The grassroots movement to hire voice actor Sean Kelly as the show’s two leads has many supporters, while other fans argue the true beauty and humor of the show came from the co-creator’s improv and can never be replicated.
While the choice to remove alleged abuser Justin Roiland from Rick and Morty is surely the correct one, fans are now wondering how the show can continue without its co-creator, writer, and lead voice talent. Realistically, while Roiland was an integral voice actor for the series, he only directed one episode and penned only six out of 61. Considering the weight of his various contributions, it seems execs must mainly focus on replacing Rick and Morty’s voices without audience disappointment or distraction. That’s quite a tall order, considering no fan on the internet can ever agree.
In the interest of keeping the auditory status quo, supporters have begun a grassroots campaign to hire Tiktok impressionist Sean Kelly as the two leads, seeking to make the transition less jarring while giving the job to a truly talented entertainer. Watch Kelly impersonate Rick and Morty characters below:
I nominate Sean Kelly to be Justin Roiland’s replacement for Rick and Morty.#RickandMorty https://t.co/H2T5sylRAg pic.twitter.com/rOJR5YKCY6
— Rebs Gaming (@Mr_Rebs_) January 25, 2023
While Kelly is a truly impressive impressionist, other fans argue that the true beauty and humor of the show came from Roiland’s improv, an energy that cannot be replicated.
Whichever side of the debate fans may fall on, seasoned showrunner Dan Harmon (Community) is still attached to the show and will surely handle the transition with grace. If nothing else, Roiland’s departure has put all eyes on Season 7, for good or bad. How would you solve the unfortunate mess left in Roiland’s wake?
Cybersecurity specialist by day, investigative journalist by night.
