The Shocking Truth About Justin Roiland's Rick & Morty Recasting - Fans Just Can't Believe It!
Recasting in Rick and Morty just got even more glaringly apparent with the surprising return of Mr Poopybutthole Season 7's first episode successfully implemented a replacement for Roiland, adding to the challenge of concealing the changes
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Rick and Morty season 7, episode 1.
Summary
The premiere episode of Rick and Morty season 7 deliberately highlights Justin Roiland's absence rather than concealing it. This is achieved by shifting the focus onto Mr. Poopybutthole, a character also voiced by Roiland. The decision to reintroduce Mr. Poopybutthole in the first episode amplifies the audience's awareness of Roiland's absence as they get accustomed to the new voices of Rick and Morty.
The return of Mr. Poopybutthole in Rick and Morty's season 7 premiere was a strategic move to smoothly replace Justin Roiland and avoid potential viewer backlash. Instead of hiding Roiland's exit, the show's creators chose to draw attention to his absence. Since its debut in December 2013, Rick and Morty has received critical acclaim and gained a massive fan base. However, in January 2023, controversy arose when co-creator and star Justin Roiland was accused of domestic battery, leading Adult Swim to sever ties with him.
As a result, Season 7 of Rick and Morty required the replacement of Roiland and the search for new voice actors to portray the show's title characters. This was no small task, considering that Rick and Morty are the central focus of the series. However, the challenge became even greater due to the fact that Roiland also provided vocals for a variety of supporting characters throughout the show's six seasons. Given the unpredictable and eccentric nature of the show, one might expect the solution to be simply ignoring these characters until viewers became accustomed to the new voices of Rick and Morty. However, Season 7 of Rick and Morty takes a different approach.
Mr. Poopybutthole's Return Makes Roiland’s Exit Way More Noticeable
In episode 1 of Rick and Morty season 7, titled "How Poopy Got His Poop Back," the show's creators make a surprising decision. The focus of this episode is Mr. Poopybutthole, as suggested by the title itself. While Rick and Morty season 7 already parodies one of its most popular episodes, reintroducing Mr. Poopybutthole in the premiere seems to be inviting trouble. By centering episode 1 around Mr. Poopybutthole, who is voiced by Roiland, the creators of Rick and Morty season 7 somehow make the actor's absence even more noticeable.
Rick and Morty were never able to mask the change in their voices, considering they are the central heroes of the show. However, to prevent overwhelming viewers, the series should have waited for a few episodes before reintroducing minor characters previously voiced by Roiland. Nevertheless, the decision to recast Roiland in Rick and Morty still proves to be correct in "How Poopy Got His Poop Back," as the episode effectively bridges the gap in the actor's absence with replacement voices that eerily resemble the original portrayals of these characters. If anything, bringing back Mr. Poopybutthole may have been beneficial.
Rick & Morty Season 7 Episode 1’s Roiland Replacement Worked
Rick and Morty cleverly bring back Poopybutthole as a means to divert attention from Morty in the premiere. This strategy allows viewers to become accustomed to Rick's new voice without immediately noticing the absence of Morty. It's a smart move considering how annoying Poopybutthole's strange voice has always been, regardless of who provided the voice. By doing so, if viewers happened to dislike the unveiling of Morty's voice in season 7, it would have posed a problem for the show. Therefore, the return of Mr. Poopybutthole discreetly aids in Rick and Morty's endeavor to replace Roiland.
