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History of Rick and Morty Timeline
(December 2, 2013 – Present)Rick and Morty is an American adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. Premiering in 2013, the series follows the cynical mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his good-hearted but easily influenced grandson Morty Smith on dangerous adventures across infinite dimensions. Known for its blend of dark humor, existential themes, and complex sci-fi concepts, the show became a cultural phenomenon, spawning merchandise, video games, comic books, and a passionate global fanbase. More Less
Origins and Development
Roiland submits content to Channel 101
2004
Justin Roiland, then a producer on reality programming, began submitting content to the Channel 101 festival a year after its launch in 2004, laying the groundwork for the characters that would later become Rick and Morty.
Image source: Rick and Morty
Roiland fired from TV series, creates webisode
2006
In 2006, Roiland was fired from working on a television series he regarded as creatively stifling, and funneled his creative energies into creating a webisode for Channel 101 featuring the precursors to Rick and Morty.
Harmon briefly fired from Community
2012
In 2012, Dan Harmon was briefly fired from Community, which freed him to devote more attention to the developing Rick and Morty pilot with Justin Roiland.
Image source: Dan Harmon
Adult Swim unveils Rick and Morty pilot
May 2012
In May 2012, Adult Swim unveiled its development slate, which included a Rick and Morty pilot from Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, positioning it as one of the network's first primetime original shows.
Rick and Morty picked up to series
Oct 2012
In October 2012, Adult Swim picked up Rick and Morty to series, making it one of the network's first primetime original shows.
Roiland discusses his cartooning influences
2013
Roiland's cartooning style is heavily indebted to The Simpsons, a factor he acknowledged in a 2013 interview, while also comparing his style to that of Pendleton Ward of Adventure Time and J.G. Quintel.
Image source: Justin Roiland
Production staff file union petition
2022
Described as a "very, very tiny little writers' room with a lot of heavy lifting from everybody," the show's writing staff is not unionized with the Writers Guild of America, though in 2022 production staff filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board in a bid to join The Animation Guild.
Seasons and Renewals
First season premieres on Adult Swim
Dec 2013 - Apr 2014
The first season of Rick and Morty premiered in December 2013 and concluded in April 2014, introducing audiences to the misadventures of the eccentric scientist and his anxious grandson.
Image source: Rick and Morty season 1
Renewed for second season
Feb 2014
Two months into the first season's run, in February 2014, the show was renewed for a second season, with the press release noting that Rick and Morty consistently outperformed direct competition in its time slot.
Image source: Rick and Morty season 2
Second season airs July to October 2015
Jul 2015 - Oct 2015
Season two aired Sundays at 11:30 pm ET/PT from July to October 2015, and comprised ten episodes.
Key Facts
- Rick and Morty was created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, premiering on Adult Swim on December 2, 2013.
- The show originated from Roiland's crude animated short 'The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mhashi,' which parodied Back to the Future.
- Dan Harmon's story circle writing technique, developed during his time on Community, shapes each episode's narrative structure.
- In January 2023, Justin Roiland was removed from the show amid legal controversies, with his characters recast using new voice actors.
- The series has won multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program for 'Pickle Rick' (2018) and 'Mortyplicity' (2021).
Source
This History of Rick and Morty timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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