Rick and Morty: The Ricks Must Be Crazy
August 31, 2015 2:22 AM - Season 2, Episode 6 - Subscribe
Morty bonds with his grandfather while learning to fix the car. Rick makes a new friend. Summer is kept safe.
Tons of great sci-fi conceits! This was a model episode of the show.
Highlight: "You have to turn into a car, Morty!"
posted by painquale at 9:34 AM on August 31, 2015
Highlight: "You have to turn into a car, Morty!"
posted by painquale at 9:34 AM on August 31, 2015
and then
Car-Morty's facial expression of resignation about his life with regards to Rick, as his classmates look on in horror. Perfect.
posted by numaner at 11:22 AM on August 31, 2015 [3 favorites]
Car-Morty's facial expression of resignation about his life with regards to Rick, as his classmates look on in horror. Perfect.
posted by numaner at 11:22 AM on August 31, 2015 [3 favorites]
It's battery-powering civilizations all the way down! Well, eventually. But that doesn't necessarily mean their super-smart science person will be a complete dick like Rick and Zeep Zanflorp.
Go go Sanchez ski shoes!
posted by filthy light thief at 12:03 PM on August 31, 2015
Go go Sanchez ski shoes!
posted by filthy light thief at 12:03 PM on August 31, 2015
Nobody told me ahead of time that Stephen Colbert is a guest voice in this one and as a result I made a terrible mistake and didn't watch it ASAP last night. Having fixed this terrible error... After being a little let down last week, we're back in top form! Though I think Rick's car might be scarier than Rick is having watched this.
(Also the post-credits stinger was exactly what I expected it to be after the throw-away line about Morty part way through.)
posted by sparkletone at 12:49 PM on August 31, 2015
(Also the post-credits stinger was exactly what I expected it to be after the throw-away line about Morty part way through.)
posted by sparkletone at 12:49 PM on August 31, 2015
I totally lost it at "Ooooooooooooh snap!!!". Is Morty getting sassier ?
posted by Pendragon at 1:07 PM on August 31, 2015
posted by Pendragon at 1:07 PM on August 31, 2015
"Summer is safe."
"I don't feel safe."
*seat reclines*
posted by elr at 1:20 PM on August 31, 2015 [3 favorites]
"I don't feel safe."
*seat reclines*
posted by elr at 1:20 PM on August 31, 2015 [3 favorites]
I don't see how anyone could possibly have any complaints about this episode. It was just right, just classic Rick & Morty.
On the other hand, I kind of feel like this was one of the first episodes this season that didn't go anyplace emotional. Even in last week's that everyone hated, Bird Person called out Morty for his disloyalty to Rick and Beth and Jerry had their random "we are so grateful for our marriage!" moment. The hallmark of most of this season has been those kick-in-the-feels moments that force deeper emotional engagement with the show and by contrast this episode was a fair bit more cerebral. Recursive storyline, climactic nerd fight, great premise, fun worlds - just a smart, solid episode with no big, clear implications for how the characters relate to one another. I don't have a problem with that; in fact, it feels like a return to S1 form, but I thought it was worth noting.
Both my and my husband's reaction to the post-credits stinger was along the lines of "Puberty, ladies and gentlemen!"
posted by town of cats at 3:06 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
On the other hand, I kind of feel like this was one of the first episodes this season that didn't go anyplace emotional. Even in last week's that everyone hated, Bird Person called out Morty for his disloyalty to Rick and Beth and Jerry had their random "we are so grateful for our marriage!" moment. The hallmark of most of this season has been those kick-in-the-feels moments that force deeper emotional engagement with the show and by contrast this episode was a fair bit more cerebral. Recursive storyline, climactic nerd fight, great premise, fun worlds - just a smart, solid episode with no big, clear implications for how the characters relate to one another. I don't have a problem with that; in fact, it feels like a return to S1 form, but I thought it was worth noting.
Both my and my husband's reaction to the post-credits stinger was along the lines of "Puberty, ladies and gentlemen!"
posted by town of cats at 3:06 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
Any shortcomings of "Get Schwifty" have been more than made up by this episode. Where to begin? The multi-layer mind-fuckery of the Mini-Micro-Tinyverses? The ENTIRE B-story? Ball Fondlers: The Movie (and a poster for 3 Brothers?!)
posted by SansPoint at 4:01 PM on August 31, 2015
posted by SansPoint at 4:01 PM on August 31, 2015
Pendragon: I thought Morty's "Old lady science... ya gotta hold on tight because she bucks pretty hard" patter to the suicidally depressed recursive Microcosmic God was kind of Rick-ish honestly.
posted by Grimgrin at 4:39 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Grimgrin at 4:39 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
Grimgrin Mini-cosmic God.
posted by SansPoint at 5:09 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by SansPoint at 5:09 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
I totally lost it at "Ooooooooooooh snap!!!". Is Morty getting sassier ?
