Rick and Morty co-creator and showrunner describe it as a "limitless sandbox" with "as much freedom as an anthology show"

After seven seasons with an eighth on the way, what even is Rick and Morty at this point? The animated sci-fi adventure show has played with different genres, episode construction, and plenty more. GamesRadar+ spoke with co-creator Dan Harmon as well as executive producer and showrunner Scott Marder ahead of the new season, and the answer is unsurprisingly: it's complicated.

"Geez, I don't know what that would be," says Harmon when I ask if there's any guideline to what Rick and Morty is at this point. "I mean, obviously it's centered on the characters, but even that we subvert. I mean, who are these people? Like, literally who? How do you know when they are them?"

I think it's defined by the fact that it is like a limitless sandbox for a narrative show that has as much freedom as an anthology show," he continues. "And that is a paradox, because that's what defines it, is its lack of definition, I guess."

Marder, however, actually thinks this is directly beneficial to Rick and Morty as a whole. The lack of strict definition lets the team be playful and uninhibited.

"I think that's what's keeping it going," says Marder. "I think the lack of guardrails has kept the idea flow smooth and light and loose in a way that a show, if we were just stuck in a one little set every week, would be really head-banging at this point. So I think the fact that we can do anything has kept us fresh."

Rick and Morty season 8 is set to premiere on Sunday, May 25, 2025, on Adult Swim at 11pm ET/PT. If you can't wait, be sure to check out our ranking of the best shows on HBO Max to watch right now.