Top 10 Unscripted Rick and Morty Moments That Were Left In
#10: Forever 100 Years Rant “Pilot”
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Rick and Morty’s first onscreen adventure concludes with a legendary bit of improv. After the mega seeds in Morty’s butt dissolve, he loses all motor functions and begins writhing uncontrollably on the floor of the garage. Despite inspirational music playing, the speech Rick delivers to Morty is not so much inspiring as it is deranged and rambling. Although his remarks about them going on more adventures are likely scripted, the improv seems to come in as he starts ranting about “Rick and Morty 100 years” and “Rick and Morty dot com.” The bizarre speech is among the show’s most memorable early moments though.
#9: Goofing Around with Morty “M. Night Shaym-Aliens!”
Rick’s imprisonment inside several simulations by Zigerion scam artists is a trying experience for him… and Jerry for that matter. But the genius scientist still finds an unusual moment of levity amidst all the plot twist reveals and nudity. Before escaping one of the simulations, Rick and what appears to be Morty goof around and throw computer crystals at each other. According to Justin Roiland, who voices both Rick and Morty, the uncharacteristic moment of horseplay was improvised by him. It may not have been scripted, but the break in character certainly plays into the whole thing being simulated.
#8: Funny Songs “Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate”
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Several “Rick and Morty” episodes depict Interdimensional Cable – TV shows and other entertainment from parallel universes. These segments are always improvised and lead to some wild ideas. The second outing has some bizarre and funny content. While we want to give a shout-out to “Man vs Car” and the bizarre “Eyeholes” segments, our pick this time goes to “Funny Songs.” It depicts a stand-up comedy special where the comedian improvises a song about a tax attorney from the audience. While the song itself is weird enough, with the comedian seemingly disparaging religions “as” the tax attorney, things get funnier after it’s over. The comedian calls the man an orthodontist and instructs security, wolves, and demons to destroy the man. Guess he shouldn’t have lied?
#7: Quick Mystery “Rixty Minutes”
Everyone loves a good crime drama, right? But what if they got right to the point? This segment from the first Interdimensional Cable episode shows what such a show would be like. In a parody of crime shows, a presenter in a trench coat introduces each quick mystery. First, we’re shown several crimes, which are instantly solved when the killer appears, confesses, provides evidence, and is sentenced, all in the span of a few seconds. The third time this happens, though, a man right next to the presenter confesses his crimes and takes his own life. Not bad mysteries for being off the cuff.
#6: Wubba Lubba Dub-Dub “Meeseeks and Destroy”
Yes, Rick’s famous catchphrase was actually the result of an unscripted moment! At the conclusion of the family’s adventure with Mr. Meeseeks, Rick makes a joke and follows it up with the first instance of the catchphrase, with Rick claiming it is a tribute to Arsenio Hall. The fact that he switches up the way he says “Wubba Lubba Dub-Dub” makes it clear that it’s improvised, and an interview with Justin Roiland confirmed this. While Wubba Lubba Dub-Dub has surprisingly hidden depths later on, it started its life as pure nonsense.
#5: Plumbus “Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate”
Everybody has a plumbus in their home. Apparently. This Interdimensional Cable segment is a parody of shows that reveal how things are made. However, in this show, a bizarre, possibly alien device called a “plumbus” is constructed. The manufacturing process is bizarre and unconventional, with several unrecognizable items used to make plumbuses, whose purpose we can only guess at. Nearly every noun in the sketch is complete gibberish improvised by Justin Roiland. It’s a credit to the animators that they managed to create something coherent out of all the strange words he rattles off.
#4: Gazorpazorpfield “Rixty Minutes”
Interdimensional Cable isn’t just about other dimensions, but also incorporates references to other planets. In this reality, Garfield, the famous cartoon cat who loves lasagna and hates Mondays, is instead Gazorpazorpfield. He’s basically Garfield, but from Gazorpazorp and he hates Mumunmununsdays and loves enchiladas instead. In the show Rick and Morty watch, Gazorpazorpfield berates his owner, Jon, and demands enchiladas. He also may or may not be voiced by Lorenzo Music in-universe. In reality, Justin Roiland voices the character, and you can hear him laugh during his delivery, so you know the whole thing was improvised.
#3: The First Scene “Pilot”
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“Rick and Morty” establishes its propensity for going unscripted from the literal beginning of the show! The opening scene of the pilot sees a thoroughly drunk Rick drag Morty out of bed into his flying car. He then reveals that he’s built a bomb that will destroy the world, prompting Morty to try to wrest control of the vehicle away from him. Rick claims he was trying to make Morty more assertive, and then passes out, just as the bomb activates. According to Justin Roiland, while the general idea for the scene came from co-creator Dan Harmon, he improvised the dialogue in the scene himself. It may have been made-up on the spot, but the scene really sets the tone for the whole show hilariously.
#2: Szechuan Sauce Rant “The Rickshank Rickdemption”
Sometimes improv calls back to improv. The Season 3 premiere sees Rick escape from prison and deal serious blows to everyone who stands in his way. He also takes the time to remark on a discontinued McDonald’s dipping sauce. The end of the episode calls back to the Pilot episode, which also ends with Rick ranting at Morty on the floor of the garage. While the first part of Rick’s speech is scripted, once he starts rambling about Szechuan sauce, that’s when it begins to go off script and off the rails. Rick’s speech becomes more and more incoherent and Morty becomes confused, since he has zero context for why Rick is talking about McNuggets. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Baby Legs, “Rixty Minutes” He May Have Little Legs, But Dang It, He’s a Good Detective! Ants in My Eyes Johnson, “Rixty Minutes” You Have to Wonder How This Guy Stays in Business! Strawberry Smiggles, “Rixty Minutes” That’s Gotta Be One Great Cereal to Be Worth the Cannibalism “Saturday Night Live,” “Rixty Minutes” We Hope Bobby Moynihan & Piece of Toast Have Patched Things Up
#1: Two Brothers “Rixty Minutes”
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The crown jewel of improvised moments in “Rick and Morty” has to be this ridiculous movie trailer. While watching Interdimensional Cable, Rick and Morty come across a trailer for a film following a pair of tough, action hero brothers who encounter a series of increasingly outlandish threats. These range from a meteor to old warrior women, to an alien armada of Mexicans armed with tomato guns. Not only is this trailer hilarious, but it’s also really easy to spot that it’s improvised. Roiland stumbles over his words, drags on his sentences, and even laughs at the end at the absurdity of it all. Besides, what kind of movie is in theaters, but also coming this summer?
