Should We Care About Rick And Morty?

[@bgakjldvs]

The final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien (he also wrote at the Simpsons and SNL) ends on this salient note, something that he deemed to be so important that it was what he ended his career as a late night host on. It's stuck with me since, and I believe it to be true. "And I'll just close on this one thought; I have devoted all of my adult life, all of it, to pursuing this strange phantom intersection between smart and stupid. And there's a lot of people believe the two cannot coexist. But god, I will tell you, it's something that I believe religiously. I believe when smart and stupid come together, it's very difficulty, but if you can make it happen, I think it's the most beautiful thing in the world."

[@yeredetan]

this is incredible

[@TotallyOKaYProductions]

do you mean Conan on TBS or Late Night which ended in 2009?

[@bgakjldvs]

@@TotallyOKaYProductions Conan on TBS. It's from the last show as a late night host he will ever do.

[@mzaite]

@@TotallyOKaYProductions TBS, his Late Night closing was a basic thanks to the people on the show, and his Tonight Show Closer was his appeal against Cynicism (which....well it was 2010 a much less stupider time) Cynicism sadly, won.

[@iantaakalla8180]

On the other hand, given what happened, people in general being cynical has a good reason. Hope has kept us pinned to the same destructive reality. It’s not like cynicism is any better (it’s why voting is ineffective) but it is through hope that newer people become drawn to the same tactics. And now that the takeover of corporations, Republicans, and every force that can be called a force in today’s society is complete, what can you do? Hope makes sense but it assumes people will work towards a conclusion. And while disasters have pushed goals many people want (the coronavirus has made many realize higher minimum wages are necessary, there has to be more staffing for hospitals, police were never your friend and should still be defunded, etc.) there is not much unifying the US or even the world beyond “we’re in trouble”, so at best, one goal will be reached and that’s it, and that’s mainly the short-term goal everyone is focused on rather than a permanent solution. So what good does hope do?

[@genericalias7791]

Rick and Morty is a show that wants you to think it’s all smart and deep, but the moment you try to analyze it, or look deep into it, it immediately puts up a shield of “Why do you care so much? It’s just a show. Don’t think about it.” You can’t have it both ways.

[@djestoussaint8968]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h56XlauLfreNqdE here is someone who didnt miss the point. ur actually just super wrong

[@BD-yl5mh]

I think you can have it both ways, isn’t the show literally doing that?

[@djestoussaint8968]

@@BD-yl5mh Yeah this man just missed the point completely.

[@ramgami-7122]

I think you just tricked yourself into thinking it was trying to be deep. It’s a show, that’s it. What you take away from it is up to you.

[@djestoussaint8968]

@@ramgami-7122 that's a really weak approach to art, you missing half the plot and points and subtext doesn't make it lesser art. Y'all actually just truely don't understand

[@isabelleoh-criner6697]

I like how Futurama did it. It was episodic while letting the relationships and characters grow and change naturally. And I liked how they ended the show with a payoff to Fry and Leela’s relationship and how they both had changed a lot since the first episode. Beautifully done.

[@roxycauldwell544]

Futurama is a great example of how a purely episodic show is completely possible, not to mention reared one of the greater animated adult shows which annoys me about Dan and Justin even more. They keep throwing in the face of their audience that they hate catering to lore, but they're the ones that started it in the first place when they could have kept the show episodic and still made it solid.

[@nagger8216]

Isn't this already what they do? Season 3 is a great example of this

[@SuperLarrythompson]

That's what ya call "non-lazy writing"....

[@blacknoir3476]

@@roxycauldwell544 right like u put the pie there

[@mikemorro140]

@@roxycauldwell544 yep that's my problem as well if they want to do episodic that's fine hell some of my favorite episodes have been but don't introduce lore and development then do nothing with it then complain when people are interested

[@hrfme3667]

I feel like as the show goes on they're becoming increasingly desperate to seem counter-culture despite having one of the most massively profitable shows in recent memory. If they let the show happen organically instead of trying to force it to be cool it could be great again.

[@GamerPro-he1dq]

That’s the whole point they’re not forcing it they’re telling you to not care. It doesn’t mean not care about the show. It means we’re not gonna obey your rules. They’re going to go off the walls with their show. Has anyone ever heard of secret dialogue? That’s what it means when they say I don’t care in a cartoon that means that you shouldn’t care what they do and heck it’s a cartoon, why does it have to be so real? Why can’t I just be who it is?

[@cyagami90]

​@@GamerPro-he1dq bc thats dogshit storytelling. Just like he said if you want me to stop caring guess what im going to. Why am i going to waste my time watching a show that is not thought provoking nor has any symbolic or ironic payoff. The choices theyre making is a metaphorical jerkoff in your face with no aftercare. So no dude fuck that i watch long term media with lore to see where the world building goes. Not to just say fuck it sure incest jokes haha

[@theM4R4T]

​@@GamerPro-he1dqBut they're not doing the show the way they want. If they were truly confident in their show it wouldn't be so over the place (like S1 and S2 before the show went mainstream). Instead they choose to react and fight every fan reaction. If the fans like something they'll make an episode to comment how they're stupid for liking it. If they're criticized, they'll double down on whatever it was. They're basically allowing the fanbase to steer the show by always doing the opposite, despite claiming to do what they want, except no one ends up liking it. If your every action is a reaction to something else, you're not in control. The only right thing to do is to ignore and proceed with whatever you planned.

[@ghostvivisector7170]

😊😊😊

[@verinonrenthar9176]

This is a tough one for me. I've been a fan of RaM from the beginning, and I have to admit, the continuity and theories and how serious the characters took some of the events really kept me coming back. But as time went on, I felt like the show itself was continuously making fun of those very same concepts that made me like show in the first place. I feel like the writers may actually resent the audience for becoming so attached to the continuity, partially because, I don't think Dan and Justin ever thought this show would become as big as it did. I like that the season 5 finale may really have changed the show around entirely, but I can't help but feel that they're just gonna go back to the status quo again.

[@ibadatgames_7806]

but it literally cant go back. The central finite curve being destroyed means not only is rick's dimension changed, but also every universe conceivable.

[@verinonrenthar9176]

@@ibadatgames_7806 that's a good point. I don't what to think.

[@campbell9825]

They should be able to make the show they wanna make. They don't owe you guys anything. If they want to make fun of fan theories they have the right to do so and it makes for funny episodes

[@ibadatgames_7806]

@@campbell9825 The thing is that it isn't a fan theory. It's literally proven in the final episode. Pay attention next time.

[@henrywhite2228]

@@chicken29843 the fans are so obviously retarded. They literally do not see the story purpose of keeping Rick’s backstory secret, even though they’ve been hit over the head with it a million times.

[@hardygriff]

To summarize: The show’s plot has gotten too bloated, too self-aware, and changes how seriously it takes itself between episodes, making it harder to get invested in.

[@1ferris778]

good summary

[@shadyd2544]

Eh that's your opinion. I like my shows to have a little variation

[@jerrygil1965]

Personally, I still love the show

[@chazaiah]

@@shadyd2544 exactly

[@anthonyshepherd265]

@@shadyd2544 I’m guessing that “variation” includes Horse semen and giant incest babies? I think it’s safe to say standards for good television have drastically dropped in the last decade.

[@Mrpawsum2]

When you said "When a show keeps telling me not to care, surprise surprise, I don't anymore", I literally said "Yes! Exactly!". Watching people repeat their mistakes is soul sucking. There needs to be less nihilism in the Rick and Morty writer room. It's getting preachy.

[@luisdelafuente5443]

But is all bs. Rick literally cares too much, he shows it. He wanted his family and lost them, now he has a chance to do it again. His nihilism comes from knowing his real wife and child died but doesnt matter cuz there are infinites of them. But he does care about HIS family. Nihilism is just contradicted over and over

[@dah_goofster]

Bro the nihilism shit was resolved by Dan Harmon directly after the first season. Go watch the interview the only person who still pushes nihilism in the show is Rick himself and he contradicts those beliefs constantly

[@MK-ophelia]

@@dah_goofster why has Mortys life been like this, if the writers aren't pushing nihilism?

[@shadyd2544]

@@luisdelafuente5443 Noooppppe. Wrong. There can be different levels of nihilism. In philosophy nihilism just means the UNIVERSE does not care. You can still have your little subjective meanings that change from person to person.

[@shadyd2544]

@@dah_goofster Read my post. You both have nihilism all wrong. You can't just look it up in the dictionary and think you know everything about it.

[@mossbag69]

I agree with a lot of what you said. However I can come to terms with not caring about the characters as long as the show is funny. But I think season 5 was the least funny season so far. I'm hoping that was just because of having to write it during a pandemic and season 6 will be funnier.

[@cubeofmeat4982]

moss man

[@oskarpernak7858]

mossbag here is a pleasant surprise

[@cyla5253]

Wait you actually watch Rick and Morty I thought it was a joke

[@iliyaloveschiyo3486]

Season 5 was amazing ...

