FewTVformats are as timeless as the humble cartoon, which presents a medium that could easily stretch out to infinity if given the proper circumstances. Compared to live-action media, cartoons have a certain irreverent quality; The characters in animated shows are able to exist in perpetuity far beyond the original actors portraying them. Some of thelongest-running animated serieshave begun to stress-test the notion that some cartoons could simply go on forever.
There are several factors that can give certain cartoons a believable chance at going on indefinitely.Strong characters with unique voices that can survive across multiple actors, a proven formula for standard episodes, and an irreverent setting that can evolve with the march of time all make for strong candidates for the coveted ideal of an eternal cartoon. While thequality of these animated showsmay be up for debate, their ubiquity and pop culture staying power are impossible to deny.
The Simpsons
Cast
The Simpsons is an animated series set in the fictional town of Springfield, following the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Premiering in 1989, the show is renowned for its satirical commentary on politics, media, and American culture, featuring numerous celebrity guest appearances.
The show that began a whole wave of animated family copycats, Matt Groening’sThe Simpsonsneeds little introduction.Starring the gluttonous and oafish Homer, the loving raspy-voiced mother Marge, the intelligent Lisa, the rambunctious Bart, and the silent baby Maggie,The Simpsonshas been a fixture of American TV for generations by now.The Simpsonsis not only one of the longest-running animated series, but the singlelongest-running scripted American TV seriesever.
16 Years Later, The Simpsons Made One Of Homer’s Most Tragic Moments So Much Worse
The Simpsons season 36 made the saddest story in the show’s history even more tragic with a dark twist that makes Homer’s backstory much worse.
Despite Bart and Lisa being eternally locked into their Elementary School grades, the series has always been able to evolve with the times, keeping their references topical while adhering to that Greatest Generation charm that the yellow-skinned family was imbued with from the beginning. Admittedly,the various seasons ofThe Simpsonshave suffered through peaks and troughs of quality over the years,but the show has continued to remain an unshakable fixture of the pop culture landscape. It’s hard to imagine an end toThe Simpsonsin any capacity.
Adventure Time
Adventure Time is a science fiction/fantasy animation from Cartoon Network. Adventure Time follows Finn (Jeremy Shada) and his dog Jake (John DiMaggio) as they go on adventures in the near future. The series was created by Pendleton Ward and ran for a total of 10 seasons on the network. Adventure Time was critically acclaimed while it was on the air and managed to pull in younger audiences, as well as adults.
An all-time great laurel in the cap of Cartoon Network,Adventure Timequickly rose to popularity as a daring, enchanting, charming animated series that went on to inspire countless hordes of similar shows that tried and failed to capture the same magic. Following young adventurers Jake the dog and Finn the human in the mystical land of Ooo,Adventure Timeclocked in an impressive 283 episodes spanning 10 lengthy seasons, growing and evolving in maturity and format along with its viewers.Though the series may have began as a silly kid’s show, it became a genuinely dramatic serialized fantasy story.
Even today, spin-offs likeAdventure Time: Distant LandsandAdventure Time:Fionna and Cakehave proven that the series has gas left in the tank yet.Finn and Jake’s story may have already ended on the perfect note,but Ooo is too tantalizing of a setting to not revisit again and again across various time periods, characters, and individual locations. It’s hard to imagine an end to the possibilities put forth by the world ofAdventure Time.
Regular Show
Regular Show is an animated television series that follows the surreal adventures of Mordecai, a blue jay, and Rigby, a raccoon, who work as groundskeepers at a park. Created by J.G. Quintel, the series showcases their attempts to avoid work and find entertainment, often leading to bizarre and unexpected situations. The show also features a cast of quirky characters, including their boss Benson, a living gumball machine, and Skips, a yeti.
Another darling from Cartoon Network’s legendary run in the early 2010s,Regular Showhas somehow managed to remain lodged in the pop culture zeitgeist long after its final episode supposedly aired on TV. Starring best friends Mordecai and Rigby, a blue jay and a raccoon who work a dead-end job at a park,the series explored relatable scenarios of early adulthood that always managed to twist themselves into supernatural world-ending threats.
