Have you ever scrolled through your favorite streaming service offerings and wondered why in the Bojack Horseman is there so much adult animation? I know why: Generation X.
If you are a grown-ass adult who likes to watch cartoons, chances are you’re Generation X. Adult animation is totally a Gen X thing. I’m not talking about anime, which is more Millennial-ish. I mean the adult animation situation comedy. We are all about the sitcom, too, us Xers.
Cartoon Kids…
We weren’t the first cartoon generation, and we know it, because we watched the Boomer Toons. We knew the theme songs to The Flintstones and The Jetsons by heart. But we also had Scooby-Doo and The Smurfs in our early days.
The 1980s saw a boom in new cartoon series – everything from He-Man to Inspector Gadget to Adventures of the Gummi Bears. We had Saturday morning Snorks, after-school Rescue Rangers, and the much-anticipated holiday specials, Peanuts and Garfield. And that was just for starters.
Popular TV and movie characters became cartoonified, bringing us ALF and Ghostbuster animations, among others. Our cartoons became toys, and our toys became cartoons.
…Became Cartoon Teens….
When we started getting too old for kiddie cartoons, they grew up with us. Nickelodeon gave us Rugrats, Ren and Stimpy, and Doug – and dozens more.
In the 90s, when many of us were in our teens and early 20s, MTV took up the mantle and gave us gems like Beavis and Butthead, and Daria.
…Who Became Cartoon Adults…
1989 birthed The Simpsons, and I was young enough for my parents to think it was a bad influence. A decade later, we had South Park and Family Guy to raise the stakes. By then, we were adults and watching whatever the Futurama we wanted to and, guess what, we still watch all three of these.
…Maturing Into Cartoon Elders…
These days, there is no shortage of adult animation sitcoms on whatever and all streaming services you use, and I contend that we, Generation X, are the top consumers of it. Some series are new and short-lived, while others are extremely long-running. Either way, it doesn’t matter. We are loyal to our favorites, and besides, we are the rerun generation, too.
…Forever.
And are we down for a reboot of a long-cancelled fave? Hell yeah! Give me some of that grown-up Bobby Hill.
So the next time you’re searching for a fun or relaxing or raunchy or nostalgic adult animation sitcom, and you’re bombarded with hundreds of fantastic options, thank a Gen Xer. That was us. We did that.
What adult animation series do you watch over and over to this day? Leave a comment. As for me, I have so many. Currently, I can’t seem to get enough of Bob’s Burgers, but I’m also down for a mini-binge of Chicago Party Aunt.
If you like this, you need to read:
8 Best Adult Animation Shows for Relaxation and Sleep
Also consider:
Why Gen X is Called the Slacker Generation
Gen Xer Tries ChatGPT For The First Time