The 10 Netflix Animated Series That Adults Shouldn't Miss

Once the kids are in bed, or hey, even if there aren't any kids, treat yourself to these animated treasures.

1. F is for Family

This is the tale of the Murphy family, helmed by the irritable Frank, whose favorite pastime is yelling at his kids and dreaming about a better job. His family includes a wife who's aching for her own identity beyond the house, a bully son who's not as tough as he looks, a younger boy witnessing too much of the world's ugliness, and a daughter who's far smarter than her years.

2. Disenchantment

From the creator of The Simpsons comes a tale of a medieval kingdom with a twist. Meet Princess Tiabeanie, 'Bean' for short, a hard-drinking young royal who's not too keen on the idea of marriage or manners. Her sidekicks include a feisty elf named Elfo who's anything but sweet and a personal demon called Luci who's... well, as demonic as you can get. Together, they're not just defying the royal status quo – they're turning it on its head.

3. The Dragon Prince

Epic doesn't even begin to cover The Dragon Prince. This saga has it all: ancient feuds, mystical creatures, and three kids who might just bring peace to their war-torn world. Two human princes and an elven assassin (who's supposed to kill them but, spoiler alert, doesn't) set off to return a dragon egg to its mother, believing it'll stop the conflict between their peoples. What follows is a beautifully animated adventure with magic spells, legendary swords, and the kind of enemy-turned-friend banter that you can't help but love.

4. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

Think you know everything about The Witcher world? Well, Nightmare of the Wolf throws you back in time to explore the life of Vesemir, Geralt's mentor. This is the stylish backstory that Witcher fans didn't know they needed. Before Geralt was swinging swords at monsters, Vesemir was the cocky young witcher on the block, slicing through creatures for coin and glory. But there's more than just monster hunting afoot – political intrigue, dark magic, and the kind of tragic backstories that make the Witcher world so compelling.

5. Arcane

Set in the League of Legends universe, this isn't just a show for gamers. It's a story about two sisters, Vi and Powder, separated by an insidious divide between the wealthy city of Piltover and the oppressed underbelly of Zaun. What starts as a tale of survival in the slums becomes an intricate look at politics, power, and the personal cost of revolution. There are heartbreaking rifts, technological marvels, and fights that are works of art in their own right.

6. BoJack Horseman

BoJack is a has-been star of the '90s TV show Horsin' Around. Now he's just a washed-up actor living in Hollywood, complaining about everything, and wearing colorful sweaters. This isn't just a story about a talking horse. BoJack struggles with his self-worth, addiction, and a slew of failed relationships. His journey is a rollercoaster of attempts to regain his dignity and make a comeback.

7. Big Mouth

Puberty is weird and Big Mouth is here to scream it from the rooftops. This show isn't afraid to throw every awkward, hormone-fueled moment at you, with characters that are as endearing as they are crass. We follow a group of middle schoolers dealing with the monstrous (literally) side of growing up. Think hormone monsters whispering terrible advice, ghosts giving sex ed lessons, and a lot of confused feelings about, well, everything.

8. Castlevania

Castlevania whisks us away to a dark medieval fantasy world where Dracula is not just a vampire; he's a heartbroken dad out for vengeance. When his human wife is executed for witchcraft, he unleashes hell on Earth, and it's up to a ragtag group – including the last member of the disgraced Belmont family, a sharp-tongued magician, and Dracula's own dhampir son – to stop him.

9. Love, Death & Robots

Love, Death & Robots is an anthology series that's as varied as a box of chocolates, but with less sugar and a lot more sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. Each episode is a standalone tale that could take you to a futuristic dystopia, a world of sentient dairy products, or a post-apocalyptic hellscape. Some episodes might leave you pondering the nature of humanity, while others are just a good excuse to watch some robot-on-robot action.

10. The Midnight Gospel

A spacecaster named Clancy with a malfunctioning multiverse simulator interviews beings from other worlds for his spacecast. Born from the minds behind Adventure Time, this series takes the podcast format to a psychedelic and existential extreme. The conversations are deep, touching on life, death, drugs, and everything in between, all while Clancy literally surfs through apocalyptic landscapes or witnesses bizarre rituals.