In recent times,Regular Showhas been confirmed for a revival, despite the picture-perfect ending that brought the series to a close.However, therumored title for theRegular Showrebootseems to imply that the new series will be able to avoid spoiling the brilliant finale. With the lasting popularity of its characters, winning episodic format, and vague 80s-nostalgia time period that requires no explanation, it’s easy to seeRegular Showgoing the distance.
South Park
South Park follows the irreverent misadventures of four grade-schoolers—Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny—that take place in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado. The animated series explores various social and political issues through its characters' humorous and often absurd escapades.
It’s a good thingSouth Parkneeds such little introduction, because the series can be a challenge to describe at times.Rather than centering on a family, this animated comedy hot on the heels ofThe Simpsonsinstead centered on a quartet of kids living in the snowy small town of South Park, Colorado, getting into all sorts of appalling misadventures that poke fun at everything from Scientology toJersey Shoreto the American healthcare system. With jokes that oscillate from base toilet humor to scathing political commentary in an instant, it’s no wonderSouth Parkbecame so popular.
South Parkseems impossible to stop so long as series creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker can keep it up.
As of the time of writing,South Parkis gunning for the 30-season mark with no signs of slowing down, leaving 7 specials and multiple video game tie-ins in its wake.The series' uniquely fast turn-around time allows it to comment on current events in record time, ensuring that the cartoon is always able to stay relevant with its parodies.South Parkseems impossible to stop so long as series creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker can keep it up.
Rick and Morty
Rick and Morty is an animated science fiction series that follows the eccentric scientist Rick Sanchez and his impressionable grandson Morty Smith as they embark on perilous adventures across space and alternate dimensions. The show explores the impact of these exploits on Morty’s tumultuous family life and personal challenges.
Few animated shows have had as meteoric of a rise in popularity as Dan Harmon’sRick and Morty.Originally a thinly-veiled parody ofBack to the Future,the cartoon stars the nihilistic but brilliant scientist Rick alongside his simple grandson Morty as they embark on bizarre misadventures across the multiverse.Rick and Mortyworks as a sort of cross betweenSouth ParkandAdventure Time,blending the former’s no-holds-barred adult humor with the latter’s silliness and gradual world-building.
Despitethe professional cancelation of Justin Roiland, the original series co-creator and voice actor of the titular duo,Rick and Mortyhas managed to evolve itself over time.Proving that it can survive even such a central figure being removed from its production staff,Rick and Mortyhas demonstrated some unparalleled durability.With a setting that allows for all sorts of stories to be told and a uniquely nihilistic sense of humor,Rick and Mortyisn’t going away any time soon.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force is an animated comedy series centered around the adventures of three anthropomorphic fast food items. It was created by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro and aired on Adult Swim between 2000 and 2015. In addition to its twelve seasons, there are also a number of shorts and movies based on the show’s characters.
WhileRick and Mortymay occasionally traipse into the world of truly absurdist humor,Aqua Teen Hunger Forcethrives in it.Even the logline of the series is a joke in and of itself, starring a talking trio of fast-food items who endure strange villains-of-the-week while bristling with their middle-aged next-door neighbor, Carl. Between 12 seasons, two feature-length movies, and multiple hilarious title changes,Aqua Teen Hunger Forcehas fought hard for the title of Adult Swim’s longest-running animated series.
The sheer surreal premise of the show itself allowsAqua Teen Hunger Forceto exist in perpetuity as a collection of absurd adventures with no real need to justify its place in the modern age of pop culture.The epitome of “stoner humor”,Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s character dynamics are strong enough to carry the cartoon through the various storms and squalls of pop culture, always somehow quietly remaining relevant in its own cozy corner of TV. Influencing modern comedy for two decades running,Aqua Teen Hunger Forceseems capable of outlasting television itself.
Family Guy
Family Guy is an animated series following the eccentric Griffin family. Led by bumbling patriarch Peter and long-suffering Lois, the family includes the sadistic baby Stewie, unpopular teenager Meg, dim-witted Chris, and Brian, their talking dog. The show explores their outlandish adventures in the fictional town of Quahog.
Of all the obvious attempts at getting in on the animated family sitcom trope that was established byThe Simpsons, none have come close to eclipsing the show’s success likeFamily Guy.From the mind of genius cartoonist Seth MacFarlane,Family Guypresents a similar format of familial misadventures centering on the irreverent Griffin family.