[@theimperialfistsspacemarin3050]

@@iliyaloveschiyo3486 said the dumb and wretched

[@migmigbigboy]

40:16 "It's not because it's both dumb and smart, it's too much of each to be either." sums up *perfectly* my mixed feelings with the show recently. I think it's still clever in many ways, but constantly calling their selves out in case a mob of people will just rubs off the dedication of making a story that would actually matter. Great and talented people work on this show over the years (no matter what season or episode), I guess I think it needs to be more confident with the stories it tells.

[@MouseGoat]

thing is, making a great story also takes guts to make it, despite what the fans will say. Constantly mocking your fans for being fans is however not guts, but showing you weakness in your self confidence. if you change your story to spite your fans, you still changing your story because of your fans

[@migmigbigboy]

@@MouseGoat agreed

[@GamerPro-he1dq]

That’s the thing it is confident in the story it is telling because if it wasn’t being confident, it wouldn’t go off the rails it will listen to fans and do everything the fans want me to do it takes guts to make a unique show that follows their own rules. Sometimes even breaks their own rules. I don’t know why people can’t see that rules are meant to be broken on chose at least cartoons. If you’re not a writer or anyone that’s a politician about shows what’s the point in it having rules, so what’s the point of an understanding in yes it’s confusing. Yes it’s everything you said about but it’s still a good show because what makes a good show is no rules.

[@lurkdash]

I'm into season 5. I was hoping the finale would do a sudden rugpull on the whole *episodic, tired, inconsequential* vibe, glad it did. The whole thing where the multiverse we've seen is only the multiverse a frightened Rick wanted us to see all along kind of gives weight to the episodic stuff. That line *this Kaufman wizard of oz is destroying itself* killed me but also loosely sums up this video lol

[@ImperatorNocturne]

i´m not sold, with the universe now open it seems like anything can happen in universe, which mean it could be very episodic and random. they also finished the evil morty storyline, just to be done with it, it was a good payoff, but i´m going to be skeptical moving forward. then again there is birdkid, i think the show will continue to struggle between randomness and story.

[@emptyallen3334]

@@ImperatorNocturne maybe rick will just close the CFC in the very first 5 seconds of the episode and fix everything lmao.

[@conrad4852]

You correctly articulated why the ending of season three felt so incredibly hollow for me and why even though there were some episodes I truly enjoyed in season four, the series has just felt… Less resonate with me. This was a very smart and thought-provoking commentary that has helped me understand my own feelings so much more. My thanks.

[@yeredetan]

well said, same, thank you!

[@dah_goofster]

Breh the season 3 finale was freaking top tier

[@senortrolls2617]

Then you never really enjoyed rick and morty. The whole point was nothing matters and everything happens and doesn't happen at the same time.

[@oteragard8077]

same. I still love the show but I don't have that giddy enthusiasm I used to and your comment and this commentary articulate why so well

[@yellowfamilyfunny3065]

@@senortrolls2617 Stop spamming this man you aren't actually saying anything beyond a very surface level take that the show has moved beyond. Watch the s2. video in which Dan Harmon talks about nihilism. the man HIMSELF says that nihilism is bullshit its the meaning we make and that has become reflected in the show. Literally everyone in the show now disregards the notion that nothing matters as hollow and cliched, getting annoyed at rick when he peddles it

[@Ayeloo]

I'd say the turning point for the show's writting was when it becase a part of pop culture, now if the writtens want to get meta it's always "hey, look at me, i'm a rick and morty episode, amirite? isn't this just wacky crazy?" instead of "you guessed that this was going to be a normal, non-sci-fi set of events? well guess again"

[@happilyevernever4289]

As long as they're gonna draw attention to their story writing by mentioning it in the show, that's meta. So I guess both of your examples are. I hate when shows do meta commentary, ruins my suspension of disbelief most of the time.

[@shadowsa2b]

The season spent its time telling you not to care because Rick himself is a nihilist, due to him knowing whole universes are replaceable. But the heart of this show is the fluctuations in intercharacter relationships. Rick being sad that he handles his own daughter's existence so flippantly IS an earned moment for that reason

[@isaiahwalking]

But... is our universe replaceable?

[@robosing225]

@@isaiahwalking anything is possible in their universe. that's never the point. if you have infinite chances, you're still required to make a good show based off of unlimited parameters. that's the irony of it all. to make people care about the meta idea of "when the world is yours, nothing really matters."

[@robosing225]

@@isaiahwalking almost like for minecraft, even referenced in the show a few times even. there are almost infinite possibilities with minecraft, and while the choice is in your hands and not the writers hands, there still has to be substance worth engaging with to keep you interested.

[@lucianoariasduval]

Super late reply, but I wanted to add that this also falls in line with rick not wanting to replace "his" birdperson. He wants to make "this one" work, which corresponds with birdperson's own beliefs, like when he rejected to join Rick when he told him he could take him to any reality he wanted. That's huge character growth. Based on the nature of the show, the universe is very loosely tied together, while the character arcs are meant to be strong and compelling. I can see how that's hard to tune into for a lot of people, but in my mind, that's how the show "was meant to be" in a way. It sort of appeals to this specific, edgy, nihilistic world-view, and as it progresses, it alienates the general audience as they struggle to get invested into it. If you don't care enough, it's just a sitcom; if you care too much, it becomes hard to take it for what it is. Rick and Morty is definitely not a perfect show. People seem to really hate the sperm episode, but I didn't think it was that bad. At times, really funny, and at others, ironically vulgar. It's so obviously poking fun at itself, it's good; but it's far from the brilliancy people have come to expect from the show. An example of a bad episode to me is the Gotrons one. Nothing really happens: the stakes, while there, are not compelling since we know the series is not going to end mid-season with Rick dying, the lesson they learn in the end is not one they really needed... other than Summer, maybe, but it doesn't warrant the story we were told - but most importantly: it wasn't funny enough to justify its existance. Oh, and worst of all: they never went to boob world. Truly despicable.

[@heeeyyy2947]

when I say I've been looking for this EXACT type of video - especially after rewatching the first two seasons and just seeing the insanely stark contrast between what the creators cared about back then vs now: instantly subscribed

[@gxgycf8348]

I definitely was feeling uncertain of the direction of the show after season 3’s ending and felt that the magic sort of faded too. I still think its a great show by most sitcom standards but just find it hard to get invested when the future and approach of the show is so uncertain

[@Ryuga117]

the uncertainty is what makes the show pretty unique, like the concept of this show is beyond casual cartoons

[@thatemeraldguy4585]

@@Ryuga117 Especially the season finales, they always have some loose thread that, at the time, feel like they could go 100s of ways. It's incredibly difficult to predict where the plot of the show will go because of that.

[@TheyCallMeMrMaybe]

Season 4 and most of 5 kinda left me uncertain but Season 5's ending has me hopeful for where the show goes next.

[@1x4]

Same. After the 3rd season I lost most of my faith in the future of the series. After a quick watch of most of s4, I don't care about s5 except for the watch of Evil Morty.

[@shmavster4209]

Season 5 was good, a couple bumps in the road but that ending in particular really was amazing

[@MagusMirificus]

This reminds me of the periods in Adventure Time--another show that deals explicitly with the tension between stability and change--when they would let story stuff fade into the background for a few episodes, at which point the internet would always start to wonder if the show was just "Done" with all that and was making fun of us for still being invested in it. I rewatched that show last year and I could barely remember where those spots even are, because what was once months between plot points is now like an hour. I think Rick and Morty will be similarly improved by being completed and bingable; right now it's as controversial as politics, but I suspect it will be looked back on with near-universal praise, once the pace of its storytelling is distinguishable from the pace of its airing.

[@noelvalenzarro]

I was hoping someone else brought up Adventure Time. It’s pretty much the first show that comes to mind where it’s episodic yet they still somehow drip feed you a plot.

[@malum9478]

that is, assuming that the writing continues to be good, and that in hindsight the story doesn't turn out to be bad from the start. i mean, i can't tell you how not interested i am in exploring the incest baby plot point for example. but yes. it reminds me of how, if you started reading berserk now, you'd have no frame of the wait between getting on the boat in the 90's and getting off in the late 2010's. to you, it's just a fun little arc whereas to the longtime fans, it was hell.

[@scarletmoon95]

Agreed. Binging on it in around six months was the best decision of my life. I can't believe I saw something that begun on 2014 in the year 2021

[@ImperatorNocturne]

it´s weird, there are tons of modern toons that use this format of random humor episodes with some story relevant episodes mid season/season finale and a couple bits sprinkled in, yet the team behind RaM struggles so much with that same concept. maybe the show just has become to self aware to just take it easy, it´s like someone who is nervous af about a normal situation.

[@thecoldglassofwatershow]

@@malum9478 I bet you Dan Harmon is interested in exploring that plot

[@lauren8135]

Should we is definitely a question that I am no longer able to ask, I am in too deep. This show is way too much fun to just up and quit caring.

