Even ‘Rick and Morty’s Writer Called Episode 4 “Disgusting and Tasteless”

If you walked away from Rick and Morty‘s latest episode confused and grossed out, you’re not alone. During an interview breaking down the episode, writer Nick Rutherford, director Erica Hayes, and Rick and Morty‘s co-creator Dan Harmon outlined the challenges of “Rickdependence Spray.” And if this interview is anything to go by, the writing process was as hectic and unfocused as this episode itself.

“Rickdependence Spray” feels like a definite departure from Rick and Morty‘s typical brand of shockingly insightful comedy. After volunteering at his mom’s horse hospital, Morty (Justin Roiland) makes ample use of the breeding mount. That pervy little pastime turns into a potential world killer when Rick (Roiland) accidentally tries to use that sperm to create a weapon against a race of cannibalistic horse people, transforming Morty’s sperm into giant monsters. What’s left is a truly insane episode that features killer sperm, kickboxing queens, and Morty and Summer’s (Spencer Grammer) incest baby.

The Season 5 episode has been met with mixed reviews. The AV Club called the half-hour the “stupidest episode of Rick and Morty.” Variety labelled it a “mess.” And the official Rick and Morty subreddit spent most of the post-episode discussion thread tearing apart the half-hour. Needless to say, it’s not going over well. This response may be connected to the episode’s hectic writing process.

“The one thing that I was excited about was, with the giant sperm I wanted to see like the sort of old-school Jumanji sequence where people had to ride sperm,” series co-creator Dan Harmon said in an interview with Adult Swim. “You’d think I’d learn this lesson over 20 years, but it’s like, yeah, don’t start with like ‘Oh, well we know one thing’s for sure. They’re fighting giant sperm.’ Why do you know that for sure? Now guess what you don’t know for sure? Why are they doing it and what’s important about it?”

Writer Nick Ruthford called the episode “tricky.” “Dan didn’t want to hinge an episode on a lie,” Rutherford said. “The audience knows something that Rick doesn’t, and Morty knows it, and we know that Morty knows it, and we know that Morty didn’t tell Rick.”

Season 5, Episode 4 received many rewrites. In one, both Rick and Morty knew that the sperm had come from Morty. In another it was just Rick’s secret. “Along the way horse people got involved,” Harmon said. “Random left turns like underground horse people is sometimes the only evidence that you’re having fun.”

Though it seems he was partially joking, Rutherford summed up the episode best. “I think it turned out disgusting and tasteless.” We’re with you, broh.

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