The fifth season of Rick and Morty received very mixed reviews. Many fans thought that certain episodes strayed too heavily from the established formula that garnered our undying love for the show in the first place.
Common complaints were that many of the characters behaved very differently from previous seasons (specifically, that Rick has gone soft), that certain episodes lacked any substance (and rather just revolved around Mortyโs libido), and that many of the jokes were overly crude or low-brow. And, of course, many of us wanted to see the return of Evil Morty, a potential plotline that had been teased in previous seasons.ย
Personally, I still enjoyed the fifth season of Rick and Morty and have watched it through several times. It still makes me laugh, I think the characters are still as funny and authentic as ever, and I have trouble understanding why fans of the show are so up in arms about the latest release from the minds of Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon.
Iโm sure that regardless of how upset people are about the fifth season of Rick and Morty, the sixth season of this cult cartoon will still enjoy plentiful viewership. Sure, you can criticize the fifth season all you want, but deep down in your heart, you know youโre holding your breath waiting for season 6 to be released on Adult Swim.ย
So, for those of us who canโt wait until season 6 comes out, here are some recommendations for shows like Rick and Morty to keep you from going through withdrawals. Weโre talking about some quirky, off-beat cartoons that may or may not have sci-fi elements, but will most definitely keep you laughing for hours.
1. Solar Opposites
Probably the most obvious suggestion for shows like Rick and Morty is a show thatโs literally made by one of the same people. Solar Opposites comes from the minds of Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan. It was originally created for the Fox Broadcasting Network until the project was shelved. Luckily, Hulu saw an opportunity and bought it up, and now you can watch Solar Opposites on their platform.ย
The show follows two parallel storylines. One of the storylines follows a group of alien refugees that must hide out on Earth in middle America and arenโt quite sure whether they love living there or absolutely hate it. The other storyline follows a society of human beings who have been shrunken and stuck in an alien terrarium.
The show is filled with gut-wrenching humor and some surprisingly deep insights into human nature and the meaning of life all over the universe. Justin Roiland certainly doesnโt stray too far from the formula he set out with Rick and Morty, and thatโs what makes Solar Opposites the perfect show to hold you over until season 6.ย
2. Bojack Horseman
By now, pretty much everyone has heard of the Netflix original series Bojack Horseman, probably because itโs gained a cult following among cartoon fans and has received an unbelievable amount of praise from critics. GQ called Bojack Horseman one of the best shows of the decade and IndieWire even hailed it as the best animated show of all time.
There are six seasons available on Netflix spanning a total of 77 episodes, which means you can spend weeks in the world of Bojack Horseman while you wait for the new Rick and Morty to come out.ย
For such a hilarious show, Bojack Horseman touches on some seriously dark themes. The series offers realistic takes on subjects like depression, alcoholism, general self-destructive behavior, racism, sexuality, and the experience of humanity.
All of these dark themes are wrapped up in a nihilistic blanket, forcing you to let out a hearty chuckle and then contemplate your own life choices. If you havenโt ever seen an episode of Bojack Horseman, get on Netflix right now. And if youโre a fan of Ricky and Morty, then a show about a horse-human hybrid with a crippling drug addiction is definitely right up your alley.ย
3. Gravity Falls
If risque adult humor is a prerequisite for any cartoon that you watch, then the Disney Channel and Disney XD series Gravity Falls might not be the best way to wait out the next season of Rick and Morty. However, this family-oriented show is full of wit as well as some incredible depth in terms of the plot and character development.
The series, created by Alex Hirsch, follows the adventures of Dipper and Mabel Pines, twins who move to Gravity Falls, Oregon to live with their uncle for the summer. Once they arrive, they discover that the town is overrun with supernatural beings and strange occurrences.ย
At the start of the series, Gravity Falls sort of comes across as a Scooby-Doo rip-off. The first couple of episodes feature one-off villains and mysteries that get solved in the very same episode.
As the series progresses, certain things about the town of Gravity Falls are unveiled that are sure to blow your mind and make you question your own reality. Gravity Falls is a family-friendly show that can entertain and stimulate people of all ages. And, whether or not you plan on watching with children, itโs a great series to binge if you have a Hulu or Disney+.ย
4. The Midnight Gospel
If youโre a fan of the iconic cartoon Adventure Time, which many credit for inventing the animating style that inspired Rick and Morty, then youโll absolutely love The Midnight Gospel.
Straight from the minds of Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward and comedian Duncan Trussell, this cartoon has an extremely original concept: the show features audio recordings from actual podcast episodes of The Duncan Trussell Family Hour and sets them over magical adventure animations. The result is a show thatโs trippy, funny, thought-provoking, and totally worth a watch.ย
The actual plot of the show follows Clancy Gilroy, a spacecaster who lives on a psychedelic planet thatโs shaped like a ribbon. In this world, there are farmers who use a simulator to create planets from which they harvest natural resources.
Each episode of The Midnight Gospel follows Clancey as he explores these simulated worlds and talks to the people he meets in them. If you arenโt already convinced to give The Midnight Gospel a watch, you should know that thereโs a character named โButt Demonโ in the show.ย
5. Final Space
Two of the voiceactors heard in Final Space are Tom Kenny, cartoon legend and the voice of SpongeBob, and Saturday Night Live comedic genius Fred Armisen. Enough said.
This show follows the adventures of Gary Goodspeed and his ultra-powerful and extremely cute alien friend Mooncake as the two of them travel from galaxy to galaxy and try to save the universe from certain destruction.
The show originally premiered on TBS, but was later moved to Adult Swimโs late-night programming before getting canceled. Donโt be fooled, though, this series features some great humor and interesting storylines.ย
The adventures of Gary and Mooncake are particularly endearing because of how dim-witted Gary is and how little communication is possible between Gary and Mooncake. Their adventures are often filled with mishaps and blunders that you canโt help but laugh at. The animation style of Final Space is particularly awesome and the entire series is a visual masterpiece that youโll definitely want to check out.