Rick And Morty: Following A Weak Season 8 Teaser And Declining Critical Ratings, Is The Show Still Great?

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Summary

  • The Season 8 teaser fell flat with lackluster jokes and recycled humor seen in previous seasons.
  • Despite some recent misses, high-concept episodes like ‘Unmortricken’ prove Rick and Morty still has potential.
  • Fans can anticipate a revitalized effort in Season 8, building on recent advancements in scale and thematic material.

On April 1st, Adult Swim unveiled a teaser for Season 8 of “Rick and Morty.” However, it appears that the humor might be falling flat compared to previous seasons, suggesting a potential creative rut in the writers’ room. Some fans attribute this change to the departure of co-creator Justin Roiland, leading to the show hiring voice impersonators for both Rick and Morty. While it remains undecided if they’ve managed to maintain the original quality so far, the impact has been minimal at worst.

To put it simply, “Rick and Morty” has had its ups and downs since its remarkable start in the first two seasons. Many viewers feel that the show’s overall thematic and comedic impact has decreased over time. Interestingly, Season 7 on Rotten Tomatoes received a critic score of 77% and an audience score of 50%, which are record lows for the series. Some speculate that the best of “Rick and Morty” may be behind us with its creative changes, while others argue that it could still be as strong as ever.

Rick and Morty’s Season 8 Teaser

In a twist for Season 8, the storyline centers around an Easter celebration in space, but it seems to be light on humor, as the dialogue aimed at being witty and irreverent appears rather unoriginal. Comparisons can easily be drawn to the Space Christians joke, which was previously used in Season 7 with the character Laser Pope. The most enjoyable part of the teaser trailer is the ‘giant Easter egg’ – a clever play on words that adds some fun to the otherwise familiar concept.

Though most viewers might have sighed at the jokes, it appears the intention remains to provoke a little awe by tearing down established social norms. The fact that the show’s strongest episodes lately have been those with complex concepts suggests we can expect more of this in the future. It’s reassuring to know that even for a series based on multi-dimensional space travel and limitless universes, the dialogue remains rooted in reality.

Rick and Morty’s ‘Portal People’ April Fool’s Joke

The excessive use of self-referential humor in Rick and Morty could unintentionally have undermined the show with its latest April Fool’s Day promotion. The low-quality reenactment of iconic Rick and Morty scenes by Adult Swim seemed a bit too obvious, given the show’s recent creative evolution.

Similar to Season 7, some parts of ‘Portal People’ were enjoyable, but overall it felt strange and left me wanting more. The musical rendition of Season 3’s Episode 2, ‘Rickmancing The Stone’, and the disturbing ‘Plubis’ segment are present, with the latter being even more off-putting in reality than in animation – lacking the humor to make it bearable. However, there is a scene where a costumed woman, whose limbs have been severed, takes on both Rick and Morty roles, delivering a Shakespearean interpretation of Rick’s “100 Years Rick And Morty” monologue. That was indeed artistic.

Additionally, the actor portraying Mr. Poopy Butthole delivers an earnest monologue tinged with remorse, accompanied by a swing version of the Rick and Morty theme song. One particularly resonant line is “Have you ever pondered how shocked the people we care about would be if they discovered our true selves?”, a thought that seems to echo the sentiments of series co-creator Justin Roiland following his recent controversy.

The End Of Prime Rick?

Two or three episodes from Season 7 of the show really stood out as exceptional peaks in its storytelling. These episodes, particularly ‘Unmortricken’ (Season 7, Episode 5) and ‘Fear No Mort’ (Season 7, Episode 10), served as significant pillars for the latter part of the series, demonstrating that the portal gun in Rick and Morty remains a potent tool.

In a twist, the least popular episode of the season, titled ‘Rise of the Numbericons’, is essentially a guest appearance. It was penned by Rob Schrab, a frequent collaborator of Dan Harmon, who was highly appreciated as a guest on Harmon’s podcast, Harmontown. Interestingly, Schrab also created one of the most successful unsold pilots, ‘Jetpacula’, as detailed in the Dead Pilots Society podcast. However, it’s worth noting that Schrab played a significant role in the third-best rated episode of Season 7 according to IMDb, ‘That’s Amorte’.

Title ‘That’s Amorte’ offers a chilling critique of capitalist consumerism, particularly focusing on the meat industry. Given Schrab’s vegan stance, his influence was profound in this top-tier episode, even though it may not be the funniest. Instead, it serves as an eerie reinterpretation of The Twilight Zone. It prompts viewers to ponder the moral implications of consumption once they understand the production process behind their food.

To your question about whether “Rick and Morty” is still excellent, it certainly appears so after watching ‘Unmortricken’. This episode took everything that was already established in the show and elevated it to a new level, effectively demonstrating that it remains outstanding. With ‘Unmortricken’, Dan Harmon and his team showed us that despite any upheaval happening behind the scenes, they continue to push boundaries and prove themselves as the smartest minds in the universe.

Is This Gonna Be A Hole Thing?

The concept that Rick and Morty ended up killing Rick Prime and significantly altered the series’ main storyline was an intriguing one, as demonstrated in the season finale ‘Fear No Mort’. In this episode, a malevolent carnival’s sinister barker pitted Rick and Morty against their deepest fears. Throughout the journey, Morty inadvertently revealed predictions from the active audience about how the story would unfold. This critically acclaimed episode, highly rated on IMDB, features a monologue by the ominous ‘fear hole’ owner in an unexpected setting: a Denny’s restaurant, where Morty was present.

Discussing the perils of happiness, the character known as Carnival Guy (voiced by Liev Schreiber), explains in Season 1 and 2, how romantic relationships can have a corrosive impact on people, transforming them until they no longer fit together harmoniously. This idea that happiness is potentially harmful is reminiscent of earlier times when Rick and Morty seemed to express Dan Harmon’s tumultuous views on monogamy more than establishing its unique perspective.

What To Expect From Rick and Morty Season 8

As a devoted fan of Rick and Morty, I’m excitedly looking forward to seeing a revitalized and reinvigorated team performance for Season 8! You might recall that there were usually two-year breaks between earlier seasons, which often resulted in some critically acclaimed episodes. Considering the somewhat inconsistent quality of recent installments, it’s essential to mention the significant strides made in terms of scale and thematic development as promising signs for an even more spectacular season ahead!

Following Rick Prime’s departure, fans can confidently expect the remaining Ricks and Mortys to continue their adventures with the indifferent enthusiasm they have come to love.

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2025-04-03 22:26