As I write this, we are currently 3 episodes into the very hyped third series of Rick and Morty. The show has built up a very large amount of expectations over the years, as people have been yelling online for new episodes. While my own personal hype calmed down a few months ago I am still making sure to watch each episode as they come out. Now that we are into the swing of things, I felt it would be best to start reviewing weekly. But first I have to catch up with the first few episodes of the series. Starting here with episode 1.
Episode 1 takes place months after the ending to season 2. Rick is in prison for ‘everything’ and the galactic federation are trying to interrogate him for information. Rick being Rick doesn’t make it very easy and sets his mind to break out and take down the government. Season 3 starts by making character development and narrative focus at the front seat of everything. The federation are trying to explore Ricks past through the use of his memories, however Rick stops the audience as well as the characters from knowing too much. While the show has always been a wacky sci-fi adventure that seems improvised half the time, there are hints to a larger universe at times.
But to show us the history and lore of the entire universe defeats the purpose of this show and turns it into something else. Rick is there to remind us that what we see is what we get and people can explore if they like. I like to feel that Rick has real emotions but due to his character he puts them at the back of his mind. He’s a psychopath and destroys people because he gets bored. This episode proves that exact theory as he executes his plan to get home.
Rick tears his way through the council of Rick’s and the Galactic Federation in a few presses of a button. Slaughtering thousands of people just to get home. Rick has a habit of making himself the main character, there can be no one like him, as well as no one against him. By destroying everyone out there he makes himself the main man in the house, but at the cost of getting rid of any distractions for him. Without the federation and council who is he supposed to take down or antagonise now?
As for the actual episode, it was an explosive opening to the season and was well deserving of the initial hype. Out of the 3 season openers the show has had, this one is my favourite for looking visually pretty and delivering some great jokes. Rick and Morty does like to make jokes that the fanbase likes to repeat non stop and this episode keeps that going. I can sit through them because I enjoy them in the episode, it’s just when a million people are telling you to get schwifty when it gets depressing.
Conclusions
I was really happy with this opening episode, it allows Morty to show Summer the effects of being with Rick on his adventures. She is always idolising him and it was good for her to understand his mental state and how destructive he is as a person. Because at the end of the day Rick is the centre of this fictional universe and everyone else has to deal with the aftermath of his decisions. By kicking this season off with the kids realising what he’s like as a person it sets up a season of discovery for all the characters as they figure out where they place in his world.
This will set up a series of emotion and family bonds which wont be for everyone expecting the same level of improv as before. But I’m all for development and seeing the universe expand, but I’ve been loving the comedy aspect at the focus and wouldn’t mind more of that.
Overall this opening scores a solid 9/10 for me