Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Rick and Morty season 7!
Rick and Mortyseason 8 is on the way, and its usage of classicRick and Mortyadventures can finally deliver on the show’s original promise. Throughout theseven seasons ofRick and Mortythat have been released, the show has gone through a lot of changes, with it throwing a lot at the wall and seeing what sticks. The various types of storylines and characters arcs that have been used have changed throughout the years, and after several seasons of experimenting,Rick and Mortyis finally in a position to return to its original formula after all these years.
Rick and Mortyhas been one of the most popular adult animated series since it was first released,with the show being a massive hit upon the release of season 1and maintaining a huge fanbase in the years since. However, recent seasons ofRick and Mortyhave been a bit controversial with this being due to how they have handled thier storylines. While they have had some stand along episodes,Rick and Mortyhas heavily focused on overarching storylinesthat maintain canon, something that hasn’t been nearly as popular with fans of the show.
Rick And Morty Season 8 Can Be More Episodical Without Rick Prime
Rick Prime’s Death Wrapped Up The Big Overarching Story
The Rick Prime arc was one of the main storylines throughout the recent seasons ofRick and Morty,with the relationship between Rick, Morty, Evil Morty, and Rick Prime being explored in the premiers and finales of the last few seasons. Every bit of information that was revealed about Rick Prime was clung onto by fans, with many wondering what Rick Prime did to destroy Rick’s life and how Rick would get revenge. Luckily, this story comes to a close in season 7, episode 5, “Unmortricken,” which changes the course of the show forever.
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In the episode, Rick beats Rick Prime to death, putting an end to the show’s overarching villain. Because of this, it seems like this major overarching storyline is finally over for good, meaning that the show can return to the episodic format that it originally started with. “Unmortricken” saw all of the major storylines that have been developed throughout the show get wrapped up, meaning that the series no longer has to worry about pleasing fans of the overarching arcs. Instead, theseason 8 can move back to focusing on the classicRick and Mortyadventures that made up the first few seasons.
Most Of Rick And Morty’s All-Time Best Episodes Are Standalone Adventures
The Overarching Storylines Just Aren’t As Memorable
WhileRick and Morty’s Rick Prime storyline is fun, the overarching storyline isn’t what makes the show great. Instead, the one-off episodes are the show’s strongest, with these standalone adventures being where the show’s writing really shines. Rather than haivng to focus on dramatic storytelling, thebestRick and Mortyepisodestake a complex sci-fi plot and build on it for the length of one episode, with it being done by the time that credits roll. Packaging episodes this way works best forRick and Morty, as has been proven by the show’s critical reception.
“Meseeks and Destroy,” “Total Rickall,” “Rick Potion #9,” and more ofRick and Morty’s most popular storiesare contained to just one episode, and while they have been referenced in later stories, they were originally designed to be standalone. Although Evil Morty and Rick Prime have appeared multiple times, they haven’t been able to reach the iconic status that characters like Mr. Meseeks, Mr. Poopybutthole, and Pickle Rick, all of whom are originally from one-off episodes, currently hold. Time has shown that episodic stories are best forRick and Morty, and hopefully they will return in the future.
Rick And Morty Has Been Self-Aware About Its “Standalone Vs. Canon” Problem
It Has Constantly Made Jokes About It
Rick and Mortyhasn’t ignored this conflict within its fanbase, as it has been self-aware about the problem of doing standalone vs. canon episodes.Rick and Mortyhas made all kinds of jokes about the differences in these episodes, with Rick even referring tho these stories as “classic episodes.” Later seasons introduced a plot device in which Morty is allowed to go on a one-off adventure for every few Rick adventures, creating an excuse for standalone episodes that was greatly appreciated by fans of the older seasons.
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Rick and Mortyeven had an entire episode dedicated to making fun of the overarching canon storyline, with this being contained within a standalone episode. Season 4’s “Never Ricking Morty” see Rick and Morty try to escape from a train that is ran by the Story Lord, a character who forces Rick and Morty to enter various storylines. One of these features a massive army of Meseeks that is ran by Evil Morty, making fun of the epic storylines that fans were expecting from the overarching canon storytelling.
By the time thatRick and Mortywrapped up the Rick Prime storyline, it almost seemed like the characters themselves were tired of overarching stories. Rick and Morty made reference to the fact that they could start going on classicRick and Mortyadventures once again, meaning thatRick and Mortyseason 8 may be giving a greater focus to the classic storylines that the show is known for.
Rick And Morty Season 8 Can Still Have Overarching Storylines
They Just Shouldn’t Be As Big As Rick Prime’s
Although it may seem likeRick and Mortyseason 8will focus on episodic stories, it is entirely possible that the show can still have overarching storylines. Despite Rick Prime’s death, Evil Morty is still out there, and he could turn on Rick and Morty at any moment. On top of that, there are all kinds of other variants of Rick and Morty who could become the show’s main villain in the future, and it is also possible that any of the other characters from the show’s main universe could become an antagonist as well.
I Can’t Believe Rick And Morty Has Never Done This Type Of Episode All Other Sitcoms Have
Rick and Morty has never indulged in one sitcom staple that seems uniquely well suited to the series, and I can’t wait for the show to finally do so.
IfRick and Mortywants to continue its overarching storylines, the best way to do this is to focus on the main cast rather than external threats. Older seasons ofRick and Mortyhave had fantastic overarching storylines, such asBeth and Jerry’s divorce. Instead of taking up whole episodes, this was a background story that complimented the main Rick and Morty adventures, and this is something thatRick and Mortyseason 8 could learn from when moving forward.
Rick and Morty
Cast
Rick and Morty is an animated science fiction series that follows the eccentric scientist Rick Sanchez and his impressionable grandson Morty Smith as they embark on perilous adventures across space and alternate dimensions. The show explores the impact of these exploits on Morty’s tumultuous family life and personal challenges.
