When it comes to pop culture things change over time. Some
29 years ago an animated series premiered on the fledgling Fox network and
suddenly everyone was talking about this animated series in prime time. THE
SIMPSONS became one of the longest running series in TV history. So there is a
market out there for animated series. The Cartoon Network began programming
shows to meet that need and their Adult Swim series late at night were geared
towards an emerging market of young adults who enjoyed animated series with
more mature subject matter. That market went crazy for a series called RICK AND
MORTY.
I’d never seen the show but had heard of it. My son was one
of the many who loved the show and kept telling me it was a must see. Somehow I
just never get around to it. After watching this release I now need to go back
and watch the first two seasons. I’m hooked. I love the series.
If like me you’ve yet to watch the show it’s about the
adventures of mad-genius scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith.
They live with Rick’s daughter Beth, a genius with sociopathic tendencies, her
husband Jerry, basically a doormat of a husband/father and daughter Summer, a
self-absorbed teen. Well, at least in this reality.
Therein lies the genius and thousands story potential for
the show. Rick has invented a portal that can take him to any of thousands of
dimension, locations and time periods. Each episode he takes Morty with him on
a new adventure. But the adventures they have also are tempered by the
attitudes and beliefs of the pair.
Rick is a nihilistic, alcoholic, megalomaniacal lout who
doesn’t care about anyone but himself and that includes Morty for the most
part. His views are offered in each and every episode from his disbelief in God
to his constantly informing Morty that he’s the smartest man who ever lived. On
the other end of the spectrum is Morty, the moral compass of the pair. Morty is
an insecure pre-teen who worries about the effects of their adventures. While
he might have fun during those adventures he also fears not returning from
them.
That dimension thing I mentioned? Another integral part of
their stories. The variations of worlds in those dimensions take the pair on
numerous adventures. Rick also has an attitude that if his dimension’s Morty is
killed he can always slip into another dimension and bring back the Morty from
that one. This accounts for his devil may care attitude towards his family. But
as the series progresses we get the idea that maybe, just maybe, beneath that
self-centered exterior Rick actually has more going on than expected.
There is also a dimension with a location called The Citadel
where the Council of Rick’s takes place. The entire dimension is made up of
various Ricks and Mortys and no one else. One of the things the council plans
is the demise of the real Rick and that accounts for different battles the
title pair find themselves in.
The episodes here run the gamut of these adventures with at
least one involving the council. One episode has Rick take his daughter Beth to
a world he created for her to hide away someone she had issues with. Another
has Rick and Morty have their worst characteristics removed from them leaving
behind a nice Rick who gets trampled on while those counter selves try and
escape to return to their hosts. And Beth and Jerry decide to a trial
separation which has an effect on the family.
Perhaps most loved in this season is the episode where we
are introduced to Pickle Rick. In this episode Rick transforms himself into a
pickle in an effort to avoid going to family counseling with the rest. One
would wonder how Rick can survive as a pickle without limbs that rolls off a
work table and rolls down the driveway towards a manhole. Being Rick you can be
certain he’ll find a way to survive.
The show is many things. It is irreverent to say the least.
It is hilarious at moments. It is tender without blatantly being so. The word
nihilism suits every single episode here. There are no sacred cows when it
comes to the series. And much like SOUTH PARK the show doesn’t just skewer one
side of an issue but most often pokes at both. It is an equal opportunity
offender.
So if that sort of irreverent humor is your bad, if you
enjoy something a little different and if you want to laugh until your
posterior melts away (I’m waiting for them to make an episode where that
happens) then by all means you’ll want to pick this up an give it a watch. Odds
are like me once you finish this one you’ll seek out the first two seasons. I
know I’m looking for them already. This is a must have for your collection if
you enjoy comedy.
No comments:
Post a Comment