In a genre usually defined by black humor and cynicism, the children of adult cartoons usually offer a counterbalance to their absurd environments. Whether it’s by being too naive to understand the nihilistic universe or too smart to succumb to the madness of the adult world, these kids add a new perspective to their shows that makes them a joy to watch.
10. Hollyhock
Bojack Horseman
Though she’s only been around for one season, Hollyhock has already established her place the Bojack Horseman canon. Hollyhock’s naivete regarding the extent of Bojack’s brokenness makes her an important figure in the show as Bojack’s first potential fresh start, but that doesn’t mean she’s nothing more than a symbol. She’s genuine, sweet, a little sarcastic, and never in a way that veers towards obnoxious. Notably, Hollyhock is also willing to call Bojack out for his bad decisions, something that the other people in Bojack’s life have mostly given up on trying. And, for the first time, Bojack is willing to listen, to make a genuine effort to improve himself. But, even if there was no DNA evidence confirming it, it’s apparent that Hollyhock is a Horseman, and she inherited all the baggage coming with it. Hollyhock is Bojack minus tragedy, sadness without an event to unleash it. However, knowing Bojack Horseman (and Bojack Horseman), that sadness isn’t likely to stay in stasis for long.
9. The Belcher Siblings
Bob’s Burgers
Bob’s Burgers wouldn’t be complete without the manic energy of the three Belcher children. Each child has their own shtick—Tina the awkward teen, Gene the lovable goofball, and Louise the scheming troublemaker—but they always work best as a family, navigating life and avoiding the latest Belcher misfortune with high spirits. Their closeness as siblings never needs to be reinforced with grand monologues and their dynamic would never be described as “affectionate”, but their comfort with each other is always obvious. As much as they wear on their dad’s nerves, they themselves are usually unaffected by life, almost to a fault. But no matter what they do, they do it in a uniquely insane way that is always both hilarious and endearing. Tina, Gene, and Louise often cause their family’s troubles, and sometimes even deliberately exacerbate them, but it is undeniable that none of the obstacles would be worth facing if they weren’t around.
8. Summer Smith
Rick and Morty
Summer may not be the one with her name in the title, but her presence in Rick and Morty is…alright, look. I can’t do this anymore. She’s great, okay? What more do you want from me? Summer is amazing, I put her on this list, no further explanation necessary!
7. Stewie Griffin
Family Guy
OK, so…I’ve never watched a single episode of Family Guy. I have no idea what Stewie is like. But this show is popular, so presumably, someone reading this has watched Family Guy, and they’ve been anxiously waiting for this smug-looking football-headed munchkin to appear on this list. I mean, I see him on shirts sometimes. Someone must like him. According to Wikipedia, he is a “diabolical infant son of ambiguous sexual orientation who has adult mannerisms and uses stereotypical archvillain phrases”. Neat. Stewie Griffin. He exists. He made it.
6. Stan Marsh
South Park
Come on, it’s not like these little passages really matter. It’s not about why each character belongs on the list, it’s about seeing who goes where, which character is better than the other. To be honest, these rankings are completely arbitrary, so I guess there’s no point to any of this. That said, Stan Marsh is right where he needs to be.
5. Archer, but When He Was a Kid, I Guess
Archer
Although really, what is the point of any top 10 list? Why must everything be rated, classified as superior or inferior, no matter how insignificant the topic? Why is our desire to know what is better and what is worse so strong that we’ll let anyone, regardless of qualification or sound reasoning, tell us what’s “good” and what isn’t? It’s not like the biggest threat to society today is the next thing Buzzfeed publishes, but it seems kind of excessive sometimes, right? Why rate everything? Number five is clearly Pre-Pubescent Archer.
4. There Was Probably a Child in Futurama Once
Futurama
I’m not saying I’m above clicking on a frivolous top-something list. I’m probably far, far below that. When I was younger, my top three shows were Avatar: the Last Airbender, Gravity Falls, and The Legend of Korra. I considered them the Holy Trinity of all media, their statuses in my mind as fixed as they were revered. And because of it, any time people got hyped about a new show like Over the Garden Wall or Rick and Morty, I’d always be scared that I’d like one of them so much that it would break the system I had set up in my mind. So yeah number four here is some kid in Futurama once.
3. The Mental Age of Some Rick and Morty Fans, Apparently
Rick and Morty
Because maybe it’s just fun to see what other people think. Maybe we read write-ups like these because we want someone else to agree with us. Maybe it’s just nice to have some order—any order—herding subjective topics into 10-item lists. Maybe we need to classify things in order to understand them. Anyway, lots of Rick and Morty fans can be babies sometimes.
2. Oh Yeah, There Are Kids in The Simpsons! Lisa and Bart Simpson
The Simpsons
Or maybe we’re just curious about what went where, what landed the number one spot. And maybe after all this, you’re still eager to know who the best child in an adult cartoon is. And that’s fair. But before I tell you, consider why you want to know what a random person on the internet thinks, why you clicked on this article in the first place. And then maybe tell me, because I’m curious as to what you found. But anyway, all this aside, Bart and Lisa tie for numero dos. Next is the number one child in an adult cartoon. Here goes…
1. Summer Smith
Rick and Morty
…Okay, maybe further explanation was in fact necessary. In a show that loves deconstructing tropes, from The Purge to ample takes on the apocalypse, Summer stands out as a nuanced and surprisingly positive example of smart, powerful teen. Although every member of the Smith family essentially starts out as a typical sitcom trope and grows into something more complex, only Summer’s development makes her more traditionally likable. Unlike her parents, who are revealed to be cowardly or cruel, Summer only seems more capable the more we learn about her. She’s Morty but sharper, Rick but more human, a teenage girl stereotype but with access to inter-dimensional travel and badass guns. Her very presence gives a show that runs on dysfunction a somewhat hopeful edge: if someone with Summer Smith’s perceptiveness and capability can exist, life across the multiverse can’t be completely doomed.
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