Robot Chicken is back in the lab. Adult Swim’s long-running stop-motion comedy returns with a new half-hour special, Robot Chicken: Self-Discovery Special, airing Sunday, July 20, 2025, at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT.
The one-off episode targets reality television, lampooning some of the biggest brands under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella. From 90 Day Fiancé to Shark Week, nothing escapes the show’s irreverent pull-apart treatment. The special drops on Max the day after its Adult Swim premiere.
Series co-creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich are back behind the wheel, marking two decades since Robot Chicken debuted. They’re joined by longtime collaborators Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root as co-head writers, with John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner directing through Stoopid Buddy Stoodios.
The special centers on the show’s iconic Nerd character, who attempts to find meaning in life through reality TV. Along the way, he tangles with Discovery hits like Deadliest Catch, Dr. Pimple Popper, and Chopped, with a blend of satire and affection aimed squarely at the corporate cousins now under the WBD banner.
The episode comes during the show’s 20th anniversary year. Since its 2005 debut, Robot Chicken has racked up 23 Emmy nominations and six wins, becoming one of Adult Swim’s longest-standing originals. The network’s president Michael Ouweleen has called the new special “completely unhinged,” aligning with the show’s reputation for rapid-fire sketches and absurdist character work.
Robot Chicken remains a key franchise for Adult Swim and continues to benefit from Warner Bros. Discovery’s internal IP ecosystem. Whether this signals more anniversary content or a potential series reboot is unknown. For now, the special lands as a pointed shot at reality formats that dominate the summer schedule across cable and streaming.
