Nomortland

For most of the series, Jerry has been little more than a comedic device the walking punchline, the default scapegoat, always just out of reach of dignity or depth. He's the character things happen to, rarely someone they happen for. But in this standout episode, the writers take a sharp and refreshing turn, offering us a rare glimpse beneath Jerry's hapless surface and the result is both hilarious and unexpectedly moving.

The humor is as sharp as ever, maintaining the show's signature blend of absurdity, irreverence, and unpredictable wit. Jokes land with precision, and even in its most surreal moments, the episode never loses its comedic footing. But what sets this episode apart is how it manages to balance that humor with genuine character work specifically for Jerry.

For once, Jerry isn't simply there to be ridiculed. Instead, we see multiple versions of him each reflecting a different shade of his personality, or perhaps, his potential. There's the hopeless dreamer, the would-be hero, the emotionally sincere version often buried under layers of self-doubt. It's not about making Jerry cool or suddenly competent it's about giving him dimension. And it works.

What's most impressive is how organically the episode weaves Jerry's emotional arc into the fabric of its story. His growth doesn't come from a grand victory or a sudden change in fortune it comes from a quiet, almost unnoticed shift in how he sees himself. The writing trusts the audience to pick up on this subtle evolution, and it pays off.

By the end, Jerry is still Jerry flawed, fumbling, and funny but he feels more human.

Episode eight of a patchy season of "Rick and Morty" was, for me, another one that took its premise forward without being particularly clever or funny with it.

Jerry (Chris Parnell) is introduced to the concept of "The Road" by Jerry from another dimension that he discovers eating his cereal one morning. The Road is a path between dimensions, that the various Jerry's have chosen to use to get around a multiverse leaden with wormholes created by Rick's (Ian Cardoni) work. All is smooth until they miss a connection and have to use "Grand Central" a universe controlled by boss Jerry.

One thing I've regularly bemoaned about this season of "Rick and Morty" is the abandonment of the A-Story, B-Story structure. This episode's whole plot, whilst fine, should have (with some of the beats cut obviously) been the B-Story to almost any of the other ones in this run. It would have taken the pressure of both episodes and made the characters feel less isolated from each other that I feel they often have done this season.

Again, it's not that this is bad. It's just that it's never funny or clever enough to really justify the way it's been delivered.

Remember Mortynight Run where Jerry gets left in a Jerry Daycare with a ton of other Jerries. Well this felt like an overdue follow up to that where now Jerry gets to explore those other universes that are missing their Jerry. This episode was fun, easy going, and but also showcased the personal growth Jerry has made over the years. This episode was also the right balance of gags while having a self contained story. We see brief snippets of crazy alternate Rick N Morty universes as Jerry hops around, pausing on each just long that they never overstay their welcome or tire out their gag. It was nice seeing Jerry finally live a little after all the hard work he never does.

I loved this episode. We don't get many Jerry adventures, and when we do, they hit. Seeing Jerry be Jerry with another Jerry (jeez, what a mouthful) is super fun and enjoyable. I liked the Jerry with a beard and how our Jerry helps him man up. Also the reveal that everyone in his dimension has a beard was a very funny reveal, probably my favorite joke from the episode.

The villain Jerry wasn't really a villain here and he didn't really do much, but I do like how it implies that Jerry can get things done if they wants to. It goes to show Jerry isn't as stupid as we think he is.

I also really like how our Jerry's family was worried he was gone and looked for him. I'll edit this review in the future, but overall, this is an amazing episode.

9/10.

After quite a hit or miss season this episode was awesome! A sci-fi concept that's perfect for Rick and Morty, with really fantastic character work and tons of twists and turns. Really like how much time we spent with Jerry in this one, was so fun to see how his character developed. And there was one visual gaga I won't spoil that had me howling. Montages and music work really well, the multiverse is utilised fantastically in this ep, and the writing is so sharp - funny jokes and great plot, a great relief after some episodes that feel like they come from another show. This one really shines and I hope we see more like it.