Great Cartoons To Watch While Waiting For Rick & Morty

Update: Keep up to date on everything Schwifty with our Rick and Morty Season 4 Guide.

Much like Rick Sanchez himself, fans of Rick and Morty found themselves in a bit of a pickle recently. While waiting for news about a fourth season, series creator Dan Harmon revealed via Twitter that the new season hasn't been ordered yet. According to Harmon, the delay comes because contract negotiations are "complicated" this time around. This means that it might be a while before new Rick and Morty episodes grace our screens.

As a quick fix, obsessed fans can rewatch the existing three seasons and look for hidden tidbits they missed. That doesn't provide the thrill of new content, though. Instead, fans may need to venture out and try other shows that have similar humor and depth. It won't be the same as Rick and Morty, but it's still entertaining in its own right.

If you're looking for an animated series to help you fill a Rick and Morty-shaped hole in your life, here are a few suggestions. You may have already seen a few of these, but there may be hidden gems that you've missed as well.

This Page: Bojack Horseman, American Dad!, and Big Mouth

Bojack Horseman

Rick and Morty has a unique sense of humor that can vary wildly from one moment to the next. This is part of what fans love about it, because they never know what to expect. The jokes are smart and cerebral, except when they aren't. They often seem to come out of left field, taking viewers by surprise. This humor is punctuated by moments of darkness and drama, using the silliness and seriousness of the episodes to make each part stronger. It all adds up into a show where fans never really know what to expect from one episode to the next.

Another show that uses this type of humor is Bojack Horseman on Netflix. Featuring a washed-up 90s sitcom star, Bojack weaves expertly through the schemes of Todd and Mr. Peanutbutter, the drama of Bojack coming to terms with his fading celebrity and out-of-the-blue moments of drama that kick like a horse. There are currently four seasons available on Netflix, and a fifth season is in the works for likely release in late 2018. Though it's a much different type of comedy than Rick and Morty, fans will likely find a kindred spirit in Bojack Horseman's 48 episodes (plus one Christmas special).

American Dad!

While Fox's American Dad! is just about as "mainstream" as you can get, it's a different breed of show than the network's other animated offerings. It's somehow both sillier and more serious than its more-famous cousin Family Guy or Fox's animated juggernaut The Simpsons. The show features the same sort of randomness as Family Guy but also includes smarter humor as well, including full story arcs that come from seemingly inconsequential moments and black comedy that works despite its sometimes dark subject matter.

Fans of Rick and Morty may miss some of Rick's (mad)scientific solutions to problems, but Stan Smith and family certainly come up with unique ways to get out of trouble. With 240+ episodes to date, American Dad! certainly offers plenty of content to help feed your animation appetite. In addition to DVD and Bluray releases, American Dad! is available to stream on Hulu.

Big Mouth

Another Netflix original, Big Mouth follows a group of teens trying (and often failing) to navigate the perils of puberty. The show has been controversial, with some groups claiming that it promotes the sexualization of children due to the subject matter addressed in the series. It definitely pushes the envelope when it comes to the teen comedy genre, taking advantage of its animated format to address topics that would be difficult if not impossible to tackle in live action.

Big Mouth is pretty thematically different from Rick and Morty, but the darker humor used in the show will be right at home for those who enjoy the antics of Rick Sanchez and family. The first season of Big Mouth is currently available on Netflix, and season 2 is slated for release later this year.

Venture Bros.

If Rick Sanchez had an opposite, it would be Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture. Though Dr. Venture is a man of science, his renown is built squarely on his father's genius. While Rick is a man of action who knows exactly what he needs and how to get it, Venture's schemes rely largely on Brock Sampson's muscles and a general idea of what needs to be done. Even their child sidekicks are somewhat opposite: Morty is often an integral part of Rick's plans, while the titular Venture brothers are usually just along for the ride. Still, it's an amazing show with a lot of fanbase overlap with Rick and Morty.

Despite the last new episodes airing in 2016, Venture Bros. isn't quite finished; season seven is slated for release later this year, and season eight is already ordered. The current seasons are already out on DVD and Bluray, and all six seasons are available on Hulu as well.

Bravest Warriors

Are you watching Adventure Time as it comes to an end? Its creator, Pendleton Ward, has a new series that you might not know about. Bravest Warriors is part of Frederator Studios' Cartoon Hangover channel on YouTube and is definitely worth checking out if you need some quality animation to hold you over until there's new Rick and Morty.

While much lighter fare than Rick and Morty, the show's off-the-wall science fiction elements will seem right at home to fans of Rick's more hairbrained schemes (such as Pickle Rick). The animation style and general characterization will seem familiar to Adventure Time fans, which works well since there's a good overlap between the Adventure Time and Rick and Morty fanbases. You can watch the first two seasons of Bravest Warriors on Cartoon Hangover's YouTube channel, or all four seasons on the VRV streaming service.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Though most wouldn't call Aqua Teen Hunger Force a "smart" comedy, its twisted sense of humor meshes well with that of Rick and Morty. Much like Rick and Morty, viewers never really knew what to expect from ATHF. If you've never seen the show, there's plenty of it to keep you busy: ATHF ran for 11 seasons plus a movie, making it Adult Swim's longest-running series at the time of its cancellation.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force and the film Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters are available on DVD (minus the season 5 episode "Boston"). The series (again, minus "Boston") is also available for streaming on Hulu.

Undone

Ok, this one might be a bit of a stretch since it's a show that hasn't actually come out yet. Since it looks like there might be a bit of a wait until we get more Rick and Morty, though, Undone could very well help to fill that gap. Created by Bojack Horseman's Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the show is Amazon Studios' first adult animated series. Starring The Maze Runner's Rosa Salazar as Alma, a woman who survived a near-fatal car accident, Undone explores the nature of reality through Alma's newfound ability to manipulate time. As with Bojack, the series will blend comedy and drama to craft a unique tale around Alma and her younger sister.

If Bojack is any indication, Undone will definitely fall in line with Rick and Morty when it comes to its humor and approach to storytelling. Its exploration of the nature of reality and manipulation of time to investigate the death of Alma's father may give it a strong sci-fi feel as well, which many Rick and Morty alternatives lack. Undone is slated for release on Amazon Video sometime in 2019.

Other Options

Sterling Archer in Archer Dreamland Episode 8

There are other Rick and Morty alternatives out there as well. Current series such as Archer and Bob's Burgers share fanbases with Rick and Morty. Completed shows like Invader Zim and Futurama capture a lot of the show's sci-fi feel as well. Brickleberry and China, IL share some of the show's humor. Courage the Cowardly Dog features weird creatures and unexpected situations. There are a lot of options out there, and they should keep you going until Rick and Morty season 4 hits.