"Rick and Morty creators discuss crafting a Citadel-focused episode with a Western twist: 'A delightful testing of skills'"
Let's Talk 'Rick and Morty' Season 8 - "The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly"
Doc and Grandpa Jerry are trying to recapture that old magic in Season 8, Episode 3 - "The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly". This one takes a wild twist, masquerading as a Western-style revenge flick. Dan Harmon, co-creator and co-showrunner, drops the bombshell over Zoom that it's actually a spiritual sequel to Season 3's "The Ricklantis Mixup". Crazy, huh?
That epic episode had the highest ratings according to IMDb and it incorporated a clever bait and switch, setting up one storyline before flipping the script. Sounds familiar? Well, it's all about delivering an unexpected meta-joke to the audience, say bye-bye to your expectations!
In "The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly", the Citadel, the multiverse's inter-dimensional stronghold, has been reduced to rubble. The fallout? A wild, wild west society inhabited by clones bred on the Citadel. These clones were designed as backup bodies for various functions, including serving as mascots for restaurant chains. With nothing left, they have made a new home in the ruins.
Co-showrunner Scott Marder explains their rationale; "We got excited about doing something that felt like a Western and it breathed life into the Citadel and all the human debris that came with it. What is life like for these clones in this new frontier?"
The episode starts with Rick and Morty cleaning up the mess when their ship is damaged. They land on a farm owned by a lone homesteader-turned-hero, Rick. He gets taken hostage by a gang of Morty-napping marauders working for an evil, Colonel Sanders-style Rick. The episode unfolds like a classic Western through the eyes of our heroic farmers.
In conjunction, series co-creator Dan Harmon concludes; "We had an advantage with "The Ricklantis Mixup" because it was about the hustle and bustle of city life, moving between multiple stories. This one is an exact opposite - a frontier story focused on smaller tales. It was a fun challenge to make the audience feel supported while taking them on an "Unforgiven"-style adventure."
So tune in every Sunday night at 11:00 p.m. ET for new episodes of Rick and Morty Season 8 on Adult Swim - you won't wanna miss this wild ride!
In an unforeseen twist, "The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly," a Western-style revenge flick in Season 8 of Rick and Morty, is revealed to be a spiritual successor to the acclaimed episode "The Ricklantis Mixup" from Season 3. Dan Harmon, co-creator and co-showrunner, beckons viewers to set aside their expectations for another unexpected meta-joke. The episode's unusual premise, set in a wild, wild west society of clone inhabitants, promises to deliver an entertaining blend of animation, comedy, and the Western genre on Adult Swim.
