TAGGED AS: Animation, based on movie
No longer just fodder for Saturday mornings or weekday afternoons, animation dominates television now at every hour of the day. Whether it’s Fox’s Sunday-night lineup, the Disney Channel’s daytime programming, or Netflix shows you can stream 24/7, it can be overwhelming for animation connoisseurs to take it all in.
Rotten Tomatoes is here to help with this guide to 10 animated series on the air this spring and summer, including continuations of kids’ movies, reboots of childhood classics, and even some great options for grown-ups.
What It’s About: After Kong and his human friend Lukas fall into a volcano, they discover even more prehistoric creatures living beneath it.
Voiced By: Alessandro Juliani, Lee Tockar, Viv Leacock, Shannon Chan-Kent, Vincent Tong, Tabitha St. Germain
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: This family-friendly version of King Kong provides a less scary alternative to Kong: Skull Island in theaters.
Fun Fact: Executive Producer Avi Arad is also responsible for bringing the first wave of Marvel movies to the screen, including X-Men and Spider-Man.
Kong: King of the Apes at Netflix (release date to be announced)
What It’s About: Based on Richard Adams’ novel about a group of rabbits who try to build a new home, but end up in battle.
Voiced By: Gemma Arterton, John Boyega, Mackenzie Crook, Freddie Fox, Nicholas Hoult, Ben Kingsley, James McAvoy
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: Visionary director Noam Murro has four parts to tell this complete epic tale (tail?)!
Fun Fact: Sawyer was reading a paperback copy of the book on Lost.
Watership Down at Netflix (release date to be announced)
What It’s About: 50 years after his last adventure, Jack is still looking for a way home and trying to find a way to defeat Aku.
Voiced By: Phil LaMarr, Greg Baldwin, Grey DeLisle, Sab Shimono, Lauren Tom, Tom Kenny
Where to Watch: Adult Swim
Why You Should Watch: After 13 years, the Samurai Jack saga finally gets the conclusion it deserves. Read Rotten Tomatoes’ interview with creator Genndy Tartakovsky and Phil LaMarr here.
Fun Fact: Tartakovsky came up with this idea eight years ago but was busy making feature films until Adult Swim was ready to revisit Samurai Jack.
Samurai Jack new episodes Saturdays at 11 p.m. as part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block
What It’s About: Two of the Guardians of the Galaxy have their own adventures in a series of shorts as they try to earn enough credits to buy a new ship.
Voiced By: Trevor Devall, Kevin Michael Richardson
Where to Watch: Disney XD
Why You Should Watch: They’re less than 2 minutes each, and they’ll tide you over until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 comes out.
Fun Fact: Animation studio Passion Pictures also animated the 2011 Oscar-winning short The Lost Thing.
Rocket and Groot shorts are available on Disney XD’s YouTube Channel; all 12 shorts air April 10 at 7 a.m. on Disney XD
What It’s About: Marvel’s intergalactic space heroes return for a second season of family-friendly adventures.
Voiced By: Will Friedle, Trevor Devall, Kevin Michael Richardson, Vanessa Marshall, David Sobolov
Where to Watch: Disney XD
Why You Should Watch: The Guardians meet The Avengers this season!
Fun Fact: I am Groot!
Guardians of the Galaxy air Saturdays at 9 p.m. on Disney XD
What It’s About: Grown up Alice (Jenna Elfman) gets a visit from her childhood imaginary friend Mary, a computer-animated character only Alice can see and hear.
Voiced By: Rachel Dratch as the voice of Mary.
Where to Watch: ABC
Why You Should Watch: Elfman’s return to TV comedy is a must see with or without an animated costar!
Fun Fact: This is the second version of Mary the creators developed. After the first pilot, they redesigned her to be warmer and cuter.
Imaginary Mary premieres March 29 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC
What It’s About: Sterling Archer takes a trip back in time to solve a film-noir style murder in 1947 Los Angeles.
Voiced By: H. Jon Benjamin, Jessica Walter, Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, Chris Parnell, Amber Nash, Adam Reed, Lucky Yates
Where to Watch: FXX
Why You Should Watch: Archer is still funny after seven seasons, and seasons like Archer Vice show that new genres only make it funnier.
Fun Fact: Creator Adam Reed told the Murmur podcast he’d planned to end Archer after season 8, but will now make two more short seasons to end after 10.
Archer premieres April 5 at 10 p.m. on FXX
What’s It About: Donald Duck’s nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie have Indiana Jones–like epic adventures with Scrooge McDuck.
Voiced By: David Tennant, Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, Bobby Moynihan, Kate Micucci, Beck Bennett, Toks Olagundoye
Where to Watch: Disney XD
Why You Should Watch: If you grew up with the original version of this show in the ’90s, that’s why. If this is new to you, how about a former Doctor Who as the voice of Scrooge.
Fun Fact: Disney XD has already ordered a second season of DuckTales before it’s even aired.
Ducktales will air on Disney XD (release date to be announced)
What It’s About: After returning to her parents and kingdom, Rapunzel sets off for new adventures with Flynn Rider before she takes the throne.
Voiced By: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Eden Espinosa, Julie Bowen, Clancy Brown
Where to Watch: Disney Channel
Why You Should Watch: It’s the sequel to Tangled! Plus, Disney has a good track record with series based on their movies: Aladdin, Emperor’s New School, and The Lion Guard to name a few.
Fun Fact: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater are back to write new songs for Tangled: The Series.
Tangled: The Series new episodes air Fridays at 7:30 p.m. on Disney Channel
What It’s About: Bojack is a has-been celebrity in a world of animal ad human movie stars. Season 4 plans to explore Bojack’s past more deeply than ever before.
Voiced By: Will Arnett, Aaron Paul, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why You Should Watch: The first three seasons have only gotten funnier and more profound.
Fun Fact: You can actually visit the Tumblr of season 3 restaurant critic Samantha.
Bojack Horseman at Netflix (release date to be announced)
What It’s About: Titanium Rex leads a group of superheroes who are totally not The Justice League or The Avengers at all.
Voiced By: Bryan Cranston, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jillian Bell, Keegan-Michael Key, Tucker Gilmore, Zeb Wells, Tom Root, Heidi Gardner
Where to Watch: Crackle
Why You Should Watch: A Community reunion of voices Yvette Nicole Brown and Jim Rash.
Fun Fact: Cranston produces Supermansion with the creators and animators of Robot Chicken, who are able to make the characters look more realistic than the “action figures” of Robot Chicken.
SuperMansion‘s new episodes are unleashed Thursdays on Crackle
