Cartoons have the potential to become cult classics when they’re done the right way, much like many on our list of top 10 most popular cartoons 2023. With light and dark humor, and even some stuff we don’t always understand, there’s a little something for everyone, covering all types and senses of humor you could think of. If you were looking for something to watch tonight, may we suggest a few of these …

1 – Star vs. the Forces of Evil

A TV show that first aired a couple of years ago in 2015, Star vs. the Forces of Evil has proven to be a big hit around the world, offered to the viewing public by the Disney Channel. In just February of this year (2023), it was given the go-ahead, all contracts renewer for a fourth season. It’s proving to be a very popular cartoon choice, featuring the voices of Eden Sher, known for her role in The Middle for ABC, and Alan Tudyk, who some of you may remember from movies such as Frozen (he was the voice of the Duke of Weselton) and Wreck-It Ralph, in which he was the voice of King Candy.

2 – Alvin and the Chipmunks

This adorable TV show featuring three chipmunks (just as the name suggests), Alvin, Simon and Theodore, and was first aired many years ago in 1958. Back when it first started, all three of the chipmunks voices were played by the creator of the hit, Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., but things have come a long way since then, with a string of movies, music albums, and millions of fans.

3 – Steven Universe

You might have spotted the TV show, Steven Universe, if you’ve ever watched the Cartoon Network, and it was first aired back in November of 2013. The story features a boy called Steven Universe, played by the actor, Zachary Dean Callison, also known as Zach Callison. You may also remember him from Sofia the First, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and also Justice League: War. The fifth season has just been aired, and you may be surprised to learn that this cartoon isn’t just popular, but also critically acclaimed, nominated for no fewer than five Annie Awards and also three Emmy Awards too.

4 – Arthur

Have you ever noticed that Arthur wears his glasses all wrong? We saw a meme showing this once on the internet and now we can’t un-see it. Not that it ruins the popular cartoon, of course, and one of the contenders in the top 10 most popular cartoons 2023. Just in case you ever wondered what kind of animal Arthur was (because you know he’s not human with ears like that), he’s an anthropomorphic aardvark. We had to Google that too!

5 – Family Guy

You can’t really list popular cartoons without having a special mention for Family Guy, a TV show created by Seth MacFarlane, first airing in 1999. There have since been close to 300 episodes, three Annie Awards, and three Primetime Emmy Awards too, and there have also been a string of movies and spin-offs, such as The Cleveland Show. Oh, and here’s a fun fact, just in case you didn’t know it already … The voice of Brian Griffin, the dog, is actually played by the creator, Seth MacFarlane.

6 – Rick and Morty

This show first premiered in 2013, and has since grown quite the cult following. With it’s weird sci-fi style plots and dark, often close-to-the-line humor, and some of the gags, such as Rick’s habit of burping, actually came about as a result of behind-the-scenes, real-live belches. The original and creative work aired it’s third series, entirely unannounced, back in April of this year (2023).

7 – The Amazing World of Gumball

The British-American TV show, The Amazing World of Gumball, is also sometimes called just Gumball, and is seen on Cartoon Network. First airing back in May of 2011, the story features a twelve year old boy, called Gumball Watterson, a cat that’s blue, and also Darwin, the adopted brother … Yes, that’s right. It’s a bit nuts, but that’s people love it. It’s on the list of top 10 most popular cartoons 2023 after all.

8 – Gravity Falls

No longer airing, Gravity Falls was seen on TV screens from 2012 to 2016, but still remains a very popular choice among cartoon viewers. It started out on the Disney Channel before moving to Disney XD, and follows the life of little Dipper Pines. In case you weren’t aware, the voice of Dipper Pines is Emmy aware-nominated actor, Jason Ritter, famous for playing Mark Cyr in Parenthood for NBC.

9 – SpongeBob SquarePants

Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants is somewhat of a cult favorite these days, first airing in 1999. The last time an official count was done, back in 2012, the show was said to have earned the channel a staggering $12 BILLION in revenue from merchandise, and is one of the most globally recognised cartoons in the world. If you’ve never seen it, you must have been living in a rock under the sea …

10 – The Simpsons

The Simpsons will be a popular cartoon forever, not just for 2023. In 1989, the show first aired, although we’re sure nobody back then knew what a massive hit it would go on to become. Now recognised as one of the most popular TV shows ever around the world, it was recently re-signed to continue into 2023 and 2023, making it not only the longest running American sitcom, but also the longest-running American animated TV show, and also the longest primetime scripted TV show from American too. That’s quite an impressive list of accomplishments, and it’s not stopping yet.