UnlikeThe Simpsons,however,Family Guyis unconcerned with maintaining any poignant emotional core or even consistent love between its characters, leaning hard into its adult rating with some shocking jokes.
Family Guyhas become infamous as an almost hypnotic clip show that can easily warp the attention span of any viewer, using its unique system of cut-away gags to ensure that something funny is always happening on screen.The enduring appeal of the show has already allowed it tosurvive being canceled by Foxonce, revived via outstanding DVD sales.It’s hard to imagineFamily Guygoing away any time soon.
Smiling Friends
In a colorful yet bizarre world, two employees at a small firm dedicated to its making its customers smile discover that their jobs are rarely as simple as they seem.
Despite being an incredibly new player in the realm of adult animation,Smiling Friendsis quickly becoming a refreshing staple of the genre that is easy to imagine lasting quite a long time.Created by internet comedy micro-celebrities Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack,Smiling Friendstakes place in a fast-paced, multicolored world of friendly (and not-so-friendly) critters, wherein the main characters run a charity that attempts to help people smile. Though only standing at two seasons at the time of writing,Smiling Friendshas quickly captured the hearts of adult animation lovers the world over.
The show’s success can be traced to its optimistic and strangely hopeful message that flies in the face of more nihilistic, cynical series likeSouth ParkorRick and Morty.While the comedy can often be quite morbid at times, the overall cheery tone is a genuine anchor propping up the zany antics. With an accessible bottle-episode format of new Smiling Friends clients and a singularly unique brand of humor that caters to those who grew up in the digital age,Smiling Friends' young age betrays its strong possible staying power.
SpongeBob SquarePants
“SpongeBob SquarePants” is a multimedia franchise centered around the adventures of SpongeBob, an optimistic sea sponge, and his friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. Created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, the franchise includes the original TV series, spin-off shows, movies, video games, comic books, and various merchandise. Since its premiere in 1999, it has become one of the most successful and enduring animated franchises, known for its humor, unique characters, and cultural impact.
While most enduring animated shows exist off the gratuity of adult audiences,there are several cartoons aimed squarely at kids that have shown no signs of stopping in their quest for eternal syndication.Perhaps none are as successful as Nickelodeon’s cash cowSpongebob Squarepants, a name that has gradually crept up to the same heights of recognition as Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny. Centering on a chipper sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea working as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab,SpongeBob SquarePantswas created by the late great cartoonist Stephen Hillenburg.
Nevertheless, the cartoon has continued to find funding for more seasons easily, becoming an unstoppable juggernaut of pop culture with each year that passes.
SpongeBob SquarePants' best seasonsare far in the rearview mirror by now, having persisted for 14 seasons and counting with a remarkable drop-off in quality.Nevertheless, the cartoon has continued to find funding for more seasons easily, becoming an unstoppable juggernaut of pop culture with each year that passes. Uniting generations with its enduring appeal,SpongeBob SquarePantsis a prime candidate for the single most likely cartoon to outlast all others.
Arthur
Arthur is a popular ’90s animated series based on Marc Brown’s series of books. Arthur Read, an anthropomorphic aardvark originally voiced by Michael Yarmush, is the main character of the series, who navigates life as a third-grader while dealing with his sassy sister DW. The popular PBS series lasted for 25 seasons but was canceled in 2021.
Though technically aimed at kids,Spongebob Squarepantshas employed no end of hidden adult humor or absurd references to maintain popularity.The same can’t be said ofArthur, which has persisted with genuine, thoughtful children’s programming for a staggering 25 seasons and counting.Despite starring talking animals like aardvarks and rabbits,Arthurtakes place in a quite realistic setting that any child watching could easily relate to, as the titular character goes to school, navigates friendships, and spends time with his family.
Arthuris remarkable for its ability to broach sensitive topics like dyslexia, the autism spectrum, and cancer in a digestible manner suited for children, with one famous episode featuring same-sex marriage being a particularly groundbreaking entry. But the show is far from a series of finger-wagging PSAs, being genuinely funny with scathing jokes as the characters realistically bicker and jab at one another in a child-friendly way. If there’s one cartoon that truly deserves to be onTVforever, it’sArthur.
