Rick and Morty is renowned for its zany brand of comedy which satirizes sci-fi as well as pop culture in general. Yet, there's also plenty of more subtle, nuanced details within the show - as well as behind the scenes.
The memorable season one episode known as "Lawnmower Dog" is a great encapsulation of these traits. The episode features a goofy, off-the-wall premise of mechanized dogs and Freddy Krueger-like denizens.
Though there's more to this wild ride of intelligent dogs and dream beings than meets the eye - especially when it comes to amusing references and easter eggs...
Snowball's Name Reference Goes Beyond Ice Crystals
After Morty's dog Snuffles augments himself, he wakes Summer up from her slumber and demands to know what the family has done with his testicles. As she responds and refers to him as Snuffles, he informs her that she shall now call him by his new moniker, "Snowball." While this would seem to be a simple reference to his "pretty, white fur" as he says, there's more to the name than that.
In fact, this is a nod to a character from the George Orwell novel from 1945, Animal Farm. This white pig is himself a reference to Leon Trotsky, a Communist revolutionary who led the opposition against Joseph Stalin.
It's a fitting parallel - not just because of his white complexion but with regards to Snowball's revolutionary uprising, which Morty's dog, in some fashion, ends up doing for his fellow canines.
A Canine Painting Reference
There are quite a few references in this zany episode of Rick and Morty, ranging from the blatant and mainstream to the more subtle and obscure. This one would fall more into the latter category for all but the most astute viewers.
During the montage that shows the robotic dogs usurping humanity, a brief scene of some dogs playing poker is shown. This is a nod to the classic series of paintings from the early 20th century by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, fittingly titled Dogs Playing Poker. It's a pretty spot-on reference - minus the mechanical suits of course.
This is further driven home by the cheeky role-reversal portrayed in a painting on the wall, depicting a scene of humans playing cards.
The Inspiration Behind Snuffles' Mechanical Suit
The mechas that augment Snuffles and his fellow dogs seem to draw inspiration at least partially from another source as well. While not confirmed, it's quite likely that these suits are derived in part from the Battlepod mechas used by the Imperial forces in the cartoon Robotech, known as Macross in Japan.
This sci-fi animation prominently features these large robotic figures which are piloted by the Zentraedi warrior clones.
The Script Was Made Before The Show Was Picked Up
Though the pilot of Rick and Morty was the first script written for the show, "Lawnmower Dog" was also conceived and partly drafted before the show was even picked up by Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Portions of this episode's script can be seen in a compilation of concept art, notes, and character designs called The Art of Rick and Morty.
This puts the episode in rare company, being a concept and script largely plotted out even before the actual production of the show was underway.
Snuffles' Slew Of Cameos
Snuffles' appearance on Rick and Morty was limited to but a single episode, as his aspirations lead him to explore space and inhabit a new planet full of intelligent dogs. Still, he's at least managed to become something of a reoccurring easter egg throughout the series.
In fact, his picture can be spotted in no fewer than seven episodes - including "Raising Gazorpazorp," "Total Rickall," and "Pickle Rick." Meanwhile, he (sort of) makes a non-speaking cameo in the episode "Morty's Mind Blowers," when a brief Morty memory shows his head on Snuffles' body. He's also seen for a bit in "Never Ricking Morty," during the chaotic climax which is stuffed full of show references and in-jokes.
Scary Glenn's Distinct Character Trait
Being the blatant Freddy Krueger homages that they are, a defining trait of the "Scary" denizens is that they all possess swords for fingers. Not so for Scary Terry's new, free-spirited teacher named Scary Glenn.
In a feature that's in line with his more laid back nature, he's seemingly the only one of his kind to be missing these deadly finger blades. Every other "Scary" creature is shown with these blades.
Role Reversal Compared To Its Movie References
The perilous trips into the dreams of Mr. Goldenfold are a clear homage of the horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street fused with Christopher Nolan's Inception. But in typical Rick and Morty fashion, the references go a bit deeper and more risque than it might seem.
Harmon and Roiland partly draw from the "rules" of death in these dream worlds, though they've inverted and swapped them.
Rather than being awoken from dying in a dream, like Inception, Rick mentions that dying in someone else's dream kills that person for real. Additionally, A Nightmare on Elm Street shows Krueger slaying his victims in their dreams - which actually kills them. But in Rick and Morty, Scary Terry only causes people to wake them up when killing them.
It's a clever little twist and an amusing reminder of this show's bizarre creativity.
The Peculiar Origins Of Scary Terry's Teacher
Scary Terry's original teacher is a pretty tough cookie - and he's quick to lay into Terry in his dream, when he can't think of a clever murder-related pun on the spot. It makes sense in a way, as he happens to be partly modeled after the sinister-looking "Mad Professor" drawn by Gerald Scarfe for the Pink Floyd album, The Wall.
Though the build and skin complexion is certainly different, the resemblance can be seen in terms of their wardrobe, glasses, and swabs of white hair.
A Nod To Another Animation Concept By Justin Roiland
If "Lawnmower Dog" seems like it could work as its own cartoon concept, that's because it once was - sort of. In fact, animator Justin Roiland conceived and pitched a series in 2014 known as Dog World. The show was to revolve around an alternate dimension of intelligent dogs, stumbled upon by three kids going on a camping trip. This is alluded to by Snuffles (aka Snowball) when he tells Morty of his plans to leave earth and establish a civilization elsewhere.
A voiced animatic was even crafted, which contains a few nuggets that Rick and Morty fans might recognize, including the show's theme music.
Jerry's Flubbed Name For Snuffles Actually Has A Reference, Too
As it happens, another carryover from Dog World can be found early in the episode, when Jerry refers to Morty's dog as "Ruffles." On the surface, this is merely a flub by Morty's naive father, though it's also a subtle nod to Roiland's animated concept.
In fact, Ruffles was ironically the human pet of the canine family known as the Doggersons. But the irony goes even further - as Jerry was the name of Mr. Doggerson.