Adult animations from 2009-2019 : a break from postmodern chaos

Abstract

This dissertation marks the difference in recent adult animations from giants like The Simpsons and South Park that set the scene before them and explains how their unique construction affects our reception of social and cultural issues that make up the zeitgeist of the early 21st century. The shows chosen to represent this decade are Bojack Horseman and Rick and Morty, whose popularity is linked to their relevance to society, especially in relation to the role technology plays in developing an existential vacuum, as well as its playful animated medium and formal features. This paper also identified nihilistic and absurdist strains of philosophy that are used as a coping mechanism for our “postmodern” problems, which can either be destructive or progressive. However, through the analysis of the shows narrative and structure, we can conclude that there is a specific emphasis on the concept of accountability that pushes society to take responsibility for their actions and avoids the senseless deconstruction of established ideologies characteristic of postmodernism. These shows are a significant component of our era’s popular culture that provide a break from conventional postmodern aesthetics, but also offers an alternative way of defining what it means to navigate this new age.