Adult Swim is one of the most influential animation blocks of all time, with many of its TV shows changing the medium and the industry forever. While animation has historically been more associated with children, Adult Swim helped change that, pioneering the push for adult animation on television.
Throughout the decades, Adult Swim has been home to some of the biggest names in adult animation, such as original programming like Robot Chicken and Rick and Morty, as well as acquired programming like Family Guy and Futurama. That’s not to mention Toonami, which helped popularize anime in the West. However, it wouldn’t have been possible with these five shows from Adult Swim’s original slate.
Adult Swim’s initial lineup of shows had to prioritize low budgets, meaning that many of them reused Cartoon Network’s extensive backlog of Hanna-Barbera shows. One of the clearest examples of this is Space Ghost Coast to Coast, which premiered on Adult Swim on September 2, 2001. The series was an adult-oriented talk show starring the titular animated superhero as he interviews live-action guest stars. The show actually got its start on Cartoon Network in 1994, but it was revived in 2001 for Adult Swim. The Adult Swim iteration ran until April 2004, capping off the show’s iconic run.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast has been hugely influential, setting the stage for how many of Adult Swim’s shows would utilize surreal humor and limited animation in order to provide quality adult entertainment on a low budget. Space Ghost Coast to Coast received multiple spinoffs throughout Adult Swim’s life, with it having a massive hand in shaping some of the network’s most iconic shows.
Another iconic series that was rescued by Adult Swim is Home Movies, which also premiered on the programming block on September 2, 2001. The series began its life in 1999 on UPN, where it was cancelled after only five episodes. Luckily, Adult Swim was there to save it. The revived Home Movies ran for four seasons, ending its run in April 2004. The series tells the story of an eight-year-old aspiring filmmaker named Brendon Small, who makes movies with his friends while dealing with his messy home life and strange relationship with his soccer coach.
Home Movies developed a cult following during its Adult Swim run, a trait that many later shows on the block would share. Home Movies became known for its season arcs and mix of a light concept and style with dark themes. One of the biggest impacts of Home Movies is its influence on another iconic adult animated show. After the series, co-creator Loren Bouchard and voice actor H. Jon Benjamin went on to create Bob’s Burgers. Plus, the show’s other creator, Brendon Small, later made Metalocalypse.
One of Space Ghost Coast to Coast‘s first spinoffs was released the same night as Coast to Coast‘s Adult Swim launch: The Brak Show. The series follows Space Ghost villain Brak and his mal-intentioned friend Zorak as they deal with everyday suburban circumstances such as attempting to become popular at school, getting their homework done on time, and winning a rap contest. The series ran for three seasons, with it ending its run in December 2003.
Since the release of Space Ghost Coast to Coast and The Brak Show, Brak has become one of the faces of Adult Swim. This isn’t surprising considering that he appeared in two of the five launch shows on the programming block. Brak’s wacky personality and zany humor have turned him into one of the most recognizable Cartoon Network characters, with him even hosting the Cartoon Planet block in the 1990s and early 2010s. The Brak Show further cemented the cheap, off-the-wall style that Adult Swim became known for, with it allowing creatives to tell truly auteur stories in the weirdest way possible.
Another Adult Swim launch show that famously reused Hanna-Barbera animation assets is Sealab 2021. The sequel to the 1972 show Sealab 2020, the show is a parody of many of the low-budget animated children’s shows of the 1970s, including those of Hanna-Barbera. The show tells the story of a high-tech underwater colony, following the conflicts and lives of its inhabitants. It ran until April 2005, when its four-season run was concluded.
Sealab 2021 is still one of the most beloved Adult Swim shows, with it being much more well-remembered than its Hanna-Barbera predecessor. The show went on to have a major impact on future adult animated shows like Frisky Dingo and Archer, while continuing to establish the unconventional style that Adult Swim would become known for. Even though it has been over two decades since Sealab 2021 ended, its impact on Adult Swim and the world of adult animation can still be felt today.
The final and possibly best show that was featured as part of Adult Swim’s launch lineup is Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. The show heavily reuses Hanna-Barbera assets, with it acting as a spinoff of Space Ghost Coast to Coast that follows Harvey Birdman as he becomes a defense attorney. Most of Harvey’s clients are pre-existing Hanna-Barbera, MGM, and Warner Bros. characters, with the show featuring guest stars from The Flinstones, Scooby-Doo, Super Friends, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons, and so many more that you probably don’t remember.
Harvey Birdman is still one of Adult Swim’s most iconic shows, with it still being utilized by Cartoon Network in recent years. A special continuation of the show titled Harvey Birdman: Attorney General was released in 2018, and a spinoff show titled Birdgirl was released in 2021. Harvey Birdman helped repopularize many of the old Hanna-Barbera shows, breathing new life into them and redefining them for modern fans.
