An animated series that follows the exploits of a super scientist and his not-so-bright grandson.
There’s been plenty of dialogue surrounding the fourth season of the cult classic show “Rick & Morty.” Much of that dialogue centers around the misguided loyalty fans feel for protagonist/antagonist Rick Sanchez as the smartest living person ever conceived and how his genius bends not only physics (like time, space, ideology) but also the minds of his family around him. Previously, the show capitalized on aping popular science fiction tropes and beyond, but the quest for an overarching narrative pushed the show into its tragic side. This season looks to reset the balance of the entire series by demystifying Rick Sanchez and empowering the other family members previously treated with disdain (*cough cough* Jerry *cough*).
We’re back for some good ol’ fashioned one-off comedy satire. We’re back to what made the show so great in the first place. Some classic mockery of genre fare and heavy psychological analysis of our hero Morty and his asshole grandpa Rick. You heard me. This season takes apart the power Rick’s held in past seasons. In episodes like “Special Ricktims Unit,” “The Old Man and the Seat,” and “One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty,” we see a Rick alienated from his family by his own efforts. He is no longer just a lonely genius (a character we worship at the altar of here in the States) but a sad old man with no friends. Instead, we see characters like Beth and Morty finally stand up to his omnipotent genius.
The satire in this episode cuts sharply and deeply, oftentimes against its own benefit. Some episodes are clever send-ups of older genre greats like “The Terminator” or “Prometheus.” Some episodes mock a form, like the anthology episode, “Never Ricking Morty” or “One Crew Over the Crewcoo’s Morty.” These pastiches work excellently but this season feels more Roiland than Harmon as it dials up the fantastical elements to eleven. In one episode, they completely lambast the heist genre to the point of utter confusion and shoehorn a plotline in surrounding Morty’s ambition being heisted from him. It’s messy and only functional as a direct satire. Similarly, the anthology riff takes itself way out there in efforts to detach itself from its usual double-edged sword of poignant observation.
That’s what this season is about: untangling the mythos of “Rick and Morty” and making it more appealing to a wider base. In perhaps the most meta scene of the entire show, Rick asks Morty to do something they would never normally do. He tells Morty to write a scene that passes the Bechdel test (a watermark of female agency in television) and Morty contrives a hilariously inept story featuring crotch lasers and periods. It so obviously lambasts even the writers of the show themselves (largely white men) to demonstrate: the show has its faults.
Of course, what would be a “Rick and Morty” season without its cameos? We’re gifted scenes from actors Taika Waititi, Sam Neill, Jeffrey Wright, Nolan North, Justin Theroux, and Elon Musk (as himself) just to name a few. It gets whacky and everyone’s clearly having the most fun with it. Those guest-adjacent episodes deliver some of the better comedy of the show, butting up sharply against its deep observations about Rick’s lonely godhood.
Fans of “Rick and Morty” are in for a treat with the special features on this Blu-Ray. Equally as troll-y as they are serious we get to witness the behind the scenes stuff that convinces us the show must be a blast to work on. A four-minute devotion to how ‘snake jazz’ was legitimately conceived (and not just faked) by a sound artist. Or so we think. Lots of gags abound and they mingle greatly with Dan Harmon’s observations about the characters or Roiland’s direction for the season. It’s exactly this kind of content that helps build out the show in a way that doesn’t feel weighty or absurd.
“Rick and Morty” is a show that isn’t afraid to go there but has to show the consequences. If you’re going to do a show about a god-level genius mocking the conventions of sci-fi, you better be prepared to deal with his constant alcoholism and self-loathing. As you learn to see Rick Sanchez as a troubled soul, we get to see Morty be his own person, Beth live into her preferred mystery, and even Jerry retain some semblance of authority in this family and that helps solidify this season as more experimental than most. It’s messy at its worst and less comedic than it was before, but that doesn’t stop the powerful observations from rolling in. You’ll be rolling in laughter and tears, and you won’t know why. Is it for general comedy fans? Unlikely. It lives and dies by its references (no matter how oblique). It has still got golden nuggets if you’ll just hang in there.
Available on Blu-ray™ & DVD September 22nd from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
