7. A Rick That's Less Convenient For The Writers
Rick is an interesting character, but not in the sense that he's actually interesting to watch on a weekly basis, because frankly, he's not. But fundamentally, on the level that he's a once-good man trying to understand what makes a good man in a pretty bad world, he's interesting. Unfortunately, the writers have turned him into a guy that simply suits their needs for a leading man on a season-by-season basis. Season 1, when they needed a token good guy, Rick was there. Season 2, when they needed a conflicted family man, Rick was there. Season 3, when they needed a guy tired of life and ready to play by his own rules, Rick was there. Season 4, when they needed a man trying to prove he'd learned from all of his mistakes, Rick is there. Let Rick be Rick. Write him subtly and let his struggles play out over the course of multiple seasons, not just between commercial breaks. Don't club viewers over the head with how hard he finds this new world, or try to change his whole personality over the course of a few episodes simply because that's the easiest way to set up a season. Such a decision would undoubtedly pay off in the long run.