Why Rick And Morty's Season 7 Nosedive On Rotten Tomatoes Is So Controversial

"Rick and Morty" Season 7 is off to a less-than-stellar start. The seventh installment of the animated series currently sits at 63% on the Tomatometer, with an audience score of 33%, making it the worst-reviewed season yet. While this suggests that the show has experienced a significant drop in quality, other factors have undoubtedly contributed to the low audience rating.

In early 2023, "Rick and Morty" co-creator and voice actor Justin Roiland was charged with domestic battery and false imprisonment, ultimately leading to his firing from the show. Moreover, NBC News detailed accounts of Roiland's alleged attempts to pursue women, highlighting reports of sexual assault against him. However, Adult Swim's decision to part ways with Roiland has divided the "Rick and Morty" fan base, with some of his supporters even launching a petition to keep him around.

As such, "Rick and Morty" Season 7's low Rotten Tomatoes score could typify aggrieved fans launching a crusade against the show for firing one of its key players. "Rick and Morty" isn't the first TV show to be review-bombed for reasons that don't necessarily pertain to its quality (or supposed lack thereof), so the audience score should be taken with a pinch of salt. That said, the critic scores also need to be considered here.

"Rick and Morty" has been on the air for a decade, and some reviewers believe it's starting to show creative fatigue. For example, Jake Kleiman of Inverse wrote that the once-great cartoon is running out of ideas, and Season 7 might prove to be its death knell. This viewpoint was echoed by Indiewire critic Alison Foreman, who argued that the titular characters haven't evolved enough to be interesting. More favorable reviewers, like Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone, are also of the opinion that this season isn't as strong as previous efforts.

Therein lies the controversy. While "Rick and Morty" might be getting targeted by upset fans in the wake of Justin Roiland's departure, there are valid criticisms being aimed toward Season 7. The 63% score indicates that the critical consensus has been generally positive, even if the show isn't operating on the same creative heights of yesteryear.

Is "Ricky and Morty" the victim of an orchestrated sting campaign? Is it just a lukewarm installment? It's a combination of both. However, it may still be too early to tell, as the remaining episodes might turn its fortunes around.