Warning: Contains potential SPOILERS for Rick and Morty season 6, episode 3Dan Harmon is the creator of the hit sitcom Community, and although it ended in 2015, the series still lives on in the form of Easter eggs and references in Rick and Morty, another show Dan Harmon co-created. While both shows are comedies, that is about where the similarities end, as Community is a live-action sitcom following students at Greendale Community College whereas Rick and Morty is an animated sci-fi series following the interdimensional adventures of the titular duo. However, Dan Harmon's love for Community is still apparent in Rick and Morty, as it has referenced Harmon's previous series several times throughout its six-season run.
In 2013, Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland released Rick and Morty, the animated Adult Swim series that became a pop culture sensation upon its release. Although the show saw great success, Harmon continued working on his slowly dying comedy, Community, until it was canceled in 2015. Community follows a study group made up of wash-ups and has-beens as they navigate life at the zany Greendale Community College while also growing together as a family. While the show lasted six seasons, it was never the hit NBC wanted it to be, with it constantly being overshadowed by the success of The Office. The show's notorious production troubles and stellar quality have made it a cult classic, with the Community fandom increasing in size in recent years. Harmon has confirmed that the planned Community movie is now more likely than ever, with the pieces finally being in place for Dan Harmon to properly conclude his beloved show.
Rick and Morty has always been self-aware, constantly making references to pop culture and real-world events. Rick and Morty's frequent Community references and cameos make this apparent, as Dan Harmon has taken any chance he can to wink at his old show. While some are explicit and some are subtle, here is every Community Easter Egg and reference in Rick and Morty.
The Gazorpian's Insult In "Raising Gazorpazorp"
The first Community reference in Rick and Morty is fairly subtle, with it taking place all the way back in season 1, episode 7, "Raising Gazorpazorp." Here, one Gazorpian refers to telling someone that their makeup doesn't match their skin tone, and that they look like a circus clown. While this insult may seem like a fairly simple joke, dedicated Community fans may remember that this is actually the same insult Abed said in Community season 2, episode 7, "Aerodynamics of Gender."
The Traflorkians In "Ricksy Business"
The next Community reference takes place in season 1, episode 11, "Ricksy Business," and centers on one of Rick and Morty's many weird alien species. In the episode, Rick greets a group of small green extra-terrestrials by calling them "Glip-Glops," which turns out to be a derogatory slur. While bizarre, this is not Harmon's first use of the word. Community season 6, episode 8, "Intro to Recycled Cinema" sees the gang making a low-budget sci-fi film. In the movie, Garret voices a small, green alien who just so happens to be named Glip Glop. Surprisingly, the term Glip Glop was also used in Mr. Show with Bob and David. Dino Stamatopoulos was a writer on both Mr. Show and Community, meaning Harmon or one of the other shared cast members probably brought the Glip Glop joke over to Rick and Morty.
Unity's TV Show In "Auto Erotic Assimilation"
Rick and Morty season 2, episode 3, "Auto Erotic Assimilation" features Rick, Morty, and Summer visiting one of Rick's exes named Unity - who just so happens to be a hive mind. While on Unity's planet, Rick makes Unity create a TV show for him, which is shown to feature alien versions of the entire Community cast sitting in the show's iconic study room. Rick even tells Unity to make the characters have sex on the table, referencing a major Community plot line involving Jeff and Britta having sex on the study group's table. While this reference is great on its own, it goes a little deeper.
While watching the show, Rick tells Unity to cancel the show, then to put it back on. When Rick says this, the screen hasn't been shown yet, but once it is revealed that they're watching Community all the pieces come together. Community's production was notoriously troubled, with each new series order almost seeming like a miracle. Dan Harmon was fired after Community season 3, but was later brought back for season 5. Then, NBC canceled Community after season 5, only for the streaming service Yahoo! Screen to pick up the show. After season 6 was released, Community was canceled again by Yahoo, ending the series for good - but with news of a movie on the horizon, the show may not be as dead as it seems.
The Street Fighter Parody In "Bethic Twinstinct"
Rick and Morty season 6, episode 3, "Bethic Twinstinct" features a surprising Community reference during a Street Fighter parody. In the game, one of the characters is named Kickpuncher - which also happens to be the name of Troy and Abed's favorite movie series in Community. It's a very quick Easter egg, but one that keen-eyed Community fans will have no trouble spotting.
Community Actors Appearing In Rick & Morty
Loads of Community cast members have made appearances on Rick and Morty, continuing Dan Harmon's tradition of reusing frequent collaborators. John Oliver, who plays Professor Ian Duncan in Community, voices Xenon Bloom in "Anatomy Park." Keith Elroy, who plays Elroy Patashnik in Community, voices Reverse Giraffe in "Total Rickall" and The President in all of his appearances. Jim Rash, who plays Dean Pelton in Community, voices Glaxo Slimslom in "Big Trouble in Little Sanchez." Gillian Jacobs, who plays Britta Perry in Community, voices Vindicators member Supernova in "Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender." Joel McHale, who plays Jeff Winger in Community, voices Hemorrhage, the leader of the Death Stalkers, in "Rickmancing the Stone." Alison Brie, who plays Annie Edison in Community, voices Planetina in "A Rickconvenient Mort." Even Dan Harmon lends his voice to a few characters, including Birdperson. On top of that, many Community guest stars have appeared in Rick and Morty, such as Nathan Fillion, David Cross, Patton Oswalt, and more. While some Community stars have yet to make appearances, such as Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Donald Glover, it is likely that a spot is always open for them on the cast of Rick and Morty.
Bonus: Space Beth As A Reference To Darkest Timeline Britta
The final Community reference is a little looser and could be more of a coincidence than an Easter egg. However, with how meticulously planned out Rick and Morty is, a coincidence seems unlikely. Rick and Morty''s Space Beth could be a nod at Community's Darkest Timeline Britta, as their designs are incredibly similar. Both characters have blonde hair with a blue streak on the left side, wear darker clothing, and are tougher versions of their original counterparts. These similarities may just be an accident, but with how often Rick and Morty has referenced Community, this is probably another one of the show's many Easter eggs.
New episodes of Rick and Morty release Sundays on Adult Swim.