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Only The Real Rick and Morty Can Save Us.
I’ll start by saying that my intention here is not to get anybody on the site to become a regular viewer of a raunchy SciFi cartoon, but I recommend reading the post below – and if you have time, watch the clips I carefully picked (in total, they shouldn’t take up more than 8 minutes). Rick and Morty is a show about God’s dislike for the blindly religious; meaning, of course, bureaucrats.
If the Right has a demographic to play “get out and vote!” with, it’s young, unmarried, mostly white men (but definitely not all), aged 18 to 40. Perhaps it’s an issue that 22 years could span a single political demographic, but mine is an iPad generation; it is what it is. Anyway, those are our votes to lose. Of the group I’ve described, the easiest way to identify them is to point out that the majority of them play video games; they probably discovered internet porn before even having a girlfriend; and their choices of popular entertainment are likely disconcerting to the rest of polite society. I’d guess most of these have seen a fair share, if not all, of the series South Park, Game of Thrones, The Wire, Archer, Workaholics, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and Rick and Morty. Each has some merit, most are liked for the wrong reasons. Bob’s Burgers might be the best, but Rick and Morty is the most important. It’s a show about a genius and his grandson. The title is a play on “Doc” and “Marty” from Back to the Future.
Rick is the smartest man in the universe. He is practically all-knowing and all-powerful, perhaps lacking only in clairvoyance. He’s considered a terrorist by the Intergalactic Federation (a government made up of mildly intelligent mosquitos), who, according to the often duplicitous Rick, hope to take over the Universe. The burden of his obsessive mind fuels raging alcoholism and often leads him to the conclusion that nothing matters. His partner is his grandson, Morty. The former is constantly dragging Morty into life-threatening adventures, and while Rick is often irritated with his grandson’s foibles, it becomes clear to the viewers that Morty is a genuine necessity. I’ll add two clips below to get us started: The first is the opening scene of the series, which fittingly encapsulates the show’s arc, particularly Morty’s development of confidence in order to hone in his grandfather’s seasonal insanity.
Note the jokey Christian overtones in the clip above. I doubt the creators are religious, but they aren’t dummies. I assume, if nothing else, they know secular stories don’t cut it. This second clip (from much later in the series) will give you a taste of the terrors that Morty is exposed to by spending time with his grandpa:
The thing about Morty is that his brushes with a seemingly cold and uncaring universe never completely diminish his decency, only his naiveté. Though the youngest member of the Smith family, a stultified nuclear unit, he becomes its leader. His father is the weak, often pathetic, Jerry – the greatest object of Rick’s ire; Morty’s mother is an alcoholic herself. She’s clearly intelligent, but embittered by her loss of options that came after marrying Jerry and carrying her eldest child instead of following her father’s seeming-tendency to put inconveniences out of the head and move on; then there’s Summer, Jerry and Beth’s firstborn. Her arc began later in the series. Initially, she was a typical self-obsessed teenage girl, but as she began to be included in Rick’s adventures, she’s developed into a character of equal importance. (It was Summer who was first to be told about one of Morty’s most disturbing revelations.)
The show really gets going in the last episode of the final season, wherein Rick is framed for murdering other Rick’s from other dimensions. This crime is “naturally” under the jurisdiction of The Council of Ricks, another government formed by the Ricks who lack our Rick’s independence. It becomes clear to us that they are no less of a problem to our world than is the first government we encountered.
Our culprit surprises us though… it’s the Anti-Morty. (By the way, in this episode, our Morty is deemed the “One True Morty” by his fellow sidekick captives.)
Alright, now that we’ve got the gist, I can bring us to the show’s most frighteningly eerie episode. The show’s third season opens up with Rick escaping from the Intergalactic Federation, but on his way out, he discovers that the Council (of Ricks) have kidnapped the real-Rick’s Morty and Summer. Rick’s wrath leads him to destroy both the Citadel of Ricks and the Bug Government. To what extent the latter survives, we aren’t exactly sure – and I haven’t seen the latest season of the show, but I believe the bugs make a return – but the Citadel, being made up of surviving geniuses and their submissive sidekicks, was bound to return. We discover their fate later in Season 3.
The episode continues to show dissatisfied Rick’s, working menial jobs despite their equal capabilities to their superiors, and all of the Rick-less Mortys, living in squalor and turning to crime. In the center is a an honest Rick-cop, who hopes to make a difference, and a highly competent Morty in a highly unlikely Presidential run. At the debate, candidate-Morty makes a convincing case for the fact that the Ricks and Mortys who dislike the system outnumber the few who do. (The entire campaign and speech is cleverly done, it allows the show’s bipartisan audience to see the candidate of their admiration in this 2017 episode… before ripping the rug from under our feet.) After candidate-Morty wins the debate, his just-fired Campaign Manager discovers some unsettling truth. Then he sets out to assassinate the potential frontrunner.