Rick's influence is rubbing off on him. Morty's little fuck you speech to the tree people was very Rick-like.
posted by cazoo at 5:23 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
Rick's influence is rubbing off on him. Morty's little fuck you speech to the tree people was very Rick-like.
posted by cazoo at 5:23 PM on August 31, 2015 [2 favorites]
"I MASTURBATED TO AN EXTRA CURVY PIECE OF DRIFTWOOD THE OTHER DAY!"
Easily one of the top ten lines of the series.
posted by SansPoint at 5:34 PM on August 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
Easily one of the top ten lines of the series.
posted by SansPoint at 5:34 PM on August 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
On the other hand, I kind of feel like this was one of the first episodes this season that didn't go anyplace emotional.
I hope it keeps riding that horse. I'm a little sick of animated shows that keep gunning for a Jurassic Bark or a first-ten-minutes-of-Up. Those unexpected beats of intense emotion in otherwise silly shows have become kind of hacky, IMO. It seems like every single animated show goes after them now, and I really don't think this is a show that supports them. The characters and situations are too broad to support much sympathy. What this show does best is crazy and hilarious sci-fi adventure. But I worry that Harmon is too wedded to the traditional sitcom format to entirely get rid of the attempts at tender moments.
When there are bursts of emotion, like the banana character in the hospital or Rick briefly trying to kill himself, they work best as comedy beats or moments of satire. They inspire "haha, wow"s, not real pity. I really don't like it when we're asked to care about Jerry and Beth's relationship.
posted by painquale at 5:37 PM on August 31, 2015
I hope it keeps riding that horse. I'm a little sick of animated shows that keep gunning for a Jurassic Bark or a first-ten-minutes-of-Up. Those unexpected beats of intense emotion in otherwise silly shows have become kind of hacky, IMO. It seems like every single animated show goes after them now, and I really don't think this is a show that supports them. The characters and situations are too broad to support much sympathy. What this show does best is crazy and hilarious sci-fi adventure. But I worry that Harmon is too wedded to the traditional sitcom format to entirely get rid of the attempts at tender moments.
When there are bursts of emotion, like the banana character in the hospital or Rick briefly trying to kill himself, they work best as comedy beats or moments of satire. They inspire "haha, wow"s, not real pity. I really don't like it when we're asked to care about Jerry and Beth's relationship.
posted by painquale at 5:37 PM on August 31, 2015
Both my and my husband's reaction to the post-credits stinger was along the lines of "Puberty, ladies and gentlemen!"
Possibly a reference to that other weird cartoon that used cars as a metaphor for puberty?
posted by teraflop at 5:42 PM on August 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
Possibly a reference to that other weird cartoon that used cars as a metaphor for puberty?
posted by teraflop at 5:42 PM on August 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
painquale, how many animated shows really goes after emotional tugs? And the wide spectrum of batshit crazy to tears-in-your-eyes feels is what makes this show so great, that you can experience all that in a span of just over 20 minutes. And YMMV, I suppose, but Jerry's and Beth's broken marriage is one of the many things I adore about this show.
posted by numaner at 7:51 PM on August 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by numaner at 7:51 PM on August 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
painquale, how many animated shows really goes after emotional tugs?
Boy, a lot of them. Older mainstream shows like South Park and shows on FOX tend not to go for extreme emotional tugs, but those shows are dinosaurs. I think Futurama and The Venture Brothers really kicked off the trend among alt-comedys offerings on Comedy Central and Adult Swim, and it crossed over into cartoons for kids via Adventure Time. Going from crazy to unexpectedly emotional at the drop of a hat just doesn't feel that unique to me. For a show like Steven Universe, it really works. I just don't think it's what Rick and Morty excels at, so I'd rather they stick with universes in universes in universes.
posted by painquale at 8:28 PM on August 31, 2015
Boy, a lot of them. Older mainstream shows like South Park and shows on FOX tend not to go for extreme emotional tugs, but those shows are dinosaurs. I think Futurama and The Venture Brothers really kicked off the trend among alt-comedys offerings on Comedy Central and Adult Swim, and it crossed over into cartoons for kids via Adventure Time. Going from crazy to unexpectedly emotional at the drop of a hat just doesn't feel that unique to me. For a show like Steven Universe, it really works. I just don't think it's what Rick and Morty excels at, so I'd rather they stick with universes in universes in universes.
posted by painquale at 8:28 PM on August 31, 2015
I've been thinking: was Rick's vehicle feeding off of Summer's unease, is it designed on Rick's sense of the world, or is the AI quick to judge? The first two guys weren't really threatening Summer's safety, but sense of safety. What would they do, punch the window? I doubt the glass would break.
