Invested in the Show
Rick and Morty is known for its meta plot and meta humor, so it’s no surprise that co-creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon subtly put themselves in different episodes on the show. These are literally Easter Eggs for the viewers to pick up on -provided you’re familiar with the history of the two creators.
For example, the season 1 episode, “Lawnmower Dog,” where the family dog turns into an evil dictator is a nod to Roiland’s earlier Cartoon Network project called Dog World. In season 2 episode 3, Rick describes the plot of a fictional TV show, while he really describes scenes from Community. These are only two examples, but the list goes on and on.