"Rick and Morty" has grown to be one such show that has earned the privilege of tasting the pinnacle of success and superstardom in well under five years. The show, which made its television debut via broadcasting network giant Adult Swim on the December 2, 2013, quickly rose to have a cult following after just one season. Ever since then, the fanbase has multiplied exponentially, only to grow viral and be critically acclaimed all across the internet ever since the release of its sophomore season.
As all great shows go, controversies are not uncommon.
"Rick and Morty" as a show hasn’t gathered much flak as the co-creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland have. Amidst all the rumors and tell-tales, Justin seems to keep a safe distance from controversy at all times. The same, however, cannot be said about Dan.
Controversy Town
The last controversy that was the talk of the town as far as Dan Harmon is concerned was regarding the sexual harassment allegations made by his colleague from Community, Megan Ganz.
Harmon released a solid statement apologizing for his misconduct, which Megan went on to acknowledge and accept on their respective Twitter. Controversy seems to be every successful show makers best friend, and it was there to talk to Dan again.
Over the weekend of Comic-Con, a notorious clip linked to Harmon’s past, intended to never be seen again, resurfaced on the internet. The clip seemed to have originated from 4Chan, quickly spreading across the internet and to the convention itself.
The clip, a pilot for a show called ‘Daryl’, was a project of Harmon’s from 2009.
‘Daryl’, as Harmon stated, was meant to be a spoof of the popular series ‘Dexter’, a show that followed a serial killer/forensic analyst starring Michael C. Hall living in Miami.
The pilot contained images of Harmon climbing through a window into a room where a baby doll was left lying on the couch. The clip takes a quick turn when Harmon pulls his pants down and starts to rub himself on the doll.
Along with this controversial action, Harmon’s character also states that he could prevent children from becoming future serial killers by raping them.
Harmon’s approach to spoofing ‘Dexter’ did not sit well with many viewers. Many felt that it took the real-life issue of child molestation light-heartedly, not giving the subject matter the seriousness they felt that it required. The seemingly insensitive depiction of the topic and the backlash that followed forced Harmon to retreat from his social media, more specifically deleting his Twitter account.
Owning up
Many of Harmon’s fans, as well as the public, were waiting for a specific reaction to the controversy. He satiated their expectations on Monday when he delivered an apology that was released to CNET.
In this apology, Harmon expressed that after he made the pilot, and it aired, he quickly realized that the video’s humor was too distasteful and removed it. Harmon emphasized that the clip was never meant to be seen again but apologized that it had been.
