There’s no animated sitcom extra iconic than The Simpsons. First arriving on screens in 1989 and nonetheless going sturdy virtually 4 a long time later, The Simpsons is a staple of the small display screen and maybe probably the most profitable animated present of all time. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply it’s the most effective animated sitcom.
Each fashionable animated sitcom owes something to The Simpsons. It’s inconceivable to argue that the present didn’t excellent the cartoon household system or show how profitable the style may turn into. But, for all its innovation and cultural affect, it’s been crushed by exhibits that took the muse it constructed and developed it into one thing sharper, stranger, and funnier.
There are plenty of animated sitcoms on the market which might be merely higher than The Simpsons. Whereas virtually all of them owe one thing to Springfield, they’ve additionally surpassed their inspiration, turning into extra emotional, extra constant, and in lots of instances, much more daring.
American Dad (2005-Current)
American Dad Is Bolder And Funnier With out The Chaos
Regardless of being lengthy dismissed as “the opposite Household Man,” American Dad has quietly become one of the crucial persistently humorous animated sitcoms of the twenty first century. The present follows CIA agent Stan Smith (Seth MacFarlane) and his oddball household – together with alien Roger (additionally MacFarlane) – as they navigate suburbia by way of a satirical, politically-charged lens.
Not like Household Man, American Dad thrives on sharp writing moderately than absurd cutaways. Its humor is daring and subversive however grounded sufficient to maintain viewers emotionally invested. The steadiness between heartfelt household moments and gleefully bizarre humor feels deliberate and hits a candy spot that The Simpsons hasn’t touched in years.
It’s this cautious steadiness that retains American Dad alive and nicely a long time into its run. The place The Simpsons has performed it protected, American Dad has embraced riskier storytelling and inventive surrealism, and it’s paid off in spades.
F Is For Household (2015-2021)
F Is For Household Has Extra Coronary heart And Penalties
Created by Invoice Burr and Michael Worth, F Is For Family takes the classic animated family setup and injects it with uncooked honesty. Centering on Frank Murphy (Invoice Burr), a hot-headed, overworked dad attempting to maintain his household afloat within the Nineteen Seventies, the present explores the identical archetype Homer represents, however with much more realism and emotional fallout.
F Is For Household doesn’t shrink back from the darker sides of household life. When Frank blows up, there are penalties, actual ones. That emotional accountability offers the present extra depth and maturity than The Simpsons, which frequently resets each episode again to sq. one.
With biting humor and real character progress, F Is For Household proves that animated sitcoms could be each hilarious and heartbreakingly human. It’s The Simpsons if Homer ever had to truly live with what he stated and did.
Bob’s Burgers (2011-Current)
Bob’s Burgers Feels Like Golden Age Simpsons Once more
For followers that miss The Simpsons’ golden period, Bob’s Burgers may simply fill that void. Following Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin) and his quirky household as they run a struggling burger diner, Bob’s Burgers strikes an ideal mix of absurdity and sincerity that remembers The Simpsons at its emotional peak.
The place The Simpsons has typically leaned into movie star cameos and outlandish plotlines, Bob’s Burgers retains issues small and character-driven. The humor flows naturally from the Belcher household’s endearing dynamic, particularly Bob’s loving however exasperated parenting and Linda’s (John Roberts) offbeat optimism.
Each episode feels heat, lived-in, and deeply human. For anybody who misses the heartfelt household storytelling that made The Simpsons great, Bob’s Burgers is proof that that spirit nonetheless exists, however it now lives down the road from Marvel Wharf as a substitute of Springfield’s Evergreen Terrace.
BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
BoJack Horseman Outdoes The Simpsons In Emotional Depth
BoJack Horseman isn’t simply among the best animated sitcoms, it’s among the best exhibits of the previous decade, full cease. The titular BoJack (Will Arnett), is a washed-up sitcom star navigating fame, remorse, and dependancy. Regardless of the principle character additionally being a speaking horse, this animated Netflix series commonly dives into emotional territory The Simpsons may by no means dream of.
Whereas The Simpsons has its heartfelt moments – like season 7’s “Mom Simpson” or season 2’s “Lisa’s Substitute” – BoJack Horseman manages to hit that emotional nerve practically each episode. It’s brutally humorous and devastatingly trustworthy, utilizing animation to discover themes of psychological well being, id, and self-destruction.
The present is so darkish, complicated, and transferring that it legitimately defies expectations of what animated storytelling can obtain. BoJack Horseman can make viewers laugh, however it may additionally make them stare on the wall with tears of their eyes lengthy after the credit roll. It’s the form of emotional depth The Simpsons as soon as flirted with, however by no means totally dedicated to.
