Justin Roiland was charged with felony domestic violence against an ex-girlfriend in 2020. Despite pleading not guilty back then, there is evidence of Roiland’s wrong-doing and, as a result, he returned to court to face the charges again on January 13th, 2023.
As the case surrounding the charges has continued to advance, word of the legal battle has begun to circulate. The news has resulted in many of Roiland’s prior fans feeling angry or conflicted, and has put producers of his shows in a tough position.
For his big works like Rick and Morty, Roiland played a role in both the character voicing, and the creation of the story. Having so much influence on the show made it difficult for executives to decide what the wisest choice for the show would be. Of course, with enough fans outraged by Roiland’s actions, the decision to let him go was finally made– likely, beginning a chain reaction of Roiland being dropped from shows.
Nonetheless, the show had already been renewed to continue being made, and the newest season is already in production, which would make canceling the show a pricey loss. Considering this, the wisest choice for creators was to move forward, in a new direction, without Roiland.
There’s no denying that Roiland’s leaving the show will impact its story greatly, because he helped shape the plotline and played the distinct voice of Rick, along with other recognizable characters. That said, reflecting on past seasons of the show, it’s clear to see where some of the darker elements of the show illuminated some of these problematic behaviors and ideas of Roiland’s. Between how women are treated in the show, the gore, and Rick’s personal problems, many parts of Rick and Morty’s plot perhaps reveal Roiland’s own demons.
A recent Hollywood Reporter article dove deep into some of the alleged issues Roiland brought to the workplace, revealing that in many ways, he had divorced himself from the creative process on the show. While he still provided the voices of the two main characters, he was almost entirely absent from the writers room, leaving the bulk of the work with fellow showrunner Dan Harmon and the rest of the writing team. If these reports are accurate, then the fact that Roiland is no longer involved may have less impact than previously thought.
On the other hand, he’s not the only creator of the show, so it could be that Dan Harmons’ demons play a role as well. This is especially likely considering Harmon’s past publicly inappropriate moments and the negative experiences other people in the industry have had with him. As evidence reveals, it’s very possible that Harmon is equally to blame for these elements being woven into the story.
While dark humor can be beneficial and well-done when used as satire, knowing that the content actually reflects a dark truth is a turnoff for many viewers. Because of this, whether it was Roiland’s voice or Harmon’s voice that influenced these darker moments of the show, it’s not likely that such plot points will be as constantly occurring from here on.
Though eliminating or cutting back on these parts of the show might affect the tone considerably, it would probably be the wisest approach. The change would not only separate the series from the drama of Roiland’s reality, but would also act as a stance against such violence in real life.
Beyond that, the changes might even make the story better as it would create a clear evolution among the characters. In any good storyline, the characters should evolve as the series goes on. Viewers should be able to recognize how broken or flawed the characters are in the beginning, so that they can understand how they learn, grow, and change as time passes. Rick and Morty has surely already established the flaws of its characters by now, being six seasons in. In fact, the characters (especially Rick) remaining so flawed (maybe even getting worse) for so long was beginning to make them feel stale. Thus, it would probably actually benefit the show greatly to make a noticeable change in their behaviors and outlooks on life.
Certainly, bettering the characters would give the series more of a full-circle storyline, and would make them easier for viewers to root for. Further, such changes would help the show by emphasizing its themes, which evaluate humanity’s relationship with the universe. The show’s message is meant to satirize the human idea of being the most superior species, because of our understanding of the world. Rick and Morty’s plot line points out that people are not in fact superior, and it is our knowledge that either allows us to accept that and make the best of it, or weaken our potential and make us greedy. Again, making the necessary changes to the storyline of the show could help steer this theme along.
So, while Roiland’s absence will probably turn some fans away from the show– especially if the changes are obvious– it will surely reflect something about that group of the fanbase. For the sake of the show’s financial security and the sake of it upholding the standard of what is legally acceptable, the changes will likely have to happen. Fans that are willing to embrace the changes and finish out the series, will likely connect more with the show and possibly learn something from it, as well. Undoubtedly, there’s no way to truly know how Roiland’s absence will impact Rick and Morty, but the perseverance of the show will certainly be worth witnessing, especially if the changes do turn out to improve it.