Shower thought: what if the mysterious space car escalated things just to broker a deal between the humans and spiders? "I mean, what did it really do, anyways? Kill a guy and paralyze his buddy? Not a bad trade for spider peace."
posted by filthy light thief at 9:56 AM on September 1, 2015
Shower thought: what if the mysterious space car escalated things just to broker a deal between the humans and spiders? "I mean, what did it really do, anyways? Kill a guy and paralyze his buddy? Not a bad trade for spider peace."
posted by filthy light thief at 9:56 AM on September 1, 2015
So the car... guessed that Summer would demand it to be non-violent and non-emotionally-torturous? Hmm...
posted by numaner at 11:27 AM on September 1, 2015
posted by numaner at 11:27 AM on September 1, 2015
filthy light thief: This is RICK'S car. We saw him murder two universes to get the battery to charge. The fact that the car escalated to lethal force with little or no justification is not really that odd. Hell, what's odd is that it waited until buddy was banging on the window to resort to dicing him into cubes.
posted by Grimgrin at 3:59 PM on September 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Grimgrin at 3:59 PM on September 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
So the car... guessed that Summer would demand it to be non-violent and non-emotionally-torturous? Hmm...
That interchange is implied to have happened.
posted by sebastienbailard at 5:21 PM on September 1, 2015
That interchange is implied to have happened.
posted by sebastienbailard at 5:21 PM on September 1, 2015
Just wanted to chime in that I feel the same way as painquale. The emotional moments, with Jerry and Beth especially, seem so ham-handed as to be intentional parody of standard sitcom tropes.
That interchange is implied to have happened.
Not implied, directly stated. There's a scene where the car asks Summer if she would allow the use of physical force or emotional manipulation, and she tells it no. The car then says it has another solution.
posted by Sangermaine at 6:21 PM on September 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
That interchange is implied to have happened.
Not implied, directly stated. There's a scene where the car asks Summer if she would allow the use of physical force or emotional manipulation, and she tells it no. The car then says it has another solution.
posted by Sangermaine at 6:21 PM on September 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Summer's relation to the car felt like a really fierce riff on the relationship between citizens and the institutions within which they live. "Stop terrorism!" "No, not like that - no invasions and mass killings!" "No, fuck, no torture either!" "No, no mass surveillance, either, come the fuck on!" "WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE FLYING ROBOTS NOW WHAT THE HELL - "
The peaceful and constructive solution always seems comes last in line, when all others have been exhausted or denied.
I think that this episode lacked the personalized emotional touches of previous episodes, but retained - and even strengthened - an underlying theme of existential horror at the universe it portrays. The merciless car, the potentially endless cycle of slave-worlds made to fuel some other universe's energy needs (again, felt like this was kind of a riff on our society - how many Chinese workers died to bring me my iPhone?), even the giant psychic spiders, which were a minor point and played for a laugh, the absolute refusal to end with any sort of reconciliation or mutual understanding among Rick and his fellow scientist, the third scientist's moment of introspection followed by immediate suicide....
Really, really dark, and I feel like its a more skilled and even, in its relentless accumulation, forceful darkness than having Rick try to commit suicide (which he did in "Total Rickall" and "Auto Erotic Assimulation") or having Morty talk about his dead alternate self.
posted by AdamCSnider at 7:09 PM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
The peaceful and constructive solution always seems comes last in line, when all others have been exhausted or denied.
I think that this episode lacked the personalized emotional touches of previous episodes, but retained - and even strengthened - an underlying theme of existential horror at the universe it portrays. The merciless car, the potentially endless cycle of slave-worlds made to fuel some other universe's energy needs (again, felt like this was kind of a riff on our society - how many Chinese workers died to bring me my iPhone?), even the giant psychic spiders, which were a minor point and played for a laugh, the absolute refusal to end with any sort of reconciliation or mutual understanding among Rick and his fellow scientist, the third scientist's moment of introspection followed by immediate suicide....
