🐱 Is 'Rick and Morty' as Smart as Its Fans Think It Is?

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59dba8/is-rick-and-morty-as-smart-as-its-fans-think-it-is

We asked a scientist, a philosopher, and a script writer.

Rick and Morty is a very funny show, appreciated by all sorts of people. Unfortunately, for the majority of those people, one section of the program's fan base is doing its best to give the rest of them a bad name, i.e. the kind of pseudo-intellectuals who fit within that Venn diagram sweet spot of GamerGate agitators, vape expo attendees, and people who read Nietzsche on the train.

Drop into discussion threads on Reddit, Facebook, or Twitter, and you'll find those who believe that a.) enjoying a show with some scientific and philosophical themes makes them inherently more intelligent than your average TV viewer, or b.) the final-bosses: Those who think the majority of Rick and Morty fans can't possibly appreciate the show as thoroughly as them, because they can't possibly understand the nuances of the scientific and philosophical references made in every episode as thoroughly as them.


So to find out if these fans really are as clever as they think they are, or whether you really need a firm grasp on science and philosophy to enjoy the show, I spoke to some viewers who are experts in relevant fields.

Dr. Pragya Agarwal, Spatial Scientist

VICE: What do you think of Rick and Morty?
Dr. Pragya Agarwal: I'm not a huge fan, but maybe that's because I'm not really their niche audience, and I haven't followed it religiously. But it is funny. I can see how it would appeal to a lot of people.

As a scientist, do you think people need a high level of scientific knowledge to be able to "get" the show?
No, I don't think anyone needs a high level of scientific knowledge. It has many layers, and so for a non-scientific person it is designed to be funny and employs more standard science-fiction references that would be familiar to anyone. On the other level, a scientist would be able to appreciate some humor and scientific references in a broader context to the jokes, although most ideas are taken to an extreme and completely made up.

So I don't need to be a genius to understand any of the science references then?
No. The point of the show is its accessibility. Many of the scientific ideas are inaccurate and so not really based in science.

But if I was into science, would I enjoy the show more, or do you think it doesn't really matter whether you're into science or not?
Well, there are specific scientific references to things, such as worm holes and Schrodinger's theory, and a lot of the jokes are based on real theories but taken to an extreme, so maybe a little bit. However, the jokes are generally funny in themselves so can be enjoyed by everyone, even those not familiar with the theory behind them.





Peg O'Connor, Philosopher
VICE: What are your feelings generally on Rick and Morty as a show?
Peg O'Connor: I have a mixed response to the Rick and Morty show. On the one hand, I love seeing questions about philosophy and physics front and center in a show. If the questions of the show—like, "Is there any meaning and value in this world?" or, "Is our world one of a number of worlds?"—grab hold of people, that's great.

But as a woman and a philosopher, I see male behavior that has made both philosophy and physics the two most male-dominated fields with long-standing histories of being hostile to women. This is really tough to get past as a viewer. Rick's really bad and irresponsible behavior is par for the course; as a male, he gets away with it, but a woman would be pilloried.

So is that why you think the show is so popular with the science and philosophy community?
The popularity has something to do with the animated format, for sure. The Simpsons gets to raise all sorts of social, moral, and economic commentary because of its format. There's radical critique in The Simpsons; there is no radical critique in Rick and Morty in the episodes I have seen.

But for young males interested in science and philosophy, they get a show that is all about them. Men and boys get to pursue knowledge, battle enemies, or even other versions of themselves, be heroes and save the day. So males love the show. I wonder if young women interested in these questions love it as much or spend a good deal of time trying to write themselves into the tales because they have to leave their gender behind.


Do you think only intelligent people can understand the show in general?
I'm not comfortable saying that, especially because philosophy and philosophers have a reputation—not undeserved—of being elitist and making philosophy so abstract and removed from the daily questions of life that people find it alienating. That's really too bad because as originally practiced by the ancient Greeks, like Plato and Socrates, philosophy was an activity aimed at living a good life. This isn't a conception of philosophy that Rick and Morty engage, so I'd welcome a little more moral philosophy into their world. It might be a way to tack into the male dominance and misogyny that runs throughout the show.

