Rick and Morty: Rick Potion No. 9
June 23, 2015 7:40 AM - Season 1, Episode 6 - Subscribe
Morty convinces Rick to cook him up a love potion to win the heart of the school's most popular girl. Mutation based hijinks ensue! Meanwhile, Jerry has a freak out that he's about to lose his wife and sets off determined to catch her cheating on him, regardless of who or what he has to kill to reach her.
"If it were, you could call me Ernest Hemingway."
She doesn't get as many lines as the rest of the cast, but I feel that if you were to compare laugh-per-line ratios by character, Beth would be the undisputed champ.
It's almost a shame that the end of this episode is as good as it is, because it tends to dominate discussion of the episode, and there's very little about Rick Potion No. 9 that isn't perfect.
"Sometimes science is a lot more art than science. A lot of people don't get that."
posted by Parasite Unseen at 12:06 PM on June 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
She doesn't get as many lines as the rest of the cast, but I feel that if you were to compare laugh-per-line ratios by character, Beth would be the undisputed champ.
It's almost a shame that the end of this episode is as good as it is, because it tends to dominate discussion of the episode, and there's very little about Rick Potion No. 9 that isn't perfect.
"Sometimes science is a lot more art than science. A lot of people don't get that."
posted by Parasite Unseen at 12:06 PM on June 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Unquestionably, for me, the peak of the season. Courageous in multiple ways, a genius level way to have massive events happen but reset to a sitcom scenario at the end... but with lasting impact on our characters.
Also, I love Rick casually shaking up the soda can before putting it back in the fridge. Left as an unfired Chekhov's gun through the episode.
posted by phearlez at 12:21 PM on June 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Also, I love Rick casually shaking up the soda can before putting it back in the fridge. Left as an unfired Chekhov's gun through the episode.
posted by phearlez at 12:21 PM on June 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
The episode also sets up the wonderful quip from Morty later on, "Every night I sleep a 100 feet away from my own decomposing body." (loosely remembered!)
For listeners of the Harmontown Podcast and are familiar with Dan Harmon's rapping, yes, that was him rapping at the Flu Season dance.
What's incredible about the episode is just how swiftly everything goes wrong. Most "love potion" storylines (see Love Potion No. 9), slowly amp up the affect of the love potion on others to a big build - but they blow right past any delay so they can jump to Rick's attempts to fix the problem with various aerosol sprays. "Congratulations, Morty, you're the king of Itoldyousoland!"
The real tragedy of the episode is Morty's sister, who will have no one to love or be with, unless she's cool with the Cronenberg monsters. Unless, well, there's Morty cousins out there.
posted by Atreides at 1:08 PM on June 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
For listeners of the Harmontown Podcast and are familiar with Dan Harmon's rapping, yes, that was him rapping at the Flu Season dance.
What's incredible about the episode is just how swiftly everything goes wrong. Most "love potion" storylines (see Love Potion No. 9), slowly amp up the affect of the love potion on others to a big build - but they blow right past any delay so they can jump to Rick's attempts to fix the problem with various aerosol sprays. "Congratulations, Morty, you're the king of Itoldyousoland!"
The real tragedy of the episode is Morty's sister, who will have no one to love or be with, unless she's cool with the Cronenberg monsters. Unless, well, there's Morty cousins out there.
posted by Atreides at 1:08 PM on June 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
The significance of this episode 300 years from now will be as the etymology of "Cronenberg"-as-verb, a surely common phrase in 2315 English.
posted by byanyothername at 1:25 PM on June 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by byanyothername at 1:25 PM on June 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Phearlez, yes, I wondered about that shaken can the whole time. So good. And I think the most interesting thing this episode does is pick up the idea of the "sitcom reset" and shake it upside down a little bit.
posted by town of cats at 8:33 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by town of cats at 8:33 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Perhaps the shaken can is a tip to the explosion that happens at the end of the episode in the garage?
posted by Atreides at 8:13 AM on June 25, 2015
posted by Atreides at 8:13 AM on June 25, 2015
Perhaps the shaken can is a tip to the explosion that happens at the end of the episode in the garage?
Nice thought. I thought it was interesting that the explosion happens right after Morty hands Rick the screwdriver... which is what he asked Morty do to right before Morty pitches a fit at him and demands the love potion. It's a pretty pedestrian thing to ask someone to help you with but I have to think it's no coincidence.
posted by phearlez at 1:34 PM on June 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Nice thought. I thought it was interesting that the explosion happens right after Morty hands Rick the screwdriver... which is what he asked Morty do to right before Morty pitches a fit at him and demands the love potion. It's a pretty pedestrian thing to ask someone to help you with but I have to think it's no coincidence.
posted by phearlez at 1:34 PM on June 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
My three favorite quotes:
"Nobody's killing me...until after I catch my wife with another man."
"I mean, obviously, DNA's a little more complicated than that. You know what though, Morty? This right here's gonna do the trick.It's koala mixed with rattlesnake, chimpanzee, cactus, shark, golden retriever, and just a smidge of dinosaur. Should add up to normal humanity."
"I don't suppose you've considered this detail, but obviously, if I hadn't screwed up as much as I did, we'd be these guys right now, so, again, you're welcome."
posted by A dead Quaker at 8:48 PM on December 15, 2015
"Nobody's killing me...until after I catch my wife with another man."
"I mean, obviously, DNA's a little more complicated than that. You know what though, Morty? This right here's gonna do the trick.It's koala mixed with rattlesnake, chimpanzee, cactus, shark, golden retriever, and just a smidge of dinosaur. Should add up to normal humanity."
"I don't suppose you've considered this detail, but obviously, if I hadn't screwed up as much as I did, we'd be these guys right now, so, again, you're welcome."
posted by A dead Quaker at 8:48 PM on December 15, 2015
Perhaps the shaken can is a tip to the explosion that happens at the end of the episode in the garage?
Uh...in the scene when they come in after burying their own selves, Rick takes the can out of the fridge, pops it open, and takes a drink from it. It was clearly just fine in that reality.
posted by A dead Quaker at 8:52 PM on December 15, 2015
Uh...in the scene when they come in after burying their own selves, Rick takes the can out of the fridge, pops it open, and takes a drink from it. It was clearly just fine in that reality.
posted by A dead Quaker at 8:52 PM on December 15, 2015
OK, one more quote and then I'm done.
"Principal Vagina here, don't let the name fool you, I'm very much in charge."
posted by A dead Quaker at 8:55 PM on December 15, 2015
"Principal Vagina here, don't let the name fool you, I'm very much in charge."
posted by A dead Quaker at 8:55 PM on December 15, 2015
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posted by whuppy at 11:54 AM on June 23, 2015 [1 favorite]