Animation is thriving right now, but that doesn’t mean every show gets its due. There are countless underrated animated TV shows out there, hidden beneath the towering success of long-running staples like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park. Plus, with titles like Arcane pushing visual storytelling to cinematic levels, the format is more sophisticated and experimental than ever before.

However, despite this creative explosion, animation’s big names dominate the landscape. Even outside of anime, shows from the same few studios or creators often overshadow other brilliant productions. These overlooked gems – whether they’re biting satires, surreal adventures, or genre-bending masterpieces – often slip under the radar through no fault of their own, drowned out by the noise of the animation world’s titans.

For animation fans of all stripes, that’s both a tragedy and an opportunity. From adult comedies that rival Family Guy’s chaos to animated action series that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Avatar: The Last Airbender, there’s a wealth of hidden cartoon brilliance waiting to be discovered.

Inside Job (2021-2022)

A Hilarious And Heartfelt Conspiracy-Fueled Satire That Deserved More Time To Shine

Inside Job was Netflix’s wickedly smart satire about a world where every conspiracy theory is true – and one dysfunctional team keeps it all under wraps. The show centered on Reagan Ridley (Lizzy Caplan), a genius scientist navigating the chaos of Cognito Inc, a shadowy organization controlling global secrets.

Created by Shion Takeuchi and executive produced by Gravity Falls’ Alex Hirsch, Inside Job mixed razor-sharp humor with surprisingly touching character development. Its critique of corporate greed and power hierarchies felt both timely and timeless.

While Netflix canceled it after just one season, Inside Job built a devoted cult following. For fans of Rick and Morty and BoJack Horseman, its blend of absurd sci-fi concepts and biting emotional truth makes it one of the best underrated animated TV shows of the 2020s.

Spawn (1997-1999)

Dark, Gritty, And Years Ahead Of Its Time In Adult Animation

Before adult animation went mainstream, HBO’s Spawn set the standard for mature storytelling. Adapted from Todd McFarlane’s comic, it followed Al Simmons (Keith David), a murdered soldier reborn as a hellspawn caught between Heaven and Hell.

Unlike other superhero fare of its time, Spawn embraced noir influences and uncompromising violence. Its haunting visuals, moody score, and complex morality set it apart from the Saturday-morning norm. Keith David’s gravelly performance added Shakespearean gravitas to an already brooding narrative.

The show paved the way for modern adult animation like Castlevania and Invincible, proving the format could handle dark, emotionally rich material. It remains a visually striking and narratively daring milestone that too few modern viewers have experienced.

Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy (2024-Present)

A Cosmic Workplace Comedy With Wit, Weirdness, And Heart

Prime Video’s Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy delivers sci-fi absurdity with surprising depth. The dizzyingly colorful series centers on Dr. Sleech (Stephanie Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Keke Palmer), alien physicians balancing intergalactic medical emergencies with their own chaotic lives.

What makes it work is its seamless blend of surreal visuals and sharp writing. It channels the workplace chaos of Scrubs through a cosmic lens, while exploring burnout, friendship, and existential dread, all through talking space organisms and sentient diseases.

Currently on two seasons and counting, Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy shows promise as one of this decade’s most inventive animated TV shows (and definitely among the best animated shows on Prime). It’s both hilarious and oddly poignant – a reminder that even in the vastness of space, no one escapes a bad day at work.

Final Space (2018-2021)

A Space Epic That Balanced Absurd Humor With Genuine Emotion

Olan Rogers’ Final Space combined grand sci-fi storytelling with gut-punch heart. The show followed Gary Goodspeed (Rogers) and his adorable alien friend Mooncake as they fought to save the universe from destruction.

With stunning animation and cinematic action sequences, Final Space swung big – and it landed. The emotional stakes were as high as the humor, often blending tragedy and comedy in a single breath. It’s what you’d get if Futurama met Guardians of the Galaxy.

Despite critical acclaim, the show was cut short after three seasons, leaving fans desperate for closure. It’s a perfect example of an underrated and forgotten animated TV show that deserved far more recognition and a better send-off.

Frisky Dingo (2006-2008)

The Chaotic Predecessor To Archer That Redefined Absurdist Comedy

Before Archer became a hit, Frisky Dingo set the stage with its manic brand of humor. Created by Adam Reed and Matt Thompson, this forgotten Adult Swim show followed the rivalry between egotistical superhero Awesome X (Adam Reed) and villain Killface (also Reed), whose world-ending plot constantly derailed into nonsense.