[@donkeh4424]

@poisoned_mercury archer, if you haven’t already seen it

[@fool4343]

@poisoned_mercury bojack horseman

[@YujiUedaFan]

I stopped caring after season 4 and just skipped season 5.

[@mikemarks1921]

I stopped caring about it in season 3 tbh

[@randallflagg3700]

@@YujiUedaFan -Even if you skip the rest, you should at least watch the last episode of season 5, unless you weren't into the Evil Morty storyline. It's as much as a punch in the gut as the first 2 Evil Morty episodes... (a bit like *Cowboy Bebop* and the 5 episodes with Vicious, they're the most important Spike-wise/Rick-wise)

[@ProfEdDiaz]

Yep, totally agree. RAM is just a teaser. It's like that hot person from high school you always wanted to date, but becomes irrelevant as you grow older and don't care even if that person is taking a step in order to have a sincere relationship with you.

[@iantaakalla8180]

Fitting, then, that Rick is that. A cool person who did many stuff when young, but now has no life and is not worth referring to even if he is opening up to the Smith family (except to the Smith family)

[@doritos4956]

Yea i dont think that person was into you

[@doubleaabattery7562]

@@doritos4956 someones coping hard. (Hint: it's you, pal.)

[@BobtheX]

Lol I literally wanted to make a video essay about this but you kind of took the words right out of my mouth. I still care, but I hope the writers realize that the more meta jokes and 4th wall breaks they make, the harder it is for an audience to stay invested. I think all Rick and Morty really needs to get back in the saddle in a season with no shitty episodes. Like goddamn that sperm bit really brought down the entire season on its own.

[@jerrygil1965]

The sperm episode was my least favorite

[@racool911]

@@jerrygil1965 I think the dragon one was worse

[@sicsempertyrannis4351]

Rick and Morty reminds me of 'Lost' in that it was SUPER popular, I was never really into it even if I checked it out in passing, and I'm afraid to get into it in case it ends up having NO continuity, NEVER dealing with loose ends, and just being a tremendous waste of time.

[@SwiFTDBL]

hard to compare the two but i do understand what you are saying. what made lost so interesting WAS all the unanswered questions. unfortunately by the time you got the answers it was either wayyy too late or just wasnt satisfying enough. rick and morty is a very different show (obviously) but i will say rick and morty does a better job of actually answering those unanswered questions (although you usually have to wait for the next episode or the next season to get those answers, but this is normal in TV)

[@derrickemerine1040]

Season 6 is going to have a lot to do to get the old " magic " back as it were. However I really like season 5 for what it is. Maybe I'm just a die hard fan but I'm excited for next season and hopefully we'll see a better future for the show itself.

[@SparkleCakezz]

Exactly!

[@jpickens189]

My problem with the quote at 11:47 is not how they decide to execute on that goal, but that the goal itself is rancid and promotes unhealthy means of media consumption and production. People shouldn't watch because its a habit, and people shouldn't produce because they need to keep things going. Each experience with media should bring something new and interesting to the table, and to do that, it has to be a moment, not a lifestyle. Edit: Seeing as you concluded on the same point, I don't think the problem is with the avoidance of continuity, I think the problem is that the show is neither willing to rely entirely on having good ideas every week, or allowing the story to go where it wants and allow things to genuinely change. It wants to have a steady situation so that people know what to expect from each episode while also having an inventory of callbacks and continuity nods to keep the fans invested. Compare to the Twilight Zone, which had to set up each story individually, but made sure that each one was interesting, or at least provoked some degree of thought. Or compare to Avatar, the Last Airbender in which the characters' situation went through several major changes in the span of a fairly short show, and which ended in a satisfying and conclusive way. The problem of this is the stasis in which we change but also don't change, where there is motion without movement, the love of the status quo requires both continuity and randomness to function, and it is all in pursuit of something that wants to convince an audience that something boring is actually cool and interesting.

[@ghostdisco7455]

I'm pretty sure "stop asking questions, stop doing meta-commentary" is supposed to represent fans who hated the new direction of season 3.

[@cptfreeman8966]

There are far more things to take seriously than a shows continuity. Just enjoy it for what it is

[@newdawnhorizon9879]

@@cptfreeman8966 That's like saying enjoy the crap that's been given to you or don't ask questions just consume product and get hyped for next product

[@cptfreeman8966]

@@newdawnhorizon9879 no it’s not. It’s just a show… and not even one meant to be taken seriously

[@newdawnhorizon9879]

@@cptfreeman8966 Yes it is. If it's not suppose to be taken seriously why does it have so many emotional moments.

[@Strato_Casterrr9898]

@@newdawnhorizon9879 wow. Reading or comment, I am suddenly glad I got bullied for liking nerd sit when I was younger.

[@Pythian72]

I got hooked because of the improvisational tone of the first seasons. They went in a direction that I don’t really care for.

[@thinktanium9789]

I agree with your argument that the show doesn’t give its audience a reason to care. Even long shows like tbbt or the office have a romantic “will they/wont they” hook to keep people invested. I sincerely believe RaM havent just lost this- i would go as far as to say they went out of their way to kill it At 32:14 when you said that the show felt like the writers were telling their fans that their favorite characters won’t be coming back… i felt that and it hurt Then at 39:25 when you clip rick saying “now everyone can shut up about it” that scene in particular really hit me hard. Like- dude i care about ricks motivations as a character, i cared about evil morty- those two topics alone have a season’s worth of potential content imo. And to just throw it away with a “there, now shut up” felt disrespectful to the fans. Even the Jessica story line that i loosely cared about gets some serious character assassination, with a little montage and a “see you around i guess morty” I feel like the show lost its respect towards a portion of its fans

[@shawnwebb4278]

I see this a bit differently. A lot of people here in the comments will explain it better than I could ever hope to, but I'll give my thoughts anyway. Stuff like Rick saying everyone can "shut up about it" is clearly meant as a 4th wall break, but it's not meant as a jab to the viewers. It's there for comedy sure, but it's also there because Rick as a character doesn't care about it. He's lived through it, and it would be somewhat out of character if he didn't downplay his own origins. It's the main reason he call it a "crybaby backstory". He wouldn't change his dialogue because someone *else* cares about his backstory. Additionally, while Evil Morty could have a season's worth of story, it's similar to the TV story circle. They need to keep viewers watching the TV indefinitely. If they had brought him back quicker or earlier, the payoff might not have been as large. You as a viewer might not have cared as much to tune in next time. That's why it's left on a cliffhanger too. It's not as strong of an argument but it's still true. Again, someone worded this much better than me but: A large portion of the reason why people love rick and morty so much is the mysteries it hangs in the air above you. Moments like the story train scene are a big example of that, everything looking like an epic finale, previous foes about to fight, and the joke is them "taking that away" in a sense. People like to guess the next big plot point, change, epic conclusion, or what may have you with their somewhat crazy ideas of what a season should've been, but there truth is there's only so much writing you can do for a character, and unrealistic expectations can't always be met. The creators try to find a balance in humor and story without ever letting one side be more prominent than the other (if not just for a few minutes). The higher they raise the stakes the higher fans unrealistic expectations will go. It's the sad fate of any story written show, but with RaM, which switches between episodic episodes and important continuity, it makes fans feel disappointed at the end of a season if they see a full reset of sorts on the characters. I feel like comparing that kind of reset to something like Simpsons is unfair, seeing as previous encounters and experience do build up for the main characters. It's a main point of s5 e9 / 10 to show Morty's (and even a little of Rick's) character development near the end, and I feel like discounting moments like those wouldn't be right to the creators. But that's just a rant I made. You can obviously interpret the show how you want to, and some moments like a good amount of season five didn't hit it's mark, but I wouldn't call it a loss of respect towards fans.

[@heinzhaupthaar5590]

Y'alls are taking shit way too serious. Watch it if it entertains you and you've got time to murder, or don't if it doesn't and you don't. It's a fckng TV sitcom. It having enough impact on peoples lives to get really invested feels kind of sad to me.

[@shawnwebb4278]

@@heinzhaupthaar5590 It's fun, but I wouldn't say any of this has an "impact" on me. But ranting and discussing about the show is fun too.

[@heinzhaupthaar5590]

@@shawnwebb4278 Didn't mean you specifically. And of course you're right, such things can be fun. But I guess you know that for quite a few folks it goes way further than that.

[@thinktanium9789]

@@shawnwebb4278 i think youre right, the show is being pushed in a direction thats best for RaM as a tv show and its longevity. And i think youre right, a big part of the intrigue is that theres all these mysteries surrounding rick and morty that makes the show more interesting to watch- their mysteries are their “hook” in a sense I think we just disagree. As a fan i wanted the show to take a certain direction, and i know the show doesnt have to cater to me, but it was still disappointing to see the show hint at a bigger overarching story only to tell us “nvm all that”

[@etoloser.e4241]

This is so well research, written and edited. I always felt like Season 4 was making fun of me for why I enjoyed Rick & Morty in the first place. I never knew how to put into words.

