If there’s one factor that Rick and Morty likes to do, it is riff on popular culture. A few of the finest episodes of the Grownup Swim collection are based mostly on iconic sci-fi motion pictures or different issues taking place in our world. It looks like that is a pattern Season 8 will lean into closely, as Dan Harmon lately confirmed to CinemaBlend there isn’t any finish in sight for the comedy. So, how do they work out which issues to parody and which to go away alone? Surprisingly, South Park elements into their decision-making.
I spoke to Harmon and showrunner Scott Marder forward of Rick and Morty‘s arrival on the 2025 TV schedule, and I requested about how they resolve what’s related for the present to riff on, particularly once they’re writing seasons of the collection a few years earlier than they air on tv. Harmon defined the method behind pitches within the writers’ room, and the way they use South Park as a measuring stick with what they need to and should not be going after:
We’ve got a South Park rule, which is, ‘Let’s not play a South Park recreation as a result of South Park can do it quicker and higher than us.’ So it is one factor for the factor you are referring to is like, ‘Oh, they’re in Squid Recreation outfits,’ so it is a direct reference. And it is typically onerous to foretell this, I believe that it is when one thing is so culturally impacting, then we go like, ‘Properly, it will be timeless it doesn’t matter what or it is gonna really feel like a well timed reference, however individuals will. Should you get it or do not, it does not hinge on it.
I like that Rick and Morty makes use of South Park as a measuring stick, and suppose it’s extremely helpful. It additionally jogs my memory of the most effective South Park episodes through which Butters was pissed off as a result of The Simpsons had already achieved a lot of the issues he wished to do.
That being mentioned, Dan Harmon is smart in acknowledging that South Park could be a lot quicker and higher on the subject of parodying well timed occasions. Rick and Morty thrives on making episodes based mostly round Alien or different popular culture occasions which have an extended endurance. For example that time, he introduced up one joke the collection doubtless would by no means be capable to make:
I believe our rule can be if someone have been to pitch, you understand, ‘I believe that this needs to be an episode about Justin Baldoni.’ We’d be like, ‘Let’s not lose a South Park contest by addressing one thing that’s so energized proper now.’ We cannot make our tales about that stuff. We would make references to what we hope are type of timeless basic type of pop cultural issues.
Proper now, the world is obsessive about protecting the Justin Baldoni and Blake Energetic state of affairs, to the purpose that Taylor Swift is allegedly even concerned. Rick and Morty is in a state of affairs that is working far out prematurely, so even when Season 8 is simply simply premiering now, it was written lengthy earlier than these two actors ever did a film collectively.
Scott Marder added to the dialog and famous simply how lengthy it may take for a joke made right this moment to make it to air. Once more, we’re watching Rick and Morty Season 8, however they’re engaged on episodes we can’t see for fairly a while:
We have already written Season 10, however as an example, typically we’re like, ‘How impactful is that concept going to be when this airs in 2028,’ or each time it will air? We’re like, that is very far-off from the seed of that concept that obtained us enthusiastic about it. It is not going to be as thrilling. So we do take into consideration that sometimes.
I can not think about the quantity of stress not simply making a joke that’ll hit for audiences two years from now, however presumably be ok that individuals who watch it even additional out with a Max subscription will nonetheless chuckle too.
Thankfully, Rick and Morty is pretty much as good as its ever been in Season 8, to the purpose that I am not involved there isn’t any endgame for the collection. I am prepared for 100 years of the present similar to Rick Sanchez promised, and it looks as if the staff is dedicated to creating that occur in the meanwhile.
Rick and Morty Season 8 airs on Grownup Swim on Sundays at 11:00 p.m. ET. Tune in for what, I consider, is the perfect season of the collection but, and it’ll get any fan excited for extra episodes within the years to come back.