Futurama (1999-Current)
Futurama Is Matt Groening’s Actual Masterpiece
Not solely is The Simpsons not the most effective animated sitcom, it’s not even the most effective one made by Matt Groening. Futurama takes everything The Simpsons does nicely and rockets it into the longer term, mixing heartfelt storytelling with science fiction brilliance.
Following Fry (Billy West), Leela (Katey Sagal), and Bender (John DiMaggio), Futurama juggles absurd humor and real emotional stakes effortlessly. From the tragic destiny of Fry’s canine Seymour to Fry and Leela’s timeless love story, Futurama has delivered moments of profound magnificence that The Simpsons hasn’t matched in a long time.
This animated sci-fi show’s potential to combine complicated themes, tight continuity, and sharp satire proves Groening’s true genius shines brightest within the thirty first century. Futurama is smarter, funnier, and infinitely extra heartfelt. The Simpson household could also be extra globally acknowledged, however the Planet Specific crew are way more enjoyable to spend time with.
South Park (1997-Current)
South Park Retains Getting Sharper With Age
Within the late ’90s and early 2000s, South Park was The Simpsons’ fiercest rival. As we speak, it’s outlasted the competitors creatively. Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s boundary-pushing collection has solely turn into sharper with time, continually reinventing itself whereas The Simpsons often feels stuck in reruns of its former self.
The present’s fearless commentary and evolving animation have helped it stay related for practically three a long time. From tackling present occasions to satirizing popular culture, South Park does what The Simpsons as soon as did greatest, however with much more chew and immediacy.
It’s exhausting to not admire how South Park continues to evolve, refusing to develop complacent. Whereas The Simpsons struggles to seek out its fashionable id, South Park has turned staying provocative into an artwork type.
King Of The Hill (1997-2009, 2025-Current)
King Of The Hill Is The True On a regular basis Traditional
King of the Hill won’t shout for consideration the best way different animated sitcoms do, however that’s precisely what makes it good. Following propane salesman Hank Hill (Mike Choose) and his Texas household, the quiet comedic genius that is KotH discovered humor and depth within the mundane, crafting one in every of TV’s most grounded comedies.
Whereas The Simpsons peaked in a handful of legendary seasons, King of the Hill remained persistently wonderful all through its run. Even the 2025 revival, set years after the present’s first finale, was extremely well-received. Its delicate humor, sturdy character writing, and life like tone give it a timeless high quality that Springfield misplaced way back.
Merely put, King of the Hill by no means needed to depend on spectacle. It discovered greatness within the small, plausible moments that outline on a regular basis life. If The Simpsons is a satire of American household life, King of the Hill is its most authentic portrait.
Household Man (1999-Current)
Household Man Reinvented Itself The place The Simpsons Couldn’t
It’s inconceivable to debate animated sitcoms higher than The Simpsons without mentioning Family Guy. Homer Simpson could also be one of the crucial iconic characters ever made, however Peter Griffin is an in depth second even on the subject of worldwide renown. Not solely is Household Man virtually as well-liked as The Simpsons, it’s additionally arguably significantly better.
Created by Seth MacFarlane, the Griffin household has lengthy stood as Springfield’s loudest rival, and arguably its superior in fashionable occasions. Each exhibits share comparable DNA, and even crossed over in a hilarious particular that poked enjoyable at their similarities. But whereas The Simpsons has stagnated, Household Man has repeatedly reinvented itself, experimenting with storytelling and construction in methods its predecessor refuses to.
Household Man has maintained its cultural edge and developed alongside its viewers, proving it’s nonetheless able to stunning, stunning, and making followers snort out loud. In the meantime, The Simpsons too typically appears like a nostalgic echo of its former self. Within the battle for animated sitcom supremacy, Peter Griffin might just have Homer beat.
- Launch Date
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December 17, 1989
- Community
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FOX
- Showrunner
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Al Jean
- Administrators
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Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Wealthy Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller
- Writers
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J. Stewart Burns, Michael Worth, Brian Kelley, Invoice Odenkirk, Dan Vebber, Kevin Curran, Stephanie Gillis, Dan Castellaneta, Deb Lacusta, Billy Kimball, Jessica Conrad, Cesar Mazariegos, Daniel Chun, Jennifer Crittenden, Conan O’Brien, Valentina Garza, Elisabeth Kiernan Averick, Christine Nangle, Broti Gupta, Loni Steele Sosthand, Megan Amram, Bob Kushell, David Isaacs, David Mandel
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Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
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Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
