The popular animated comedyRick and Mortyis about to embark on its eighth season, with the zany adventures of the titular scientist Rick and his grandson Morty captivating fans for over a decade now. Each season brings with it a new wave of ideas and scenarios for the characters and their extended family to get tangled up in, andRick and Mortyseason 8 promises to be no differentin that regard.
Game Rant recently spoke withRick and Mortyco-creator Dan Harmon about the show’s ability to remain relevant and fresh after over a decade. He also joked about the process he uses to recruit new writers, and how their enthusiasm is a big driver behind the stream of fresh ideas they bring to the table.
Rick and Morty Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
It’s no easy task to keep an animated comedy show feeling fresh and funny for a prolonged period. As humor and pop culture shift constantly, it can be tough for a show’s tone to adjust, asshows likeThe Simpsonshave found out. When asked how his writing team continues to come up with new ideas forRick and Mortyso regularly, Harmon joked,
‘‘We have a special thing we do. We advertise online in a way that can’t be traced back to us. We say we will teach you how to write TV if you pay us $5,000 a week. Then those people write ideas for the show for us. Then we put them on a bus and we tell them it’s taking them to Hollywood, but it actually goes to the North Pole!’’
Fresh Writers Bring Fresh Ideas to Rick and Morty
Because Harmon was joking, the real answer is perhaps a little mundane in comparison. The benefit ofhaving a show run for so longis that potential writers are first and foremost fans of the show, many of whom have watched it for its entire run. In some cases, new writers know the show just as well, if not better, than existing ones. Harmon explained,
‘‘My joke was actually a metaphor for how we come up with fresh ideas. We keep hiring new writers. Younger people. They’ve watched the show for 10 years, so they’ve got an enthusiasm that can be sucked right out of their body and put into the show!’’
Compared to other long-runninganimated shows likeSouth ParkandFamily Guy,Rick and Mortyis still in its relative infancy, so there’s no reason why it can’t continue for many more years. Of course, the show’s longevity is dependent on the writers' ability to keep things fresh, but Harmon is clearly confident that this won’t be an issue.
