Rick and Morty never fails to deliver hilarity, but this episode may take the cake for the series so far. While Rick is usually the obnoxiously pompous savior of the show, this episode forces him to experience his own shenanigans from the perspective of those around him. After he gets blackout drunk and slaughters Worldender on his own, he sets up an elaborate, Saw-esque game that the Vindicators must get through if they want to leave Worldender’s lair. And since he left his portal gun beside the diarrhea slicked bathroom sink, he’s stuck there alongside the superheroes he loathes.
Photo Source: Adult Swim
We’ve all wondered how far the show might go with Rick’s drunken adventures, but this was a curve ball. The fact that Rick was never seen during his nightly escapade is unsurprising, but Rick being in the dark about his own actions the night before makes the situation hilarious. It becomes more entertaining as Rick’s videos show him getting progressively drunker and caring less about the outcomes of the game. When the first Drunk Rick video plays, Rick states that “it’s official. I had too much to drink last night”. And this becomes more evident with each video shown. Because he has done something so reckless with no recollection of doing so, Rick has set himself up as his own foil. This is the twist we’ve been waiting for!
Photo Source: Adult Swim
Morty is less satisfied than the audience during this adventure, but the episode continues to entertain. Marriage drama is interrupted by a potentially sweet moment of jealousy on Rick’s behalf, and we are led to think that perhaps there could be some sappy scene between grandfather and grandson in the episode. But, of course, that doesn’t happen, and the sentiment is entirely flipped. The tension is only mildly relieved by the rager that Rick had apparently organized for when the team got out of the game safely. Drunk Rick is even craftier than we could have imagined.
Overall, the episode was loaded with memorable moments, witty one-liners, and that memorable little yellow guy, Noob Noob. My personal favorite line came from Morty: “You managed to destroy just about everything today…the villains, the heroes, the lines between them, my childhood”. Morty is one fed up little buttercup, and I can’t wait to see how he projects that further onto Rick in the next episode. The only thing I feel could have made the episode better is featuring Noob Noob a little more. But that would detract from him becoming an overnight meme and favorite character, wouldn’t it?
The series has adhered well to its comic vibe from the first season, but now there is more depth coming through as frustrations between Rick and Morty put a strain on their relationship. The plot of this episode in particular is intricate and entertaining as it forces Rick to acknowledge the less desirable pieces of his personality. But no level of emotional distress will outweigh the comedic brilliance of the show.
Rick and Morty continues next Sunday at 11pm! Like and comment with your opinions and predictions, and hold onto your Noob Noob until then!
