10 Best Fox Animated Series of All Time (2024)

Today, FOX probably isn't the first thing people think of when quality animation is mentioned. In the past, FOX had some of the best animated series of all time on its network. The FOX Kids Saturday morning block was one of the last vestiges for quality Saturday Morning Cartoons before the concept fell out of favor. Meanwhile, it's Sunday night prime-time created hits for the adult crowd.

Admittedly, some of their hits come from FOX having access to Warner Bros. cartoons before they created The WB, but FOX also created hits on their own. Whether it's The Simpsons or X-Men: The Animated Series, FOX had animation fans locked to their network. Though the network might not be what it once was, they still deserve respect for having so many amazing cartoons on one channel.

10 The Tick Was the Perfect Superhero Parody for the 90s

Even in the early '90s, there were enough superheroes around that it was worth poking fun at the sillier aspects of the genre. Enter The Tick, a superhero parody cartoon based on the indie comic book of the same name. Set in The City, The Tick sees its titular superhero and his partner Arthur protect their home against a wide variety of supervillains alongside a colorful cast of fellow superheroes.

Considering Fox was responsible for three of the biggest '90s superhero cartoons, airing a series that poked fun at the genre was a bold choice for the time. However, The Tick is one of a handful of Fox Kids shows that stand the test of time; kids who grew up watching it will likely find it even funnier if they go back for a rewatch.

The Tick (1994)

TV-PG

Animation

Comedy

Where to Watch

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An invulnerable, somewhat dim, superhero protects The City from all manner of evil-doers.

Release Date

September 10, 1994

Cast

townsend coleman , Micky Dolenz , Rob Paulsen

Main Genre

Superhero

Creator

Ben Edlund

Taz-Mania comes from the early '90s era when FOX still had a ton of Warner Bros. cartoons airing on their network. The series placed former Bugs and Daffy antagonist, Taz, into a sitcom-style family. He still retained his original, short-tempered personality, right down to his supposed inability to speak, but now takes on the role of a protagonist, working as a bellhop in Hotel Tazmania. The sheer absurdity of watching a literal whirlwind of a character try to hold down a regular job is exactly as funny as it seems.

One of Warner Bros' earliest '90s toons, Taz-Mania was beloved for its style, which resembled classic Looney Tunes humor, updated for a new generation. The series wasn't afraid to reference new and old celebrities, poke fun at itself, and even break the fourth wall. Filled with memorable characters from Taz's family to the rotating cast of antagonists in the outback, the series was a staple of the first half of the Fox Kids era.

8 Silver Surfer Brought the Herald of Galactus to Kids' TV

Marvel was on a roll in the '90s, creating an animated Marvel Universe without even thinking about it as series like X-Men, Spider-Man,Iron Man, and the Hulk all hit the airwaves in just a few years. After so many hits, they even tried putting the Silver Surfer on the air in 1998, with an art style that emulated the Marvel legend and Silver Surfer creator, Jack Kirby. Much like the other Marvel cartoons, Silver Surfer drew inspiration from the Surfer's own comics and resulted in the first mainstream exposure to some of the best characters from Marvel Cosmic, like Drax, Gamora, and Adam Warlock.

True to popular Marvel Comics of the '70s, Silver Surfer didn't shy away from commenting on heavier subjects. As a result, this show can come as a fun surprise for viewers looking back on it, or checking it out for the first time. The only real flaw is rights disputes between Marvel and Saban kept them from making any future seasons.

7 Animaniacs Created a Variety of Legendary Characters

A few years before The WB existed as a channel, Animaniacs found a home alongside cartoons like Taz-Mania and Tiny Toons Adventures on Fox Kids. While the other two series were based on existing properties, Animaniacs was something brand-new, but with a twist. Rather than being riffs on existing characters, Animaniacs used a new collection of Warner Bros. characters who were originally too wacky for the 1930s. Instead, they were locked inside the famous Warner Bros. Water Tower for years before finally being freed in the early '90s.

