The modern Doc and Marty are back: Rick and Morty returns with season 8, now streaming, with episode five released on June 22. The series has quickly evolved from a niche sci-fi cartoon into a modern cult, thanks to its blend of absurdist humor, science fiction, and cynical outlook.

With seven seasons behind it, Rick and Morty has built a vast universe and intricate plotlines that keep fans hooked, constantly looking for answers to lingering mysteries: what exactly is the Central Finite Curve? Is the recurring Morty we follow the Morty Prime?

Season 8 doesn’t promise to answer every question. Instead, it creates even more mind-bending mysteries while shifting focus to character development and emotional depth, without losing the show’s signature irreverent humor.

The success of Rick and Morty

Created by Dan Harmon and (now fired) Justin Roiland in 2013, Rick and Morty began as a parody of Back to the Future, but soon found its peculiar style. It laid the foundations for a bizarre universe where sci-fi, sarcasm, and nonsense collide.

Alongside series like South Park and BoJack Horseman, it helped push the boundaries of what adult animation could be, combining vulgarity and nihilism with surprisingly sharp reflections on depression, trauma, and other complex emotions.

Its self-referential humor and attention to pop culture eventually turned the show into a cultural reference point in its own right. What began as a series of parody-driven adventures has grown into a twelve-season, critically acclaimed show, arguably one of the most influential animated series of the last decade.

An animated series that turned into a sci-fi cult classic

Behind the success of Rick and Morty is a writers’ room that packs every episode with hidden meanings, callbacks, and meta-commentary. The show was carefully designed to reward rewatching and spark fan theories, with clues and connections scattered across seasons. This obsessive attention to detail helped turn Rick and Morty into a pop culture machine, fueling countless YouTube breakdowns and Reddit threads.

The series became a phenomenon thanks to adventures that blend absurd premises with sharp writing and unexpected emotional depth. Episodes like Pickle Rick, Fear No Mort, and Total Rickall quickly became fan favorites, stories filled with references and innovative twists on the genres they parody.
With such success, Rick and Morty has also appeared in high-profile ad campaigns for God of War: Ragnarök, PS5, and even a Wendy’s commercial that turned an entire restaurant into a themed pop-up. From adult coloring books to NFTs and Hot Topic fashion lines, the series has become a marketing powerhouse.

Rick Sanchez’s origin story

Rick and Morty is, at its core, the story of Rick Sanchez: alcoholic, egomaniac, and the most intelligent man in the universe. According to what we’re shown in Season 5’s Rickmurai Jack, Rick’s wife Diane and a young Beth were killed by another version of Rick, setting him off in search of the assassin. 

After years spent jumping between dimensions, he returns to live with his daughter Beth, who may or may not be a clone, her husband Jerry, and their children, Summer and Morty. While living with them, he builds his lab and resumes his space odyssey with Morty in tow.

Rick’s complicated relationships with Beth, Morty, and himself shape much of the show’s emotional core. Each absurd twist or alien encounter often hints at the scientist escaping not enemies but his past and self.

The Show’s Unanswered Questions

Even after eight seasons, Rick and Morty still leaves some of its biggest mysteries unresolved. Fans still wonder if we’ve been following Morty Prime, or if he was replaced at some point. Rick Prime’s actual plan hasn’t been fully revealed, and the damage he caused is still unfolding.

It’s still unclear whether any version of Rick can escape the loop of self-destruction and loneliness that defines him. And with the Central Finite Curve broken, the multiverse is wide open to new dangers.

What to expect from Rick and Morty Season 8

Season 8 delivers solid new episodes, mixing wild adventures with a closer look at Rick’s past, Beth’s identity, and Jerry’s role in the family. According to showrunners Dan Harmon and Scott Marder, this season shifts the focus from big plot twists to personal stories, especially Rick’s unresolved trauma.

The first episodes move between genre parodies and more profound character moments: Morty and Summer get stuck in a fake reality, Jerry ends up on an Easter mission, and Rick resumes therapy to face what happened with Rick Prime.