Jack Warner, Script Editor/Writer

VICE: What are your thoughts on Rick and Morty?
Jack Warner: So I was a big fan of Community, co-creator Dan Harmon's big limelight show, which, like Rick and Morty, had a huge fan following that mainly dwelled in Tumblr dens—and they prided themselves in having a higher understanding of the show because they shared their theories and observations. Then Dan Harmon started making the show for that small crowd and delivered everything they could ask [for]... which meant the show got watered down and watered down.

David Mitchell describes working backstage at a theater, and he watched this actor do a very natural gesture, which got a big audience reaction—so the actor played up to it every night, and by the end of the run of the play, he did it in such a big way that it wasn't very funny anymore. I think that's what's happening with Rick and Morty.


Do you think it requires an advanced level of screenwriting knowledge?
No. I guess it helps to have a grip on sci-fi cinema references, but most of its humor comes from the everyday. I'd say a good chunk of the humor is derived from recognizing everyday stuff and projecting it into a crazy sci-fi setting. Some of the biggest laughs are just when they let Justin Roiland riff in character, with no script at all. I know some real morons who love it, and I know some really smart people who love it. The mark of a good TV show is that it appeals to a lot of different people—not a lot of the same people. But also, I think sci-fi is generally a genre that smart people think belongs to them. I remember these same arguments coming about when Futurama was on.

So it's a well written show in general?
I think it is a well-written show. I think both Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland are absolute masters of their craft and really funny guys. Episodes of Rick and Mortycan be a master class in how to structure a sitcom episode, and their imaginations are really out there.

Why do you think people get so defensive about their TV shows?
I think TV is the most personal medium; it's easy to consume, you can watch it in bed and let it wash over you, and if you're watching it by yourself, it feels like it's being delivered to you as a special little treat. That's why people connect with one another so passionately when it comes to TV. It's easy to consume and makes a big impact, so if you can share it with someone, there's an instant bond. Sci-fi and adult-orientated cartoons both have a more niche appeal, and the internet has allowed fans to find one another much more efficiently than ever before, and if you're outside the mainstream, you'll relish any connection you can. Look at how old men connect on Twitter over the Brexit—decades ago, they were the guys who would ramble at the bar, but now they've found a way to find one another. It's the same with fan communities: It's nice to have what feels like a subversive taste approved.

 

[frozenrunner]

A lot of its shows are still following the Sopranos formula in as shallow a manner as possible. There's always the patriarch main character who serially cheats on his wife, the bitchy wife who has her own crafty machinations in her little social world, the main character's friends are all not as smart as him and we're supposed to feel the weight of him being torn by living a double life, there's always a gay character who can't come out because of the time period or social situation the show takes place in...

But that's not just HBO, AMC and other networks trying to copy the Sopranos steam do it too.

I guess you could kind of claim Boardwalk Empire is similar in some ways to The Sopranos. But I can't think of anything else I've seen on the channel (maybe Vinyl?) that fits that formula, and BE is a great show. The only other show I can think of that sort of fits parts of that formula is Breaking Bad, but that's also a great show.

I've watched a lot of great television in the last few years. Am I simply missing all these shows that ape The Sopranos? Having an antihero as the main character isn't enough for me to make that comparison.

By the way, you're spot on about Westworld. That show is very nearly ruined by the heavy-handed, empty-headed feminist symbolism.

 

[Ineedahero]

I guess you could kind of claim Boardwalk Empire is similar in some ways to The Sopranos. But I can't think of anything else I've seen on the channel (maybe Vinyl?) that fits that formula, and BE is a great show. The only other show I can think of that sort of fits parts of that formula is Breaking Bad, but that's also a great show.

