The 30 best cartoons even adults can enjoy
By Shawn Lealos
19. SpongeBob SquarePants
When it comes to cartoons that are designed for children but still have something extra to keep adults happy and content while their kids watch them, SpongeBob SquarePants might sit at the top of the mountain. It also might help to realize that SpongeBob SquarePants might be the favorite adult cartoon of all-time for the stoner crowd.
The series itself has a bizarre storyline. SpongeBob is a sea sponge which is best friends with a starfish named Patrick, works for a crab named Mr. Krabs, has a cranky neighbor and co-worker named Squidward Tentacles, and a nemesis named Sheldon Plankton who is always trying to steal the Krusty Krab secret formula. There is also a squirrel named Sandy Cheeks (who survives underwater with a diving suit) that helps SpongeBob with his adventures.
SpongeBob SquarePants has also done a lot of work at promoting diversity, although often that is buried under the absurdity of the cartoon and situations that the characters end up involved in. That likely helped its popularity among adults, as it remains one of the longest-running cartoons of the modern era.
SpongeBob SquarePants has lasted 11 seasons with 225 episodes to date. There have also been comic books as well as two movies, one released in 2004 and a second in 2015. There is also a third movie coming out in 2020.