Either the CIA is just not that cool and relevant anymore, or Seth Macfarlane and associates are still mining the mother lode of 1970s humour as they develop episodes of "American Dad!" for Sunday nights on Fox. Television historians claim animated series have replaced sit-coms as television's principal source of informed social commentary; and "The Simpsons" have replaced "All in the Family" as the nation's premier satire, the weekly litmus test of American values and expectations. "American Dad!" shows little sign of aspiring to that lofty standing. Most episodes set the standard simply at "amusing." CIA agent and uber-patriot Stan Smith, the "American Dad!" anchors a predictably diverse, dysfunctional just-beyond-the-beltway family. Francine, his wife, appears to atone for her wild youth by remaining vacant, mostly boring in contemporary life. Hayley, Stan's college-aged radical daughter, naturally acts-out all the standard forms of late adolescent rebellion and family insurgency. And Steve, not surprisingly, enters puberty eager to live-up to Dad's expectations but congenitally incapable of coming even close. Holding its own in Fox's Sunday night animated line-up, "American Dad!" has improved in its several seasons on the air. Translation: "American Dad!" has evolved from "mediocre" to "not bad" as it has outgrown its abject dependence on cliches and stereotypes, freshened its subject matter and treatment, and drawn sharper edges on its characters. Still, the premises for "American Dad!" showed promise in 1973; in the new millennium, they seem a little tired.

Rugrats is a popular American animated television series that aired from 1991 to 2004. The show revolves around the adventures of a group of toddlers, including Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, and Angelica, as they navigate their world of imagination and discovery. The series was created by Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo, and Paul Germain and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

"The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries" is an American animated television series that aired from 1995 to 2001. The show follows the adventures of Sylvester the cat and Tweety Bird, who team up to solve mysteries around the world. The duo is joined by Granny, a skilled detective, and Hector the bulldog, who helps keep Sylvester in line.

China, IL is an American adult animated television series created by Brad Neely for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. The series takes place in the fictional town of China, Illinois, and follows the lives of the faculty members of the University of China, Illinois, which is commonly referred to as "the worst college in America." The show is known for its absurd humor, pop culture references, and unique animation style.

Hunter x Hunter is a popular Japanese manga and anime series created by Yoshihiro Togashi. The story follows a young boy named Gon Freecss, who sets out to become a Hunter - a special kind of professional who takes on dangerous tasks and hunts down rare creatures. Along the way, he meets other aspiring Hunters and faces numerous challenges and enemies.

In their more than twenty years on Fox Network, the Simpsons have become not only a staple in the primetime line-up but also American cultural icons. Created by Matt Groening with early help from comedy genius James L. Brooks, "The Simpsons" brilliantly but brutally satirize working-class American life. Homer personifies the character of the average "working stiff," oblivious to the myriad ways his job and family abuse and exploit him. Marge, Homer's wife, captures the plight of the long-suffering housewife, imprisoned by but also devoted to her family. Precocious pre-teen Bart embodies every aggressive, rebellious, marginally criminal urge in adolescent American boys"”James Dean on a skateboard. Lisa, Bart's sister, represents every family's precious little princess; and Maggie is just "the baby." "The Simpsons" TV show owns a privileged place in American television history: In 2009, the simply but cleverly animated series surpassed "Gunsmoke" and "Law and Order," becoming the longest-running primetime series. Along the way to the record, "The Simpsons" became America's longest-running animated program and its longest-running sitcom. Even more impressively, "The Simpsons" earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Time magazine called it the twentieth century's best television series.