Rick and Morty has amassed a strong fan following, particularly among the millennials. However, many would be surprised to know that the sci-fi adult animated show shares a notable connection with Christopher Lloyd’s Back to The Future series. The movie follows an eccentric older man and a teenager who embark on a time-traveling adventure with the help of their hi-tech vehicle.
Primarily due to its character inspirations and thematic elements, the animated show was conceived out of Lloyd’s movie parody, The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti. The film franchise star, in an old interview, addressed the same, confirming how the animated series shares a great connection with the sci-fi trilogy.
Back to the Future Star Christopher Lloyd Got Candid About the Movie’s Connection With Rick and Morty
Since its premiere in 2013, Rick and Morty has developed a significant cult following. It follows Rick Sanchez, an eccentric scientist who builds sci-fi gadgets and takes his dimwit grandson, Morty Smith on a series of intergalactic adventures.
However, this time-travel theme looks strikingly similar to Christopher Lloyd’s Back to The Future series which the actor himself addressed in an interview with Phoenix New Times.
When asked about how he feels about the show, he stated,
I don’t follow it closely, but I’ve seen a few episodes and I gotta tell you, I think it’s a lot of fun. I know it’s some kind of parody of Doc and Marty.
When asked if he would like to guest star or guest voice on the show, he shared, “I’d like to, of course. I think it’s really fun.” Lloyd portrayed the role of Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy (1985–1990) alongside Michael J. Fox who plays Marty McFly in the movie.
However, the series’ subtle inspiration is thanks to the crude parody of Back to the Future trilogy titled, The Real Adventures of Doc and Mharti.
The Back to the Future Parody Led to the Rick and Morty Show
Before the animated show came to the screen, the idea originated as the crude parody of the sci-fi movie, titled, The Real Adventures of Doc and Mharti. The show’s co-creator, Justin Roiland reflected on how the popular animated series came into existence.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Roiland shared,
In 2006, or something, I was recording the voices for this short The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti. I was having fun doing these really crappy Doc Brown and Marty McFly impressions. During the middle of a line a burp came out naturally.
One of Rick’s famous traits is his burp, which also influenced the show’s origin. He added,
It was just so funny and gross. I was like, “Well, let’s see if I can do that again for a couple more lines.” Then, with Rick and Morty, Dan (Harmon, the show’s co-creator) was like, “Hey, Adult Swim wants to do a show, do you have any ideas?” I said, “Well, what about these two voices?” Right out of the gate, the burping was part of it.
The frequent burping in Rick and Morty is due to the voice recording while creating the parody show. According to Mental Floss, the co-creator was protesting after getting cease and desist letters from Bill Cosby’s lawyers for his House of Cosby series. He created a vulgar Back to the Future parody for that protest, leading to the series.
Rick and Morty is available on Adult Swim.
