The very fact that Rick and Morty released their third season in 2017 comes across as a bit of a fever dream. For starters, the first episode dropped ceremoniously on April Fool's Day, prompting speculation for its eventual return along with an existential crisis involving McDonald's Szechuan sauce. The concern was more than worth the wait as the series not only returned for a glorious third season, but brought with another run of episodes that deepened its mythology with violence, absurdism, and a deeply pained heart. The greatest [adult swim] show on TV right now proved that it could be more than ribald humor, and it did so with an episode dedicated to a homicidal pickle. It is one of TV's greatest animated sci-fi series, and it does so with a balance and deep philosophy that shows that it's a lot smarter than its sometimes dumb plot constructions make it out to be.
One of the strange miracles of the series is that after two seasons of introducing bizarre secondary characters like Mr. Poopybutthole, the show has decided to commit to a darker tone. With the family falling apart, the season balances between the wacky adventures of Rick and Morty along with the realization that Rick isn't treating his family with the respect they deserve. He skips out on therapy by turning himself into a pickle. He creates elaborate traps to keep his Guardians of the Galaxy-style cohorts busy - all while blacked out drunk. Rick is far from a model citizen and has possibly gotten worse and more cynical over time. Still, he is the mad scientist whose ability to explore alternate dimensions works as escapism as well as occasional dives deeper into his only personal psyche, especially with the insecure Morty starting to yell at him.
Even if this was the darkest season yet, credit must be given to the show's creative team. Whereas parts of the first two season felt like bookends to each other, the third season chose to explore newer and more intimate sides to their usual brand of comic delusion. There was a whole episode dedicated to Morty's memories that were encapsulated in tubes. It seems like a simple gag to do a faux clip show, Community style. However, the slow revelation happens when they discover that Rick is manipulating him and that Morty isn't having an authentic experience. Given that this is a few episodes after they are cleansed of their evil selves only to realize that they need it for moral balance, the show isn't afraid to let characters be cruel. It's a psychological exercise that drips into the sci-fi tropes and makes these characters more human.
Even in one of the show's most ambitious episodes yet, "The Ricklantis Mixup," the very existence of Rick and Morty is pushed to interesting and complex dynamics. While alternate versions of these two characters have existed before, the episode is largely these two archetypes playing against each other in multiple roles. It's a land of Ricks and Morties as they control power, rebel, and do their best to control memories. It's a jarring episode for those not ready for heavy philosophy, as it does get into a variety of social structure questions. It's still entertaining, but the show is evolving to be about more than jokes. It's also about the ideas that make humans relate to each other.
While each episode is largely independent of each other, they all build to a great character reveal of Rick. He must learn to cope with the psychological effects he's brought onto his entire family. In the finale, Rick refuses to leave the White House's oval office unless he has a selfie. It's a dumb idea, but works within his stubborn context. Why is Rick so destructive and causes intergalactic crises? To an extent, every episode reveals some detail that makes this a fulfilled answer. Even then, this is a show where comic characters are given more depth than the average drama, and at half of the running time, too. The fact that it's sandwiched in between violent sci-fi imagery and ribald gags only shows how nuanced the show could be. This is what animation can achieve if allowed to go there. Thankfully, Justin Roiland is also more than capable of being one of the secret greats in modern voice acting, as his countless variations of Rick and Morty this season alone have versatile tics that bring him to life.
When all is said and done, Rick and Morty is continuing to be one of the most ambitious shows on TV. It not only explores sci-fi tropes with a brilliant dexterity, but manages to use sarcasm and vulgarity to reflect deeper pains that are more universal in their existential nature. Much like past seasons, it will be hard to forget about episodes like the "Szechuan sauce" one, or the "Pickle Rick" one. They're all effective in their singular nature in ways that reflect Netflix's general downfall. It may not always have the most accessible comedy, but it has a brain stronger than most [adult swim] shows, and has the cajones to explore darker themes in darker ways than almost every other animated show currently out there. The fact that it all ties together in a nice bow at the end is another part of its brilliance. You don't have to have a manic existential crisis to love this show, but it wouldn't hurt.
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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