[@Sonntam]

Well said! Especially in this age, sitcoms become increasingly less common. I think it's for the best, for the very reasons stated.

[@jonasmacgillvary2348]

Honestly, the inconsistent continuity wouldn't bother me if the episodes were still really good. It didn't matter back in like season 2 because pretty much every episode was a banger regardless of how it fit into the overall story. Season 5 was just rough. Episodes 3 through 7 all ranged from pretty boring to actually bad. It makes me feel like I'm waiting for the story to pick back up instead of just enjoying the wacky stuff. The first two episodes were so good too, and the end of the season was fantastic. But when we're going five weeks where the best thing they put out the turkey switcheroo episode, it's hard to stay invested in the show.

[@racool911]

This is why I didn't care about the lack of overall story in season 6, as long as every episode is good

[@inkdrinker42]

I always enjoy how clean-cut and well-made your videos are. I wish more shows embraced a natural conclusion rather than artifically inflating them, due to popularity. Very much feel that S5 is the weakest of the bunch so far in RaM.

[@joshualawrence2963]

I would love to see a follow up to this video, if that would be feasible, in regards to where Rick and Morty is today. I appreciate your thoughts and amount of effort put into analyzing this show that I love, so I'd love to know whether your faith in the show and the "damage" as you've said, in regards to it, has been healed at all! As far as I can tell, the writers HAVE been quite committed to continuity to so far, I don't think they've done a reset yet, but I don't know, I'd like to have your critical eye take a look at it. Love the video! Very well done :)

[@D2attemp]

I wouldn’t say Marge is more adept, after all she did miss the Blind Man and the baby in the shooting range

[@rectorecto5417]

There was a point where this show looked like it would never fall off. It was just impossible to imagine it

[@Fringewonder]

And it didn't fall off. 🤷🏾

[@frankenviews4069]

Understand that before this show Justin and Dan were still looking for that big Hollywood break. Sure Dan had Community but it got him fired and it wasn't a mainstream success. By the end of season 2, they finally got that big time showbiz level money they and all their peers have been working towards their entire lives. The next goal now is to lock it in. Get that Lotto winner level syndication money that will set them up for several lifetimes. Justin is 41 and Dan is 48. It's now or never. So I'll forgive them for doing whatever it takes, even sacrificing continuity and edginess.

[@Bacbi]

I still enjoy the show even if there are a few episodes that just didn't land for me and doesn't have that rewatchability of the first 3 seasons. But I very much doubt that the quality of the show went down in people's eyes because adult swim told them if they wanted that 70 episode order that they would either have to do something about continuity or be more or less edgy. If anything I think the biggest reason for it beyond syndication rights making them rich. For Harmon especially, he'd want them to get a big order like that so that he wouldn't have to go through the whole thing he did with Community, not just in terms of getting fired but also the whole back and forth that most other shows have to go through about not knowing if they get another season or not. This way he along with Justin also don't have to worry about losing writers like they did with the waiting after s2 and then s3. I mean there was a stretch there where tons of big projects would have news headlines a couple times a month of "X Rick and Morty writer is working on Movie Y or TV Show Z". With the biggest advantage being if Dan and Justin were to have some kind of endgame in mind for the show, they can semi plan out when certain of those beats are going to happen for the next couple of years. Or if they want to just try and pull of what Matt and Trey have done with South Park where they seemingly are going to work on it for the rest of their lives. They can do that too.

[@Mango_Fawkes]

I'm drunk right now, and legit forgot this was a Rick and Morty video, I thought it was a Simpsons video.

[@1995robin]

17:06 "That's not even my original Summer" you never had a Summer in the first place bro

[@JamesWoodall]

You just made me realise. If Rick’s original Beth died as a toddler, when did he create that alternate dimension for her? I got the impression she was older when that happened. So wouldn’t that have been done by this Beth’s original Rick? Shouldn’t our Rick have no memory of this?

[@ibadatgames_7806]

@@JamesWoodall ever since the first citadel episode, we cant be sure that every episode is about rick c137. The only episodes we can confirm are ones where there are callbacks to rick c137.

[@SImrobert2001]

@@JamesWoodall I think its because its something a lot of ricks do. He has jumped from universe to universe, hunting ricks, learning from them. He is seeing what his life could have been like if Dian and Beth never died over and over, just by examining the commonalities between all of the ricks.

[@SImrobert2001]

@@ibadatgames_7806 That is something the creators have confirmed. We are following C-137.

[@ibadatgames_7806]

@@SImrobert2001 If it isn't explicitly said that we are watching C-137 then we can't be completely sure. Multiple episodes don't explicitly say it.

[@xdrag0nflyx]

Man if Rick and Morty had the continuity of Venture Bros I would die happy.

[@StaticYonder]

The phenomenal ending of Season 5 has made me appriciate the filler type episodes even more, now that we've had such a serious ending

[@bendegyuris1614]

@@jamesfoxsmith I suggest seeing fillers as a +1 to have more time with the characters and see them interract, maybe grow a little in person... Eventually this show will end, and you will have wanted more than what you got of the episodes. If a series is perfect you won't even notice filler episodes, in my opinion they are in a sense part of the shows structure. I can see Rick and Morty aa such, but if you do not I respect your opinion :)

[@nellyb1594]

@@jamesfoxsmith Dude, it's not one piece??

[@dybixs1400]

@@jamesfoxsmith No they are, not they're fun Just look at the Parasite episode, it doesn't add shit to the story but it's fun as hell and that's it

[@isidoreaerys8745]

@@dybixs1400 the parasite episode added mr. poopybutthole to the cast Honestly I found myself rewinding the season finale constantly like wait what They could have taken out two fillers and did the finale only a bit slower and I’d be happy. There was so much happening and so little time to savor it. Like 24 yo morty was dead within seconds!

[@GoDLiKeKakashi]

@@bendegyuris1614 I can't even remember the vast majority of this latest season (minus finale) because quite literally nothing of any importance happend, likewise, there wasn't anything interesting talked about by the show. It's just random for randomness sake. I would probably enjoyed such episodes if I was 14 and still thought that random = fun, but maybe the fact that I'm at least somewhat of an adult now, this doesn't really excite me as I've seen it done plenty of times before and much better elsewhere. These filler episodes were also just not funny, I maybe lightly chuckled a couple of times throughout the whole season and just really don't see what would be very funny unless you're high as a kite and looking at your own hand is the peak of comedy. I very clearly remember my friend asking what episode was my favourite by around episode 5 of season 5 and I just couldn't tell him, because I literally couldn't recall what those episode were. Say what you want, but Rick and Morty is supposed to be at least memorable in the shit it pulls and the fact I have practically no memory of this season is rather telling. I can at least recall the dragon orgy, terrible as it was, it did leave an impact albeit a negative one. The biggest crime for a comedy show is to be boring and forgettable and this is exactly what Rick and Morty is becoming.

[@pigidly]

You nailed it! I was wondering what’s wrong? Why I don’t have the same hype that I have at the beginning? It’s really good… but it lost that edge…

[@ughhseriouslywowdamn]

I agree with most of the observations you've made here, but I don't think you've got the cause of them quite right. I wouldn't say that Rick and Morty itself is dealing with any 'identity crisis' so much it's dealing with an audience that is obsessed with trying to predict what will happen next in the canonical continuity and longs for all their favorite fan theories to be canonically affirmed, yet is simultaneously addicted to learning new information about the canonical continuity and craves revelations that subvert their expectations. In many cases, this paradoxical canonical continuity fanaticism brings a certain type of audience to the point of inevitable disappointment with the end product, either because their well-constructed long-held pet theories are disproven or because the serialized arc plays out too predictably for them as they've already guessed how it'd all happen. This is an audience that does not actually know what it wants from Rick and Morty, but nevertheless sees fit to make demands of Rick and Morty's creators in order to get what they think they want. And to that, Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland can only bring themselves to respond "Fuck you, it's our show to do however the fuck we want to, and we don't give a fuck what you think about it," even in cases where the demand is something they were already planning on doing and still fully intend to execute at some point in the near future. Is the outcome of that a bit messy at times? Yeah, absolutely. But it's an overzealous reassertion of the show's multifaceted and fluid identity which proudly defies conventions of both episodic structure and serialized structure, not an indication of a lack of identity.

[@Theover4000]

Well crafted response; I’m inclined to agree.

[@verinonrenthar9176]

Well said. Let's get married.

[@puxtbuck6731]

@@rezr5448 I mean the show started like 8 years ago and they seem to be tired of dealing with it.