I've watched a lot of great television in the last few years. Am I simply missing all these shows that ape The Sopranos? Having an antihero as the main character isn't enough for me to make that comparison.

By the way, you're spot on about Westworld. That show is very nearly ruined by the heavy-handed, empty-headed feminist symbolism.

It can't be that heavy, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Also other shows that fit in are things like mad men, billions, empire, true detective, and vinyl.

 

[Crass_and_Champ]

tfw I watched breaking bad and I now am an expert in chemistry, sorry but only chemists are able to enjoy that superior intellectual series.
t. tetraphobia, professional idiot.

tfw i watched Mad Men and now I make six figures while drinking all day. also le superior beatles are still alive. sorry but its the truth

 

[frozenrunner]

It can't be that heavy, I have no idea what you're talking about.

The show is about human-like figures being abused and used as sex objects by awful people, almost all of whom in the show are male. Most of the major characters are either "women" who are abused/used by callous men (and their arcs are about escaping subjugation) or "strong womyn" types. The pilot reveals Delores is being raped in a recurring loop as a form of entertainment by a guest, possibly by many guests, and a big part of Delores's arc is breaking her conditioning and learning to stop being submissive. She actually has an eye-roller of a line in one episode where she declares she's not a victim anymore. The world they exist in is run by a powerful male figure. (Patriarchy.) The way Delores finally becomes free is by killing him. I could go on.

All of these things have innocuous plot explanations, which is why I said "symbolism." But this is Hollywood, a far left community with a habit of pushing its politics in entertainment. The imagery isn't accidental, and neither is the symbolism. They're drawing clear parallels between the androids' plight of subjugation and the crazy second/third wave feminist idea that men are mostly abusers and women are mostly victims of patriarchal society/systems.

Also other shows that fit in are things like mad men, billions, empire, true detective, and vinyl.

I haven't seen Empire, but none of those other shows fit the pattern that well. Vinyl fits it the best and lol it got canceled.

I'm sure executives at every network wanted a "show just like The Sopranos" and that has helped a lot of those shows get greenlit for their superficial similarities (anti-hero leads, crime-related, etc.), but I'm still not seeing the problem. Most of the shows you mentioned are generally considered to be fantastic dramas by almost everyone.

I mean It's fine to personally dislike anything for any reason. I'm just saying it's weird to me to claim all these shows are really just copies of The Sopranos because I'm not seeing that, even if I can sort of see the "DNA" in other shows. But I can definitely understand annoyance with "me too" programming.

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

The show is about human-like figures being abused and used as sex objects by awful people, almost all of whom in the show are male. Most of the major characters are either "women" who are abused/used by callous men (and their arcs are about escaping subjugation) or "strong womyn" types. The pilot reveals Delores is being raped in a recurring loop as a form of entertainment by a guest, possibly by many guests, and a big part of Delores's arc is breaking her conditioning and learning to stop being submissive. She actually has an eye-roller of a line in one episode where she declares she's not a victim anymore. The world they exist in is run by a powerful male figure. (Patriarchy.) The way Delores finally becomes free is by killing him. I could go on.

Never watched the show but everything you described is like an ancient staple of stories about androids.

Nothing against you, but this is the reason I hate Current Year. Tropes and themes that have been around for ages are suddenly up against the wall because nerds think they're endemic of some kind of feminist menace. Third wave feminism is a problem but it's not the driving force behind every story where someone is abused or enslaved.

 

[frozenrunner]

Never watched the show but everything you described is like an ancient staple of stories about androids.

Nothing against you, but this is the reason I hate Current Year. Tropes and themes that have been around for ages are suddenly up against the wall because nerds think they're endemic of some kind of feminist menace. Third wave feminism is a problem but it's not the driving force behind every story where someone is abused or enslaved.

Yes, these are old tropes about androids. And they parallel feminist ideas about male subjugation/oppression quite nicely in the show.

If you want to watch the show and tell me I'm imagining it... well, you'll be wrong, but at least you'll have seen it before telling me so.

