Tag: dan harmon

“This is the darkest, most terrible timeline.”

From: Community

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Abed Nadir 

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the geek cult comedy Community. Created by Dan Harmon, the show focuses on the Greendale Community College and a specific study group of six eccentric personalities. The show has become a geeky cult classic and fans may have gotten their six seasons… but fans are still screaming for six seasons and a movie.

The quote comes from one of Community’s most popular episodes, Remedial Chaos Theory, during the credits. It’s revealed that, in the timeline where Jeff Winger (played by Joel McHale) throws a 1 on the dice, a lot of terrible things happens to the study group, with some losing their voice, losing their arm, dying and getting a washable blue strip in their hair (Britta is the worst). Abed Nadir (played by Danny Pudi) notices this and, remembering he knew Jeff was creating different timelines when he was leaving his choice to chance by throwing the dice, he delivers the quote.

Despite Community not being an incredibly mainstream show, the quote itself, although shortened to “The Darkest Timeline“, has become a meme in itself, describing when some extremely bad event occurs.

Geek wisdom: Life can feel really terrible at times and it can feel like we are indeed living in “the darkest timeline.” But just because things are bad now, that doesn’t mean we are unable to do things to try to make things better.

“Yeah. True level, bitch.”

From: Rick and Morty

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: Rick Sanchez

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Cartoon Network’s Rick and Morty, which is aired during their late night programming schedule called Adult Swim. The show was created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland and follows the sci-fi misadventures of the nihilistic and cynical drunkard Rick Sanchez and his rather paranoid and nervous grandson Morty Smith (both voiced by Justin Roiland). The show has become a huge hit due to its dark humor and creativity.

The quote comes from the episode “Morty’s Mind Blowers,” the 8th episode of the 3rd season. The episode deals with both Rick and Morty (voiced by Justin Roiland) trying to recover their memories. The duo are locked in a vault that has stored most of their memories they wished to forget (or, in some instances, were forced to forget). One of the “memories” has Morty trying to put up a shelf but Rick disparages Morty because he was using an ordinary level. Rick then creates a platform that is “true level” and Morty, as he steps into it, is so enraptured by the feeling. This is when Rick delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Science and our current knowledge of what is fact is constantly evolving. What you currently know may not be the truth or, at the very least, not the whole truth. You might have to keep an open mind to new thoughts and ideas.

“Nobody exists on purpose. Nobody belongs anywhere. Everybody’s gonna die. Come watch TV?”

From: Rick and Morty

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: Morty Smith

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes the absurdist comedy sci-fi animated show, Rick and Morty on Adult Swim. It follows the adventures of Rick Sanchez, the smartest person(s) in the multi-verse and his grandson and hapless companion, Morty Smith.

The quote comes from the first season episode “Rixty Minutes.” As Morty’s sister, Summer Smith, packs to run away as she has figured out that she was technically a “mistake” by her parents. Morty tries to dissuade her from leaving by telling her a big secret: he isn’t her actual brother. He’s actually a Morty from another multiverse and Rick and Morty destroyed their own planet by accident and, as that universe’s Rick and Morty died in an accident, they just took their places. This is when Morty delivers the quote.

Geek wisdom: Life can be painful and this is why we all crave to have meaning in our lives. We want to not feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things and we want our lives to have been for something. However, we don’t really think if the universe and life, for that matter, is supposed to be meaningful. We crave to have significance in a universe that, ultimately, doesn’t really care if we exist or not. The mere fact that we’re alive is supposed to give meaning to our existence because of the mere fact that we are here now. We want to make the most of our lives but maybe the best way to do that is to just live life.

“Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!”

From: Rick and Morty

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: Rick Sanchez

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Cartoon Network’s Rick and Morty, which is aired during their late night programming schedule called Adult Swim. The show was created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland and follows the sci-fi misadventures of the nihilistic and cynical drunkard Rick Sanchez and his rather paranoid and nervous grandson Morty Smith (both voiced by Justin Roiland). The show has become a huge hit due to its dark humor and creativity.

The quote first came at the end of the episode entitled Meeseeks and Destroy. Rick proclaimed it to be his catchphrase and used it sporadically throughout the first season.

While the entire family, including Morty, thought it was just a nonsense string of words Rick strung together, it was revealed otherwise during the final episode of the first season, Ricksy Business. During the closing moments of the episode, one of Rick’s friends, Bird Person, informs Morty that the phrase does have a sadder meaning in his language…

Fun fact: if you search for the exact quote in Google, it will actually translate the phrase for you from Bird Person’s language.

Geek wisdom: There may people around you that are feeling great pain and you may not even know it. It could be they are too proud to admit that they need help or they might feel that even their loved ones will not understand why they feel that way. If we do feel that someone close to you isn’t feeling well, either physically and mentally, the best thing you can do is, at least, acknowledge that they feel that way and not dismiss it. Better yet, be there for them when they do need you.