[@ughhseriouslywowdamn]

@@rezr5448 It's not the *expectations* of continuity that DH & JR resent in fans, it's the sense of *entitlement* to constant updates to the continuity that they resent. They want to reveal and develop things at their own pace, which is entirely within their rights as the creators, but fans keep demanding they do it faster and go deeper. They obviously did not know that was going to happen when they started making the show and dropped the first indicators of strong continuity, because they didn't even know that they'd end up with a large, passionate, toxic fandom. You're basically asking why they didn't just predict the future and prevent this whole situation if they don't like how things turned out for them, to which the answer is obviously that they can't.

[@JamesWoodall]

I think it's too easy to lay the blame at the fans' feet. There is a lot of toxicity in the fandom, yes, but that is generally from those fans who defend the show unconditionally against any criticism, not those who make demands of it. I don't think it's entitled for fans to want the show to deliver on narrative expectations the show itself has raised. Why show Evil Morty giving an ominous speech hinting at secret plans if they didn't want fans to wonder where that would lead? Why show Birdperson brought back from the dead if they didn't want fans to wonder what would happen if he met Rick again? Harmon and Roiland are within their rights to make whatever show they want to, sure, but ultimately they are the ones responsible for satsifying their audience. For me, a fluid identity would be one that is able to change in a way that feels natural. Simply saying one thing in one episode and a different thing in another is inconsistency, not fluidity.

[@brrpiez]

I have to admit, the show's self-aware, messy battle between episodic vs. serial drama is literally the reason I love it so much. It's one of the few shows that actively acknowledges its resistance to the conformity of a singular formula. When the show contradicts itself, it becomes a fun puzzle not only for the writers, but also for ME to figure out how to make sense of it. I also think the predicament of 'audience not knowing whether something matters or not' is one of the freshest parts about the show. I think I can explain what I mean further by re-touching on some of the points on episodic vs. serialized drama that the video made: - Surprises in serial drama often manifest as discoveries that a minor detail we've already seen has a lot more weight and significance. Or as the video cleanly states it, things matter. Because of the consistency of this form in some shows, there's typically less surprise in the discovery that something matters. Perhaps others can relate, but I usually spot these ~seemingly insignificant details~ during their first exposition and say to myself, "Yep... that's gonna be important later." Instead, most of the surprises in serial drama exist in the discovery of WHY something matters... Which is still fun! But the anticipation of these discoveries sometimes overshadows the ultimate reveal, leaving for an anti-climactic experience. (BTW, this is not a generalization of ALL serialized drama in the slightest. Just a noticable pattern within some shows.) - In episodic T.V., I don't have much more to say other than what the video argues. It's good for passing time. But things don't matter for the most part. In other words, I'm relieved of the anticipatory burden of hypothesizing the significance of a small plot detail that ~may~ or ~may not~ live up to the internal tension it creates... because I'll never see that plot detail again. In Rick and Morty, however..... I find myself encountering many genuinely surprising moments that keep me totally invested in the show. And I think this is because the show has utilized such a nice balance of making things matter and utterly NOT matter............................................that the surprise is in learning that something truly DOES matter. I basically watch the show with the expectation that none of it matters to trick my analytical brain to stop looking for deeper meanings & significance (what it typically does in strictly serialized drama), but in doing so, any serialized plot points end up being bigger surprises. Because they're so much harder to predict and I wasn't anticipating them. And to top it all off, the show's meta commentary about this mess makes it feel like I'm in on the joke - even when their jokes are directed specifically to our very... energetic.... fandom. With all the hype, success, and pressure, it seems impossible for the show to please everyone given the vast chasm of differing opinions on where the show should go. When the show pokes fun at itself - and even the audience - it serves as a humble reminder that: 1. Nobody is exempt from critique in the Rick & Morty universe, not even us. And that's okay because we can laugh at ourselves. 2. The writers actually ARE listening to us. They may not always have the response that each of us individually want to hear, but at least they hear us, and sometimes, even go so far as to offer a response in the first place. 3. They're human too. We SHOULD still embrace and discuss all of our ideas about the shows potential because the show demands that kind of dialogue... and it's even more fun to remember that this is the same roll that the show's writers fulfill: A group of human trying to answer humanly incomprehensible questions within a multiverse of limitless potential.

[@happilyevernever4289]

I personally hate when shows try to be too meta and breaking the 4th wall without any good reason. Takes away my suspension of disbelief. I also don't like how they use their episodes to make their opinions as writers known and punish their fans who have opposing views on what elements of the story works and what doesn't. Like ok, that's one way to turn away your audience. It's petty and childish. Why can't their just address their creative direction on twitter or something?

[@brrpiez]

@@happilyevernever4289 Interesting take - I never really felt that way about it, but I follow your reasoning. Different strokes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@rickhernandez2114]

Once I learned that the writers from season 1 & 2 left the series, everything made sense. the following seasons don't even come close.

[@yourfriendlyneighbourhoods8202]

They’re still very good though

[@DesertSessions93]

Couldn't agree more. First two seasons are by far the best

[@racool911]

Honestly I stand by season 3 being the best season

[@racool911]

@Rens Victor Every episode that season was a banger

[@racool911]

@Rens Victor I think season 3 was the funniest tbh

[@emimimix]

I used to be one of the fans that wanted the continuity/backstory aspects to Rick or Morty because of how much the show kept dropping hints but leaving us in the dark for seasons 1&2. Season 3 Ep 1 was like the amazing answer to my questions, but I remember by the end of the season I got confused for how rushed it felt, AND how much the writers made the audience feel bad for wanting continuity in the first place.

[@ssuiter2]

I actually binged the whole show up to the end of season 3 and felt no real connection to any character. interesting ideas but that's all. and I didn't care too much for the gross out humor either. but since season 4 and 5 I actually like the show better now that we are learning more about the characters

[@jadjason6053]

I have to argue though that Rick and Morty's disfunction as a team has drastically changed into toxic territory. It hasn't been that way since the very beginning. Rick has become 24/7 salty since Season 4 and constantly insults and abuses Morty. Which, to me at least, is unpleasant to watch and not the least bit funny. It‘s just mean spirited. Rick used to be nihilistic and kind of a douche at times, but still joyful and fun. Now an exaggerated version of that aspect has taken over Rick's personality entirely. Rick is an ass now. Constantly.

[@noelvalenzarro]

I think you need to go back and watch it again. The only difference is that Morty was submissive and never intentionally butted heads with Rick. It was arguably more toxic. Morty now has started to pursue his own wants and needs even if it goes against Rick.

[@hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-Mikel.Montalat]

In a season 5 episode he realizes they had an abusive relantionship and says they shouldn't go on adventures anymore.

[@polybiuswheatfield2176]

One thing they also did really well about Rick Potion #9 is the song that plays at the end when Morty is forced to come to terms with the existential realization of what just happened to him and Rick. They chose “Look on Down from the Bridge” by Mazzy Star, and it’s just a fantastic choice for a song from what’s probably my favorite sequence in the entire show.

[@maguc5906]

Rick and Morty's continuity, especially ricks backstory, feels like if you went to a party and this got started telling this awesome story but half way through he suddenly just gets up, and goes to do something else and when you ask him about it, he gets annoyed and angry that you want to hear more

[@tonytins]

I'm a fan of the Rick & Morty, but due to life getting in the way, I was unable to commit past season 3. I was confused by the show suddenly gaining dislike so early in its existence. For once, it isn't the case of the show growing long in the teeth, but the authors intentionally sabotaging their own world by using everything they established against it with each successive season. Which is a shame because they are one of the rare examples that did the multiverse right while not being based on an existing IP, let alone comic.

[@woshyyyyyyyyy]

30:50 if thats considered breaking the 4th wall, and if I'm in a TV show it will be me breaking the 4th wall 24/7, I randomly reference "arcs" instead of phases so like "I went trough my emo arc" "shuttup I'm going trough my helping you arc"

[@merleawe_]

I agree with a lot of people in the comments. While one reason the last season wasn't well received was because it wasn't really that funny... The big problem this and the past couple seasons had; is the show breaking the 4th wall to make fun of the fans wanting clues to the continuity. For instance, the reveal of ricks backstory- particularly the part about his wife . This was an enormous payoff and felt so good UNTIL Rick turned around and ruined the moment by almost literally saying 'yeah now everyone can shut up about it'. Not only did him saying that mocked the viewers who were looking forward to the reveal... Rick saying that completely undermined and contradicted his own character by acting indifferent to a moment that -LITERALLY SECONDS ago- was revealed to be one of the most damaging and motivating moments of his entire life. And this did not happen once, but TWICE. Because earlier in the season, Nimbus talked about diane and rick 4th wall broke the EXACT SAME WAY. So it goes back to what you said in your video; why should we as an audience care if the moment was played off to not matter? If rick really cared about Diane- you'd think that even someone like him wouldn't be so dismissive of her memory. His backstory clearly shows that she was important to him, and it still lines up perfectly fine that he would've be adamant not to talk about her in the previous seasons(nor seek out a different version of her or sleep with anyone that resembles her-such as blondes-) because it deeply upset him. ...But this current season has 3 or so instances where he brings her up to either make fun of the audience, or shes brought up completely casually. It's a huge contradiction to ricks character that was only made to make fun of the audience- and thats the problem. IMO. It's super frustrating that the show runners are writing and making fun of the audience this way. It's just not funny. It's making fun of the people who have stuck with them and supported and enjoyed the show- And over plot points THEY set up in the first place. So of course people are going to respond negatively towards it.

