With seven seasons aired and an eighth on the way, sci-fi animated series Rick and Morty has seen and done… Well, not everything, but it's done a lot. While speaking with Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon and showrunner Scott Marder ahead of the premiere, I had to know whether there was still anything on their conceptual bucket list they'd yet to do and whether that could possibly, maybe include a full-on musical.
Rick and Morty season 8 review: "Largely plays it too safe after years of crossing boundaries"
"That's an example of something that I wouldn't take off the table," says Harmon. "But I think the reason it hasn't happened is because of the other rule, which is I would never force that just because."
"Back in Community's writers room," he continues, "there would be these bucket list things, and that would include a musical episode, and those might be cautionary tales."
Basically, any episode concept that begins with some version of, "Oh, we have to do this," is just asking for trouble, according to Harmon. "If that's the only impetus, then maybe don't do that," he adds, noting that Rick and Morty is generally "more cautious about that stuff."
But if you, like me, have been specifically waiting for a true Rick and Morty musical, there's still hope.
"A well-done musical episode, there's no reason for it to not happen other than a poorly done one would be a terrible thing," says Harmon. "I would say nothing's off the table, including like an episode with no dialog, almost like a silent movie, like a 'show, don't tell,' thing, and what other kind of meta – we could do an episode in all one take! All one drawing!"
How that last idea might work exactly remains a mystery. But Harmon and Marder have a good laugh imagining how that would possibly work.
"No edits!" concludes Harmon.
Rick and Morty season 8 is set to premiere on Sunday, May 25, 2025, on Adult Swim at 11pm ET/PT. If you can't wait, there's always our ranking of the best shows on HBO Max to keep you busy.