I think we've done enough derailing the Rick and Morty thread.

 

[Gordon Cole]

Another thinkpiece about the fans from the newly converted Kinja hellhole called The A.V. Club.

Rick And Morty’s worst fans don’t deserve Rick And Morty
Rick And Morty may just be the perfect sci-fi show. It is certainly, with apologies to Westworld, currently TV’s most ambitious, taking a handful of long-running conceits (the infinite-universe theory) and extrapolating a set of narrative forces from them (the Citadel Of Ricks, the Galactic Federation). It occasionally delights in unveiling the power structures of its multiverse, but it also tends, much more, to explore the randomness that such vast scope facilitates. In so doing, it combines the fantastical, parable-filled episodic adventures of the first two Star Trek series, while also indulging the longer arcs of Ronald D. Moore’s Deep Space Nine and Battlestar Galactica. These varying threads haven’t been woven so elegantly since, say, The Prisoner, but showrunners Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland have updated their concerns to encompass not just the structure of reality but also the structure of their argument about reality. We are never not aware, in Rick And Morty, that we are watching a sci-fi television show, and that it has been lovingly constructed by sci-fi nerds, with references to Sandman and Dragon Ball Z and Zardoz and Paul Verhoeven flicks packed into every episode. These references do more than buttress the show’s cred—they build its entire cosmology, its intensely self-aware universe of sex-bots, species collectors, purges, and interdimensional reality TV.

If you are among the show’s adoring fans, in other words, congratulations: You are correct. But you probably didn’t need me to tell you that, right? Rick And Morty fans have slowly gained a reputation as some of the worst people on the internet, self-congratulating, smug, and, worst of all, mobilized. This trend culminated, recently, in a sustained campaign of harassment against the show’s writing staff, which in its latest season has come to include more female writers. Dan Harmon spoke at length recently about this, saying, among other things:

These knobs, that want to protect the content they think they own—and somehow combine that with their need to be proud of something they have, which is often only their race or gender. It’s offensive to me as someone who was born male and white, and still works way harder than them, that there’s some white male [fan out there] trying to further some creepy agenda by “protecting” my work. I’ve made no bones about the fact that I loathe these people.

But their reputation for awfulness extends far beyond this campaign. The attacks on female writers are only the most risible, and visible, example of the fan base’s toxicity. These fans are notoriously quick to attack any perceived critic, and many of them have become notorious for an air of insufferable “true fan” pretension. Much of this is par for the course for pop culture, obviously—particularly for an animated TV show, which seems to attract an audience more predisposed than any other to infiltrate Twitter and Reddit and be obnoxious about it, even to its creators. But with Rick And Morty especially, there is a noticeable divide between fans of its “low” and “high” comedy—the latter of whom appreciate, like a fine cognac, the subtler scientific and philosophical ideas embedded within its scripts. And embedded in both parties is a constant reassurance, via the show’s various deep-cut references and in-universe in-jokes, that they are the ones who “get” it. They are the chosen few who grasp the nerd-dom it celebrates in the correct way.

This is part of what makes Rick such an appealing character to them. He, too, is the ultimate master of his nerdy domain, a self-aware avatar of the cultural adventurer omnivorously consuming and exploring new universes but making wise-cracking asides along the way. He’s seen everything, he knows everything, and he sort of thinks it sucks. One of the primary criticisms leveled against Rick And Morty fans is that they mistakenly valorize Rick as a sort of uber-nerd, a shit-talking asshole who’s too smart to abide by normal social rules. Rick is always right, and when he isn’t, he still comes out on top, probably with a catchphrase and an episode-ending laugh line. He also fucks space babes and smokes pot with monsters. To those fans, the fact that Rick is awesome offers justification for his—and their—self-absorption.

