‘Ricky and Morty’ season 4 comes to Showmax

Adult cartoons have always been a talking point of entertainment on screen.

Yes, The Simpsons have remained the ultimate in cartoon perfection since Bart said: “Eat my shorts” back in the 1980s. In the ’90s South Park dominated conversation, and Kenny was doomed every episode.

But in the last few years, shows like Bob’s Burgers and Rick and Morty have changed the game.

Rick and Morty has embraced outlandishness to such effect that it not only provides a meta looking-glass at us as a society and sitcom themes, like family values, it merged sci-fi with gross humour, violence and absolute laugh-out-loud moments.

It has become award-season gold and has won over fans for its off-the-wall creativity.

Rick and Morty. Picture: Adult Swim

In those bizarre moments of laughter Rick and Morty has provided commentary on love, race, family dynamics, bureaucracy and growing up, without succumbing to “family friendly” censorship.

In essence, Rick and Morty might be one of cartoonville’s most realistic cartoons.

The characters talk like real humans, with real-life problems – like divorce, finding work, parent-child relationships and intergenerational relationships – playing out between the odd-ball space adventures of Rick Sanchez.

It became a cultural phenomenon and creators Justin Roiland (JR) and Dan Harmon (DH) never knew it would be so beloved.

Ahead of season four, releasing on Showmax later this month, here are the duo’s thoughts on the show and its universal impact.

Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. Picture: Adult Swim

How has season four gone in terms of the creative process?

DH: Every single season there’s a little bit of anxiety: now what’s our definition of having fun and being good? Are we going to continue to be difficult on ourselves because that seems to be an ingredient in the quality?

It’s our job to relax and be happy because that’s another huge ingredient. It’s always going to be there, thinking too much about the audience when you should be thinking about yourself because that’s how you’ll please the audience.

I think that happens on every show, but it’s weird when your job is to continue churning out something that you are proud of for its scarcity. Every season you feel like your job is never the same.

Rick and Morty. Picture: Adult Swim

How do you approach writing a new episode?

JR: Dan does a pass on every script. We have an amazing writer’s room. We break stories together, then Dan and I sit in the edit bay for every thumbnail animatic in colour and we kind of do a pass in there that’s more of a looser version of a pass.

In some cases, it’s like, “Oh, we could beat this joke” and then we just riff in the room. I think that process allows us to refine, and refine, and refine for better. Some episodes are good to go.

“Pickle Rick” was one that just flew through production and there are other episodes like “Froopyland” with Beth and Rick, and that one was one that we were rewriting and editing a bunch of work in colour.

What are some of the types of stories you’re including this season?

JR: Without giving anything away, we serialise stories that are sprinkled over the top of strong episodes. I would say watch all of season three before season four.

Rick and Morty. Picture: Adult Swim

Can you share some rejected story ideas?

JH: There are ideas for stories that feature Rick and Morty that just kind of lose steam and go in the ‘maybe later’ pile.

However, I wouldn’t say that there were any ideas that we were legitimately excited about that we said, “No we can’t do that! What are we, crazy?” We’re pretty good about self-governing our instincts.

Did anything come from the offer to turn over an episode to Kanye West?

JR: We’re trying to schedule something. It’s not going to be for this batch coming up, but we love the idea of doing something with Kanye.

It’s a discussion of what exactly that is, and then sitting down and talking with him. He had to reschedule, then we had to reschedule. We need to sit down and chat about it but it’s a very sincere and legitimate offer.

Rick and Morty. Picture: Adult Swim

Which Rick and Morty reference are you most sick of hearing?

JR: It would be the “wubba lubba dub dub” catchphrase. Only because we were making fun of the idea of stupid catchphrases.

At first, it wasn’t all that and it was funny because it was a dumb catchphrase, and then we subverted it by making it mean something really depressing.

The hardcore fans get the irony behind it, but I think some fans maybe don’t? I don’t want to bum anybody out. I don’t want somebody to be like, “I love that!” and then read that Justin hates it. I don’t hate it.

What’s been the most surreal proof of Rick and Morty’s popularity?

JR: For me, it’s always Comic Con and how many people show up for the panel. I think the whole Szechuan sauce thing. It was an insane thing we never predicted.

That a joke in our show would have caused a giant multibillion-dollar corporation to bring back a sauce they used to serve in the late ’90s.

Info

• Rick and Morty season four starts Monday next week on Showmax.
• Rick and Morty is also part of the TNT Adult Swim lineup on DStv 137.

(Compiled by Adriaan Roets)

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