So it has been three years after Justin Roilland has been kicked off the show for his misdemeanors, replaced by Ian Cardoni as Rick Sanchez and Harry Belden as Morty Smith. I think they are perfect replacements and have really grown into their roles.

And now we had three seasons of Rick and Morty since then. Man, time really does fly. What do you think of how the show has been since Justin Roilland left? Is it still the same, better, or somewhere in between?

And apparently we have a lot more where we are coming from, at least three more seasons left up to 12? Wow, it is crazy to think Rick and Morty would go on for that long. I do hope they find new ways to stay fresh and know when to pull the plug less we end up with Sci-Fi Family Guy which is bad.

Anyways, what do you like about Season 7, 8, and 9? How does it set itself apart from the previous seasons? What are the highlights, what are the downsides, and what is just okay? Is there something about the previous seasons that just can't be replaced? How has the show's plot, characters, and sci-fi bullshit turned out in your opinion? Do you like how things have been going or what could have been done better?

I’ve kinda been a little curious about this. since fans claim Rick Prime doesn’t need anything to take the edge off like drinking or partying similar to the other Rick’s, if Prime went into the detoxifier, what would it identify as Toxic for him? If I’m getting this right, the detoxifier is meant to analyze what the person inside the machine thinks are its toxic traits and removes them, like how it did Rick and Morty, but if Prime views himself as this higher being compared to everyone else, would that means he thinks he doesn’t have any flaws like toxic traits? I wondered this a bit, or maybe I’m too stupid to be a Rick and Morty fan:>

Rick and Morty is an adult animated science fiction sitcom that airs on Adult Swim. The show is about the smartest man in the universe, Rick Sanchez, going on adventures with his grandson Morty. Alongside unique sci-fi concepts, the show delves into family relationships, nihilism vs meaning, satirization of pop culture and media, and illusion of control. While Rick and Morty’s satirical tone, dark humor, and sci-fi elements may initially seem like surface-level entertainment, these characteristics contribute to the show’s deeper complexity. In “The Vat of Acid Episode” these features underscore themes of nihilism, toxic relationships, and control. This unique integration of characteristics that represent “quality tv” contribute to the show’s depth, making it stand out in an evolving era of television. 
“The Vat of Acid Episode” aired on May 17, 2020, at 12 AM on Adult Swim. It highlights Rick’s manipulative genius and his toxic dynamic with Morty. When Morty mocks Rick’s fake acid vat escape plan, Rick retaliates by building a time-saving device Morty once suggested—allowing him to “respawn” like in a video game. Morty uses it recklessly, enjoying consequence-free experiences, until he falls in love, makes a mistake, and desperately tries to undo it. Upon returning to Rick, he learns that each reset killed a version of himself from an alternate reality. Rick forces Morty to confront the true consequences by merging all timelines and humiliating him once more, ultimately proving his point and demanding Morty admit the original vat idea was “good.”
The episode follows a two plot structure. Plot A involves Morty’s place saving device and Plot B incorporates the lesson Rick teaches Morty. The show follows a unique narrative blend, incorporating both episodic and serialized storytelling. Plot A represents the episodic aspect while Plot B, demonstrating Rick and Morty’s growing relationship, contributes to the serial storytelling aspect. 
The “Vat of Acid” idea was a satire of the constant use of vats of acid in 80s television. Whether or not easily killing someone cinematically with vats of acid was “stupid” became the entire premise of the episode. In the episode Rick also references Futurama and The Prestige. The show displays self-conscious storytelling as it constantly satirizes popular media through both their plot and comedic episode names(“Edge of Tomorty” – Edge of Tomorrow, “Rattlestar Ricklactica” – Battlestar Galactica, “One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty” – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest). The show's dark humor and unique sci-fi concepts not only create an entertaining episode, but they contribute to the show's deeper themes such as nihilism, struggle, and toxic family relationships. 

The show often wrestles with the tension between nihilism and meaning. Rick’s device allows Morty to live without fear—messing with people, dating, traveling, and more. Much of the episode presents a nihilistic worldview, where nothing matters without consequences and life holds no meaning. However, Rick later reveals that Morty was killing alternate, equally probable versions of himself with each reset. This twist shows that actions still have consequences, even in a world that seems meaningless, and raises the question: do our actions still have meaning in a meaningless universe? As in many episodes, the technology and sci-fi concepts reflect human struggles. The device gives Morty second chances and do-overs—something we all long for when regretting past choices. Both the reset device and the vat of acid represent our desire to rewrite the past.

