Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Ribald, drunken animated comedy is too edgy for most teens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Rick and Morty
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 109 parent reviews
Parents say the show is generally considered fine for teenagers, with many believing it to be suitable for ages 12 and up, despite its mature content that includes strong language and cartoonish violence. Most reviews emphasize that while some themes might be inappropriate for younger viewers, the humor and storytelling are seen as clever and engaging, making it a recommended choice for mature preteens and older teens with parental guidance.
- suitable for teens
- strong language
- cartoonish violence
- clever humor
- parental guidance
Summarized with AI
Based on 474 kid reviews
Kids say it's a humorous yet crude show that blends adult comedy with science fiction, filled with plenty of swearing, violence, and sexual references, making it generally inappropriate for children under 12 or 13 without parental supervision. While many appreciate the clever storytelling, deep lore, and character dynamics, reviews caution that its mature themes, graphic violence, and substance use may not be suitable for younger kids, but express that mature teens may enjoy it if they can handle the content.
- mature themes
- adult humor
- graphic violence
- strong language
- parental guidance
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
RICK AND MORTY follows the misadventures of a socially awkward teen and his alcoholic grandfather as they travel through various dimensions carrying out bizarre schemes. For Morty (voiced by Justin Roiland), high school is a minefield of social traps, from him hiding his crush on the school hottie to fending off pressure from bullies. Still, when it comes down to it, he'd rather be there than riding shotgun with his grandfather, Rick (Roiland again), a scientific genius who's dangerously off his rocker but determined to have Morty along for ride...and to do the grunt work for him.
Is It Any Good?
Nurturing, supportive, caring -– these are the markers of grandfathers at their very best, and they're polar opposites to those that describe Rick. He's narcissistic, indulgent, and crass, not to mention a raging alcoholic with no sense of moral judgment. His schemes always spell disaster in some form for his unfortunate grandson, who nevertheless continues to be victimized by Rick's verbal abuse and falls in line time and again.
Rick and Morty does a decent job of putting the fun in a dysfunctional relationship, but it comes at the cost of common decency. It boasts an impressive voice cast, including Sarah Chalke and Chris Parnell as Morty's parents. Still, obviously this isn't one for tweens, and its rampant sexuality and violence make it iffy for most teens. On the other hand, adults could find a guilty pleasure in the characters' bizarre adventures and sci-fi mishaps.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the market for shows such as this one. Is this the kind of entertainment adults want? What is the appeal of animated series for grown-ups?
Is this series controversial? Does any of its content cross the line? Do TV ratings do enough to warn viewers about a show's content?
How much of what we see in entertainment do we internalize? Is it important that the characters be good role models or not? What shows do you watch that have positive behavior models?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 2, 2013
- Cast : Chris Parnell , Justin Roiland , Sarah Chalke
- Network : Cartoon Network
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures
- TV rating :
- Last updated : January 2, 2026
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