Understanding 4 Vulgar Animated Shows Just as Good as South Park, With a Combined 289 Episodes

There are few animated shows as successful as South Park, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some that can match its tone and quality. Many of the best South Park episodes are those that embrace the show’s famous vulgar humor, and that’s a big part of its continued success with fans. Its willingness to mock everyone and everything has made it world-famous, with its vulgar jokes making it a legendary and long-lasting piece of adult animation. While very few animated shows manage to rival South Park‘s hilarious 29-season run, there are a number that match it in other ways.

The following adult animation shows might not have run for as long as South Park, but they have a similarly vulgar sense of humor. With gross-out moments, relentless sexual innuendo, and brutal jokes, each of the following shows manages to exist within a very similar sphere to South Park. Even combined, they might not have given us as many episodes, but they’re every bit as fun and crudely humorous as South Park.

4) The Ren & Stimpy Show (52 Episodes)

The Ren & Stimpy Show is an interesting entry on this list, simply because it’s the only show that wasn’t intended for a more mature audience. Considered by many to be a classic kids’ TV show, The Ren & Stimpy Show has become infamous for its unique sense of humor and animation style. Following the adventures of the eponymous chihuahua and Manx cat, the Nickelodeon show’s cultural impact has far outlasted its relatively short 52-episode run.

Something that sets The Ren & Stimpy Show apart from other Nicktoons is its repeated use of innuendo and gross humor. Everything from its dialogue to visual gags is peppered with meaning that its young audience won’t pick up, but any adults watching will immediately recognize as being incredibly vulgar and subtly hilarious. Controversial though The Ren & Stimpy Show may be, its crass jokes make it an unexpectedly perfect watch for fans of South Park.

3) Brickleberry (37 Episodes)

When it comes to great animated TV shows that don’t get the recognition they deserve, there are few titles that stand out as starkly as Brickleberry. Centering on the titular fictional National Park, Brickleberry follows a group of underqualified and generally inept park rangers as they strive to keep their jobs in the wake of the park’s threatened closure. The Comedy Central series ran for 37 episodes over three seasons from 2012 to 2015.

Despite receiving mixed reviews, Brickleberry boasts a cult following for one key reason: it’s incredibly funny. The show’s dark and often irreverent humor can easily be compared to that of South Park, as it pokes fun at topics that many shows wouldn’t dare to even explore. For fans of the way South Park continually tests the boundaries and challenges comedic norms, Brickleberry is a great show that holds up remarkably in terms of its dark sense of humor.

2) Archer (145 Episodes)

Archer might not quite have reached the heights of South Park‘s fame, but it’s still one of the best-known pieces of adult animation in recent TV history. Its premise sees it follow Sterling Archer, the relatively inept secret agent for ISIS, the International Secret Intelligence Service, as well as his many quirky colleagues and their inappropriate workplace antics. Often considered one of the best animated TV shows of its era, Archer‘s unique style saw it earn a considerable and loyal following over the course of its 14-season run.

Though the style of humor is vastly different from that of South Park, it scratches a similar itch in terms of tone. Where South Park offers broad satire and comedic social commentary, Archer instead delivers a more specific parody of the spy genre and features many excellent pop culture references peppered throughout its many episodes. Its adult themes, crude sexual jokes, and the illegal habits of its characters all cement Archer as an especially vulgar show in terms of its humor, making it perfect viewing for South Park fans.

1) The Boondocks (55 Episodes)

While it might not be the best-known series on this list, The Boondocks is a great 2000s animated show that boasts an incredibly dedicated cult following. Based on the comic strip of the same name, the show aired 55 episodes over 4 seasons, telling the story of the Freeman family as they navigate being Black in a predominantly white American suburb. The animated sitcom was brought to life in the manga-inspired style of its source material, further helping it stand apart from other pieces of adult animation.

The Boondocks‘ use of vulgar and offensive humor worked so well because it was all a key part of the show’s central themes. Having characters use crass language and engage in crude behaviors only furthered their otherness, allowing it to be not just part of the comedy, but part of the story, too. Its vulgarity serves a purpose other than simple shock value, and that proved to be a crucial element in the show’s critical success. Its run might have been relatively short, but The Boondocks is every bit as great and funny as South Park, and it taps into an incredibly similar shocking, vulgar tone.