I did a search of the above on this subreddit to see what people thought, and I haven't found anyone saying what I was thinking, so I'll share.
I think Ricken's character has a main purpose that we've only really touched on so far. Yes, he's a foil to Mark and a good source of comic relief, but I think his main goal is to be parallel for the audience to see Kier.
Both of their writings are... let's be kind and say fanciful. Or, let's not be kind and say pretentious nonsense.
Kier, in universe, is revered, his writing the basis for the cult that lives in the town named after him. He is a god-like figure, represented only in artwork and song... and a strange animatronic.
Ricken, like Kier, has his avid followers, his sycophants who hang on his every word. But, unlike Kier, he is not shown to us through the eyes of the cult as a god, but rather through the eyes of Mark as an idiot.
In season one, Ricken's book was used as a parallel to Kier as it inspired the innies' rebellious urge. In season two, Ricken was shown meeting with Natalie to write a new book specifically for innies, for Lumon's ends. Going forwards, I can see Ricken and his writing playing an even bigger part in the story.
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In S1 we see Ricken say that a colleague says changing beds is traumatic for children (when discussing the Baby Nursery with Mark)
In S2 when Ms. Huang is graduating, Milchick says her parents are dropping off her bed for her move.
Ricken is def connected to Lumen in more ways than we know.
Whoaaaa that's a good one
This is a really good point; I've wondered what the point of him besides comic relief was, but he's even got a following of weirdos following him! It's a pretty fair microcosm that must be on purpose.
I think they're, like, "failed" severances, or partially reintegrated people, or something. Take Rebec, for example - weird name, believes her bird pecked a hole in the back of her head, and that she has to hold the book close because she has "small eyes". There's some of that childlike innocence, but also so much wtf.
Read this somewhere previously:
RICKEN is an anagram for CN KIER — which can be pronounced “Seeing Kier”
Or as you said “for the audience to see Kier”
incredible
sounds like a reach. Seriously, anagrams? Its the typical conspiracy theory
Speaking of Kier being a man masquerading as a cultic god, I loved when Milchick bitched him out for looking taller than he was and spouting nonsense.
would that be a nod/swipe at Scientology demi-god Tom Cruise?
He even looks like an Eagan
Ricken is definitely tied to Lumon/severance procedure, Kier, Mark, and Gemma.
Dan may have contributed the original script/screenplay, but IMO Ben Stiller is the primary mad scientist behind the IRL writing of TYYA. Ricken's parents as per the fictitious TYYA are a comedy duo which parallels Ben's actual parents who got together as the comedy act Stiller & Meara and have appeared with Ben in the films Highway to Hell, and Zoolander.
In TYYA he uses the names Nan and Flip to signify Gemma & Mark. I've got a theory that those two names are derived from term for electronic integrated circuitry and logic (as in severance chip).
Nan and Flip I believe are abbreviations of NAND gate and FLIP-FLOP circuit.
If you're curious, click on the links above and Google AI Overview will give you a description of their purpose/function.
This is just a bit of the hidden humor in TYYA. It's got tons of other neat connections/nods to other works.
Ricken ---> "Rick N." (innie)
Do the math, folks.
He isnt an innie
I think that's spot on, and o actually said something similar before: https://www.reddit.com/r/SeveranceAppleTVPlus/s/jO7sDhoobY
I dunno. Maybe he's an example of how hubris makes you fall for the cult?