Adult Swim has just released a new Rick and Morty ad reimagining the characters in live-action, the second of its type to be released so far. Previously, Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) and Jaeden Martell (It, It: Chapter Two) appeared as the live-action versions of the titular duo, and it wasn’t long before the clip went viral. The newest video, which you can watch below, alludes to the Emmy-winning episode “Pickle Rick.”
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— adult swim (@adultswim) September 5, 2021
“Rick, you did it again, didn’t you? Didn’t you learn anything from last time?” Morty says to a pickle on his grandpa’s work desk. This refers to the time when Rick transformed himself into a pickle to avoid attending a family therapy session with disastrous results. This time, Rick emerges from off-screen and takes a big bite of the pickle, spitting it out before telling his grandson, “Are you kidding? Never!”
Written by Jessica Gao, “Pickle Rick” is a fan favorite episode of Rick and Morty that even many people who haven’t watched the series are familiar with. It follows Rick on an adventure to get back home as a literal pickle when he inadvertently gets himself washed into the sewer with no one else around to help him. The episode was watched by 2.3 million viewers when it first aired and received great acclaim, resulting in winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program based on “Pickle Rick.”
In the previous live-action Rick and Morty promo, Rick and Morty step out from a portal into a version of Rick’s lab/garage in the real world. While the two have plenty of experience in interdimensional travel, this marks the first time they’ve been seen in a live-action format. After Rick belches and notes to Morty that they’re “home,” Morty looks as stressed as usual and comes back with his signature, “Aw, jeez.”
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— adult swim (@adultswim) September 3, 2021
What’s particularly interesting about these promos to many fans is how Christopher Lloyd was the actor brought in to play the live-action Rick. It’s a full circle moment as the animated character was born as a direct parody of Doc Brown, Lloyd’s Back to the Future character. The characters are obviously different in many ways, but what they both have in common is that they’re genius scientists capable of building universe-altering contraptions. There is perhaps no actor better suited to portray Rick than Lloyd as a result.
In the past, Lloyd has suggested that it would be “fun” to do a guest appearance on Rick and Morty. In a 2018 interview, the actor told the Phoenix New Times that he was a fan of the show from what he had seen. He also made it clear that he’s not bothered about it spoofing Back to the Future, so nothing was there to stop him from getting involved somehow.
“I don’t follow it closely,” Lloyd said. “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.”
Rick and Morty is currently in its fifth season which premiered on Adult Swim back in June. These new live-action promos also come just ahead of the premiere of the season finale, which will air on Adult Swim on September 5.