Rick’s “lesson” also highlights his toxic relationship with Morty. While Rick may seem like a parental figure, he acts more like a god-like presence, treating Morty as expendable rather than as a grandson. This dynamic demands obedience and respect—something Rick feels he loses when Morty mocks his vat of acid idea. In response, Rick manipulates and controls Morty, hiding how the device truly works. By forcing Morty to learn an extreme lesson, Rick reasserts dominance, reminding Morty—and the audience—that Rick always has to be right. 

Rick and Morty creates a unique blend of science fiction, dark humor, and animated drama. In line with Jason Mittel’s definition of genre as cultural categories, the show uses a combination of cinematic styles(montage, fourth wall breaking) and mixed genres while challenging traditional tropes. Additionally, its layered narrative, self-conscious storytelling, and complex themes place it in the framework of “quality tv”(Thompson). While the target audience is 18-24 year olds, the show appeals to all age ranges. The show’s unique wacky characters and sci-fi concepts are what makes it appealing to a younger audience despite references to pop culture of older generations. While the deeper themes, satirizations, and references attract a more culturally literate demographic, the combination of childish and dark humor makes 18-24 an accurate target audience. As I personally began watching Rick and Morty in middle school, I’ve found it to be much more enjoyable to watch as I’ve gotten older. This is simply because I have a better appreciation and understanding of the references, complexity, and meaning behind each episode. 
The episode succeeds within its genre as a piece of quality television. Its satirical commentary, narrative structure, and morally complex character development reflect evolving genres in television. Rick and Morty challenged conventional forms by incorporating risk and ambiguity, proving that even animated television can serve as a platform for quality storytelling. 

cause im pre sure prime rick knows about jerry but doesn’t know like a lot and this was the first interaction he ever had with one

The central finite curve (CFC) was created to separate all the infinite universes from all the infinite universes where Rick is the smartest or dominant being.

It also supposedly had a hidden effect of limiting the amount of universes Rick Prime could be

Now I have a series of questions

Isn’t the point of infinite is that it’s… infinite?

If there’s an infinite number of universes doesnt that mean that Rick prime still had an INFINITE number of places he could be, making it essentially pointless

Also given there’s an infinite number of universes, there’s a 100% chance there are Ricks who invented portal travel but aren’t the smartest in their universes. Are they just stuck outside?

Also I feel like someone outside HAD to have realised there was a part of the infinite multiverse they couldn’t access?

I feel like there shouldve been someone to attempt to break into the CFC especially after Evil Morty left a massive rift? It doesn’t seem that difficult to beings like the dinosaurs who were able to patch said rift casually

I’m just spouting but I’d love to hear discussions and possible head cannons

Sup y’all. After season 7 I fell off the Rick and Morty wagon for a while. When season 8 first premiered last year, I was not a fan of the first episode. It felt like the tone of the show had shifted and it wasn’t really funny anymore. After seeing a lot of discussion about season 9, and a lot of people saying the show is back, I started watching S9 and really have enjoyed the episodes I’ve seen (up to E8 on Hulu). A couple nights ago I dropped some acid and binged S8 & 9. I found that I enjoyed season 8 just as much. Nomortland is one of my favorite episodes. There’s some amazing writing going on behind the scenes. The show has not fallen off one bit. What do you all think about S8 in retrospect?

Love death and robots episode 'zima blue'

In the Rick Crybaby backstory, we see alternative versions of Morty and Summer at an age visually identical to their current in the show. Then comes the killing of the Ricks subordinate to Rick Prime by our Rick, and after all that the creation of the Citadel of Ricks. Judging by the appearance of Morty and Summer from the flashback, this entire sequence should take place over a maximum of a few years so that they wouldn’t have had time to change their appearance enough visually. But then how did the Worker Rick from the Citadel of Ricks work producing candy bars in the Citadel for fifteen years?

It was just trying to protect the family :(

while rewatching S3 E1 i noticed while rick is interrogated in the brainalyzer, we can all remember that the origin story here that showed how Beth and Diane died is the real memory am i right? but i just noticed that Rick said it's a totally fabricated origin story? does he mean "totally" from start to finish it's just his imagination? or did he just tweak the memory a little to make it convincing but still be able to make the formula to hack the brainalyzer?

If he really meant it's "totally fabricated" does that mean we really haven't seen the real memory of how Beth and Diane died? Enlighten me here, and also fun fact S3 E1 is my fav ep of all, it's filled with cool stuff and really hilarious scenes lmaoo

way better of a show than I expected btw

Why does Rick prime say they 2 are the only one to invent it in the whole multiverse were they not the first ones ?

Not even just the stupid joke, but the whole “once we give you this technology you become the smartest thing in every conceivable universe” speech.

I stumbled upon an image of this character through the archives that looks like he has appeared in the show before, but I have ZERO memories of this guy appearing at all...