Rick and Morty: The South Park Rule Explained
- The Adult Swim hit, Rick and Morty, known for its clever pop culture references, employs an unusual strategy when selecting targets for parody.
- Harmon explained that the writers' room operates under a "South Park rule," avoiding topics that the latter show could address "faster and better." Instead, Rick and Morty focuses...
- the goal is to create Rick and Morty episodes that remain funny regardless of current trends.
Rick and Morty masterfully avoids comedic pitfalls by adhering to “The South Park Rule.” The show intentionally sidesteps topical humor that South Park could execute more quickly, ensuring its parodies resonate for the long haul. Co-creator Dan Harmon’s insight reveals this strategy, focusing rather on timeless pop culture touchstones like classic sci-fi movies. This deliberate approach, refined by showrunner Scott Marder, allows Rick and Morty to craft jokes impacting audiences years after broadcast, even as they are currently working on Season 10. News Directory 3 highlights the show’s commitment to ensuring long-term comedic impact. Discover what’s next for the show as it continues to blend sci-fi and social commentary.
Rick and Morty’s Parody Process: The South Park Connection
Updated May 29, 2025
The Adult Swim hit, Rick and Morty, known for its clever pop culture references, employs an unusual strategy when selecting targets for parody. According to co-creator Dan Harmon, the show uses South park as a comedic measuring stick.harmon and showrunner Scott Marder revealed that this approach helps them avoid humor that’s already been done or is too fleeting.
Harmon explained that the writers’ room operates under a “South Park rule,” avoiding topics that the latter show could address “faster and better.” Instead, Rick and Morty focuses on parodies with lasting appeal, such as classic sci-fi movies, ensuring the jokes resonate even years after airing. This approach is key to the show’s enduring success and relevance in the crowded landscape of adult animation.
the goal is to create Rick and Morty episodes that remain funny regardless of current trends. Harmon illustrated this point by saying the show would avoid making an episode about Justin Baldoni, as the topic is too energized right now. The focus remains on “timeless classic kind of pop cultural things.”
Marder added that the show is currently writing Season 10, and they consider how impactful an idea will be when it airs years later.This long-term viewpoint ensures that Rick and Morty‘s humor remains sharp and relevant, even as pop culture continues to evolve.
We have a South Park rule, which is, ‘Let’s not play a South Park game because South Park can do it faster and better than us.’
I think our rule would be if somebody were to pitch, you know, ‘I think that this should be an episode about Justin Baldoni.’ We would be like, ‘Let’s not lose a South Park contest by addressing something that is so energized right now.’
We’ve already written Season 10, but as a notable example, sometimes we’re like, ‘How impactful is that idea going to be when this airs in 2028,’ or whenever it’s going to air?
What’s next
Fans can catch Rick and Morty Season 8 on Adult Swim on Sundays at 11:00 p.m. ET. With its unique approach to parody and commitment to timeless humor,the show promises to deliver more laughs for years to come.