Summary
Western Animation is one of the most successful animation industries in the world. There have been thousands of animated series and films released since the first cartoon,The Humorous Phases Of Funny Phases, made in 1906. Animation has come a long way from black and white stills to current computer-generated graphics and hundreds of frames per second.
Shows like TheLooney TunesandMickey Mousehave paved the way for animation to cross over into every genre possible. While there are an endless number of animated series available, there are a small number that last a lifetime. Here are some of the best Western animated series with over 100 episodes.
Futuramais an animated series that first aired in the early 2000s and brought a hilarious take on the sci-fi genre. Phillip J. Fry was an ordinary burnout with a low-end pizza delivery job until he accidentally became frozen for one thousand years.
Upon being defrosted, Fry found himself in a futuristic age with his best years in front of him, with the universe as his oyster.Futuramatakes Fry and a colorful cast of characters on wild adventures across the universe as interstellar deliveries.Futuramahas overcome multiple cancellations and always finds its way back into fans' hearts with over twelve seasons and one hundred and forty episodes.
In the days of Cartoon Network’s later years, one of the flagship series wasAdventure Time. Created by Pendleton Ward,Adventure Timefollowed the human boy, Jake, who found himself in a magical and mysterious world, where he went on a slew of adventures with his loyal partner, Jake the shapeshifting dog.
Adventure Timeperfectly bottled childhood fantasy and melded with sensitive themes that gave it weight and depth. The series lasted for over two hundred episodes;Adventure Timeis still one of the most celebrated series, alongsideSteven UniverseandAvatar: The Last Airbender.
Arthuris a classic animated series that originally began airing during the mid-1990s; the show was portrayed as an educational and entertainment series meant for children from ages four to eight. The show follows Arthur, an animorphic young man going through his adolescent life, from school struggles, bullying, and familial life.
The series was the longest-running animated series of all time until it was surpassed bySpongeBob SquarePants. With over twenty seasons,Arthurhas cemented itself as one of the most fantastic animated series of all time.
SpongeBob SquarePantsis perhaps one of the most successful and most popular shows on this list, having lasted over multiple generations and shaped the childhoods of millions.SpongeBob SquarePantsis an episodic adventure that follows the series' namesake. SpongeBob lives under the ocean and lives among sea life as a fry cook for a local restaurant called the Krusty Krab.
SpongeBob goes on many adventures and must even savehis little homeon multiple occasions with a laundry list of adorable sea creatures.SpongeBob SquarePantshas a total of fifteen seasons, with its sixteenth already being greenlit.
South Parkis a Comedy Central original series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The show follows the adventures of a small group of close-knit middle school kids who live inSouth Park,Colorado, and try to deal with the everyday life of adolescents.
The series takes off from here and begins to tackle societal differences, political climates, and religious beliefs in the most satirical fashion possible, from the children taking on the Devil, fending off Kanye West, and even fighting against the President of the United States.South Parkhas gone on for twenty-seven seasons and is still going strong, with numerous specials released frequently.
Seth MacFarlaneis well known for his roster of shows that he personally crafts and voices, which go on to be sensational, binge-worthy comedies.American Dadis one of several McFarlane shows, following the everyday lives of a blue-collar family known as the Smiths.
Starring Stan Smith, a CIA operative, his loving wife Francine, son and daughter Steve and Hailey, their talking pet goldfish, and their roommate alien. The hijinks are never-ending as the family tackles everything from a haunted hot tub to an unrelenting blood feud with Santa Claus. American Dad has over three hundred episodes.American Dadis the gift that keeps on giving.
Family Guyis the crown jewel of Seth MacFarlane’s animated shows universe, being one of the longest-running and most celebrated of his creations.Family Guyis a family comedy that focuses on Peter Griffin, his wife Lois, his three children, and his dog.
What started as a simple slapstick comedy series has evolved into some of the wildest concepts, from time travel to complete musical episodes. For over twenty-six years,Family Guyhas continued to up the ante with just how outrageous it can get and leave its fans dying from laughter.
The Simpsonsis highly regarded as the greatest animated series of all time. With a legacy spanning more than thirty years and over seven hundred episodes,The Simpsonshas entertained entire generations of families. Homer Simpson is the everyman of society, working a blue-collar job and just trying to make ends meet for his loving family.
The show follows the everyday hijinks of Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Lucy as they take on challenging struggles of maturity, societal and environmental change, and a few surprises along the way.The Simpsonsshows no signs of slowing down and still continues to push out original stories every season.
