Rick And Morty season 7 was released on October 15 with a marked difference from its predecessors – the absence of its co-creator Justin Roiland.
Mr Roiland was dropped from the show while he was embroiled in a court case dating back to an alleged incident in 2020.
However, the cartoon creator was cleared in March, but the changes to the famous sitcom were already in place.
So, what exactly was Justin Roiland accused of? And why are characters’ voices in Rick And Morty changing?
Find out by reading on below.
Changes: Justin Roiland had featured in every season of Rick And Morty since he and Dan Harmon co-created the show
Sound different? Both Rick (right) and Morty (left) have new voice actors for the new season, which debuted on October 15
What was Justin Roiland accused of?
Justin Roiland was charged with felony domestic violence in relation to an alleged incident with an unnamed former girlfriend which took place in 2020.
The case only became public knowledge in January 2023, when Mr Roiland appeared in a California court having pleaded not guilty, despite criminal charges first being filed in May 2020.
He also pled not guilty to one count of false imprisonment.
The publication of these charges was followed by more allegations including of inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.
In March 2023 Mr Roiland was cleared, with a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s office confirming to Variety the charges were dismissed ‘as a result of having insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.’
Mr Roiland then tweeted: ‘I have always known that these claims were false — and I never had any doubt that this day would come.
‘I’m thankful that this case has been dismissed but, at the same time, I’m still deeply shaken by the horrible lies that were reported about me during this process.’
However, Adult Swim – the cable channel hosting Rick And Morty – had already dropped the show’s co-creator in the months since the allegation became public, leaving Dan Harmon as the only showrunner.
Cleared: Mr Roiland was cleared of felony domestic abuse in March 2023 as a result of ‘insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt’
Moving on: However, Adult Swim had already announced their intention to continue the series without its co-creator
Why have Rick and Morty characters’ voices changed?
The implications of dropping Mr Roiland were significant, leaving the voice roles of the show’s titular characters needing to be recast.
For the first six seasons, both Rick and Morty were voiced by the programme’s now-expelled co-creator, with Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden filling the respective voids.
The new stars of the show were kept a secret until season 7’s October 15 premiere, with an Adult Swim insider saying: ‘We want the show to speak for itself.
‘We believe in the strength of the season and our new voices and we want to preserve the viewing experience for fans,’ they told Hollywood Reporter.
How to watch Rick And Morty season 7
Rick And Morty season 7 airs across 10 episodes on US cable channel Adult Swim.
Without cable, fans of the show in the US will need to wait until 2024 to stream the series, with past seasons available to watch on Hulu and Max.
In Australia and New Zealand, new episodes will be available on Netflix after each premieres.
UK viewers can watch the new release on E4 from October 17.
The series is locked in until a 10th season as part of a 70-episode order made by Adult Swim back in 2018.
Back: Rick And Morty is locked in for at least another three series even after this latest release