Rick and Morty
Rick and Morty is an adult American
animated comedy show created in 2014 by Community creator Dan Harmon,
and Justin Roiland. It is currently in it's second season and is one
of the highest rates shows of all time, garnering praise for it's use
of great writing and characters. It follows Rick Sanchez, an
incredibly smart but jaded alcoholic scientist who shows up at his
family's door after 20 years. Rick lives with the smith family and takes his young naive grandson morty on adventures, keeping
him out of school, using him for his projects, and often traumatizing
him. Rick is an anti-hero, selfish, cold, rude, but with a soft spot
for science and his grand-kids.
Their is also the rest of the smith
family, a dysfunctional family at it's breaking point. There’s Jerry smith, Morty's dad. He's insecure and tries to maintain control
of the household, stuck in a failing marriage with his wife Beth,
Ricks daughter. Beth is an alcoholic who has daddy issues from rick
leaving her when she was little. She (along with rick) resents Jerry
for both his incompetence and the fact that he got her pregnant at
17, a fact she beliefs ruined her life and left her in a failing
marriage. Beth's first child Summer, is a unsociable but strong willed
girl, often standing up for her beliefs and against rick when no one
else will.
Rick is a genius unparalleled by
anyone, and is able to invent such things as a spaceship and a
portal gun. The portal gun is a major aspect of the show as it allows
him and morty to travel to one of the infinite realities that
surround theirs, giving the show limitless possibilities. For example
in one episode they might go into someone’s dreams but in the
another they might run through a world where phones are the main
lifeforms. Their are also different universes with different ricks
and morty's. The show is dark, and has an absurdest sense of humor
to it, often blending the mundane and the surreal. It doesn't shy
away from tough questions, and presents a nihilist view of the world.
Most of the episodes revolve around
Rick and morty's relationship being tested, and just how far rick
will go and still maintain his humanity. Beth and Jerry's marriage
is also often being tested, a lot of the time due to rick's antics
endangering the family. Their are a lot of memorable side characters
in the show, from a freddy krueger knock off named scary terry to a
stoic bird person who may have history with rick. The characters in
the show are always evolving through their experiences. Morty begins to develop as a
character, learning more about the universe as ricks bad influence
begins to rub off on him, and we get to see a vulnerable side of
rick, a man who's been through everything and never lets his guard down.
Rick and morty is a great show because
it's incredibly creative, and manages to show serious emotions and
blend dark moments with hilarious absurdist humor. It is hard to explain how
large this show is in it's scope, and just how unique it is. You
won't find anything like it anywhere else.