[@DeviLKM7]

I think it was deliberately written that way to make Rick as a character give the impression that he doesn't care... He clearly does, this event is his biggest trauma, the defining moment of his life, he doesn't want to talk about it, and when it's eventually revealed (actually kind of against his will), he's trying to undermine it so that he doesn't seem vulnerable... Yeah we only revealed this so that you can shut the hell up, instead of this was a big moment for me and it has shaped my life. It's his defense mechanism.

[@kiid.mystikofficial5089]

bro🖐🏽 this is the most thought provoking comment here 😔 point made.

I love RaM but sometimes it really annoys me that they don't make a larger plot out of it. The show would have the perfect template to make similar stuff again and again yet progress forward in a story. I think there is too little progression. The thing about such shows is that they usually have a fixed fanbase / audience. There aren't always joining new viewers but mainly the ones that already are present stay. Because of that, I really like it when series also make the characters age a bit and slowly change their lifes completely. Something that can be done with RaM without destroying the main structure of the series. I would love to see e.g new episodes where Morty slowly becomes 18 years old, Summer becomes a young adult and Rick maby getting more wrinkles. It gives shows that do this a stronger connection to the audience and making them significantly more emotional and interesting. How To Train your Dragon is a great example. The main character, hiccup, gre3w up together with the audience from the first movie. By the time the final movie was released, his life has changed and he is an adult now. Just like the kids from back then too. It creates a strong relationship between the audience and the show.

[@feritye767]

what I want to see is something like morty getting an injury on his face, then for the next few episodes you see it slowly heal

[@LilCloudCloud]

I like how you started with something completely different to build up to your point and reference to later in the video, it’s like a control group for Rick and Morty to be compared too and seamlessly becomes relevant.

[@Neveri93]

I think in its core Rick and Morty is "just a fun show" but it doesn't obey any of those rules. In fact the whole series doesn't obey any rules. it goes so far with this that it breaks the rules it set to itself. And for me, it is part of the fun. The concept of the show is then: "just a fun show but without any rules". With this it, in a way, CAN potentially be anything, and it can be great at times but it is also its biggest problem.

[@Voidelle]

I think the saying “nothing is sacred,” comes to mind. Rick & Morty is a lot more flexible in its capabilities compared to most series, for the reasons you describe. Even if I didn’t particularly enjoy certain episodes or finales, I enjoy the going through the motions. If you set up the audience to not set expectations, subvert them the “non-expectations”, and go back to some cliches, its a fun time (if you’re down to just enjoy). I dont think it’s that deep. most things aren’t that deep.

[@tld7661]

even with the plot heavy bombshell revelations at the end of season 5 i predict the first episode of season 6 will completely undermine everything that happened and rick and morty will go right back to being rick and morty

[@Voidelle]

@@tld7661 and as much as I genuinely enjoy the ‘game changing moments’ with lore (or “fake lore”) I’d still be down to watch if that’s the case for season 6. If they end up leaning into the “holy shit everything has changed and we’re doing just this plot!” For real, I’m happy to watch that too. I enjoy the creative team behind Rick and Morty. They’re not superhuman, like they don’t hit home runs every episode (does anyone?) but if you’re still enjoying the show up till now, I feel like you’ll most likely enjoy what they choose next if you just trust them.

[@yeredetan]

@@Voidelle here here, well said

[@MK-ophelia]

@@tld7661 I sincerely hope they won't simply reset, but I do expect them too.

[@8BitCR]

This needs a MAYOR revisit after season 6 ends

[@zenith9701]

Actually, while watching Solar opposites (roiland) and community (Harmon) it hit me that maybe the voice asking for an overarching story is Roiland (see what he did with the wall in So) rather than Harmon (see how little he cared about arqs in community)

[@hubblebublumbubwub5215]

Yup, this video essay has things all mixed up. Roiland's style is "well, let's just see where this goes" whereas Dan Harmon is obsessed with the story circle stuff.

[@GalaxyStudi0s]

Completely and unfortunately agree with the entirety of this video. As much as I like the show, Rick and Morty has gotten to the point where they've made fun being serious, or constantly go from one sincere episode to episodic HAHA episodes for so long, that I don't really feel anything on the Season 5 finale. I'm not sure if Rick's past is real, and if any of this will actually change the show or are if we’re going back to HAHA we're still super funny Rick and Morty type episodes. I’ll still watch the show, but my enthusiasm for the show has greatly decreased.

[@MannerdDesert7]

I don’t understand why people praised the finale so much, by the time it happened (which was like the last 5 mins of the last episode) I just didn’t care about what was going on, it came out of nowhere and happened so fast I just felt like it was going through the numbers, maybe if I watch it again I may change my mind but Season 5 was so disappointing that I don’t really want to watch it again. I thought all the previous seasons were great (even season 4) but honestly season 5 was crap and I’m not sure if I’m going to bother with season 6.

[@ameliawade78]

I couldn't agree more. I feel like the golden age of rick and morty and when i felt most engaged was seasons 1-2. Then season 3 it dropped off a bit, even more in s4 and kinda the same in s5, which im mostly confused about since it seemed to me very muddled. But what really kept me invested in the show was the emotional impact the events had on the characters, rick potion number 9 is my favourite episode of the show for example. I like that theyre trying to return to more character driven emotionally impactful stories but your right in the sense that it just doesnt feel like its hitting or affecting me at all like it did in seasons 1 and 2

[@ConcernedAlien]

I tend to agree on a rational level with the commenters pointing out that R&M's flip-flopping between episodic and serialized storytelling and between being a show where you should care about its characters versus one where you shouldn't is a stylistic choice that shows just how different of a level of writing the show is on, yet I still have a negative instinctual reaction to the show seemingly setting up such big stuff and then trying to act like it's not important. If a show has strong writing, then people are going to get invested, and they're not going to like being told to not be invested by the show they're invested in, however justified Dan and Justin's feelings about overzealous fans moving the goalposts for satisfaction are. I think that some of the show's writers are better at handling this dissonance than others. Ryan Ridley and Mike McMahan were probably the show's two best writers other than Dan and Justin themselves, and because they were such good writers, they were the most in-demand for other projects, which they left R&M to work on. Ryan is now a writer for Amazon's adaptation of Invincible and is also working with Invincible creator Robert Kirkman on a new horror-comedy movie, while Mike went to co-create Solar Opposites for Hulu with Justin and create Star Trek: Lower Decks for CBS All Access/Paramount+. They were probably the best at tempering the show's nihilism and intelligence with a surprising degree of heart, warmth, and sensitivity. Some of the writers of Season 4 onward feel like the kinds of people that the only R&M they watched before becoming writers for it was the first half of Pickle Rick. This is especially the case with a Mr. Jeff Loveness, who was allowed to write four out of ten Season 4 R&M episodes despite not having worked on any previous seasons and the premiere and finale of Season 5. Somehow, his episodes always seemed the most like they were trying to force the "smart" and "meta" bits the most, and pushed the idea the most that we shouldn't care about what happens to the characters. Vat of Acid Episode may have received critical acclaim, but I think that was only from TV critics that don't care about the overall story, and for me, it was one of the weakest episodes. While a lot of people don't like Seasons 4 and 5 as much, I thought that only the Jeff Loveness episodes were actually bad, plus the heist episode in Season 4 and the sperm episode in Season 5. Some of these shake-ups are a natural consequence of the two-year gap between Seasons 3 and 4 and of the show being renewed for seven more seasons, as well as the feeling that they're going to be resting on their laurels from now on because they don't have to try as hard, which I don't think they do consciously, but it's still easy to feel like they do. At the very least, I think that Ryan should've come back for the Season 5 finale due to having written the previous two Evil Morty episodes, because as great for the overall show as that finale was, and regardless of whether or not what was shown was the plan all along, the fact that the two men given the responsibility to put it out in the world were Jeff Loveness and Scott Marder made some of it feel disingenuous. Jeff is leaving the show to write Ant-Man 3, so the issues I have with his writing are unlikely to be raised for me again, but what I think the show should do is to make sure that even the standalone comedic episodes of future seasons follow the new rules set by the Season 5 finale and show off universes where Rick is not the smartest mammal in those universes. I don't think that Dan and Justin have that much contempt for the audience, they just need to say "guys, c'mon" every once in a while. The show will probably never be truly consistent, but I think that, with the new direction the show is headed in, and with Jeff leaving, the show can be as good as it was in Season 2 again in Season 6. But I can also understand rationally if such deliberate inconsistency makes the show unenjoyable, even if I don't like hearing full condemnings of R&M. However, one show that I think handles the divide better is Solar Opposites. It has A-plots and B-plots even dumber than R&M most of the time, but a C-plot that's more consistently intense and emotionally gripping than a lot of similar shows, and it works. People sometimes hate on SO for not having the "smart" qualities Dan brings to R&M, but I think that, at least structurally, and at least at this point, SO is the smarter show than R&M because it doesn't feel like it needs to prove anything to the audience. It just has fun stories with the aliens and awesome stories in the wall. I still would like a future episode where the Schlorpians get shrunk and forced into the wall story. In conclusion, R&M's love-hate relationship with being an "emotionally engaging" show can be frustrating to see play out depending on what matters to you as a content consumer, but I don't think that makes the show completely unsalvageable, and I think that they'll find some degree of synthesis with it in future seasons.

