In the era of streaming, there’s no shortage of animated, multi-genre, high-concept shows like Inside Job. This may be surprising to some viewers because Inside Job was unique in its own right. The masterpiece of series creator Shion Takeuchi (Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, Regular Show), Inside Job imagines almost every existing conspiracy theory coming to life, with a focus on the shadowy elites that actually control the world. First streamed on Netflix in 2021, Inside Job had a total of 18 episodes – released in two parts – before it was canceled completely in 2023.
Despite Netflix initially renewing the show for a second season with 20 more episodes, the final verdict is that Inside Job has been canceled. Considering how well Inside Job was received by both audiences and critics – and how the demand for a second season remains high – it was a strange decision for Netflix. While Inside Job may never get the chance to resolve its cliffhanger ending and reveal exactly what Project X37 is for, other shows like Inside Job could help fill the gap Netflix left behind for long-time viewers of the show. Here are some of them.
10 Q-Force (2021)
Part of the charm of Inside Job stems from how well it understands the conventions of the workplace comedy, and the same can be said of Q-Force, the Netflix animated series. In this case, the focus is on the titular Q-Force, a spy group composed entirely of members of the LGBTQ+ community. Compared to most other shows like Inside Job, Q-Force is on the lighthearted side. It’s a warm and funny series that clearly likes its characters and wants the audience to as well, and it manages to be both funny and thoughtful at the same time.
9 Futurama (1999-2003; 2008-2013)
Arguably no series has so successfully managed to combine workplace comedy and science fiction as Futurama, which also has the distinction of being one of the few shows to be resurrected after being canceled. Its very talented voice cast and incisive humor has resulted in a series that’s in a class all its own. Despite its lighthearted nature, Futurama’s dramatic moments remain unparalleled in animation, and the romance between Fry and Leela is a benchmark for storytelling in the medium. Considering its sheer influence on animated comedic dramas, Futurama isn’t just one of the best shows like Inside Job. More accurately, Inside Job is one of the best shows like Futurama.
8 Disenchantment (2018-)
Matt Groening has a creative sensibility that is all his own, and he has been the creator of numerous edgy animated shows, including Disenchantment. Much like Inside Job, this series–which focuses largely on the character of Princess Bean and her complicated relationships with her parents and her friends–has an off-beat sense of humor that’s all its own. Common among shows like Inside Job, most of the characters in Disenchantment aren’t strangers to morally gray activities either. What’s more, Disenchantment also has a serial narrative that include a number of storylines extending over multiple seasons, making it the perfect binge.
7 LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS (2019 – )
Inside Job addresses some substantive questions and constantly attempts to push the boundaries of storytelling, and the same is true of LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS. Though its storylines and its imagery can at times be visceral and disturbing, it’s the type of show that keeps the audience guessing as to what’s going to happen – and pondering what did happen even when the episode is over. While it lacks a central, overarching narrative, its inventive stories and questions about human nature make LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS one of the more notable shows like Inside Job.
6 Primal (2019-)
While Inside Job is a workplace comedy with some darker elements, Primal really leans into the grim, the gory, and the violent. Set in a primordial world and focusing on the strange yet touching relationship between a caveman and a T. Rex, Primal is about the simple struggle to survive in a world where death lurks around every corner. As with Genndy Tartakovsky’s previous work, this deceptively straightforward concept eventually evolves into ruminations about civilization and human history. In fact, the lack of dialog in season 1 and the minimal dialog in season 2 allows Primal to achieve moments that not even shows like Inside Job or Futurama could pull off.
5 What If…? (2021)
The MCU is one of the most popular and dominant franchises in the world, and it has extended its reach into the world of animation. Similar to most shows like Inside Job, What If…? Isn’t afraid to address some of the bigger questions and stage epic storylines, as the MCU’s established multiverse has ample room for both. In this case, the series interrogates how certain key events in MCU continuity might have unfolded differently in other universes. And, just as Inside Job implies that there is a power in charge of it all, What If…? Also posits that there are those who can grasp the complexity of the multiverse.
4 Star Wars: Visions (2021-)
Part of what makes Inside Job such an appealing show is that it embraces a unique style of animation, one that manages to be both complex and simple at the same time (much like its characters). A similarly refreshing dynamic is at work in Star Wars: Visions. While the Star Wars universe is full of stories and established mythologies, Visions does something truly unique, and each episode is shot and narrated in its own distinct style, finding new ways to envision the universe everyone thought they knew.
3 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
Even though TV shows like Inside Job tackle some big issues, at heart they are also very funny. Obviously, there is still an edge to the humor, and that’s precisely what makes them such a pleasure to watch. BoJack Horseman is arguably one of the most successful shows of this type (even if fans did ignore some of its flaws), for while there are moments that are uproariously funny, the series also shows the extent to which its main characters struggle with mental health and with deep existential angst.
2 Blood of Zeus (2020- )
Inside Job excels at crossing genre boundaries and stakes out its own aesthetic terrain, and it joins Netflix’s extensive catalog of other visionary animated series. This includes Blood of Zeus, which puts a new spin on the myths of ancient Greece. With its anime style, it creates a brooding, sinister, and violent atmosphere, one in which even the gods themselves can be subject to death and destruction. Moreover, the conspiracies in Blood of Zeus – orchestrated by characters with the power to change the world – make it highly comparable to shows like Inside Job.
1 Eden (2021)
Eden is yet another animated series from Netflix, this time focusing on a group of robots who, in the distant future, find the last human baby. Though the big ideas sometimes hover in the background of Inside Job, they come out into the open in this series, which grapples with the central question of whether humans should be restored to the world that they did so much to destroy. Eden’s deep philosophical musings are buttressed by its elegant and sophisticated visual style, a definite must-see for viewers looking for shows like Inside Job.
