It may be hard to believe, but Rick and Morty has been on the air for eight years now. The show’s 49 episodes so far, which would’ve made up nearly two full seasons on a standard network sitcom, have been split up between five seasons since 2013. Despite its relatively low episode count, the world and characters of the show now feel deeply familiar. Within the first two seasons, the writers at Rick and Morty had already established a funny and compelling cast of characters to build their show around. Today, the question they’re dealing with is: How do you keep these characters funny and compelling? The writers knew, going into season four, that the show would continue for at least 70 more episodes, so how did they avoid the common problem of sitcoms running out of steam? So far, its fifth season has provided a clear answer: let the characters grow in meaningful, permanent ways.
In the cold open of the Season 5 premiere, Morty confesses his feelings to his long-running crush Jessica, who surprisingly returns his affections. Although the relationship doesn’t quite take off, this storyline marks another step in Morty’s growing confidence and assertiveness. Rick, meanwhile, has softened significantly. Whereas season 1 Rick would treat Beth and Summer as somewhat disposable, often noting that there were infinite versions of them in infinite timelines, Season 5 Rick cares about both of them and isn’t afraid to show it. Rick has been confronted with the fact that his abrasive, reckless manner has put his relationship with his daughter Beth in jeopardy too many times, and he’s changed as a result. As staff writer Siobhan Thompson puts it: “He is a scientist in the best way, in that when faced with evidence, he accepts it and changes.”