Animaniacs wasn't just about the Warner Siblings, though. The series managed to keep a rotation of several other casts of characters, from Pinky and the Brain to Rita and Runt, making the series feel similar to a classic-style variety show. Its clever writing appealed to both kids and adults, which is probably why the series remained in syndication on multiple networks long after it was canceled, and why the series eventually experienced a revival as good as the original on Hulu in 2020.

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6 Futurama Offered More than Humorous Parodies of the Sci-Fi Genre

After turning The Simpsons into a major hit, series creator Matt Groening took his talents into the distant future to create his next masterpiece, Futurama. While The Simpsons focused on the lives of a middle-class family in a small town, Futurama got its chance to take a comedic look at long-running sci-fi tropes. Series protagonist Fry and the rest of the Planet Express crew dealt with everything from alien invasions to visiting alien races for the first time.

Yet while Futurama wasn't afraid to poke fun at any classic sci-fi idea it could find, it wasn't afraid to be emotionally honest. Viewers become invested in Fry and Leela's relationship as the series develops, and there are plenty of episodes that will leave viewers in tears. Futurama offered commentary on love, environmentalism, even religion. There's a reason this series keeps getting revivals every five to ten years.

Futurama

TV-14

Animation

Comedy

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Release Date

March 28, 1999

Cast

Billy West , John DiMaggio , Katey Sagal , Tress MacNeille , Phil LaMarr , Lauren Tom , Frank Welker , Kath Soucie

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

8

Creator

Matt Groening, David X. Cohen

Number of Episodes

150

Network

FOX

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

5 Spider-Man: The Animated Series Is a Nostalgic 90s Classic

Spider-Man: The Animated Series might have its problems, but it might still be the best portrayal of Spider-Man and his cast outside the comics. The second major superhero cartoon Marvel got on the air after 1992's X-Men, Spider-Man showed the adventures of Peter Parker who'd been operating as Spider-Man for years. No longer in high school, this show's version of Peter dealt with trying to remain in post-grad while still making enough money to provide for himself and be Spider-Man.

One of the best parts about this series is just how much it feels like a comic book. Peter's constant monologuing clues viewers into his emotional state at any given moment without ever detracting from the action. Like other Marvel cartoons of the time, it also pulls many of its stories directly from the comics, expanding Peter's supporting cast to include everyone who mattered in the comics. While standards of the era might've kept the series from being perfect, its emotional gut punches still hit hard, making for a show that's still an addicting watch today.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series

TV-Y7

Animation

Superhero

Action

Adventure

Where to Watch

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See Also

10 worst TV show adaptations, ranked | Digital Trends

Release Date

November 19, 1994

Cast

christopher daniel barnes , Sara Ballantine , Edward Asner , Roscoe Lee Browne

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

5 Seasons

Creator

Stan Lee, Steve Ditko

Production Company

New World Entertainment Films, Genesis Entertainment, Marvel Enterprises.

4 King of the Hill Gave Viewers A Three-Dimensional Look At Blue Collar Life

While many of Fox's strongest cartoons were shifted around to other networks to finish their run, King of the Hill was a staple of Fox's adult-oriented cartoon line-up from start to finish. Created by Beavis and Butthead writer Mike Judge, King of the Hill brought viewers to Arlen, Texas, where they got to know Hank Hill and the colorful cast of family and friends who were part of his life. A massive hit for the network, King of the Hill ran for almost a decade off the strength of its characters.

King of the Hill provided a realistic, if comedic, look into blue-collar middle-class life. However, while a lot of glimpses of "blue collar" life are either disrespectful or regressive, King of the Hill went down a different path. A show that at first glance looks like a collection of stereotypes becomes, on examination, full of some of the best three-dimensional characters on television. It's one of the reasons why viewers are so excited to check in on the characters after the time jump in the revival.

