Television series

Chowder

Name: Chowder
Genre: Comedy, Children
Released: 2007
Cast: Dwight Schultz, John DiMaggio, Tara Strong, Nicky Jones

Comedy
Light-hearted

Chowder is a wildly inventive cartoon about a sweet-natured apprentice chef learning the trade under a mercurial master. It's gorgeously animated, genuinely funny for adults, and packed with wordplay, visual gags, and real heart. Perfect if you want something that respects your intelligence while making you smile.

TVMaze rating

3.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy cartoons that run on manic invention and silly made-up words, where a kitchen mishap can spiral into full-blown nonsense and the jokes arrive faster than you can track them.

Skip it if you want a story that builds steadily or a gentler kids' show, since this one leans on hyperactive gags and loud, scattershot energy that can wear thin over an episode.

What it asks of you: Little setup and no patience required: each short episode is over in about fifteen minutes, and it moves at a sprint, so you need to keep up rather than settle in.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Adventure Time: Distant Lands2020

Shares Chowder's blend of comedy, adventure, and emotional depth; features a mentor-mentee dynamic and a richly detailed world that rewards close watching. Just as weird, far more mythology.

But Runs for ten seasons and changes tone significantly. Later arcs demand investment; some find the mythology overcooked.

Gravity Falls2012

Mystery-driven cartoon with adult humour layered beneath kid-friendly premise. Builds a genuinely rewarding mythology while staying funny. Respects viewers' intelligence like Chowder does.

But Only two seasons, which some find unsatisfying. Leans darker than Chowder's tone; less pure comedy, more puzzle-solving.

Regular Show2010

Absurdist comedy about ordinary life spiralling into chaos. Deadpan humour that lands for adults, visual imagination that rivals Chowder's. The voice work is phenomenal.

But Tonal shifts can be jarring. Later seasons prioritize story arcs over comedy; early episodes are strongest.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Chowder

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Samurai Champloo2004

Both prioritize style, invention, and the joy of movement (Chowder's animation exuberance, Champloo's fight choreography) over plot. Both suggest that mastery and joy go together—the best art comes from pleasure in the work itself.

Hip-hop infused samurai comedy about a girl, a wandering swordsman, and a laid-back vagrant searching for the 'samurai who smells of sunflowers'. Visually stunning, anachronistic style, and genuinely moving.

But Episodic structure means some episodes feel disposable. Dub is famous but sub is better. Some find the hip-hop aesthetic dated; others find it intrusive.

The Owl House2020

Magical world-building with genuine character arcs and stakes, but filtered through joke-per-minute comedy writing. The animation is beautiful and the humour is smart.

But Created in Disney's later mandate era, so it has that polish-over-weirdness quality. Some find it tries to do too much.

Amphibia2019

Girl gets transported to frog world, learns to cook, makes friends, saves her found family. Comedy and emotional payoff in balance. Genuinely moving without losing humour.

But First season is loose before tightening into serialized storytelling. If you want pure episodic comedy, it eventually becomes plot-driven.

Craig of the Creek2018

Wholesome adventure series with real imagination and a genuine sense of place. Warm, funny, beautifully animated. Captures the feeling of exploration and friendship without saccharine messaging.

But Quieter and gentler than Chowder. If you're chasing manic energy and absurdist gags, this is too contemplative.

Infinity Train2019

Surreal episodic storytelling on a sentient train. Visually inventive, darkly funny, and genuinely unsettling in the best way. Each episode is a short story with real impact.

But Tonal whiplash between comedy, horror, and pathos. Some episodes land better than others; it can feel uneven.

Over the Garden Wall2014

Autumnal mystery miniseries with beautiful craftsmanship, folklore, and melancholy. Absolutely gorgeous to watch. Blends humour with genuine darkness and genuine heart.

But Bleak and atmospheric—closer to a folk horror film than a comedy. If you need levity throughout, it gets heavy. Only nine episodes, which some find frustratingly short.

ThunderCats Roar2020

Gonzo reboot of a beloved property that commits fully to absurdist comedy, retro-futurist design, and unexpected emotional beats. Wildly animated, gleefully silly, more creative than it should be.

But Deliberately antagonizes fans of the original. Cancelled after one season. Some find the joke-density exhausting; not all gags land.

Tale of the Nine Tailed2020

Both create fully-realized mythological kitchens—worlds where the rules are clear and rich and surprising. Both understand that apprenticeship (learning to cook, learning to be human) is about falling in love with a tradition and a person simultaneously.

Korean supernatural romance with genuinely inventive creature design, lush cinematography, and a love story that doesn't overpower the mythology. Treats fantasy worldbuilding as seriously as emotion.

But Melodramatic tone will feel overwrought if you're not in the mood for it. Subtitled, with pacing that trusts patience. Later episodes lose momentum.