The Adult Swim animated series Rick & Morty achieved the astronomical success it now enjoys in large part due to a cynicism that is alternatingly playful and gutting. Titular character Rick Sanchez (voiced by Justin Roiland) has incurred emotional damage from his unparalleled intelligence and intergalactic travels to a greater extent than he has benefited from them, and his nihilistic perspective makes for some of the most cutting and daring comedy currently airing.
In addition to being hysterical, these jokes from the series best summarize its dark and comically-absurd worldview.
Rick Telling His Robot Its Purpose
Robot: "What Is My Purpose?" Rick: "You Pass Butter." Robot: "Oh, My God." Rick: "Yeah, Welcome To The Club, Pal."
Rick & Morty is notable for touching on existential themes that mainstream television series have long been reluctant to. In this bit, a robot that Rick has constructed exclusively to pass butter is undergoing an existential crisis upon learning its cosmic insignificance.
Rick equates the robot's dilemma to his own, and consequently to that of every person viewing the show. Creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon have no qualms about presenting audiences with uncomfortable conclusions, and Rick & Morty has only grown increasingly successful by dealing with real issues in such a way.
Rick Sarcastically Reassuring Jerry
"Don't Worry About Your Christmas, Jerry. I'll Be With Reuben In My Workshop While You Guys Are Having Another Day In Phil Collins' Proverbial Paradise."
While Rick's negative disposition renders him insufferable to many characters whom he comes across and distinguishes him as the Rick & Morty main character with the least likability, the biting humor that results from it has produced some of the most brilliant quips from the show's run.
When Rick brings a homeless man to the house on Christmas Day to develop an amusement park inside of his body, he assures Jerry that his own plans for the holiday will not interfere with those of the family. While the sarcasm added to this reassurance is impolite and unnecessary, it is symbolic of Rick's lack of concern for social norms and the feelings of others.
Rick Humoring An Alternate Version Of Himself
Alternate Rick: "Quiet. You're Missing My Symphony." Rick: "Hey, I'll Take It Over Mumford & Sons."
Due to his self-centered nature and nihilistic tendencies, Rick manages to be light and playful in situations that are dire for both himself and others. This joke comes from a scene in which a Rick from an alternate dimension is torturing the primary Morty while holding the primary Rick prisoner.
Rick's flippant attitude in this situation - in which he delivers what some may consider to be one of Rick & Morty's best Rick quotes - suggests a lack of regard for his own safety and that of his grandson, with such carelessness reflecting the show's commitment to displaying the least flattering aspects of human nature.
Morty Acknowledging His Mother's Authority
Morty: "Aw, Jeez, Rick. If My Mom's The One Who's Saying It, Then You Know It's Pretty Serious This Time."
Rick & Morty touches on familial relationships to the same extent that it embraces science fiction, and the power dynamics within the Smith household drive much of the show's dramatic tension and comedic relief. Beth - who is strongly implied to be Jerry's intellectual superior and one of the most intelligent Rick & Morty main characters overall - is decidedly the most respected figure in the family, as acknowledged in this quip that Morty delivers to Rick.
The writers of Rick & Morty evidently view relationships as inherently unbalanced and power hierarchies as fixed - a perspective that is cynical enough to align with the rest of the show's messaging.
Rick Belittling Jerry
"I Don't Like Your Unemployed Genes In My Grandchildren, Jerry, But Life Is Made Of Little Concessions."
Rick notoriously holds his son-in-law, Jerry in low regard. While it can be argued that Rick's lack of respect is at least partially justified - as Jerry is incompetent, unconfident, and somewhat dim - his dismissive attitude is more reflective of his own arrogance and inconsiderateness than it is of Jerry's shortcomings.
If Roiland and Harmon use Rick to glorify superior intellect, they also use him to caution against antisocial behavior, as his few social connections and shallow emotional life inform audiences that such a lifestyle carries unfortunate consequences.
Rick Learning About Social Norms In Alternate Dimensions
Rick: "There's Flies In My Ice Cream!" Ice Cream Parlor Employee: "Presidential Decree. All Ice Cream Is Now For All Beings, No Matter How Many Legs."
Rick & Morty is notorious for defying social norms in order to challenge the audience's faith in the status quo, and this bit, which takes place in an ice cream parlor in an alternate dimension, does so brilliantly.
Humanity's superiority over the rest of the animal kingdom is widely regarded as fact and not often questioned, but this seemingly-minor joke draws attention to our self-righteousness as a species and our sense of separation from the natural world. The best humor is veiled commentary, and this bit is an exceptional example.
Rick Defending His Profession
"I Don't Do Magic, Morty. I Do Science. One Takes Brains, The Other Takes Dark Eyeliner."
Throughout the series, Rick's most consistent passion is his scientific career. He links his identity to his deftness as an inventor and innovator, and he holds science in the regard that many do religion or spirituality.
The earnestness of Rick's respect for the field contrasts his flippant attitude toward most everything else, and his rigid adherence to the principles of scientific thought is perhaps his defining characteristic. Rick & Morty encourages its viewers to share Rick's undying respect for science, even as it dissuades them from mimicking his interpersonal behavior.
Rick Referencing Another Sitcom
"Oh, Boy. So You Actually Learned Something Today? What Is This? Full House?"
Historically, sitcoms have often relied on oversimplification and ham-fisted morality at the expense of realistic and nuanced storytelling, likely due to fear of alienating or discomforting viewers. In this joke, Rick directly skewers one such program in an attempt to prevent Morty from viewing that day's adventure as a straightforward and polished educational experience.
Rick & Morty attained its prominence in large part due to such self-awareness, and its routine defiance of sitcom conventions has distinguished it from shows that failed to anticipate and avoid the pitfalls of the format.
Rick Having An Existential Crisis
"Okay, Listen Carefully. There's A Set Of Diodes On The Vat's Control Panel, A Blue One And A Red One - Oh, God, What Kind Of World Is This?"
This bit comes from a brilliant season 2 episode in which Rick is occupying the body of a teenage version of himself. As he guides Morty and Summer through the process of returning him to his proper body, he descends into existential panic, posing dark, haunting questions in the middle of his sentences that are unrelated to the task at hand.
This joke touches on the fact that many people consistently experience dark thoughts that they often succeed at suppressing but are occasionally overcome by.
Jerry's Cynical View Of Politics
"Sorry, Summer. The United States Enclosed Us In A Shimmer Bubble That Scrambled My Oven Timer, So I Guess Elections Do Have Consequences."
While this gag from the season 5 episode "Rick & Morty's Thanksploitation Spectacular" may appear to be a throwaway line, it actually conveys the show's cynical worldview more effectively than an elongated and earnest speech would likely have managed to.
Many of the characters in Rick & Morty generally view progress as illusory and optimism as misguided - a disposition that generates much of the show's humor and stunts the personal development of the characters in tandem. The Rick & Morty writers are evidently pessimistic, but they are also emotionally adept enough to translate that pessimism into humor.