“Rick and Morty” is celebrated as one of the premier adult animated series globally, yet there exists another show that has been captivating audiences for a much longer duration. “South Park,” airing on Comedy Central since 1997, has significantly influenced numerous series, including “Rick and Morty.”

On the surface, “Rick and Morty” and “South Park” exhibit several resemblances. Both series embrace outrageous humor and are unafraid to satirize public figures and cultural icons. Although they run parallel in these respects, Dan Harmon, co-creator of “Rick and Morty,” deliberately ensures they remain distinct in a specific way. Harmon revealed to Cinemablend that within the “Rick and Morty” writers’ room, they adhere to a “South Park” rule: “Let’s not play a ‘South Park’ game because ‘South Park’ can do it faster and better than us.”

Harmon means that “Rick and Morty” avoids tackling the same cultural topics as “South Park.” While the Comedy Central favorite may dedicate episodes to satirizing figures like President Trump, “Rick and Morty” episodes seldom center entirely on current events. This approach ensures “Rick and Morty” maintains its unique storytelling, but the real reason for the rule is more practical.

Harmon’s guideline primarily concerns the episode plots. Although “Rick and Morty” doesn’t shy away from topical references, these aren’t the central focus. Harmon enforced this rule partly because “South Park” excels at immediate cultural commentary, but also because of the production methods of both series.

Simply put, “Rick and Morty” cannot match “South Park” in production speed. Fans are familiar with the extended waits between “Rick and Morty” seasons, unlike the 27 seasons “South Park” has delivered in just under three decades. Due to its swift production, “South Park” adeptly capitalizes on current events for humor. If “Rick and Morty” attempted the same, episodes would lose relevance by their release. Harmon mentioned to Cinemablend that he often curtails pitches overly focused on current topics with, “Let’s not lose a South Park contest by addressing something that is so energized right now.”

The writers of “Rick and Morty” don’t only look at “South Park” for what to steer clear of in their series. By evaluating his show against “South Park,” co-creator Dan Harmon ensures that “Rick and Morty” remains aligned with its own strengths. Concurrently, Harmon acknowledges there are aspects of “South Park” he finds aspirational.

Harmon spoke with The Hollywood Reporter in 2023 and revealed that he had some ideas for a “Rick and Morty” movie. Harmon compared his early plans to the mega-episode format of the 1999 “South Park” movie, which was an all-around success for that series. Fans would undoubtedly head out to theaters to see Rick and the rest of the Sanchez family on the big screen, but unfortunately, they’ll have to wait. Harmon said the movie plans got put on the back burner after the 2023 Writers Guild strike. “Rick and Morty” isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, though, so fans may yet get a “South Park”-inspired movie from the series.