It’s a compelling argument, but I’m not sure the show bears it out. If we’re to believe Rick is admirable for being a cold, misanthropic know-it-all, the show doesn’t do a very good job of selling it. He’s too rich in his emotions, too human in his failings; the show repeatedly finds him dealing with moments of vague tenderness and regret that he then undermines, contributing to the overall tragic arc of his character. Harmon’s much-scrutinized writing ethosinvolves richly drawn emotional journeys for every character, and as he said, in the recent response to Entertainment Weekly, “I don’t want the show to have a political stance.” It doesn’t. Rick And Morty’s concern is ambiguous, flawed, relatable characters, slowly changing and slowly staying the same. To assume that Rick—or any of them—represents Harmon’s idea of some ethos to aspire to is to misread his intent.

Nevertheless, because of those fans, the show is becoming easy to hate, derided by those who are sick of encountering them as some sort of bastard hybrid of South Park’s equal-opportunity offensiveness and Ready Player One’s nerd-culture wish fulfillment. Harmon’s pledge to keep things apolitical means he’ll have a hard time explicitly condemning these fans within the boundaries of the show. But ultimately, Rick And Morty is its own best argument against its most toxic fans. Its characters are imbued with a tangible humanity, creating jokes out of their dreams and failures that are as trenchantly character-based as anything since the original Office.


There’s a long tradition of sexism in sci-fi and “nerd” fandoms, of course, and there’s an equally long tradition of those fandoms being wrong. But it’s uniquely baffling—and regrettable—in the case of Rick And Morty, which in its third season is firing on all cylinders in a way few have in recent memory. What started as a sharply written, funny cartoon has unexpectedly turned into a monument to the power of science fiction. It’s only appropriate that a gang of leaderless, cackling trolls run along in its wake, dicks in hand, shouting its catchphrases. You cannot make a show this good without them—even if they don’t “get” it the way they think they do.

And also, just look at this fucking author:

https://www.avclub.com/rick-and-morty-s-worst-fans-don-t-deserve-rick-and-mort-1818667256 (Archive.is shits out when it comes to the site.)

 

[vertexwindi]

Another thinkpiece about the fans from the newly converted Kinja hellhole called The A.V. Club.


And also, just look at this fucking author:
View attachment 285144
https://www.avclub.com/rick-and-morty-s-worst-fans-don-t-deserve-rick-and-mort-1818667256 (Archive.is shits out when it comes to the site.)

Makes me glad Futurama's fanbase isn't nearly as obnoxious as this shit.

 

[Alec Benson Leary]

I'm sure executives at every network wanted a "show just like The Sopranos" and that has helped a lot of those shows get greenlit for their superficial similarities (anti-hero leads, crime-related, etc.), but I'm still not seeing the problem. Most of the shows you mentioned are generally considered to be fantastic dramas by almost everyone.

I can't stand Mad Men or Boardwalk Empire. I know shows like that are highly acclaimed but I'm not sure why because the main character anti-heroes are all so broody despite their magnificent fortune in life as to be totally unrelateable. Mad Men in particular just repeated the same boring arc season after season - "gee, who will Don cheat on his wife with this season?" ...but I never got why I was supposed to care about this guy.

I don't even want to watch Westworld for the same reason that I probably wouldn't start Rick & Morty now if I wasn't already into it: asshole fans who ruin it by constantly hamming on about one topic as if they are experts on that topic because they watch a damn show (rape culture/patriarchy for Westworld, IFLS for Rick & Morty).

 

[AnOminous]

I can't stand Mad Men or Boardwalk Empire. I know shows like that are highly acclaimed but I'm not sure why because the main character anti-heroes are all so broody despite their magnificent fortune in life as to be totally unrelateable. Mad Men in particular just repeated the same boring arc season after season - "gee, who will Don cheat on his wife with this season?" ...but I never got why I was supposed to care about this guy.

I don't really dislike "Byronic heroes" as such, but when every single fucking character is one, where is the interest? Why should I care?

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

I don't really dislike "Byronic heroes" as such, but when every single fucking character is one, where is the interest? Why should I care?

