What to Watch: The 5 Best Animated Shows on TV

Animation ain't just for kids any more. Cartoon Network's Adult Swim picked up where "The Simpsons" left off, bring cartoons to an adult audience and making them increasingly more absurd, and increasingly more hilarious.

The simple fact is that you can accomplish more with animation: you can create any images you want, and in comedy you can time your physical comedy to perfection. So what are the best animated shows on TV right now?

Here's a quick list of five:

1. "Archer"

If you've missed out so far, you absolutely must catch up on "Archer." The show is created by the same team that brought you "Sealab 2021" and "Frisky Dingo," and features the antics of a dysfunctional spy agency. The result is a sort-of parody of James Bond that stands as its own show with or without parody. The strong writing is supported by an incredible voice cast in H. Jon Benjamin, Chris Parnell, "Arrested Development" stars Judy Greer and Jessica Walter, and others. The show airs on Thursday nights on FX.

2. "Bob's Burgers"

Speaking of H. Jon Benjamin, the comedian is currently starring in another animated show that should be on your radar, "Bob's Burgers." The show rests in the middle of Fox's "Animation Domination" on Sundays, taking the 8:30pm time slot between "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy." The voice cast is amazing again, and the show features a unique and wacky sense of humor that simply can't be found anywhere else.

3. "The Venture Bros." and 4. "Metalocalypse"

Adult Swim, of course, has its own shows that provide unique humor. Though they can sometimes be an acquired taste, the AS shows are unmissable once you get into them. Be sure to check out "The Venture Bros." which parodies just about everything in nerd culture, from Johnny Quest to superheroes. Another one to catch is the hyper-violent and hyper-funny "Metalocalypse." The gore in this cartoon takes a bit of getting used to, but the dialogue and performances are funny enough to keep even those who hate heavy metal hooked on this show.

5. "Futurama"

And finally, "Futurama" must be mentioned. The show recently made a move to Comedy Central after being booted from network TV a number of years ago, but like "Family Guy" was revived due to DVD sales and fan support. The show's revival has only made it funnier, and the biting satire it presents is always current, poignant and funny. But the very best thing about "Futurama" is its ability to tug at your heartstrings...if you don't believe me, just try getting through the episode where Fry clones his dog without crying.