Adult Swim



Adult Swim (stylized as [adult swim] since 2003 and often abbreviated as [as]) is a prime time and late night programming block broadcast by the American basic cable channel Cartoon Network. The block features stylistically varied animated and live-action series targeting a young adult audience, including original programming (particularly comedies and action series), syndicated series, and short films with generally minimal or no editing for content. Adult Swim is programmed by Williams Street, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Television Studios that also produces much of the block's original programming.

First broadcast on September 2, 2001, Adult Swim has frequently aired animated sitcoms, adult animation features, mockumentaries, sketch comedy, and pilots, with many of its programs being aesthetically experimental, transgressive, improvised, and surrealist in nature. Adult Swim has contracted with various studios known for their productions in absurd and shock comedy. In addition to comedy, Adult Swim also broadcasts Japanese anime and American action animation, and since May 2012 this type of programming has generally been aired on its Saturday night Toonami block, which itself is a relaunch of the original block of the same name that ran on Cartoon Network from March 1997 to September 2008.

Adult Swim initially ran in the late night hours. It began to expand into prime time in 2008, and moved its start time to 8:00 p.m. ET/PT in 2014. To take advantage of young adult viewership of Cartoon Network in the timeslot, Adult Swim expanded further to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays beginning in May 2023. After experiencing success with the changes, Adult Swim announced that it will expand further to 6:00 p.m. beginning in late-August, with the new hour slated to feature classic Cartoon Network original series on weekdays.

Due to its differing demographics, Adult Swim is promoted by Warner Bros. Discovery Networks as a separate channel time-sharing with Cartoon Network, with its viewership being measured separately by Nielsen from the daytime and early-evening programming carried under the Cartoon Network branding