So here’s the thing. I enjoy an animated television program called Rick and Morty. You know, like pretty much everyone. The show is the highest rated comedy on television/the Internet these days. That’s insane, and quite frankly deserved success for all the twisted minds behind the bleakly funny brilliance. I can get behind that.
You know what I can’t get behind? The increasingly crappy behaviour of Rick and Morty fans. And no, I’m not just talking about the irritating ones who claim that the show is so goddamn smart that the only reason to dislike it is because your precious little brain can’t comprehend its brilliance. Nor am I talking about the gross misogyny that’s occurred in the name of that fandom (you know, like all fandoms). That stuff’s all been called out before and done to death.
I want to talk about the rest of the fans, because pretty much everyone who loves this show enough to speak about it online tends to shove their foot in their mouths in the process (a difficult physical feat from a keyboard, by the way, so well done y’all). I guess it shouldn’t be too surprising. This is a comedy defined by cynicism, nihilism, and wilfully awful/toxic behaviour. It makes sense that it brings out the worst in those who love it, but here’s a brief breakdown of how it brings out the worst Internet footprints in the core fanbase by age group:
Generation Z or Post-Millennials or Whatever The Hell They’re Called:
“What do you mean I can’t get that packet of McDonalds dipping sauce referenced on Rick and Morty that I wasn’t even aware existed in March. “AHHHH! I’M GOING TO SCREAM ABOUT THIS ON TWITTER SO HARD!!! I DESERVE THAT SZECHUAN SAUCE OR WHATEVER IT’S CALLED!!! I DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS OR IF I’LL LIKE IT. I JUST KNOW THAT IT WAS ON RICK AND MORTY AND THERE WERE FUNNY MEMES AND NOW I DESERVE IT BECAUSE I DESERVE EVERYTHING!!!”
Younger Millennials:
“Hey, you know what? You’re not liking Rick and Morty in the way that I approve of (or even worse, you like it and I don’t). Here’s a 2,000 word think piece shaming you for not feeling the same way about Rick and Morty as me. You’re going to get so many more whiny vlogs and hashtags shaming you for liking it the right way, you idiot. I HATE YOU FOR NOT SHARING MY EXACT OPINION ON A SPECIFIC THING!!! CONFLICTING OPINIONS ARE NOT ALLOWED!!!! EVERYONE MUST AGREE WITH ME!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!”
Older Millennials/Gen-Xers:
“Pfft! I liked Rick and Morty in like 2014. It wasn’t popular then, so it was cool to like it. It’s popular now, so it’s not cool to like it anymore. No, I’m not going to watch it to find out if it’s still funny. I’m just going to judge you for liking a thing that’s popular, you stupid drone. You shouldn’t just blindly follow things that are popular, dummy. You should blindly hate things that are popular and blindly love the things that your cool friends/favourite Internet personalities have decided are cool that week. That means you’re smart and not somebody who doesn’t think for themselves, loser! Anyways, let me know when Rick and Morty stops being so popular so that I can like it again.”
Honestly, it’s getting to the point that I love everything about Rick and Morty except for the people who also love it. Since the show is the most successful comedy on television right now, that means I don’t like anyone with eyeballs and Internet access because they all feel the need to take some sort of passionately divisive stance on the show. Can we stop this please? You’re allowed to like a show that you find funny and/or smart and not like it if you find it unfunny and/or stupid. That doesn’t mean you need to attack people who disagree with you. This is true of all art and pop culture. Rick and Morty just casts such a large pop culture shadow right now that it’s lightning rod for this nonsense.
Also, are you wondering if I’m aware of the irony that I just wrote a whiny article complaining that Rick and Morty fans whine about other Rick and Morty fans too much? Well, of course I am. I AM a Rick and Morty fan, and if you’ve been to Reddit you’ll know that means I’m smarter than everyone else. Now let’s all stop this, please? Fortunately, it’ll be years before the next season, so we’ll have time to calm down a bit. But when it comes back, let’s cut the crap because I’d like to be able to google the show and see funny Mr. Poopybutthole memes again rather than a bunch of fandom infighting where people talk out of their poopy buttholes instead of their green-dripping booze holes.
Liked this article and want to read more like it? Check out Pill’s take on Blade Runner 2049, American Made, and It! He also had a chance to sit down with Guillermo Del Toro. Check out his interview here!
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