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“Adult Swim…all kids outta the pool!”
It was a line that almost every Gen X and Millennial had burned into their minds, not because of their swim schedules, but because of the media empire that was (and still is) Adult Swim. Technically part of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim is the late night programming that was “too wild for kids.”
Adult Swim was not just the a good programming slot. It was the be-all and end-all of quirky, “indie” animation as well as bizarre, edgy humor. In other words, it was a Brooklyn hipster in TV form—but the good type who actually was nice to you, even when you didn’t drink PBR or craft beers in front of him.
During its glory days of the 2000s and early 2010s, Adult Swim was known for several things:
Its quirky white-on-black “bumps” between shows and commercials.
Having animations that were adult-oriented, during a time when the only adult animations on regular TV were King of the Hill and The Simpsons.
Giving indie artists a chance to shine, be it through their Shorts series showcasing indie music artists or actual animators who had something they wanted to share with the world.
Offering obscure anime series like FLCL to help encourage people to look into the anime world.
Its often gritty, nihilistic, “I hate the world” cartoon vibes.
Saying that Adult Swim is a major cultural icon is an understatement in my opinion.
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Adult Swim shows like Moral Orel turned lowbrow humor into high art, continuing a cult following still seen today. Harvey Birdman, though canceled years ago, still has a cult following. Aqua Teen Hunger Force was and still is one of the most iconic animations of its kind. Oh, and Rick and Morty? Yeah, also an AS cartoon.
For a while, Adult Swim helped shape what was considered to be edgy media—including the humor. Much of it was nihilistic, a little bit angry, and oddly hilarious in its own right. It was in the bumps, the faux commercials, and even the programs chosen to air.
Then, around 2016, Adult Swim hit a slump.
Did you ever see an artist lose track of their vision, to the point of having a crisis of faith? I have. And it felt like AS was having that same issue after a while, simply because of how repetitive they became.
Almost all of their new programming was something related to Tim and Eric. Though they’re funny in their own right, it got old after a while. People wanted new things—things that resonated with them. Unfortunately that wasn’t always going to mean more T&E.
It was clear that several things weren’t working:
The budget for new cartoons didn’t always match the interest people had.
Executives often prematurely canceled great series such as Moral Orel or Venture Bros.
The humor wasn’t quite hitting the way it once was.
The cartoons often lacked a certain pizazz they once had.
Simply put, it felt inauthentic and pretty repetitive.
Recently, though, things have changed for the better—but they’ve definitely changed.
Adult Swim is starting to pull in serious numbers once more, with named like Smiling Friends and Haha, You Clowns raking in millions every month. It’s clear that Adult Swim is having a renaissance of sorts, but how it’s happening is something I’ve found to be fascinating.
In the past, the programming was mostly quirky but low-key aggressive, nihilistic humor. It made a point of showing how pointless everything was or even highlighted the “lovable asshole” we all seem to have in our lives. Viewers often found themselves surrounded with toxic masculinity icons like Peter Griffin or even Shake from ATHF.
In recent years, I noticed that much of that negative vibe started to slough off the channel. Here’s what I noticed, in particular:
The shows started to be more feminist in nature, focusing on positive masculinity and femininity. They had Birdgirl with the “Girlboss” vibes as well as the hit show Haha, You Clowns, featuring some of the best teenage boys in modern TV. Watching Haha, You Clowns genuinely made me want to have a son at some points. It was that powerful.
They shows often involve upbeat plots or healthy friendships. I think of YOLO and Smiling Friends as the best examples of this.
Though rare, Adult Swim’s bumps also tend to acknowledge the tough times we live in. It’s interesting to see a somewhat apolitical cartoon network actually talk about the difficulty of living through America’s collapse.
Basically, it’s starting to feel like Adult Swim grew up—and started to act like the supportive older brother that we often need. In a lot of ways, it’s a softer Adult Swim.
Some might argue that this made Adult Swim lose its edge, but the edge is a strategic move.
What is edgy humor without…uh, slightly mean jokes? Well, Adult Swim is starting to figure it out. As it turns out, you can still be edgy without going out of your way to hurt others through stereotypes or upsetting others.
Part of this, undeniably, is to appeal to younger audiences. Gen Z and Gen Alpha groups have been shown to be a lot more sensitive about the terms used for people—not to mention a lot more inclusive.
So while gay jokes might have made sense in the past, executives were wise to look for more inclusive gags on their shows. It’s a smart move that will help the shows they invest in stay relevant for a far, far longer time.
Moreover, it’s clear that the guys at Adult Swim are also acutely aware of how bad America’s collective mental health has gotten. So, the hopeful and helpful bumps? They’re common sense in a world that doesn’t often offer encouragement to others.
This is not just about a cartoon program.
Adult Swim is what I consider an “early adopter” of cultural shifts. After all, a lot of their best shows were canceled before their time, simply because they were ahead of their time. So, I use AS as a weird way to see the direction of culture—at least among geeks like me.
Right now, America is facing itself in the mirror and many of us aren’t happy with what we see. Adult Swim’s reaction is one that is perfect for the times we live in: they’re showing us how to give hope and humor when it often feels like there is nothing to be found.
And more importantly? They’re showing both men and women displaying healthy but humanly flawed mentalities. I don’t know about you, but I really appreciate that a lot.
