot Chicken,” which originally aired on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, are only 12 minutes long (give or take), but it has more than 200 episodes – not including more than a dozen extra-long “Robot Chicken” specials. So, despite the short runtime, there’s plenty of content to binge-watch on HBO.
“Robot Chicken,” in many ways, is the perfect background show. Its appeal is that it’s made up of uproariously funny sketches that are all unrelated. Some just exist for the sake of one joke, so even if your attention wanders, you’re not missing any key plot points. You’re just depriving yourself of a great laugh.
Additionally, the series’ art style is unmatched. Using stop-motion animation, “Robot Chicken” favors old toys and classic action figures in its sketches, making the entire series seem like a twisted toy box come to life. If you need some solid laughs very, very immediately, it’s hard to do better than firing up an episode or four of “Robot Chicken.”
3. Rick and Morty
If you’re looking for one of the biggest names in adult animation today, look no further than the immensely complex and hilarious science fiction series “Rick and Morty.”
The Adult Swim show follows mad scientist Rick Sanchez, whose big claim to fame is a portal gun that allows him to seamlessly hop between realities. He does this with the often-reluctant help of his grandson, Morty.
Because the show can explore virtually any reality in the multiverse, there’s no shortage of possibilities for a “Rick and Morty” plotline, and the writers aren’t afraid to get elbow-deep in the complexities of that freedom. However, it’s also not afraid to explore the darker implications of the multiverse with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
While it would be easy to make Rick an adventurous Doc Brown type, over the years the show has gotten into just how lonely a man who recognizes the disposability of reality can be. Rick’s detachment from other people often reaches sociopathic levels as he continues to browse the multiverse with a level of genius that can border on godlike. Luckily, he has his family to ground him, which leads to some surprisingly deep storytelling for a show that, on the surface, presents itself as silly and irreverent.
2. Harley Quinn
This HBO Max series (which originally premiered on the short-lived DC Universe streaming service) takes all the heroes and villains from DC Comics and puts them in a comedy that strips away their self-serious drama to absolutely hysterical results.
“Harley Quinn” follows the titular protagonist after her breakup with the Joker as she decides to make a name for herself as a villain in her own right, complete with a crew of D-list DC baddies. The series is chock-full of comic book characters fans know and love, morphing them into comedic caricatures by finding the lighter side of the often-dark DC universe. Yet, somehow, “Harley Quinn” doesn’t sacrifice the action, nor does it fail to stay true to who these characters are, even when they’re played for laughs.
Packed with an amazing voice cast including Kaley Cuoco, Tony Hale, Alan Tudyk, and more, “Harley Quinn” has been a sleeper hit hiding amongst a slew of other DC content streaming on HBO Max for a while. With five seasons of “Harley Quinn” and a special episode available to stream, there’s plenty for comic book fans, comedy fans, and animation enthusiasts alike.
1. Batman: The Animated Series
Despite seemingly no time ever going by without a Batman movie of some sort being in the works, for many fans, their first foray into the seedy underbelly of Gotham City was on the Fox Kids adaptation of the Caped Crusader.
Like other superhero cartoons from the 1990s — “X-Men” and “Spider-Man” jump to mind — “Batman: The Animated Series” made no effort to talk down to kids. Instead, it presented characters like Bruce Wayne, the Joker, Two-Face, and more in all their complex and violent glory, albeit toned down slightly from the comic books to avoid completely traumatizing kids.
Still, the show can be praised for its writing, distinctive art style and, of course, its highly recognizable orchestral soundtrack. Additionally, anyone who is a fan of the character Harley Quinn may be surprised to learn that she didn’t originate on the pages of a comic. She first appeared in “Batman: The Animated Series.” That fun fact alone makes the series worth watching for Batman fans, considering how important Harley Quinn has become to the Joker’s story.
That aside, those who tune in will be pleasantly surprised by how well the series holds up and how deeply its stories explore the complexities of Gotham’s more criminally inclined citizens.
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