Summary
The upcoming animated seriesUndervalecould be a natural competitor in the adult animation space against shows likeHazbin HotelandRick & Morty. The world of adult animation has been impressive in recent years, expanding in surprising ways.Animated shows on streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Max have each released their own takes on the genre, with a number of shows that utilize the relative creative freedom of streaming to push the envelope in terms of scope, story, and style.
Undervaleis the latest to join that genre, with the animated series fusing a character-driven family comedy right in the middle with a supernatural tone and hotel setting. Coming from the mind ofRick & Mortystory-editor and executive produced byRick & Mortyco-creator Dan Harmon,Undervalehas the potential to be a welcome addition to the adult animated landscape. However, its premise and style could pit it in direct competition with other current adult animated shows, especially given their shared qualities and elements.
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The Undervale Sounds Like Rick & Morty Meets Hazbin Hotel
The UndervaleHas Some Stiff Competition
The Undervale, the upcoming Netflix animated series, seems like the perfect middle-ground betweenRick & MortyandHazbin Hotel. Created by Matt Roller (who will also serve as the showrunner for the new series),The Undervalefocuses on a single mother doing her best to raise her children while also managing a haunted hotel with the ghost of her estranged brother.Roller has previously worked on other adult animated comedy series, such asArcherandRick & Morty. He is also an executive producer onKrapopolis. This experience hints at the style of comedy Roller will likely bring to the show.
The promotional art forThe Undervalethat was released along with the announcement suggeststhe series will have an expansive cast of oddballsstuck together in an extreme circumstance. The focus on the supernatural and their home in a hotel draws clear parallels to thePrime Video musical seriesHazbin Hotel. The show also has some similarities toGhosts, the hit CBS adaptation of the BBC show of the same name that paired ghosts with a group of humans for increasingly wacky hijinx.
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The Undervale Could Coincide With Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Or Rick & Morty Season 8
Matt Roller’s New Show Could Be Going Up Against One Of His Old Ones
The lengthy production times that inherently come with animation suggest thatThe Undervalewill take some time to be released. As of this writing, there’s no confirmed release date for the show.This means it could end up coming to Netflix at the same time as its closest animated peers.Rick & Mortyis currently approaching season 8, with the award-winning Adult Swim series set to expand into exciting new directions after the major plot twists of season 7. It will also likely coincide with the release ofHazbin Hotelseason 2, which will expand on Charlie’s attempts to redeem the denizens of hell.
Ideally,The Undervalewill have enough unique energy to stand out from its competitors. Netflix has proven a fruitful place for adult animation, but also one where success can be hard to sustain. Shows likeTuca & Bertie,Agent ElvisandInside Jobwere fun and colorful takes on classic concepts that only lasted a season or two on the streamer. By contrast, ifThe Undervalecan establish a niche for itself, it could replicate the long-running success of something likeBig Mouth, which is currently approaching its eighth and final season.The Undervalehas the behind-the-scenes talent to succeed, but it’ll need to find a way to stand out against it’s worthy competition likeHazbin Hotel.
Hazbin Hotel
Cast
Hazbin Hotel is an adult animation series created and directed by Vivienne Medrano. Hazbin Hotel centers on Lucifer’s daughter, who opens a hotel for misfit demons she thinks can be redeemed in order to reduce Hell’s overpopulation. The first season of Hazbin Hotel premiered on Prime Video on June 19, 2025.
