Rick and Morty vs. Futurama

There’s only room for one sci-fi adult animated series in this universe! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we’re pitting two of the greatest futuristic adult cartoons against each other - “Rick and Morty” vs. “Futurama”!

Round 1: Characters

While the brilliant grandfather and dimwitted grandson are the main stars of the show, “Rick and Morty” boasts quite a collection of memorable characters. The Sanchez family may not seem too different in comparison to other dysfunctional families on television, but the way they’re written gives their personalities more depth. Sure, Beth may be the alcoholic mother who regrets her life choices, but how she handles those frustrations is what makes her more interesting. The same goes for Morty’s sister, Summer; on the surface, she’s an angsty teen obsessed with getting popular. But how does she handle Beth and Jerry’s divorce? Its situations like these that allow the show to build its characters and make them more relatable. On top of that, we have hilarious characters like Mr. Meeseeks and the Zigerions that make every episode as memorable as the previous one.

“Futurama” does have episodes that show new sides to its cast, but those episodes become so rare that it can make the show feel like another “The Simpsons”. Each character has a couple of defining traits that represent them, and that’s just about it. Fry is stupid all the time, Bender is a total jerk, Leela is always combative, the Professor is old, Hermes is a bureaucrat, Amy is the flirty type, and Zoidberg is just there for the characters to bully. Again, each character gets their time to shine in a handful of episodes, but most of the time, they fall under the same stereotypical behavior.

“Rick and Morty” may be the newer face around town, but it managed to meet the expectations of modern television with dimensional characters. “Futurama”, on the other hand, relies too heavily on one or two traits. Sure, these clashing personalities adds to the show’s appeal, but you can only binge it for so long before you start noticing the same kinds of reactions over and over again.

WINNER: Rick and Morty 1 / Futurama 0

Round 2: World

Thanks to the power of Rick’s portal gun, “Rick and Morty” has taken viewers for a ride through all kinds of dimensions and planets. While some of these locations are there for a good joke, many of them have served as crucial plot points or a way for the show to present a perspective on certain topics. How would a microverse handle the knowledge that its existence is virtually meaningless? Could a society based on “The Purge” really work? Additionally, every world we’ve encountered is brimming with personality and stunning visual design.

“Futurama” may not have crossed dimensions where chairs are people, but it’s put in the same amount of effort into building its universe as “Rick and Morty” has. You have planets that are built off of pop culture references, and you have planets that convey unique ideas. However, “Futurama” boasts more memorable planets because of its jokes and parodies. Who could ever forget the visit to the Slurm factory or the planet of Amazons where men are put to death by “snoo snoo”?

This round was a tough decision, but we have to give the point to “Futurama”. Both shows are imaginative with their worlds and use them effectively in creating great stories. However, “Futurama” beats out “Rick and Morty” with its more hilarious settings.

WINNER: Rick and Morty 1 / Futurama 1

Round 3: Humor

One could argue that “humor is subjective, thus this round is pointless”, but hear us out on this one.

When watching an episode of “Futurama”, you can expect a wide rainbow of humor on display. There will be slapstick humor, animation gags, sexual innuendos, irony, ridiculous musical numbers, and sometimes, plain stupidity. It's great that the show’s humor can appeal to a wider audience, but with that massive palette of comedy, not every joke is going to land or even make someone chuckle. Some jokes just carry the same setup as jokes from an earlier episode. Basically, if you’re someone who appreciates a particular, niche type of comedy, “Futurama” may not be the side splitting cartoon you’re looking for.

“Rick and Morty” never forgets that it is a comedy cartoon for adults and knows that if it wants to keep its audience laughing, it’ll have to keep a steady beat of jokes. And that it does! Even though “Rick and Morty” can get a little mean-spirited at times, the show is constantly belting out jokes while still moving the plot along. Rarely is there a scene completely devoid of humor. “Rick and Morty” isn’t above making the occasional pop culture joke or bad pun either.

Sorry, “Futurama”. “Rick and Morty” steals the point this round. Compared to Groening’s show, Justin Roiland’s series has humor that is focused, doesn’t detract from the story (or not often, at least), and follows an even pace.

WINNER: Rick and Morty 2 / Futurama 1

Round 4: Heart

It’s almost clear who might win this one…

“Rick and Morty” can show a human side every once in awhile, but that side only shines when facing a dark and dismal truth. How many times has the show ever bummed you out with its often blunt lessons on life? Was it the Season Two finale where Rick finally realizes what his problems have caused? How about the various times where Rick’s self-destructive behavior comes to light? Or that moment where Morty talks to Summer about fearing death? Granted, there are a few emotional moments (like some of the times where Rick sacrifices himself to save Morty), but there are far too many episodes where things end in a somewhat depressing manner or get too intense.

Much like “The Simpsons”, “Futurama” carries a hefty handful of episodes that are as tearful as they are funny. Even though the characters exchange some harsh banter every now and then, they know when things are serious. (Well, more or less…) Episodes like “Lethal Inspection” and “The Luck of the Fryrish” warmed our hearts with their touching stories and have been deemed as some of the show’s best episodes. Really, just try watching the series finale without shedding a tear or cracking a smile!

While we can appreciate “Rick and Morty’s” real side, the show can get dark to the point where it brings the mood down. “Futurama”, on the other hand, finds a perfect balance between getting real and telling a human story.

WINNER: Rick and Morty 2 / Futurama 2

Round 5: Animation

“Futurama” boasts some excellent character designs and animation, but what else can you expect from an animation icon like Matt Groening? His style has become so prominent in our time that the second you see that prolonged upper lip, you know it is a Groening cartoon. However, part of what makes a Groening cartoon so special is how characters are animated. Much like Springfield’s family, “Futurama” never forgets that its a cartoon and will sometimes pull off ridiculous gags you’d see in something like “Looney Tunes” or Tex Avery’s work. It also bears mentioning that the show was one of the first to incorporate 3D animation with a 2D artstyle. It doesn’t get crazy often, but with expressive movements and emotions, “Futurama’s” animation makes for a fun and goofy show!

Now, if “Futurama” was the Mona Lisa, “Rick and Morty” would be the Jackson Pollock of cartoons, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the character designs are simple (at least for the main cast), Justin Roiland’s creation succeeds in other areas. “Rick and Morty” manages to nail a certain level of grotesque we haven’t seen in cartoons in a long time. From the insane amount of gore to Rick’s liquor schmutz, the show has managed to be gross without being over-the-top or in-your-face about it.

While we can admire how “Futurama” pioneered animation techniques and evolved Groening’s work, we have to give this round to “Rick and Morty”. Seriously, how often do you see gross characters look this good?

WINNER: Rick and Morty 3 / Futurama 2

Did we pick the right winner? Which show is your favorite and why? Let us know which show is the best in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to WatchMojo for more intense versus battles!