Review: Rick and Morty “Promortyus”

 

Overview:

Rick and his timid grandson Morty find themselves waking up from being brainwashed by a parasitic alien. Breaking loose, the two manage to cause quite the devastation on their way home. The brutal massacre is a strong bonding experience for them until they realize they left Summer behind.

When they make it back, they find Summer comfortable as the queen of the surviving aliens. To make things more convoluted, they hear the backstory of the life they lived while brainwashed. A life where they helped an entire race of beings evolve past what they could ever dream possible. Unfortunately, they are still in the way of Rick making it back to sanctuary with his grandchildren.

 

Our Take:

You know what the greatest thing about Rick and Morty is?

It never takes the easy way out. Nobody can call these writers lazy. In premise alone, Rick is uber-competent to the level of being near god. Such a character presents a difficulty in creating situations to challenge him. Yet, they do it week in and week out.

A more precise example lies within the plot of this episode. An army of alien mind-controlling bugs that harvest eggs within our human host bodies is a classic trope that has been done before. Additionally, a story about leaving Summer to survive on her own on an alien planet is a theme this show has approached itself. However, this plot takes us in new directions and challenges our preconceived understanding of science fiction storytelling.

Rick and Morty always has a twist twistier than their last.

The reveal in this episode had more gumption thanks to the way the story was told. The story starts in the middle with our heroes oblivious to what happened before. Thanks to Summer, they are forced to return and fill in the blanks. Suddenly the pieces fall together, making for an impressive tale all round. Even side jokes at the beginning of the episode about the species unable to decide between being parasitic creatures and technologically advanced make more sense when we discover that they had a part to play in the evolution.

But, we should know that jokes are hardly wasted on Rick and Morty, and usually, they have a part to play or have multiple meanings. At one point in the episode, the boys give Summer a hard time for using a toothpick. Adamant that she is a “toothpicker now” the exchange is pure comedy. But, moments later, we discover the importance of the toothpick and that it plays a more significant role.

This is one of the golden rules of comedy: never waste a joke. Bring it back up, use it two or three times and it continues to be funny. Rick and Morty does this masterfully while supporting these exciting, elaborate plots. This episode has been an excellent example of how these writers can build every element in and make it successful.

Beyond all this extra duty that goes into creating an episode, Rick and Morty also has the most fun. Watching Rick initiate “unnecessarily badass suit up” will make all of the anime nerds happy when they get their robotic suits and swords. While the premise of the aliens living half-an-hour, shitting an egg, and dying, is enough to make anyone giggle, especially with the final scene of the episode. We even get to see Rick make out with Morty. Granted they have aliens attached to their faces, but that just makes it funnier.

You have to love when you watch half-an-hour of television, and this much thought and effort has gone into it. It is rare these days to find a sitcom that you can sink into and hardly ever see a flaw. This Mother’s Day I am grateful for Rick and Morty. And, sure yeah, that woman that carried me in her body for nine months and raised me to be the man I am. But this Mother’s Day goes out to the cartoon that keeps on giving.