It’s no mere sitcom. It is situational, and it’s funny, but this show takes us way out of the house. The irrationality of love and family is pointed out, but redeemed; its multiverse is used to suck in the nerds, but mostly done to expose us to the nearly unlimited, yet daunting, opportunities that come from freedom; and the reality, and complicated nature, of Good and Evil are laid bare. For any of you who know smart young men that are finding a hard time living up to their potential, I recommend asking if they know Rick and Morty. You may find that this minor knowledge of something that interests them will foster some confidence in you from them. And I’ve found that guys like that really could use some adults to talk to.
I’ll hope to see you guys in the comments. But until then, as they say in Canada… “Peace Oot!”
Published in Culture
The artwork is so terrible I can’t make myself watch.
It’s hip among the kiddies, they love grand color schemes and ugliness. But, sigh, at least I tried.
If I may, I’ll ask that you watch the last clip… pretty please?
I watched it. I’m baffled by the attraction it holds for some.
Peace oot!
Fair, and thank you for giving it a shot!
Truth be told, kids my age are pretty messed up. But I suppose that’s become common knowledge by now.
But look at the prescience: “Joke security,” cancelation of schools, “new” Citadel, and a time for action – meaning the cancelation of people. Spooky spooky!
I think our senses of humor aren’t very aligned.
The funniest moment for me was when Rick first landed on the world controlled by Unity, and someone pointing out the different shaped appendages between two different races started an argument, then a moment later a shirtless guy comes streaking past screaming “race war!” It’s a show that thrives on black, and often very inappropriate, humor, which is probably why it has all of those teen and 20 something edgelord fans. For me, the show is kind of like Infinite Jest; I can enjoy a chapter or two, or an episode or two, in a day, but more than that and I’m just going to fall into a hopeless mental morass for a week.
I’m sad to hear you say that. I think you’re one funny fella. But remember, I came upon Conservatism almost accidentally. I grew up on the Left, and I learned modern Progressive piety before it was cool.
My dad and I can watch a pretty good range of comedy shows together, even if I tend to find the drier/darker brand of British comedy funnier than he does, but I would never show him Rick and Morty. The show can be so in your face about violating taboos, and Rick such an unlikable and repulsive character, as well as the unrelentingly bright animation and sci-fi theme, that I know it would be a bad idea; it’s probably a generation gap kind of series. I’m not even particularly sure that I would want him to know that I watch it.
I like to test the waters with Rico members. But you’re right, it is not for everyone.
Not counting the bad words, the clip about the squirrels is GREAT.
I pity anyone without a sense of humor that appreciates the idea that squirrels rule the world.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is very Camus: There’s no point, life is meaningless, life is absurd, suicide is the only really serious philosophical question, and the answer is DO NOT COMMIT SUICIDE and have a cup of coffee instead.
Also, Samuel B, thanks for the primer on a tv show I knew existed but did not understand.
I have watched bits and pieces. (That’s more than I can say for most shows airing since 1990, mind you.) I have no issues with it. Of course, I am a science-fiction writer, so maybe that makes a difference on that front. The “bad” art doesn’t bother me. And the kids in my junior high school used worse language hundreds of years ago when I went to school.
And the kids in my junior high school were me, the missionary kid in rural Zimbabwe being homeschooled.
This might explain a few of the differences between us.
Could be. I don’t want to pretend to be an authority on the show; I just keep track of these kinds of things. But I’ve found that, if nothing else, the creators understand the stupidity of believing that we are some sort of cosmic accident. But they know their audience: secular kids without confidence, who are desperate for a sense of some sort of meaning.
They just know how to let a punchline come in whenever the ones who aren’t ready start thinking that the show is trying to teach them something.
Rick and Morty may be on the bleak side, but I like it. Do I need to get out the Stalin meme about dark humor?
Indeed. I grew up in a heavily-unionized steel town with kids who learned much from their parents.
I am going to have to watch this from the beginning. I don’t know that I will be able to hook my wife on it though. How many seasons?
It’s teaching them that humans are hypocrites who want G-d when they can’t fix things and want to be G-d the rest of the time.
Argue not the need!
4, although they are pretty short. Depends what your wife likes; I would say the fan base is predominantly male.
I like the person walking along oblivious to the filming at the end.
True. There are moments where Rick seems to believe that he is God. But he’s also a pretty terrible person. His redeeming quality is his reluctant love for Morty.
I should note that Morty’s talk with his his sister is during the first season, since then, he’s figured out just how messed up his grandfather is. Later in the show, he is the protector of his family… especially from Rick.
Nonetheless, he has faith in his Rick when it is warranted.
I grew up in an enormous extended family. Seeing the flaws of my elders was unsettling, but certainly good learning experiences.
(I couldn’t resist).
My Russian is rustier than my last tetanus shot. Indulge us with a translation?
Of course, sorry.
Angel: “Welcome to Heaven! Here there is no money! No work!”
New Arrival: “We’re in Omsk again…”