Is HBO Max The Best Place To Watch Your Favorite Adult Swim Shows?

Trying to find all of your favorite Adult Swim programs can be tricky. A quick analysis of what's available and where can help you decide what will give you the best viewing experience.
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If you’re like me you probably have a lot of fond memories of Adult Swim. I remember staying up late and watching shows my parents didn’t approve of. It later got me into absurdist comedy and anime. Quite the range, right?

And, my fellow fans of Adult Swim, you might hear the buzz about HBO Max and how it’s streaming lots of classics. The possibility to get old shows revived or new seasons for ongoing shows seems exciting. 

You might wonder: do they have my favorite shows? Is HBO Max the best place for me to revisit those zany Adult Swim shows I know and love? The answer is a little complicated depending on what shows you like.

One thing to consider is how great of a selection they have. A quick browse of the Adult Swim collection is actually quite promising. The number of shows they have on HBO Max is astonishing.

What Adult Swim shows does HBO Max offer?

The Boondocks Reboot Streaming HBO Max
Source: tvguide.com

It has the earliest shows, some that formed some of my earliest memories of the staple Adult Swim absurdity. The spot shows like Sealab 2021, Home MoviesHarvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, and The Brak Show on the streaming platformLesser remembered shows such as Lucy, Daughter of the Devil and Delocated also make an appearance. Long-running favorites are also represented, familiar titles like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Metalocalypse, Superjail!, and Robot Chicken are available. Even The Boondocks, in its rebooted form, is available can be seen here.

What’s great to see is how some of the shows get a second chance at life. Other shows not mentioned above are also some of Adult Swim’s other programs that most would be familiar with. However, there is a bit of an issue.

Where’s my favorite show?

The Eric Andre Show Hulu HBO MAx Adult Swim
Source: customon.com

Perhaps you’re a fan of The Eric Andre Show, Rick and Morty, Mr. Pickles, or Children’s Hospital. You might wonder why, with all this hype surrounding HBO Max, those shows aren’t there. 

The number of streaming services available now presents a bit of an issue if you want your favorite shows in one place. Hulu has the shows mentioned above that HBO Max is missing.

Hulu had a contract with Adult Swim initially to host some of their content. It’s possible once the contract expires these shows could join the rest of the content on HBO Max. However, there are still a few things you might be wondering about. 

What about the anime I saw on Adult Swim back in the day?

Fire Force Anime Streaming Hulu Adult Swim Toonami Streaming
Source: webbiesworld.com

Anime can be found on a variety of services. Adult Swim may have popularized shows like Fullmetal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, or Trigun for its audience but they’re not on HBO Max. All of them, except for Ghost in the Shell, is on Hulu, but separate from the Adult Swim section.

The ironic thing is that Toonami, the Saturday night block of anime on Adult Swim, even managed to get 2 more seasons of FLCL. The staff at Toonami are huge fans of the original 6 episode series they were able to make it happen. But FLCL doesn’t seem to be available on either HBO Max or Hulu.

Hulu does have anime under their Adult Swim category. That show being the anime Fire Force. But that’s it. Both streaming services don’t have anything else listed under Adult Swim.

I Used To Watch Futurama On Adult Swim, Where Is It?

Futurama Streaming Disney+ Hulu HBO Max
Source: ibitimes.com

Futurama, Family Guy, and American Dad all had a Renaissance of sorts on Adult Swim. All 3 shows were produced by Fox but seemed to receive a mixed reception from their own network. Adult Swim only aired reruns, however.

With reruns being the extent of the contract it seems they weren’t able to negotiate a deal for HBO Max. All three of these shows are not available there. Though if you’re like me, your first exposure to these shows was most likely on Adult Swim.

All three shows seem to be available on Hulu, but not under the Adult Swim category. But Disney+, Amazon video, and TBS also seem to have Family Guy and American Dad. Disney+ has Futurama available for streaming.

What surprisingly doesn’t complicate matters here is Futurama. Some might recall that Futurama had its final season air on Comedy Central. Thankfully there don’t seem to be any further streaming complications from what I can find.

What streaming service should I get?

The answer isn’t very straightforward. It really comes down to what you want to watch. Adult Swim’s content seems to be sprinkled around the web and seems to be a challenge to keep up with.

