5 best animated shows like Harley Quinn on HBO Max

Animated shows such as Bojack Horseman and Rick and Morty have grown to become widely loved and acclaimed for the fine and nuanced writing they feature. Comedy that leans on to the darker side is uniformly visible in most of these animated shows and Harley Quinn is no exception.

Having premiered on television in 2019, Harley Quinn is now available on HBO Max. The show received a lot of love for its characterisation of Harley, as it follows her story after she breaks up with the Joker and goes about on adventures with Poison Ivy. The show's unabashed dark humor and its strong reinterpretation of the comic characters won the audience over almost immediately.

If Harley Quinn really worked for you, here are some more animated shows that you should watch and will probably love too.

The Venture Bros. and other animated shows on HBO Max

1) The Venture Bros. (2004-18)

With a surprisingly long run-time of over 14 years, The Venture Bros. is one of the most beloved adult animated shows, owing to its novel take on pop culture. The kind of comedy the show featured was uniquely dark for its time as it used satire to bring the most bizarre writing to life.

The show follows the adventures of Dr. Rusty Venture, his two overly involved sons and his bodyguard. The way the show joked about the the characterization of heroes, the cliches of pop culture and the idea of reality brought it an instant audience while also making it a timeless classic.

The Venture Bros. first aired in 2004 and was recently made available to stream on HBO Max.

2) Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law (2000-07)

Harvey Birdman: Attorney in Law (Image via Amazon)

While most of the animated shows on the list were poking fun at the pop culture of their time, Harvey Birdman was made to poke fun at these cartoons themselves. Birdman is an attorney who actively defends popular cartoon characters including the much-loved Scooby Doo and The Flintstones.

To make things more interesting, Birdman's character is written to be a former superhero, with all the typical yet outrageous traits of the heroes at the time. By turning this format upside down, the show portrays Birdman as a hardly competent, messy lawyer who barely manages to get through the day.

This is yet another early 2000s animated show from Adult Swim that is now available to stream on HBO Max.

3) Rick and Morty (2013-Present)

Probably the most popular on this list, Rick and Morty is yet another black comedy series that capitalized on the technique of 2-D animation to bring the most surreal ideas to life. Be it pop culture, politics, sexuality, mental health, gender dynamics or even the most sensitive of issues, the show never lets go of an opportunity to bring out the irony of the world.

The show follows the far from real adventures of a highly anxious kid, Morty and his grandfather Rick, who is a scientist with the most impossible ideas and access to infinite dimensions of the universe.

Its recent availability on Netflix made it available to a global audience and created a space for the brilliant writing it features to be truly appreciated. Even technically, the voice performances and art in the show complement the outrageous satire that Rick and Morty intends to be.

Rick and Morty continues to be available on HBO Max.

4) The Boondocks (2005-14)

The Boondocks leans towards being an anime than just another animated show, considering how popular the genre was at the time it first aired. However, the content of the show itself is loyal to its roots in social commentary and satire. The show takes on the institution of family and creates some memorable comedy.

Over the four seasons that it ran across, The Boondocks tells the story of the Freeman family, an older man and his two grandsons who together make for a trio of black people trying to fit into the white neighbourhood that they move into. The cultural identity of the characters adds an extra layer of depth to this wonderfully funny satire on contemporary culture.

The Boondocks stopped airing in 2014, but continues to receive admiration for its sensitive narrative and can be watched on HBO Max.

5) Beware the Batman (2013-14)

Beware the Batman finds its place on the list owing to its connection to the DC Universe. It was one of the more recent animated shows that was made after animation became an easier method.

The show follows Batman's journey during his early days as a vigilante when he seeks assistance from Alfred and other important characters to become the hero he is. The show features some good drama and would appeal to most audience who are fairly familiar with the DC Universe.

The show was canceled within a year of its beginning and is now available to stream on HBO Max.

With the rise of animated shows on streaming, great writing is finding its place too. Advancement in technology has made it possible to execute the most ridiculous ideas that are rooted in the most philosophical of themes.

While films from Disney and Pixar are already widely well received for the stories they explore, Adult Swim too is finding its space among the greats. The audience's growing love for black comedy, animated shows and the increasing fluidity in reception of ideas has made the production of such writing possible, if not easy.

About the author

Apoorva curates Entertainment listicles at SK POP. She is currently pursuing her BA in Media and Communication from Manipal Institute of Communication. Previously, she has worked with Film Companion, Kylo Apps, and The Social Pitcher.
In her spare time, Apoorva loves watching films and writing about them.

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Edited by Somava