Rattlestar Ricklactica

Don't get me wrong, this is a really solid episode, but I can't help but feel something is still a little off. The show just feels... different to watch. Which is probably due to the new writers. Still, I feel like the certain quirks and drama that made Rick and Morty stand out from other shows is now missing/watered down. I don't get that same feeling of impact/deeper message that I used to get from the show. The show's witty writing, dark humor and charming personality is still there, but the weird character antics, deep emotional drama and shocking nature of the show, I feel although not gone completely, has been toned down. The moments it does try to be dark/impactful, it just doesn't hit the same way and feels like it's being forced/rushed. The character's personalities have also been altered/toned down. Like Rick and Morty's toxic sides feel muted this season such as Rick's cynical, sociopathic, narcissistic behavior and Morty's insecure, passive behavior. Which is a bit of a shame, because their toxic sides are what made them a great duo to watch. I know shows tend to evolve over time, but it's core elements need to evolve too, not slowly fade away. It's just little nitpicks like this that start to slowly, gradually make a show decline in quality and become a shadow of its former self. The show is still going strong right now, but I unfortunately have to say, it's starting to decline a bit. This was one of the more stronger episodes of this season, just slightly behind the first but just not quite there on the same level with the good episodes from the older seasons.

Here's a rather odd episode, but also one of the best. It's easily the best of this season and it's not hard to see why. The episode starts off with Rick and Morty in space and Morty getting bitten by a space snake. Seriously, there's a snake dressed like an astronaut floating around. They go to the snake planet and find a cure, but Morty sends a snake from Earth to replace it. They're then attacked by snakes in a Terminator parody.

There's seriously a two minute sequence of nothing but snakes hissing as the only dialogue. This is also a Christmas episode, although it's not that relevant. The visual gags are awesome in this, especially how the time traveling snakes keep appearing one after another. Lincoln and Hitler are in "Rick And Morty" again? Going back to 1985 must have been a "Back To The Future" reference. This episode was hilarious and creative. ****

After 4 episodes which did not feel exactly like R&M, finally an excellent classic R&M episode. However it is also a little far from the best episodes (The Rickshank Rickdemption, Pickle Rick, The Ricklantis Mixup, Morty's Mind Blowers, Total Rickall, The Ricks Must Be Crazy, The Wedding Squanchers, Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind, Rick Potion #9 and so on), but definitely far R&Mortier than the last 4 episodes. We expect suchlike episodes in the upcoming episodes (or season).

Although I had been looking forward to this season finally arriving, I did wait a while before watching it because I wanted to do so when all the fan-fuss had calmed down. I've seen others comment on how the Rick & Morty fanbase seems very toxic, and it is hard to deny when so much hate poured out over this season. Some of it I agree with, just not to the extent that I would call someone Judas etc. A comment complaint is the lack of depth, and I would agree that these first run of episodes don't link to anything bigger than the moment, or have a great deal going on with the characters and relationships in the way that the best of the previous seasons did. However it is hard to be so upset at this, because the show keeps moving on its profane imagination and delivery.

This element has always been part of the show, so it is not some big change to have crudity, swearwords, or randomness - indeed it is a consistent theme. There is a gap where more should be built on top, but even without this the episodes are smart, slick, reactive, and funny. I do hope that the next set of episodes have more character and heft in them, but it wasn't a concern as I was laughing alone to this short season.

Not gonna lie, the last episode in my opinion was the worst one of the series. A lot of the jokes fell flat and the whole "horny dragon" storyline was kind of lost on me. But this episode without a doubt made up for it! This is a classic Rick and Morty episode, and I felt myself laughing a lot during it, which is something that hasn't happened often this season. Overall it's a 9.1/10, and definitely a step in the right direction for the season!