The Best Animation You Aren’t Watching

Good morning, earthlings! Here goes another guest post submission. This time its an article from the guys over at Modern Thrill. Read on:

There’s plenty of great animation you aren’t watching – some new, some classic. Here’s a list of some criminally underrated shows to add to your must-watch list.

Home Movies (1994)

Home Movies is an American sitcom following a young boy who dreams of one day becoming a famous director. Originally aired on UPN in 1999, Home Movies was known for its cheaper animation style and somewhat dry humor.

After its end in 2004, it was picked up by Cartoon Network’s adult-oriented late night programming collection Adult Swim. The show featured guest voices from comedian giants including Patton Oswalt, Louis C.K., Eugene Mirman, Mitch Hedberg, and Jonathan Katz.

The Tick (1994)

The Tick still retains cult classic status for combining super hero thrills with silly and irreverent humor, the latter of which often bordered on adult themes despite being billed as a show for kids.

Starring The Tick as a dimwitted and indestructible crusader and his self-conscious sidekick, Arthur, the show features a plethora of creative and hilarious heroes and villains including the nefarious Chairface.

Wildly imaginative and voiced by great talent, the animated series brought The Tick comics to a mainstream audience.

Beast Wars: Transformers (1996)

Beast Wars: Transformers depicts the epic struggle between Maximals and Predacons as they contend for survival on a desolate and turbulent planet. Despite its remarkable visuals, its greatest strength ultimately proved to be its story telling abilities.
Characters throughout the series enjoyed rich development, the show constantly exploring backstories to provide its fiercely loyal audience with constantly evolving perspective. That’s pretty deep for a show similarly targeted at children.

Bob’s Burgers (2011)

Bob’s Burgers is an animated satirical workplace comedy that follows the life of the Belcher family who run a burger restaurant. The cast of voice actors includes comedic geniuses such as Eugene Mirman (Gene Belcher) and Kristen Schall (Louise Blecher), both of whom appeared on shows like Flight of the Conchords and multiple Comedy Central Presents specials.

When Bob’s Burgers first aired on Fox, the reviews seemed to be somewhat mixed although now the show is becoming more and more of a cult classic among the cartoon community.

Axe Cop (2012)

Another show that is a part of the Animation Domination programming block, Axe Cop began as a webcomic in which Ethan Nicolle animated the stories told by his 5-year-old brother Malachai Nicolle.

The animated Fox Series stars Nick Offerman in the titular role and includes guest performances from Patton Oswalt, Tyler, the Creator, and Giancarlo Esposito. Axe Cop is fun, inventive, and imaginative. The first couple episodes can be viewed on Hulu.

High School USA! (2013)

Created by Dino Stamatopoulos (Starburns from Community), High School USA! is a hilarious send up of high school culture done with an animation style similar to the popular Archie Comics. The show features voice acting from Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men), Zosia Mamet (Girls), T.J. Miller, and Mandy Moore.

High School USA! just finished its first season as a part of the Fox network’s Animation Domination and holds the first TV-MA rating for the network since 2000.

This article was written by Tyler Thursby, a regular contributor to Modern Thrill.