[@shadowzerg]

Bro why didn’t you break this into paragraphs? Like I can’t for the life of me understand why people do not want their writing to be as readable as possible I’m asking because I genuinely do not get it

[@scarletmoon95]

Okay I hope very hard that the leaving of the seemingly weaker writers as well as the continuity explosion of the end of season five actually does change the show, for the better, and maybe for good. Now I'm willing to suffer through shallow plots in Solar Opposites just to see the stories of The Wall. Continuity is what I am always coming for, comedy isn't very much my strong suit

[@speedweenie7394]

Great essay! I like RaM but The Venture Bros is my favorite show all time. It's a shame it got canceled.

[@afsilver07]

Hop on the movie hype train

[@shady8045]

18:10 idk why but harmon not even knowing Ricks ago really hit me. It just goes to show how much we overestimate how much people think about their own work. Like we think writers have all this hidden knowledge but in reality, when a detail isnt included they likely just dont care, hence him not knowing Rick's exact age.

[@ibadatgames_7806]

or that he doesnt want to say it because it could be relevant in a later episode.

[@DoubleO88]

I honestly saw that as he didn't want to spoil it cos he's like 1000 years old or some insane twist lol

[@realityisenough]

He's 70

[@shady8045]

@@realityisenough oh is he, I thought he might have been a bit older tbh. Source?

[@ryanhealy9026]

I think the one thing I found most frustrating, which really tests my fondness for the series, is the fact that the last two episodes were released on the same day after a short break, like they were going to be one big story that would finally tackle some major plot points. What I got, was about 30 minutes of Rick doing stuff with crows, which ended with neither him or Morty learning anything, then two of the biggest plot points of the entire show, crammed into 10 minutes of mostly exposition.

[@DouglasBurton]

The Season 6 opening episode has done a great job of answering a lot of these points and re-setting up why we should care. Hopefully this meanas they realize where they went wrong with the previous season.

[@zebedeezing4181]

I couldn’t have said it better and this is an excellent video essay - but on an unrelated note that Rick and Morty edit at the end of the intro was so mesmerising and well done

[@UberDragon]

I wouldn't even mind it that much, if the show wasn't constantly telling me that I'm an idiot for wanting a resolution of previous plot points. Fine, don't continue with any of it, but why rub it in with a "Yeah dead wife, now shut up about it". Am I to blame for your inability to make up your mind about whether Ricks origin story was made up or real?

[@terpy663]

The end of the last season, and the introduction of the central finite curve have far more narrative implications then most recent episodic dramas. The narrative devices at play at the conclusion of the last season represent the fundamental change to the underlying tension of the show that strings even the serialized narratives into one larger plot.

[@MetaDash]

A friend recommended this video, and it vibes pretty well with my current R&M thoughts. that moments where the show says "stop caring lol, it doesn't matter, NOTHING does" are cut by moments where the show goes "wait wait, can you care a little?" to flippantly undo the tension of rick captured in season 3, to bring back tammy/birdperson after so long, etc. etc. lore and funni comedy don't have to contradict each other, but in rick and morty it feels like the two are pulling a tug of war. season 5 was FINE but i feel rick and morty hit its narrative peak a long time ago. it ends on an interesting note with evil morty but how can we trust the show to not undermine/ignore it when they've done it with other plot threads? it felt more like a "HERE's the lore, shut up and stop asking", especially with how rick grits at the very idea of telling morty his actual backstory, which mind you, was treated as a fake flashback in season 3 before the show went "wait wait we weren't lying there" it really is the dumbest smartest show.

[@iantaakalla8180]

When a person/series tells you what it is, listen.

[@AngusM8]

I am a huge fan of seasons 1,2 and 3 of Rick and morty, I find it juggled the complexity of sci-fi well against the humanity of the characters. This is something I found interesting about Harmon’s stories (especially in Community) however the shift towards extreme sci-fi stories, in my opinion lost the heart of the story, there where still amazingly complex episodes however the lack of development from all the characters in the later shows made me feel disconnected with the story. I think there’s still quality potential for the show (especially with the season 5 finale) but overall the dragged out story structure lacks character growth and continuity.

[@shatarupac3455]

This is the best representation of how I experienced Rick and Morty. The first two seasons were beyond brilliant. I was struggling with depression around that time and that show was one of the very few things I held onto. The third season felt like a betrayal to me. As if, I depended on these creators to give me good content and they failed me. I was surprised to see people still enjoying the season and thought maybe it's just my personal mental sets changing. I continued to watch the show because the episode on citadel was amazing (The Ricklantis Mix up) and I thought I'll just hold on for more such episodes. My attachment to the show was completely broken. The characters seemed off, they were just doing dumb/absurd stuff - which is fun, but hardly memorable. Your video resonates with me completely.

[@zakkziegler111]

Man, this was a very well made and thought out essay. Loved it. Great job and can't wait to see more. Absolutely subscribing.

[@luk5859]

Great video. 15:30 This however is not true. The shift to another reality does not justify that the Smith family didn't have any lasting change due to the events of this episode, because in the new reality, the entire story still happened, with the only difference being that Rick found a cure in the end.

[@socksinsoda9517]

6:39 DANGGG, can we just appreciate the editing here? 🎬

[@beautifulmanstan8840]

I feel like this show sort of lost it's whole "I should care about this" lustre as soon as season 3 dropped. Now it's just become a vehicle for artistic expression. So why should you care about Rick and Morty? Because it's a cool show. There's nothing really more I can say than that. It's subversive, it's bold, it doesn't give a shit, not even about it's own audience. I respect that, clearly you don't. That's fine.

[@kingdankum556]

Good way to put it

[@srihurry]

Good. Point

[@calvinboucher5741]

The part of this video that stuck out the most to me that really sums up the show’s biggest flaw “It’s not smart or dumb it’s too much of both to be either” the show’s nature is a walking contradiction and it constantly kneecaps itself. The show is at its best to me when it embraces its lore and doesn’t undercut potentially strong emotional moments with comedy. It’s just so terrified of being perceived as nerdy that it feels the need to constantly mock itself. It wants to have its cake and eat it too and it’s honestly so frustrating and with recent events I’m seriously wondering if the show is even worth continuing.

[@jaydeegabriel]

It was fun, and it still has it's moments, but the devotion that compelled me to wait for each episode is gone. Nowadays, I only watch if the constant media updates compel my curiosity and it's left me increasingly disappointed. I applaud the originality of it's creative teams, but without a continuity, I guess I'm just "not smart enough" to remain interested. If anything, I should be out getting rich by making my own show about drug-addled scifi nihilism improv'd with fart jokes. Consider me inspired, but likely too lazy.

[@shadyd2544]

Drug addled nihilism is the best kind of sci Fi bro.

[@eatatjoes6751]

The fourth-wall break thing felt unique back when Rick did it because it felt like he was the only one who could do it.

[@projectdolphin7398]

the thing about pickle rick being both a silly action episode and a commentary on alcoholism is that it *can* be both. shows, films, and movies do it all the time. to the people who dont care about the emotional side of rnm its just a funny pickle episode, but for those who care about the characters, its about a broken man who refuses to accept that he has a problem, to the point that he enjoys it

[@cooki3th1ef]

gonna check out Solar Opposites for the Wall plot, remember seeing the trailer and being disinterested but I'd certainly like to see this mini subplot in the background unfold.

[@Harleymotor]

I really liked the show from the beginning when it was just episodic but when it showed the consequences of their actions and how it affected the characters i.e. after the Cronenberg stuff; that kept me coming back and truly being invested in the characters. I liked the hints in the show and the theories from fans. It's a part of what makes being a community fun and builds up an audience. Like Gravity Falls in a lot of ways; but then season 3 aired and it genuinely felt like the Makers were throwing it in my face. That I was stupid for being invested, making the story purposely confusing. As if to say 'give up on the story'. It takes the fun away. Like drawing your parents in crayon as a child and them throwing it away when you show them. That's why they lost so much of the fans imo. No one wants to get talked down to for enjoying something. When you're discouraged from caring about something, you usually do.