HBO Max has the most promise for series that are rumored or scheduled for a new season/series. The Boondocks is being rebooted thanks to its presence on HBO Max. The Venture Brothers is rumored to get another season, seeing as the cliffhanger it left off on had fans optimistic for what came next. Plus HBO Max does have a lot of great shows there.

Hulu has its own catalog of Adult Swim shows, plus some of the shows discussed above like American Dad and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. You just have to search for them because they’re not under the Adult Swim section.

However, if you’re nostalgic for a show you feel nobody remembers the best bet to find it is on Adult Swim’s own website. They have the shows not available on other platforms.

Shows like Xavier: Renegade Angel, Perfect Hair Forever, 12 Oz Mouse, Frisky Dingo, and Saul of the Mole Men are all available on the Adult Swim website. Even some anime is available too. The new seasons of FLCL Toonami made are completely available, plus some stuff that is airing on Toonami. Anime like Food Wars, Attack on Titan, Cowboy Bebop, and Ghost in the Shell. Toonami is also hosting the highly anticipated Uzumaki anime, an adaption of the popular Junji Ito horror manga, later in 2021.

Uzumaki Junji Ito Manga Anime Adaptaton Adult Swim Toonami
Source: fanbyte.com

In conclusion, it boils down to what you have and what you want to watch. Both HBO Max and Hulu have great selections already. If you have one or both services then you should be set. If you want the most Adult Swim content in one place then their website should cover the most bases. If you do choose to use the Adult Swim site just note that Family Guy and Futurama aren’t on there, American Dad is, but it doesn’t have full seasons.

I hope that this was informative and helps you decide what to do streaming-wise. The answer isn’t very cut and dry, we all like different shows, you know? Hopefully, this gave you some guidance and maybe even helped you realize where your favorite show(s) might be streaming. Wherever those shows are make sure to enjoy them!

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Opinions and Perspectives

Just wish there was one definitive place for all Adult Swim content

3
Maren99 commented Maren99 3 years ago

Great to see these shows preserved in better quality

8
Nancy-Parks commented Nancy-Parks 3 years ago

Superjail in HD is almost too intense to watch

7
JokerLaughs commented JokerLaughs 3 years ago

At least we can find most shows somewhere even if its spread out

0

They really need to work on their episode organization

7
MusicMaestro commented MusicMaestro 3 years ago

Still hoping for a proper Metalocalypse conclusion someday

3

Happy to see lesser known shows getting attention on HBO Max

0

The lack of continuity between platforms is really annoying

0
Gabriel_59 commented Gabriel_59 3 years ago

Would love to see some of the old Adult Swim pilots get added

8

Just glad we can stream these shows legally somewhere

8
NoraFisher commented NoraFisher 3 years ago

The anime situation is frustrating but at least we have options

5

Its weird seeing these shows without the [adult swim] bumpers

0

Hoping they add more obscure shows to HBO Max soon

7
VinylCollectorX commented VinylCollectorX 3 years ago

The website is good but the video player could use some work

0

Never thought Id see Harvey Birdman in such high definition

1

HBO Max definitely has the best video quality for these shows

8

The Adult Swim app is actually decent for catching up on newer shows

7
Jasmine-Howard commented Jasmine-Howard 3 years ago

Watching these shows without commercials feels strange somehow

6
JordanWrites commented JordanWrites 3 years ago

These HD remasters really show the animation quality of the older shows

4

The split between HBO Max and Hulu is probably just temporary until contracts expire

5

Still cant believe they have Uzumaki coming to Adult Swim

2
Sarah_87 commented Sarah_87 3 years ago

Wonder if theyll ever get the rights to all the anime they used to show

7
NicoleFisher commented NicoleFisher 3 years ago

Really miss the old Adult Swim bumpers between shows

0

The Brak Show in HD is something I never knew I needed

6
LeahMason commented LeahMason 3 years ago

At least we can still watch American Dad somewhere

2

Finding anime is like a treasure hunt across streaming services now

4
PowerOfNow commented PowerOfNow 3 years ago

The lack of Eric Andre Show is the biggest drawback of HBO Max for me

6
Rachael-Carson commented Rachael-Carson 3 years ago

Sealab 2021 holds up surprisingly well after all these years

3

Tried watching on the Adult Swim website but the ads are pretty overwhelming

0
JadeX commented JadeX 3 years ago

The video quality on some of these old shows is actually impressive

8

Been introducing my roommate to Aqua Teen through HBO Max. Creating new fans!

