We Need To Talk About Rick & Morty Keeping It In The Family

thegamer.com:

Through thick and thin, I have kept up with Rick & Morty. It seems odd having to caveat one of the most popular shows on television, but inconsistent seasons and an obnoxiously rabid fanbase means I always have to keep how I feel about Rick & Morty at arm's length. During season five's strong opening, I sang the show's praises as it seemed to have returned to its all-timer form, before spectacularly staining the bedsheets brown. It then recovered for an almighty sign off, and that left me a little confused as to where the show might go in season six. This time around, I've been more contemplative, not rushing to write about the show on a week by week basis but watching it simply as a fan. As a result, I've enjoyed it more. Is that because season six is just a better season, or had the internet's obsession with Rick & Morty driven me to watch it as a critic scanning for takes rather than a fan looking for enjoyment? Either way, there's one issue I can't stay silent on any longer - why is the show so obsessed with incest these days?

The show has always skirted around taboo issues. The Ricklantis Mixup, generally thought of as its best episode, features a story where one of the characters makes a wish that incest porn becomes more mainstream. Through some sick cosmic joke, the Morty in question appears to have gotten their wish. Shortly after the episode aired, Texas senator Ted Cruz accidentally liked an incest porn post on his Twitter account, and since then we've only seen a rise in the 'OMG step-bro no!' genre of adult entertainment. In a strange way, perhaps it makes sense for Rick & Morty to lean into the bit a little. But we're way past that now, and we need to talk about the step-elephant in the room.

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