The Gravity of Narrative: Dan Harmon’s Subversive Philosophy on Canon and the Mechanics of Storytelling

In the landscape of modern television, few figures loom as large or as polarize as intensely as Dan Harmon. As the creator of Community and the co-creator of the cultural behemoth Rick and Morty, Harmon has transitioned from a cult-favorite writer to a sort of "eccentric professor" of narrative theory. His influence is felt not just in the scripts he produces, but in the way a generation of writers approaches the very architecture of a story.

At a recent "For Your Consideration" (FYC) screening hosted by Adult Swim, Harmon shared the stage with other titans of the medium, including the legendary Genndy Tartakovsky (Primal, Samurai Jack) and rising star Joe Cappa (HAHA, You Clowns). While the event served as a celebration of Adult Swim’s diverse animation slate, the conversation took a profound turn when Harmon articulated his "galaxy-brained" take on the concept of "canon"—a term that has become both a holy grail and a shackle for modern creators.

Main Facts: The Conflict Between Creation and Consistency

The core of Harmon’s thesis lies in a paradoxical relationship with "canon"—the body of work, events, and rules established as "official" within a fictional universe. To the modern fan, canon is the bedrock of engagement; to Dan Harmon, it is a force of nature that must be resisted to achieve true creative flight.

During the panel, moderated by Adult Swim President Michael Ouweleen, Harmon admitted to a fundamental "hatred" of canon, despite acknowledging that it is precisely what audiences crave. His perspective is not one of lazy dismissal, but rather a sophisticated understanding of how serialization can inadvertently stifle the very imagination that birthed a project.

Harmon’s approach is defined by three primary pillars:

1. The Physics of Fiction: Comparing canon to gravity—a necessary but restrictive force.
2. The Utility of Structure: Viewing his famous "Story Circle" as a compass for the lost, rather than a map for the confident.
3. The Fear of Commitment: Identifying the psychological pressure that arises when a creator’s "trust" with the audience leads to the fear of "doing it wrong."

Chronology: From the "Story Circle" to Multiversal Chaos

To understand Harmon’s current stance, one must look at the evolution of his methodology. Harmon first rose to prominence by distilling Joseph Campbell’s "Hero’s Journey" into a more accessible, eight-step "Story Circle." This framework—consisting of You, Need, Go, Search, Find, Take, Return, and Change—became a revolutionary tool in contemporary writers’ rooms.

However, as Rick and Morty progressed from a subversive parody of Back to the Future into a sprawling, multiversal epic, the demands of the audience shifted. In the early seasons, the show was largely episodic, frequently "resetting" the status quo. As the "Evil Morty" and "Rick Prime" storylines took hold, the show became increasingly burdened by its own history.

This transition created a tension that Harmon addressed at the FYC event. He noted that while Community dealt with the "canon" of character growth and meta-commentary, Rick and Morty deals with the canon of infinite realities. The more the show explains its own mythology, the less room there is for the "anything-goes" chaos that defined its origins. This chronological shift from episodic freedom to serialized responsibility is what led to Harmon’s current "gravity" metaphor.

Supporting Data: The Aeronautics of Narrative

Harmon’s most striking contribution to the panel was his comparison of a writer’s relationship with canon to an aeronautical engineer’s relationship with gravity.

"The metaphor I use is that canon, i.e., serialization… I equate it with gravity if you work in aeronautics," Harmon explained. "It’s like, the whole point of what you’re doing, it only works with it there, but it’s the thing you are fighting against. The whole point is to defy it. It is what brings everything down inevitably, and yes, your goal is to succumb to it."

In this framework, the "lift" is the creativity, the jokes, and the emotional resonance of an individual episode. The "gravity" is the weight of everything that has happened before. Without gravity, there is no such thing as flight; but if gravity is too strong, the plane never leaves the tarmac. This explains why Rick and Morty often pivots between lore-heavy "canonical" episodes and "one-off" adventures that seem to ignore the larger plot—it is Harmon’s way of keeping the aircraft airborne.

Official Responses: Insights from the Adult Swim Panel

The conversation at the FYC screening provided a rare glimpse into the differing philosophies of three generations of animators. While Harmon spoke of the psychological weight of story models, Genndy Tartakovsky represented a more visceral, visual-first approach. Tartakovsky, whose work often relies on "show, don’t tell," serves as a counterweight to Harmon’s dialogue-heavy, meta-analytical style.

When asked about his obedience to his own "Story Circle" model, Harmon’s response was characteristically irreverent. He suggested that story models are safety nets, not mandates.

"I believe story models are supposed to be like compasses," Harmon said. "So, it’s like, you take mushrooms and go to Joshua Tree. If you can find your way to your car while you’re tripping balls, then you’re Quentin Tarantino. You don’t need a story model… If you don’t know where you parked, then there are age-old techniques like putting a stick in the sand… That, to me, is what story models are supposed to be for."

This "official" stance from Harmon suggests a move toward "intuitive" writing. He argued that if a writer can "barf out a story that is satisfying," they should ignore the rules entirely. He cited Michael Jordan as an example: if the ball goes in the hoop and the crowd is happy, "who cares what a double dribble is?"

Implications: The Future of "Rick and Morty" and Fandom Culture

Harmon’s comments have significant implications for the future of Rick and Morty and the broader landscape of genre television. We are currently living in an era of "Canon Wars," where fanbases of franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and Star Trek often prioritize internal consistency over narrative experimentation.

1. The "Toxic Relationship" with the Audience

Harmon’s admission that he "fears canon" because it "elevates the chances for you to do things wrong" highlights a growing anxiety among showrunners. The "trust" between the audience and the creator can become a "toxic relationship" where the creator feels they must "come home drunk and s** their pants" just to break the cycle of expectation. This suggests that Rick and Morty* will likely continue to subvert fan expectations, perhaps even "trolling" the audience when they demand too much serialization.

2. The Death of the "Lawful" Story Model

By framing the Story Circle as a "compass" rather than a "law," Harmon is encouraging a more fluid, chaotic approach to television. This may lead to more experimental episodes that abandon traditional structures in favor of "vibe-based" storytelling—a trend already seen in Adult Swim hits like Smiling Friends or Joe Cappa’s lo-fi, surrealist work.

3. The Burden of Infinite Possibility

For a show like Rick and Morty, which deals with infinite realities, canon is theoretically impossible to maintain perfectly. Harmon’s "gravity" metaphor suggests that the show will eventually "succumb" to its canon—meaning it will have to end once the weight of its own history becomes too heavy to allow for new "flight."

Conclusion: Finding the North Star

Dan Harmon remains one of the most self-aware creators in the industry. His "galaxy-brained" take on canon isn’t a rejection of storytelling rules, but a warning against becoming a slave to them. By treating canon as gravity and story models as moss on a tree, Harmon maintains the flexibility needed to keep Rick and Morty relevant in a television landscape that is increasingly obsessed with "lore" over "life."

As the show moves forward into its later seasons, the tension between Harmon’s desire to "trip balls in Joshua Tree" and the audience’s desire for a coherent map will remain the show’s most fascinating conflict. Whether the plane continues to fly or eventually succumbs to the gravity of its own mythos, Harmon has ensured that the journey remains unlike anything else on television.