Really, really dark, and I feel like its a more skilled and even, in its relentless accumulation, forceful darkness than having Rick try to commit suicide (which he did in "Total Rickall" and "Auto Erotic Assimulation") or having Morty talk about his dead alternate self.
posted by AdamCSnider at 7:09 PM on September 2, 2015 [5 favorites]
The part where they torture the cop with his dead son coming back to life and then melting was really hard to watch, almost painful, and I kept this bad feeling like 1 hour after watching it.
It was a truly epic episode, though.
posted by signal at 3:32 PM on September 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
It was a truly epic episode, though.
posted by signal at 3:32 PM on September 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm definitely on the team saying the last couple episodes sort of lacked some oomph, but this one was classic rick and morty. It was pretty much identical to any season 1 episode that didn't hit extra hard.
I really enjoyed the interstellar sort of riff on the time dilation within the universes too. How long had morty been with that tribe to gain their trust? Weeks? Months? Fuck, years?
That's definitely a lot darker than the episode seems to be getting credit for, and the whole thing was dark as shit.
Also, yea, i totally thought of turbo teen with that little credits gag.
posted by emptythought at 2:30 AM on September 7, 2015
I really enjoyed the interstellar sort of riff on the time dilation within the universes too. How long had morty been with that tribe to gain their trust? Weeks? Months? Fuck, years?
That's definitely a lot darker than the episode seems to be getting credit for, and the whole thing was dark as shit.
Also, yea, i totally thought of turbo teen with that little credits gag.
posted by emptythought at 2:30 AM on September 7, 2015
I really enjoyed the interstellar sort of riff on the time dilation within the universes too. How long had morty been with that tribe to gain their trust? Weeks? Months? Fuck, years?
If the answer is years, then we're running out of teenage Mortys.
But I figure this is sort of an apology episode for the inception episode that ended up using the exact same Freddy Krueger punchline as South Park. Which ironically stole a lot of material from CollegeHumor, of all places. Which is its own little sort of Inception plotline, really.
posted by pwnguin at 9:57 AM on September 7, 2015
If the answer is years, then we're running out of teenage Mortys.
But I figure this is sort of an apology episode for the inception episode that ended up using the exact same Freddy Krueger punchline as South Park. Which ironically stole a lot of material from CollegeHumor, of all places. Which is its own little sort of Inception plotline, really.
posted by pwnguin at 9:57 AM on September 7, 2015
Rick said that Morty's been missing in the forest for months, I think. I imagined like three months or so.
The Rick and Morty announcer pack for DotA 2 reveals that Rick has had five Mortys so far. (20:39 in.) And as Rick says, uh-oh, now it's canon.
posted by painquale at 8:02 PM on September 7, 2015 [3 favorites]
The Rick and Morty announcer pack for DotA 2 reveals that Rick has had five Mortys so far. (20:39 in.) And as Rick says, uh-oh, now it's canon.
posted by painquale at 8:02 PM on September 7, 2015 [3 favorites]
The part where they torture the cop with his dead son coming back to life and then melting was really hard to watch, almost painful, and I kept this bad feeling like 1 hour after watching it.
Yeah, and you know who voiced the cop? Alan fucking Tudyk. Not like he's been in any scenes that are hard to watch.
And googling around: Just the perfect kind of guest voice guy. Now Justin’s watching Firefly and he’s like, “Oh, that guy! Oh my God!”
posted by A dead Quaker at 5:57 PM on December 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, and you know who voiced the cop? Alan fucking Tudyk. Not like he's been in any scenes that are hard to watch.
And googling around: Just the perfect kind of guest voice guy. Now Justin’s watching Firefly and he’s like, “Oh, that guy! Oh my God!”
posted by A dead Quaker at 5:57 PM on December 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
A thing that nobody really remarks upon: From Feep on down, the universes are using their sub-universes to replace ALL of their power needs. Rick is using his Microverse as a car battery.
Really makes ya think...
posted by Navelgazer at 8:44 PM on December 29, 2015
Really makes ya think...
posted by Navelgazer at 8:44 PM on December 29, 2015
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"I am currently constructing a security measure in compliance with your parameters. But I do want to say you are not making this easy."
"You know you're kind of a dick, right?"
"My function is to keep Summer safe. Not keep Summer being, like, totally stoked about, like, the general vibe and stuff. That's you, that's how you talk."
Also, Stephen Colbert!
posted by numaner at 5:54 AM on August 31, 2015 [8 favorites]