This. I don't like black and white morality tropes. But if you have a principle character who is brooding, violent, callous, or any other host of negative traits, then they need a foil. A normal, good-natured person to whom the audience relates.

Then you corrupt that person.

 

[RG 448]

An intellectual song from the smartest show on television:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JsJGiRJqCts

 

[Chris did nothing wrong]

An intellectual song from the smartest show on television:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JsJGiRJqCts

Now you're just being an ignorant prick. The lyrics smartly invoke Sigmund Freud's theories on the anal stage of childhood development and how that ties into the relationship between the father and daughter characters. Now please keep in mind that Beth has issues with this before, hence shooting a character known solely as "Mr Poopy Butthole". As well, observe that they are creating life in the scene, clearly an indication of the man's desire to procreate with his own daughter, this is further highlighted by the king character having to commit acts of incest to prolong his existence. The entire show is a marvelous insight of the pyschosexuality of the middle class Midwestern Caucasian in the 21st century, from fears of castration ("Where are my testicles") to repressed homosexual desires ("Shove it way up your butt") to racism within the sexuality of America (Morty fearing Mr. Jellybean, a clear stand in for ethnic minorities).

 

[Linako 2.0]

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty. The humor is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics most of the jokes will go over a typical viewer's head. There's also Rick's nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation - his personal philosophy draws heavily fromNarodnaya Volya literature, for instance.
The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realize that they're not just funny- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike Rick and Morty truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the humour in Rick's existencial catchphrase "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub," which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev's Russian epic Fathers and Sons I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Dan Harmon's genius unfolds itself on their television screens.
What fools... how I pity them. And yes by the way, I DO have a Rick and Morty tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It's for the ladies' eyes only- And even they have to demonstrate that they're within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand.

I just fucking love Rick and Morty, in the way that I fucking love science. It's so random and cool - it's like the show was designed for us Redditors, see? My mom says I have an unhealthy obsession with the show, but she just doesn't understand how funny it. I wish I could live in the Rick and Morty world and be their friends. Everything would be really and cool and funny if I did.
Rick and Morty are so funny and I'm so awesome that it would make perfect sense, but it'd be even better if Bernie Sanders appeared. It'd be so awesome I'd turn up the TV in the common room of my dorm up all the way so everyone could hear the greatness of Bernie Sanders, Ron Paul, bacon, weed, atheism, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Sweden, Bill Nye, 90s cartoons, cats, and fucking loving science.
I run the Rick and Morty Club at my school - we come together, browse Reddit, make some Deadpool memes and watch Rick and Morty. We don't talk to each other but there's a cute girl there I'm gonna try and ask out. I'm a nice guy and I dress well so I just know I've got a good chance with her. I've already messaged her on Facebook, I just haven't got a response yet.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand: Rick and Morty! My favorite character is Rick because his style of humor perfectly reflects that of Reddit. I bet if I asked him "When does the narwhal bacon?", he'd know EXACTLY what I was talking about. Also, did you notice he looks like Bernie Sanders if you squint a bit and use your imagination?
This can't be a coincidence; MLG Illuminati confirmed. Yeah, that's right, I look at montage parodies too. What good Redditor doesn't? Lenny face, Illuminati, and Doge are so funny. If I met Rick and Morty I'd be sure to show them all those funny and awesome memes and more!

Spoiler

 

[Hyperion]

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty. The humor is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics most of the jokes will go over a typical viewer's head. There's also Rick's nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation - his personal philosophy draws heavily fromNarodnaya Volya literature, for instance.
The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realize that they're not just funny- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike Rick and Morty truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the humour in Rick's existencial catchphrase "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub," which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev's Russian epic Fathers and Sons I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Dan Harmon's genius unfolds itself on their television screens.
What fools... how I pity them. And yes by the way, I DO have a Rick and Morty tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It's for the ladies' eyes only- And even they have to demonstrate that they're within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand.

