rick and the dead Known for his sci-fi satirical comedies and pop culture. However, there are much finer and more subtle details in the show and behind the scenes.
The memorable first episode “The Lawn Mowing Dog” summed up these traits very well. The episode has a silly, weird premise with mechanized dogs and residents of Freddie Kruger.
While this clever dog and dream creature’s wild journey is much more than that – especially when it comes to fun references and easter eggs…
Snowball name reference goes beyond ice crystals
After Morty’s dog, Snuffles, gains his powers, he awakens Summer from his sleep and demands to know what the family did to his testicles. When she responds and calls him Snuffles, he tells her that she will now call him by his new nickname, “Snowball”. While that may sound like a simple reference to what he calls “beautiful white fur,” the name is much more than that.
In fact, it’s a tribute to characters from George Orwell’s 1945 novel, animal farm. This white pig is he himself Refers to Leon Trotsky, the communist revolutionary who led the opposition to Joseph Stalin.
It’s an apt comparison – not just because of his white complexion, but because Morty’s dog joined Snowball’s revolutionary uprising. Some Stylish, finally working for his fangs.
Canine drawing reference
Lots of references in this hilarious episode rick and the dead, from the obvious and mainstream to the more subtle and obscure. For all but the most savvy viewers, this one is more of the second category.
During the montage showing robot dogs usurping humans, short scenes of several dogs playing poker were shown. This is a tribute to Cassius Marcellus Coolidge’s classic series of paintings from the early 20th century, aptly named poker dog. That’s a pretty accurate reference – minus the mechanical suit, of course.
This is reinforced by the bold character transition depicted in a mural, depicting a scene mankind playing card.
The Inspiration Behind Mech Snuffles
The mechs that power up Snuffles and his companions also appear to have been inspired, at least in part, from another source. Although unconfirmed, it is likely that these suits are partly derived from the Battlepod mechs used by the Royal Army in the cartoon. robot, EQUAL. .and known Macross In Japan.
This sci-fi animation features these giant cyborg characters controlled by Zentraedi warrior clones.
The script was produced before the show started
Although the pilot rick and the dead was the first script written for the show, “Lawnmower Dog” was return The show was conceived and partially drafted before it was picked up by Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. You can view portions of the episode’s script in a compilation of concept art, notes, and character designs called The Art of Rick and Morty.
That makes this episode the rare company whose ideas and scripts have been preliminarily planned before actual production of the show even begins.
Snuffles’ Giant Guest
The appearance of Snuffles rick and the dead Limited to one episode only, as his desires lead him to explore space and populate a new planet full of intelligent dogs. However, at least he becomes a recurring Easter egg throughout the series.
In fact, his image appeared in no less than seven episodes – including “Raising Gazorpazorp”, “Total Rickall” and “Pickle Rick”. Meanwhile, he (almost) made a speechless cameo in the episode “Morty’s Mind Blowers”, when a brief memory of Morty revealed his head on Snuffles’ body. He also appeared in “Never Shakeable Morty” in a chaotic climax filled with jokes and references to the show.
Terrible Glenn’s Unique Personality Traits
In a clear homage to Freddy Krueger, one distinguishing feature of the “terrible” inhabitants is that they all possess finger swords. Not so with Scary Terry’s new teacher, Scary Glenn.
In a trait that matches his more laid-back personality, he seems only one One of a kind lacks these deadly fingers. All other “horror” creatures are shown with these blades.
A role reversal compared to its movie references
Kim Fook’s perilous journey into dreamland is a certain homage to the horror classic. Nightmare on elm street Merge with Christopher Nolan begin. but in a typical rick and the dead In fashion, these references are deeper and more dangerous than they seem.
harmonies and roiland a part Inspired by the “rules” of death in these dream worlds, although they have been reversed and swapped.
Instead of waking up from the dead in a dream, beginRick mentioned that dying in someone else’s dream kills that person because reality. But also, Nightmare on elm street Kruger kills his victims in a dream – which really kills them. But in rick and the deadTerrible Terry just makes people wake them up Get up when you kill them.
It’s a neat little twist and a delightful reminder of the show’s uncanny creativity.
Scary Mr. Terry’s signature origin
Terrible Terry’s original teacher is a very stubborn guy – he quickly lied to Terry in his dreams when he couldn’t think of a clever pun involving murder on the spot. In a way, this makes sense, since he’s just a parody of Gerald Scarfe’s sinister-faced “Professor Madness” drawn for the Pink Floyd album, wall.
Although their bodies and skin colors are certainly different, similarities can be seen in their wardrobes, glasses, and white hair.
Justin Roiland’s homage to another animated concept
If “Lawnmower Dog” sounds like it could serve as its own cartoon concept, that’s because it’s — something like that. In fact, animator Justin Roiland conceived and launched a project called Justin Roiland in 2014. dog world. The film will revolve around another dimension of intelligent dogs that three children accidentally meet while camping. He mentions this when Snuffles (aka Snowball) tells Morty that he plans to leave Earth and establish a civilization elsewhere.
Even created a talking animation with some gold nuggets rick and the dead Fans may recognize it, including the show’s theme music.
Jerry’s silly name for the inhaler actually has references too
As it happens, another transition from dog world Can be found at the beginning of the episode when Jerry calls Morty’s dog “Flounce”. On the surface, this is just a failure of Morty’s innocent father, though it’s also a subtle nod to Roiland’s animated concept.
Ironically, Ruffles are in fact the pet of dogs known as Doggersons. But ironically, Jerry is Mr. Dodgson’s name.