8
BlockbusterKing commented BlockbusterKing 3 years ago

I just cant justify paying for multiple services to watch shows that used to be on one channel

4
CyberHunterX commented CyberHunterX 3 years ago

The Delocated addition was unexpected but welcome

2
Lumi_Blossom commented Lumi_Blossom 3 years ago

Anyone else having trouble finding specific episodes on HBO Max? The organization is terrible

1
AdeleM commented AdeleM 3 years ago

Really hoping they add Mr Pickles soon. That show deserves more attention

8

Lucy Daughter of the Devil is such an underrated show. Glad HBO Max has it

1
ZeroPointEnergy commented ZeroPointEnergy 3 years ago

The fact that Ghost in the Shell is so hard to find streaming is criminal

8

Remember staying up late to watch Toonami? Now I can watch at any time and still feel sleepy

8

I actually prefer Hulu for Adult Swim content. The interface is much better

1
Skylar_Luna commented Skylar_Luna 3 years ago

The streaming quality on HBO Max is definitely better than the Adult Swim website

5
CinephileForever commented CinephileForever 3 years ago

Just discovered Superjail on HBO Max and I cant believe what I was missing all these years

3
Nora-Fleming commented Nora-Fleming 3 years ago

Anyone else think its weird that FLCL isnt available on either platform?

0

The lack of Family Guy on HBO Max makes sense but still disappoints me

5
Shiloh_Skies commented Shiloh_Skies 3 years ago

Really wish they had more of the experimental stuff like 12 Oz Mouse on HBO Max

8

I think HBO Max is worth it just for Metalocalypse alone. That show is brutal

6
OptimistDaily commented OptimistDaily 3 years ago

The Adult Swim website interface is pretty clunky but at least its free

5
ZekeT commented ZekeT 4 years ago

Watching Harvey Birdman in HD is such a weird experience. You can see details you never noticed before

6

The Boondocks reboot news has me both excited and nervous. Hope they keep the original spirit of the show

3
Kyle_2005 commented Kyle_2005 4 years ago

I never understood why they split up the anime content across so many different platforms

0
Serenity-Scott commented Serenity-Scott 4 years ago

Actually Home Movies is already on HBO Max! Started rewatching it last week

0
Addison99 commented Addison99 4 years ago

Does anyone know if they plan to add more classic shows? I really need my Home Movies fix

8
Natalie_Robinson commented Natalie_Robinson 4 years ago

The quality of Robot Chicken on HBO Max is fantastic. You can actually see all the detail in the stop motion now

8
MarkT commented MarkT 4 years ago

I miss the old days when you could just turn on the TV at 2am and watch whatever was on

2

True, but we have to admit the HBO Max interface is terrible for finding Adult Swim content. I spend more time searching than watching

7
Rebecca_27 commented Rebecca_27 4 years ago

The fact that they got The Boondocks reboot going makes me hopeful for other revival projects

3
ZoeL commented ZoeL 4 years ago

The streaming rights situation for anime shows is such a mess. I just want to watch Cowboy Bebop without needing 5 different subscriptions

5
CyberInfinity commented CyberInfinity 4 years ago

I had no idea Adult Swim's website had Xavier: Renegade Angel. That show was wild and I've been trying to find it forever

5

The Venture Bros cliffhanger still keeps me up at night. Really hoping HBO Max follows through with a new season

0
Norah-Webb commented Norah-Webb 4 years ago

Honestly the content being split between HBO Max and Hulu is super annoying. I just want everything in one place

5

Anyone else missing Space Ghost Coast to Coast? That show was groundbreaking for its time

5

Just started rewatching Metalocalypse on HBO Max and the quality is so much better than when I used to watch it late at night years ago

1
Kelsey-Fleming commented Kelsey-Fleming 4 years ago

I actually prefer using Adult Swim's website directly. They have some really obscure shows that you can't find anywhere else

4
VioletRoss commented VioletRoss 4 years ago

The selection is decent but I'm really disappointed they don't have The Eric Andre Show. That's a huge miss in my opinion

0

I love how HBO Max has brought back so many Adult Swim classics. Been binge-watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force and it feels just like old times

5

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