TIL ‘Pickle Rick’ Was Inspired by a ‘Breaking Bad’ Episode

Adult Swim’s animated sci-fi series Rick and Morty is one of the most unique shows in recent memory, with its popularity escalating to become a multi-million dollar merchandising and media franchise.

It’s difficult to choose a single episode as the animated show’s best, but it’s safe to say that “Pickle Rick” remains one of the standout segments the series has produced so far. The third episode of the third season, “Pickle Rick” is written by Jessica Gao and Anthony Chin and premiered on August 6, 2017.

The anticipation for the episode can be measured by the fact that it was watched by 2.3 million viewers on its debut on Adult Swim, with the animation and Pickle Rick’s design receiving universal acclaim. Guest actor Danny Trejo was singled out for his performance as Jaguar, and fans especially loved the way the episode was concluded.

“Pickle Rick” remains one of show co-creator Dan Harmon’s favorite episodes, who revealed that it was inspired by Breaking Bad season 2, episode 9, “4 Days Out.” Harmon drew parallels between Walter White having to rely on his scientific knowledge to jump-start the RV after being stranded in the desert and Rick conjuring solutions from limited resources after putting himself in a challenging situation. The episode also made references to the Hollywood films 127 Hours (2010) and Gravity (2013).

The episode’s reception and ensuing admiration led to a profitable merchandising opportunity for Adult Swim. It led to Funko Pop figures, a Frosty drink, a breakfast cereal, an in-game customization for the Ubisoft game Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Seige, and a Pringles flavor. There was a crossover between Rick and Morty and Game of Thrones involved as well, as Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister from the show) and showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss recorded an audio commentary for the episode.