Inside the Unraveling: The Intense Saga of the Rick & Morty Co-Creators' Turbulent Bond

Summary

Harmon and Roiland's relationship deteriorated before season 7 of Rick and Morty due to Harmon bringing in writers from another show, causing Roiland to feel less involved.

Harmon had a vision of a future where he and Roiland could be "creative geniuses" without exerting much effort while still producing award-winning content. However, the presence of new writers posed a challenge to this aspiration.

Harmon desired Roiland to effectively express his requirements and ensure his own satisfaction, as a content Roiland was synonymous with a prosperous show.

Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon has opened up about the deterioration of his relationship with fellow series creator Justin Roiland during their time working on the show. Roiland, who also voiced the title characters, faced accusations of sexual misconduct and assault, and a recent report suggests that he may have used his status to pursue and groom young women. Harmon spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about how their friendship began to deteriorate even before the start of Rick and Morty season 7. Harmon explained that he brought in writers from another show he had created, Community, to join the team in season 2. This decision caused Roiland to feel less involved in the creative process, leading to a strain on their partnership. Harmon provided further details on the matter below.

If anything, my desire was for Justin and myself to become lazier and avoid going to work. It was a dream of ours. We envisioned ourselves as wealthy individuals who came up with brilliant ideas. Justin would casually suggest things like, "What if a genie had a backside instead of a you-know-what?" And I would respond, "Yes, not only that, but we'll make people feel emotional about it, causing them to go crazy. It's a story about a genie with a unique rear end, and yet, we'll win an Emmy for it, adding an extra layer of irony." Later on, I discovered that it was perceived as, "Oh, Harmon brought in his Harmon writers," and that was not my intention at all.

I always sensed that Justin desired everyone to cater to his comfort, and I would think, "Everyone wants to make you feel at ease, just communicate with us and let us know how to achieve that." I was nervous about the entire situation because I wanted our partnership to thrive. I wanted Justin to be happy because his happiness translated into our success.

How Justin Roiland & Dan Harmon’s Relationship Fell Apart

During season 3 of Rick and Morty, Roiland ceased participating in creative discussions. Although a mediator was assigned to facilitate communication between Harmon and Roiland, their professional relationship remained unrepaired. Despite Roiland's reservations behind the scenes, they managed to secure a renewal for an additional 70 episodes following season 3.

According to Harmon, his last contact with Roiland was a confrontational text conversation in 2019. Harmon did not disclose the specifics of their final exchange but expressed uncertainty regarding the reasons behind their strained relationship.

Despite Roiland no longer being creatively involved in the show, his absence in the writing for the past few seasons is unlikely to result in significant changes. While Roiland will no longer be providing the voices for the show's main characters, the use of soundalikes has proven to be a seamless transition. Although Roiland's departure from Rick and Morty indicates a fallout with Harmon, it suggests that this outcome was perhaps unavoidable.