Jul 12, 2021
An Ode to Rick and Morty2
Rick and Morty finished its fourth season just last week, and even a few moments ago I briefly questioned why I pencilled in a blog post dedicated to the Adult Swim show this week, rather than something much more important (you can probably take a guess at what I’m referring to, and don't worry, it is coming in two weeks). The truth is the show has a knack for seeming good, but not special, until you actually watch it again.
I binged most of the latter half of the fourth season during my almost bi-weekly depressive episode (which is an improvement from pre-lockdown don't worry), not expecting too much, again that changed when I started watching.
Before I delve too much into the technicalities of why Rick and Morty is pretty special let me give you context. Rick and Morty was created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, the former holding a particularly dear place in my heart for being the creator of Community - a cult-ish comedy show which aired for six years in the mid 2010s about a group of adults in community college. It was renowned for its meta and societal commentary amongst its cast of lovable characters.
Rick and Morty is essentially about an alcoholic grandpa and his anxiety-ridden teenage grandson going on adventures across the galaxy. Think of it like an adult Gravity Falls or a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with more curse words.
What makes it so special?
I alluded to my first reason a little earlier: the creators. Justin Roiland is an extremely talented voice actor, appearing in: Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Robot Chicken and much more. From his dynamic career, he manages to give Rick and Morty voices authentic to their characters. Meanwhile the parallels between Community and Rick and Morty in terms of writing are undeniable and you can see Harmon’s knack for detailed and outright smart comedy reflected in them both. Meta, obscure pop culture references, political satire and sometimes just stupid!