[@Multi-Waves_Music]

Thank you so much for crediting all of the music used!

[@untitled3426]

This show would definitely benefit from serialization and as you say a reason to care. Thank you for this essay on the series very well done.

[@yamataichul]

If they have the courage to properly prioritize the characters over episodic ideas / themes and have faith in them being able to still be relevant and entertaining I guess we would be on the path of an upcoming renaissance with this show, as in, is not the 1st and 2nd season but it sure as heck is as fun and endearing to watch as in it seems like a proper sequel to those seasons.

[@achimdemus-holzhaeuser1233]

a good example of a show that ended on a high note was Gravity Falls. Wacky, Crazy, but with continuety and a real ending.

[@thorakvideos2495]

I don't get it... How is any of this a problem? Take the Pickle Rick episode for example: The supposed issue is that the real "value" of the episode is it's depiction of alcoholism, but it supposedly fails because of the wacky action stuff... I believe that is actually the joke. On top of that, the fact that in a later season, Rick says to Morty that the Pickle thing was apparently actually funny is also a reference from the writers that the pickle was not intended to be the value of that episode. Basicly, IMO all the issues people seem to have with R&M come from different sides of the fandom who don't understand the other's side of enjoyment. This video actually does a good job of explaining the difference between Roiland & Harmon which is the same obstacle. I enjoy R&M for the references & the absurdism. The most recent episodes have been quite strong and if they can keep it up; I could easily watch another 50+ episodes.

[@aleksandarpleskonjic6841]

I love how Season 6 is more diffrent from others because Rick doesn't have a portal gun and how he wants to change as person. Also big character development have Jerry

[@CadolfWasHere]

ngl i stuck around just to see how long it took before he'd get to rick and morty. 6:45 is where i paused it to write this.

[@justpotato8119]

I absolutely loved the finale of season 5 specifically because of the implications it has over how the show will continue, however I still am scared they will just not do anything with it because the writers have clearly stated time and time again how little they care about the continuity, even making fun of it as it was happening. Im not wishing for every episode to have continuity but I just wish things would matter a bit more, even Seasons 4 ending didn't have any effects over how the rest of the season played out outside of birdperson, but what about the Space Beth? what about Summers and Mortys bond? nothing was really learned and nothing mattered. I wish I could say I can watch this series without caring for the characters but the humor has also been on the decline lately

[@TheOG_Podcast]

This is why Bojack Horseman was such a standout among comparable shows. It was designed to END

[@mattmanxd4190]

I have a bad feeling that the season 5 finale won’t have much of an impact. We thought space Beth was a game changer and would be a crucial member of season 5, only to have her make a 10 second meaningless cameo in one episode.

[@iantaakalla8180]

To be fair, Space Beth’s real impact is clearly that it reinforces how badly Rick is as a parent. Dan Harmon says it himself. Furthermore, given Season 5, it was implied he did this because he wanted to be detached from Beth yet present in her life, and he really couldn’t make that choice. This, in turn, is probably why Rick is far softer and more affectionate towards the family shown in Season 5. He recognizes there is no other way to be with his family than to be with his family. Even his most unhinged episode in episode 8 involves his family, and them bonding over Rick’s obsession over Gotron. He is unhealthy but is openly affectionate. In the sense that Space Beth matters as a recurring, developing character? Unfortunately, you’re right. She is just a point against Rick when talking about his morality and behavior. And that does suck, especially when the focus was initially on wacky sci-fi adventures on a dysfunctional family. You would have thought you could have both, but instead the show was swapped during Season 3. Space Beth herself could have plenty of stories to tell. Her developing herself as not just Rick’s daughter is the most obvious one, but as she is not going to be part of the main cast she can obviously have any arc you like. Instead she is reduced to completing family Beth’s arc of not idolizing Rick at all anymore.

[@thelisthero4774]

Absolutely awesome! You pretty much put all of my views on the show into this video

[@hollywoodnaturalist]

God it's so creepy to see Justin in the studio after everything that has just come out about him

[@cajunking5987]

Accusations?

[@davidkalavsky9398]

Not just accusations.. actual proof and screenshots

[@KraziShadowbear]

"While the show pretended not to care, it secretly cared very much." From that is born the thing that I (and possibly most other people) look for in these types of shows. Unadulterated absurdism or wanton violence with any pause or meaning gets stale very quick. What's the point? We want a story told through those aspects of Adult Shows, not solely the show itself being that. Brilliant video. You voice is calming and speaks at an understandable pace. You explained everything and proved it with evidence, and you even snuck some sneaky jokes and things I didn't notice in other critiques of Rick and Morty. Nice work!

[@senortrolls2617]

They litterally tell you so many times that rick and morty is just random adventures. Expecting anything more is insulting to their brand

[@TibeauTheTraveler]

I know right! I don't get why they're all overreacting so much!

[@yellowfamilyfunny3065]

You clearly didn't watch the video. Stop peddling this you have to accept what the show gives you crap, they can't have it both ways and tease interesting investment and get irritated when people actually care

[@TibeauTheTraveler]

@@yellowfamilyfunny3065 well you guys won’t change anything! They do what they want and we will keep watching it 😅

[@garfieif8187]

@@TibeauTheTraveler Actually, season 5 got record low ratings. I guess people who have standards are actually the silent majority compared to the "stop asking questions, just consume" crowd

[@Llkc60]

just read the title: how is that question even relevant? value is in the eye of the beholder. you are taking this show a lot more seriously than you should. there's the idea of cosmic nihilism, I took that seriously but not because of the show, but because it was an idea that molded my thinking, my concept of the world. the most up voted comment states: “Why do you care so much? It’s just a show. Don’t think about it.” You can’t have it both ways. - oh yes you can. that is how the show portrays life. in the shadow of the vastness of the cosmos and multiverse one person is insignificant, living for 80 years tops. yet you must take your microcosm seriously. that is the journey of rick, finding his way back to his family, to his friendship with birdperson. that's the trajectory of going from 'nothing matters' in season one towards relationships matter towards the later seasons. ambiguity is interesting, let's not throw it away because it is difficult to comprehend.

[@drushhh]

Dude this was an amazing video! it put all my thoughts and feelings about Rick and Morty into a perfect explanation. I will definitely recommend this video when ever anyone asks me how I feel about the show. I feel like Justin doesn't do anything on the show anymore. I feel like he just shows up and does the voices. You never see him in any interviews anymore. Its usually just Dan and the voice cast. All the original writers don't work on the show anymore either and I feel like that has had a huge impact on how it is today. No offense to the current writers they are really good at what they do It just feels exhausting to watch these days .But I've always been a huge fan of the show so I'm going to stick it out hoping it gets better again.

[@Alex-Defatte]

I feel like something happened after season 3 that made me feel like the show didn't have the overall same charisma. I still love Rick and Morty but to me it doesn't have that replay value it had in the beginning. With that said, I never expect a show or a band to remake the gem they put out to initially entice people. It's hard to recreate that magic.

[@killian9314]

I'd say we should be Given a reason to care. Honestly, bare the finale, S5 has been the weakest the show's been since 3, Yet it was that piece of Continuity that payed off pretty well. Akin to the Cronenbergs episode, it made us care by being creative even if we expected tha changes to be regresed.

[@TheDXJC56]

I've never seen Solar Opposites (great name for a TV show though, very clever), but the description of 'The Wall' has me absolutely hooked without knowing anything about it I'd wanna see how they handle that 😂

[@saniakshay12]

The weird thing is the early seasons seemed a lot more held together by Harmon which is why it was so well received. I think now we are seeing Roiland becoming stronger so the structure feels gone.

[@hubblebublumbubwub5215]

The exact opposite. Roiland became less involved as time went on.

[@mentalpopcorn2304]

You don't need an infinite multiverse for "nothing to truly matter". Thats how things are right now, in real life. The span of time is so unbelievably massive, nothing we ever do or feel will ever truly matter in the context of the universe. This can easily lead to a depressive mindset. This is what makes life and meaning truly beautiful. Even though nothing really matters, we choose to make it matter. I'm one of the people who just gets stoned and enjoys the comedy, but I'm also invested in the continuity and have really enjoyed it aside from season 4. I really enjoy this radical style of sometimes dumb and sometimes smart. It feels like the main point of contention isn't the quality of the show, but the expectations of the viewers. People seem to expect a lot more from Rick and Morty than most other animated shows I've seen talked about.

[@omgjlmiub]

A lot of good points but at the end of the day we should be viewing the show based off of what it’s trying to be as a whole not how we would like it to be. Which I think is just a show that likes to play with continuity but focuses on jokes, creativity, and family relationships more. I guess don’t think too much about a show that’s not trying to be very deep.

[@gabrielmartins7642]

37:43 that is real meta there, so much so that I don't even know if that was dead serious or just a guy making a sarcastic post where people might actually believe that it is a serious post, I would done that. That is the kind of thing that makes me laugh together with minions memes