JuicyTalk
Adult Swim has had some huge hits over the years, but the network has also had nine hidden gems that you should definitely watch. Most people know about Adult Swim’s best shows. Whether it’s Japanese anime Adult Swim acquired, like Cowboy Bebop or Demon Hunter, or some of Adult Swim’s hit originals like Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken, or Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the network has had some big shows.
Adult Swim is best known for its absurdist animated comedies, but it also has some great live-action shows and serious dramas. From Samurai Jack and Primal to The Eric Andre Show, there’s a long list of Adult Swim hits. For all of Adult Swim’s hits, however, there are just as many hidden gems waiting to be discovered and appreciated.
9
Haha, You Clowns
Stream On: HBO Max
The newest hidden gem on Adult Swim just premiered in October 2025. Created by internet animator and humorist Joe Cappa, Haha, You Clowns is exactly the type of absurdist comedy Adult Swim was built upon. The show follows the Campbell family, three teenagers and their father having mundane misadventures after the death of their mother.
While the setup seems fairly common, Haha, You Clowns is perfect for fans of offbeat humor. It’s honestly difficult to describe why Haha, You Clowns is so funny. The boys, described as “himbos,” are both entirely earnest and wholesome and also far too intense, the animation style is both grotesque and endearing, the situations are both realistic and absurd. To really get Haha, You Clowns, you just have to watch it.
8
Xavier: Renegade Angel
Stream On: Adult Swim
Possibly the strangest show Adult Swim has ever produced — which is no easy feat for the network responsible for Mr. Pickles and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! — is Xavier: Renegade Angel. Even individual episodes of Xavier: Renegade Angel are nearly incomprehensible, which is a compliment. It follows Xavier, a shaman, as he waxes poetic and incoherent about all manner of psychedelic situations.
You might have seen clips of Xavier: Renegade Angel on social media, and you would remember if you had. Xavier’s manner of speech is so unique and twisty that it can hardly be compared to anything else. The early 2000s computer animation also gives the entire show an uncanny quality. That, coupled with its ridiculous plots, makes Xavier: Renegade Angel one of the best “stoner shows” ever.
7
Common Side Effects
Stream On: HBO Max
A rare recent drama from Adult Swim — Common Side Effects — also deserves more love than it got. Common Side Effects is a conspiracy thriller that tackles big pharma, wonder drugs, physical and spiritual healing, and so much more. Without delving into spoilers, Common Side Effects is unique among Adult Swim’s programming, but it’s also unique among shows in general.
Common Side Effects is animated precisely because it shows exactly how its wonder drug affects a person’s mind. That means it has brilliant psychedelic visuals, a surprisingly biting critique of big pharma, and a heart-pounding plot to match. It’s certainly not the type of show Adult Swim usually goes for, but it is a great addition to shows like Primal and Samurai Jack.
6
Joe Pera Talks With You
Stream On: Adult Swim
While it may not feature dark humor, Joe Pera Talks With You is among Adult Swim’s most offbeat shows. Comedian Joe Pera uses his trademarked soft-spoken delivery to play a Michigan choir teacher showing the audience endearing parts of his life and community. It’s endlessly calming, charming, and funny, and it’s such a rare gem for a network like Adult Swim.
If you’ve seen Joe Pera on social media, there’s a good chance you’ve seen clips of Joe Pera Talks With You, but the full show has so much more to offer. There are funny moments that can be distilled into short-form content, but full episodes are so heartwarming and oddly reminiscent of something that I fully endorse watching the show in full.
5
Mike Tyson Mysteries
Available For Purchase
Mike Tyson Mysteries is the one Adult Swim show that deserved a huge fanbase that it never received. Featuring a surprisingly funny performance by boxer Mike Tyson, as well as inspired vocal performances by comedians Norm MacDonald (as a pigeon) and Jim Rash (as a ghost), and a brilliant spoof of Scooby-Doo as a plot, Mike Tyson Mysteries had all the ingredients for widespread success.
While it never found a huge audience, Mike Tyson Mysteries still has the quality to be your next favorite show. As previously mentioned, it is a Scooby-Doo parody, but that’s just the beginning. Episodes of Mike Tyson Mysteries see Mike Tyson free inmates from Guantánamo Bay, an adventure on the moon, and several other moments of dark comedy.
4
Loiter Squad
Stream On: Adult Swim
Another show that you may recognize from social media is Tyler, the Creator’s Loiter Squad. Early on in his career, Tyler, the Creator ran a variety sketch comedy show on Adult Swim and also featured other prominent rappers like Earl Sweatshirt. Loiter Squad was responsible for some great bits of comedy, such as the viral birthday sketch.
While those viral moments gained a lot of popularity, Loiter Squad as a whole only ran for two seasons before the cast moved on to other projects. Still, even after 13 years, Loiter Squad is great for people who want an irreverent sketch comedy show that can be compared to Key & Peele or Portlandia. There are so many funny moments in the rare live-action Adult Swim show.
3
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Stream On: Adult Swim
One of Adult Swim’s earliest classics was Space Ghost Coast to Coast, a surrealist and non-linear parody of late-night talk shows. Featuring a little-known animated superhero interviewing live-action recordings of celebrities, Space Ghost was a pioneer of adult animated comedy. It came a bit too early to gain a huge following, but it has held up remarkably well after more than 30 years.
In many ways, Space Ghost is the predecessor to absurdist talk shows like The Eric Andre Show. Space Ghost himself is hilariously idiotic, the way the guests’ answers are edited for comedic effect is always smart and disruptive, and the show has gained a cult following for a reason. Even though it was a pioneer for absurd talk shows, there’s nothing quite like Space Ghost Coast to Coast.
2
The Venture Bros.
Stream On: Netflix
The Venture Bros. was a hit when it first premiered on Adult Swim in 2004, but many younger viewers may not be familiar with it anymore. The Venture Bros. follows the Venture family and their bodyguard, Brock Samson, as they fight the supervillain Monarch. Though it started out as a parody of action comedies, The Venture Bros. eventually grew into its own element and a phenomenal series.
Like most Adult Swim shows, The Venture Bros. features irreverent, offbeat comedy elements like the homicidal tendencies of Brock and the attractive Dr. Mrs. the Monarch, who is voiced by a man, but it has so much more, too. By the end of its seven-season run, The Venture Bros. had great action scenes, hilarious writing, a huge cast of well-developed characters, and more.
Stream On: Adult Swim
Even if you’re not a fan of heavy metal, Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse likely has something you’ll enjoy. Metalocalypse follows, in This is Spinal Tap fashion, the fictional heavy metal band Dethlok and its domination of both the global music industry and the global economy as a whole. Its absurd premise, sense of humor, and focus on metal music make it absolutely unique.
As with many Adult Swim shows, Metalocalypse was never going to be a mainstream hit. The show is ultra-violent, strange in a good way, and deeply steeped in heavy metal culture. Still, if you’re willing to take a chance on a weird and offbeat show — which you likely are, if you like Adult Swim — Metalocalypse is a great choice.
