American dad is the leftover jokes that didn't make it onto Family Guy, which is also currently awful. Sophisticated? Is this a joke? It's a turdfest.

I'd go Venture Bros, Cowboy Bebop is awesome as well. One comedy, one serious.  South Park is WAY funnier than any of the cartoon shows that ever aired on the big networks as well.

Makai Kishi Ingrid

?

Futurama > South Park > King of the Hill > American Dad > Mission Hill > Everything else > The Cleveland Show

Also I believe the term is Animated Sitcom.

Ah, should've read thread before making my post...

But in regards to American Dad, i find it quite enjoyable, though like King of the Hill and Futurama, it's an acquired taste.

The issue with Family Guy currently is that they have undermined all characters for the sake of cheap jokes to the point where none of them are relatable any more. American Dad's characters are more human (despite one of them not being human!), and after the show found its footing (whereas in its initial episodes it was just an extended joke on Bush-era America) it's brand of humor ends up being more humane and less random then Family Guy's, and the shows styles are distinct.

There's not really any adult cartoons that I would rate highly right now. South park and the Simpsons have both been great in the past, but are now just shadows of their former selves. It is hard to run for as long as they have and stay fresh. I used to like Seth MacFarlane's shows too, but I think my sense of humour has changed over the years and I don't find them funny any more. The new episodes of Futurama are pretty funny, but they're hardly groundbeaking.

Historically though the Simpsons is an obvious choice, I think series five to nine may be some of the best comedy writing ever. South Park too, there are just too many great episodes. I Am Not An Animal was a really funny one, check it out buy the DVD, it's a great cartoon for adults.

On another note, does Monty Python's flying circus count?

-edit-

I forgot, the YouTube user Doki66 is definately worth checking out. His cartoons can be strange, but they can also be pretty funny (they just take some getting used to).

no way...

1) Simpsons is the benchmark for any prime time cartoon. Its been the longest running and has more plot lines stolen for others than anything else.

2) However, Simpsons isn't' really "adult" oriented, so with that I'd have to place South Park as the top rung. No other 'toon has pushed so many barriers and made so many massive hits as SP.

Definitely south park, family guy comes second, then american dad. Cleveland show is an absolutely utter shit.

South Park is brilliant, well it used to be, the newest season was the worst by a mile.

Family Guy is pretty good but it's usually hit and miss, some of the newer ones have been really bad and it's just completely overboard. It doesn't help that the shows creator is milking everything he can out of it with American Dad and the Cleveland Show.

Simpsons and South Park but especially classic simpsons.

ATHF