The show’s deadpan dialogue, overlapping conversations, and wild tonal shifts were years ahead of their time. Each episode descended further into chaotic brilliance, mocking superhero tropes long before it became trendy.

Though short-lived, Frisky Dingo’s influence on modern adult animation is unmistakable. Fans of Archer will find it an unfiltered, hilarious prototype of what Reed later perfected. Plus, even outside of its links to the hilarious spy satire, it stands as a great piece of cult animated sci-fi too.

Undone (2019-2022)

A Breathtaking Rotoscope Masterpiece About Time, Trauma, And Identity

Undone is one of the most visually unique series ever made. Using rotoscope animation, it follows Alma (Rosa Salazar) as she begins seeing her deceased father (Bob Odenkirk) and discovers her ability to manipulate time.

The show weaves sci-fi and surrealism into a deeply emotional exploration of grief and mental health. Every frame feels dreamlike, enhancing its themes of memory and reality.

Despite critical praise, Undone never gained mainstream traction. Its meditative storytelling and experimental visuals mark it as a rare gem among 21st century animated TV shows, offering something few others dare to attempt.

A Symphony Of Heavy Metal Chaos And Razor-Sharp Satire

Metalocalypse chronicles the world’s most famous – and most destructive – death metal band, Dethklok. Created by Brendon Small, the series blends brutal music, absurd violence, and biting satire about fame and excess.

Behind the blood and blast beats lies an unexpectedly tight narrative about the absurdity of celebrity culture. Its soundtrack, also by Small, is legitimately impressive, bridging animation and real-world metal fandom.

After years off-air, a 2023 movie revival showed the show’s enduring appeal. For fans of dark humor and over-the-top absurdity, Metalocalypse remains a masterpiece of animated anarchy.

Infinity Train (2019-2021)

A Genre-Bending Anthology That Pushed Animation Storytelling To New Heights

While there’s no shortage of experimental animated shows out there, few were as daring with storytelling as Infinity Train. Each season of the obscure yet beloved Cartoon Network series introduced new passengers aboard a mysterious, infinite locomotive, where every car contained its own world and life lesson.

Created by Owen Dennis, Infinity Train tackled themes of identity, loss, and redemption with stunning emotional depth. Its inventive world-building and elegant pacing made it one of Cartoon Network’s most ambitious projects.

Infinity Train was sadly prematurely canceled, leaving its rich and critically acclaimed universe unexplored. Still, it stands as one of the finest examples of how underrated animated TV shows can rival even the best live-action storytelling.

Clone High (2002-2003)

A Hilarious Satire That Cloned History’s Icons For Teen Drama

Clone High imagined historical figures like Abraham Lincoln (Will Forte), Cleopatra (Christa Miller), and Joan of Arc (Nicole Sullivan) as angst-ridden high schoolers. The absurd concept paid off spectacularly with clever humor and genuine charm.

Created by Phil Lord and Chris Miller for MTV, Clone High’s blend of parody, pathos, and pop-culture awareness anticipated their later hits like The Lego Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Though canceled after one season, its cult following endured, leading to a 2023 revival (which, rather disappointingly, failed to live up to the legacy of the original run). Smart, self-aware, and endlessly quotable, Clone High is animated satire at its sharpest. It’s also one of the most successful animated shows to come from Canada.

Megas XLR (2004-2005)

A Love Letter To Mecha Anime And Slacker Culture

Megas XLR was Cartoon Network’s ultimate cult hit, a high-octane fusion of giant-robot action and self-aware comedy. The show follows Coop (David DeLuise), a laid-back New Jersey mechanic who modifies a massive alien mecha using spare car parts and video game controllers, turning it into the loudest, most chaotic weapon Earth has ever seen.

Throughout its 2004-2005 run, Megas XLR delivered constant laughs through its gleeful parody of anime and 2000s pop culture. Each episode was packed with over-the-top action, witty dialogue, and Easter eggs that rewarded eagle-eyed animation fans. Its distinctive art style and kinetic pacing made every battle feel both ridiculous and cinematic at once.

Megas XLR developed a loyal fanbase that still campaigns for its revival despite it only lasting two seasons. It’s an underrated animated TV show that perfectly captures the energy of Saturday-moning nostalgia, filtered through the lens of a car-loving gamer’s dream.