I just fucking love Rick and Morty, in the way that I fucking love science. It's so random and cool - it's like the show was designed for us Redditors, see? My mom says I have an unhealthy obsession with the show, but she just doesn't understand how funny it. I wish I could live in the Rick and Morty world and be their friends. Everything would be really and cool and funny if I did.
Rick and Morty are so funny and I'm so awesome that it would make perfect sense, but it'd be even better if Bernie Sanders appeared. It'd be so awesome I'd turn up the TV in the common room of my dorm up all the way so everyone could hear the greatness of Bernie Sanders, Ron Paul, bacon, weed, atheism, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Sweden, Bill Nye, 90s cartoons, cats, and fucking loving science.
I run the Rick and Morty Club at my school - we come together, browse Reddit, make some Deadpool memes and watch Rick and Morty. We don't talk to each other but there's a cute girl there I'm gonna try and ask out. I'm a nice guy and I dress well so I just know I've got a good chance with her. I've already messaged her on Facebook, I just haven't got a response yet.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand: Rick and Morty! My favorite character is Rick because his style of humor perfectly reflects that of Reddit. I bet if I asked him "When does the narwhal bacon?", he'd know EXACTLY what I was talking about. Also, did you notice he looks like Bernie Sanders if you squint a bit and use your imagination?
This can't be a coincidence; MLG Illuminati confirmed. Yeah, that's right, I look at montage parodies too. What good Redditor doesn't? Lenny face, Illuminati, and Doge are so funny. If I met Rick and Morty I'd be sure to show them all those funny and awesome memes and more!

Spoiler

View attachment 287596

Thats pretty interesting. Accurate. Brutal lol

 

[Computery Guy]

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty. The humor is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics most of the jokes will go over a typical viewer's head. There's also Rick's nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation - his personal philosophy draws heavily fromNarodnaya Volya literature, for instance.
The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realize that they're not just funny- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike Rick and Morty truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the humour in Rick's existencial catchphrase "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub," which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev's Russian epic Fathers and Sons I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Dan Harmon's genius unfolds itself on their television screens.
What fools... how I pity them. And yes by the way, I DO have a Rick and Morty tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It's for the ladies' eyes only- And even they have to demonstrate that they're within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand.

I just fucking love Rick and Morty, in the way that I fucking love science. It's so random and cool - it's like the show was designed for us Redditors, see? My mom says I have an unhealthy obsession with the show, but she just doesn't understand how funny it. I wish I could live in the Rick and Morty world and be their friends. Everything would be really and cool and funny if I did.
Rick and Morty are so funny and I'm so awesome that it would make perfect sense, but it'd be even better if Bernie Sanders appeared. It'd be so awesome I'd turn up the TV in the common room of my dorm up all the way so everyone could hear the greatness of Bernie Sanders, Ron Paul, bacon, weed, atheism, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Sweden, Bill Nye, 90s cartoons, cats, and fucking loving science.
I run the Rick and Morty Club at my school - we come together, browse Reddit, make some Deadpool memes and watch Rick and Morty. We don't talk to each other but there's a cute girl there I'm gonna try and ask out. I'm a nice guy and I dress well so I just know I've got a good chance with her. I've already messaged her on Facebook, I just haven't got a response yet.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand: Rick and Morty! My favorite character is Rick because his style of humor perfectly reflects that of Reddit. I bet if I asked him "When does the narwhal bacon?", he'd know EXACTLY what I was talking about. Also, did you notice he looks like Bernie Sanders if you squint a bit and use your imagination?
This can't be a coincidence; MLG Illuminati confirmed. Yeah, that's right, I look at montage parodies too. What good Redditor doesn't? Lenny face, Illuminati, and Doge are so funny. If I met Rick and Morty I'd be sure to show them all those funny and awesome memes and more!

Spoiler

View attachment 287596

Holy shit, I think that turned my entire body into one huge carcinoma.

That's... impressive.

 

[over and over]

the show has gone downhill. every meme i see is cringy as fuck.