Rick and Morty should take a page from Gravity Falls
With Rick and Morty season 4 still unconfirmed, the sci-fi hit should look to one of its fellow cartoon shows, Gravity Falls and mirror it.
When Justin Roiland created Rick and Morty, he likely never imagined how popular it would become. The same can be said about Alex Hirsch creating Gravity Falls. Where the two differ is Hirsch’s decision to end Gravity Falls and it’s something Roiland should consider as well.
Of all the animated shows currently airing, Rick and Morty are one of the most talked-about. It’s somewhat good but usually bad. The fandom has gotten a horrible reputation and is known for being unruly, to say the least. Roiland has generally tried to stay away, preferring to work on the show and his other projects.
There is one thing Roiland and co-creator, Dan Harmon has yet to address. The two have never discussed when they wanted the show to end. The only indication we have was Rick screaming about Szechuan sauce and the show going on for 9 seasons. Since then, neither Roiland and Harmon have spoken out.
This is where Gravity Falls should come in. Gravity Falls was an extremely beloved show that wrapped up after two seasons. The show’s creator, Alex Hirsch gave a simple reason why: “It’s being finished. This is 100% my choice, and it’s something I decided on a very long time ago. I always designed Gravity Falls to be a finite series about one epic summer- a series with a beginning, middle, and end.” Basically, he had the series planned in his head and nothing was stopping him.
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Personally, I think Roiland has a similar idea, too. The two are friends and have guest-starred on their respective shows so it’s not hard to imagine. Regardless, Rick and Morty have slowly started to decline. The issues with the fandom haven’t helped matters, either.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to Roiland and Harmon. Similar to Gravity Falls, they should wrap up the show after season 4 or 5. It will give them a chance to flesh out the story, wrap up any loose ends and hopefully, give the characters a respectable ending. I would say, but this is Rick Sanchez we’re talking about.
As one of the biggest shows on TV though, I can see why Roiland or Adult Swim would want to continue production. I don’t see Rick and Morty ending up like The Simpsons, though. Roiland and Harmon have captured lightning in a bottle so it’s only a matter of time before the light dims.
Who knows? Maybe Roiland and Hirsch will collaborate again. Even if Rick and Morty end after this season or next, he could bring them back in comic book form like Hirsch. All we can hope for is that Roiland is happy with the project and will continue to produce content for us.
Next: Why I’m torn about the return of Rick and Morty
Overall, Rick and Morty deserve to end when Roiland says so. He’s the creator and has worked extremely hard on the show. As long as he has a supportive team and works hard, he deserves to make the decision on when the show ends.