King of the Hill

TV-14

Animation

Comedy

Drama

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Not available

Not available

Release Date

January 12, 1997

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

13

Creator

Greg Daniels, Mike Judge

Production Company

Deedle-Dee Productions, Judgmental Films, 3 Arts Entertainment

Number of Episodes

258

Main Cast

Kathy Najimy, Breckin Meyer, Brittany Murphy, Ashley Gardner, Beth Grant, Johnny Hardwick, Toby Huss, Jonathan Joss, Mike Judge, Stephen Root, Pamela Adlon, and Lauren Tom

3 X-Men: The Animated Series Forged a Long-Lasting Legacy

In 1992, Saban and Marvel teamed up to launch a cartoon that revolutionized superhero cartoons forever. With X-Men at the height of its popularity thanks to Jim Lee and Chris Claremont's X-Men series, Marvel launched a comic book about their most popular superteam. The series was a smash hit from its premiere episode, "Night of the Sentinels", which immediately helped people understand both who the X-Men were and what their core conflict was.

Superhero cartoons had existed before, but none had ever made their characters seem as cool as X-Men: The Animated Series had. Characters clashed over differences of opinions, and every plotline wasn't neatly wrapped up within the span of a single episode. X-Men wasn't just more serious for a new era, but more serial in its storytelling. Best of all, the series pulled many of its stories directly from the comics, offering that extra layer of comic book accuracy for longtime fans.

X-Men: The Animated Series

TV-Y7

Kids

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Animation

Action & Adventure

Where to Watch

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In X-Men: The Animated Series, a team of mutant superheroes fight for justice and human acceptance in the Marvel Comics universe.

Release Date

October 31, 1992

Creator(s)

Sidney Iwanter , Mark Edward Edens , Eric Lewald

Cast

Cedric Smith , Norm Spencer , Catherine Disher , Alison Sealy-Smith , Lenore Zann

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

5

2 Batman: The Animated Series Took a Mature Approach to Kids' Television

In 1992, Warner Bros. debuted a new cartoon about Batman that was meant to offer a darker, more serious take on the character than ever to take advantage of the Batman films' popularity. The result was a masterpiece, one that's not just one of the greatest superhero cartoons ever, but one of the best cartoons of all time. Set in a "timeless" version of Gotham City, Batman: The Animated Series pushed the limits of what people thought was possible with children's television.

Unlike many of the Marvel cartoons of the '90s, Batman: The Animated Series didn't always push for comic book accuracy. Instead, episodes tried to remain true to the "spirit" of Batman comics, while sometimes reinventing characters entirely, like Mr. Freeze or the Riddler. It was a different approach, but just as much of a hit. While made for kids, it never talked down to its audience, telling mature stories that were nonetheless designed for fans of any age to enjoy. The series is also responsible for the dawn of the DCAU, which went on to have several quality series in its shared universe.

Batman: The Animated Series

TV-PG

Superhero

Action

Adventure

Where to Watch

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Not available

The Dark Knight battles crime in Gotham City with occasional help from Robin and Batgirl.

Release Date

September 5, 1992

Cast

Kevin Conroy , Loren Lester , Mark Hamill , Efrem Zimbalist Jr. , arleen sorkin

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

3

Number of Episodes

109

1 The Simpsons Stands Head-and-Shoulders Above Fox's Other Animated Series

The "Simpsons did it" quote seems like just a simple joke from its competitor South Park. Really though, it points out just how long The Simpsons has been on the air, doing adult-oriented comedy at the highest level. And even that joke is twenty years old, with The Simpsons having more time since then to keep discovering new ways to entertain viewers with its episodes, even though the characters have never aged.

The Simpsons have been one of FOX's most consistent performers for over thirty years now, going back to the network's earliest television years. The series has become an American institution on cable, with people of all ages having fallen in love with America's best dysfunctional family. While other FOX series might be better quality-wise, none of them have ever come close to being this consistent for this long.

The Simpsons

TV-14

Animation

Comedy

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Not available

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Cast

Dan Castellaneta , Nancy Cartwright , Harry Shearer , Yeardley Smith , Julie Kavner , Hank Azaria , Pamela Hayden , Tress MacNeille

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

36

Creator

James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Sam Simon

Production Company

Gracie Films, 20th Television Animation, Fox Television Animation, The Curiosity Company

Number of Episodes

761

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu