12 Animated Shows Like Long Story Short You Must See

Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the brain behind ‘Bojack Horseman,’ ‘Long Story Short’ chronicles the life of a middle-class Jewish family in a non-linear timeline. At the center of the narrative are three siblings: Avi, Shira, and Yoshi Schwooper. Born to Elliot Cooper and Naomi Schwartz, the trio goes through their everyday adult lives in 2022 while recalling their extremely religious upbringing in the 1990s. Even as life takes them on their individual journeys as grown-ups, they remain connected and have each other’s backs.

The characters, in the presented order, are voiced by Ben Feldman, Abbi Jacobson, Max Greenfield, Paul Reiser, and Lisa Edelstein. The adult animated comedy drama on Netflix manages to strike a balance between wholesome and hilarious. If the series has captured your interest, here is a curated list of shows similar to ‘Long Story Short’ that you should definitely not miss.

12. Sit Down, Shut Up (2009)

Helmed by Mitchell Hurwitz, ‘Sit Down, Shut Up’ is based on an Australian live-action sitcom of the same name. It follows an eccentric group of teachers at a nondistinguished school in a small northeastern fishing town. Among them are Sue Senzo, the acting principal who enjoys turning things down, Stuart Prozackian, the upbeat and oblivious vice principal, and Larry Slimp, an accomplished classroom instructor-turned-gym teacher. Working alongside them is the English teacher Ennis Hofftard, the science teacher Miracle Grohe, the German teacher Willard Deutschebog, the librarian Helen Klench, the flamboyant drama teacher Andrew Sapien, and the scheming custodian, Happy. Similar to ‘Long Story Short’, the series revolves around the characters tackling everyday challenges, only in the setting of an educational institution.

11. Allen Gregory (2011)

From the minds of Jonah Hill, Jarrad Paul, and Andrew Mogul, ‘Allen Gregory’ centers around seven-year-old Allen Gregory De Longpre. The pretentious kid is being raised by his two fathers, Richard and Jeremy, along with his adopted sister, Julie. As a result of his family’s financial situation taking a sudden hit, Allen begins to attend a public elementary school where he gets overly fond of the elderly school principal, Judith Gottlieb. While Judith strongly disapproves of his behaviour, she is forced to make peace with it as the school superintendent is friends with Richard. At home, Richard tries to convince Jeremy to get a job and help with the financials, without revealing why the family needs an extra source of income in the first place. The complicated life of the regular individuals brings to mind what the Schwooper family goes through in ‘Long Story Short.’

10. The Goode Family (2009)

‘The Goode Family,’ created by Mike Judge, John Altschuler, and Dave Krinsky, tells the story of the titular family living in the fictional town of Greenville, California. Gerald and Helen Goode raise their adopted son Ubuntu, their biological daughter Bliss, and their dog Che in the highest standards of liberal ideals. However, being obsessed with doing the “right” thing environmentally, politically, and socially at all times often leads the family to face paradoxes that they find challenging to navigate. The series satirizes both the stereotypical liberal and conservative mindsets, as it provides a commentary on the lives of everyday Americans, much like ‘Long Story Short.’

9. Duncanville (2020-2022)

‘Duncanville’ by Amy Poehler, Mike Scully, and Julie Thacker-Scully revolves around 15-year-old Duncan Harris, a middle-class teenager who lives a rich life in his fantasy, and is always prone to making bad decisions in reality. He lives with his family, headed by his mother Annie, a meter maid who dreams of becoming a detective and does her best to protect Duncan from himself. Duncan’s father, Jack, attempts to be a better father to his children than his father was to him. The other members include Duncan’s 12-year-old angsty and awkward younger sister, Kimberly, and his intelligent 5-year-old adopted sister, Jing, to whom he turns for advice. The family shares a dynamic quite similar to ‘Long Story Short,’ with the children and parents facing life’s challenges together.

8. King of the Hill (1997-)

Created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, ‘King of the Hill’ is set around the Hill family living in the fictional city of Arlen, Texas. The patriarch Hank Hill is a propane salesman, his wife Peggy works as a substitute teacher, and their son Bobby is an aspiring comedian. Also living with them is Hank’s niece, Luanne Platter. Hank likes to spend time and drink beer with his friends, divorcé military barber Bill Dauterive, paranoid conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble, and philanderer Jeff Boomhauer. While Hank shares conservative opinions on God and country, he stays unpretentious and takes a simple view of the world. Like ‘Long Story Short,’ the show depicts the everyday life of the family, complete with its ups and downs.

7. Fugget About It (2024-2025)

Helmed by Willem Wennekers, Jeff Abugov, and Nicholas Tabarrok, ‘Fugget About It’ follows Jimmy Falcone, a former mafia caporegime from New York City. When a series of incidents leads to Jimmy killing his own mob boss, Don Gambini, he is forced to join a witness protection program and seek refuge with his family in Regina, Saskatchewan, in Canada. However, the change in residence does not readily agree with Jimmy. His mafia-like tendencies make themselves known as the family faces everyday problems in Canadian life, thereby threatening their own safety. Similar to ‘Long Story Short,’ the family tries to make the best of the situations that they are presented with.

6. The Harper House (2021)

From the mind of Brad Neely, ‘The Harper House’ is set around the Harper family, led by the matriarch and bread-winner Debbie Harper. She is married to Freddie, a stay-at-home husband, and shares two children with him, twins Ollie and Todd Harper. When Debbie loses her job, she is forced to shift with her family from the affluent to the poor side of River Creek, Arkansas. The dilapidated house that they move into has less than ideal living conditions, with literal dead bodies present inside. However, Debbie refuses to be disheartened and takes it as a personal challenge to reclaim their lost status. The experiences of the family going through significant changes bring to mind what the Schwooper family goes through in ‘Long Story Short.’

5. Bless the Harts (2019-2021)

‘Bless the Harts’ by Emily Spivey and Christy Stratton chronicles the lives of the titular Harts, a Southern family who wish to live the American dream but are actually struggling to pay their bills. Living in the small fictional town of Greenpoint, North Carolina, the family is headed by single mother Jenny Hart, who works as a waitress. She shares a tumultuous relationship with her lottery scratcher-obsessed mother, Betty, and her intelligent daughter, Violet. Jenny has been dating Wayne Edwards for ten years, who is a surrogate father to Violet. While they face many challenges, most prominently financial ones, they overcome them by supporting one another, as also seen in ‘Long Story Short.’

4. Bob’s Burgers (2011)

Created by Loren Bouchard and Jim Dauterive, ‘Bob’s Burgers’ is about the titular hamburger joint run by third-generation restaurateur Bob Belcher in the fictional shore town of Seymour’s Bay, New Jersey. Bob is proud of his work, which he believes speaks for themselves, and often creates offbeat varieties to keep it fresh for his customers. He is supported in his endeavor by his loving wife, Linda, and their three children. However, Linda sometimes worries about the business not doing too well, with her ex-boyfriend being a health inspector who likes to give Bob trouble. Nevertheless, Bob manages to push through all challenges, showcasing an indomitable spirit reminiscent of the Schwooper family in ‘Long Story Short.’

3. Family Guy (1999-)

Developed by Seth MacFarlane and David Zuckerman, ‘Family Guy’ revolves around the dysfunctional Griffin family living in the fictional town of Quahog in Rhode Island. The family is headed by the bumbling but well-intentioned blue-collar worker Peter Griffin and his wife Lois, a stay-at-home mother. They share three children: the awkward teenage boy Chris, the often-bullied teenage girl Meg, and the diabolically evil genius baby, Stewie. Living with them is their anthropomorphic pet dog with sophisticated liberal views, Brian. Every member of the family faces their own ups and downs, which they ultimately overcome together, sometimes with their friends and extended families. Similar to ‘Long Story Short,’ their dynamic reflects the lives of everyday middle-class Americans.

2. The Simpsons (1989-)

Helmed by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, and Sam Simon, ‘The Simpsons’ centers around the titular family living in the fictional town of Springfield. The careless, bumbling father Homer Simpson works as a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. He is married to Marge, with whom he shares three children. Bart is a ten-year-old prankster, Lisa is an eight-year-old activist, and Maggie is a baby who is usually occupied with her pacifier. While their actions often land them and the people close to them in trouble, it helps test the bonds that the Simpsons share with themselves and their town. Much like ‘Long Story Short,’ it tells the story of a family making it through all odds.

1. F is for Family (2015-2021)

‘F is for Family’ by Michael Price and Bill Burr is inspired by the latter’s life, growing up in the US in the 1970s. Bill voices the central character, Frank Murphy, a short-tempered veteran who lives in the suburbs with his wife, Sue, and their four children. Working at the airport, Frank is infamous for frequently shouting and ranting while making generous use of profanities. The dysfunctional Irish family lives in the fictional town of Rustvale, Pennsylvania. As with the characters in ‘Long Story Short,’ the family goes through ups and downs that they ultimately face together. The two shows also share a nostalgic throwback to life at the end of the twentieth century for American families.