Nomortland

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.

"Jerrys are basically invisible. It's our superpower. Nobody sees us." - Reisender Jerry

This episode flips that on its head in the best way possible. NoMortland gives the spotlight to all the Jerrys, and honestly, it's a hilarious breath of fresh air. While Rick often uses Jerry as a punchline or comic relief, this episode lets the Jerrys shine in their own bizarre, awkward, and genuinely funny way. Despite their reputation, the Jerrys bring a unique kind of joy, and seeing them front and center is both entertaining and surprisingly heartwarming. If you're a fan of multiverse madness, weird humor, and especially Jerry being more than just background noise, this episode delivers. A must-watch for those who appreciate the chaotic charm that only a Jerry can bring to the table.

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.

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.

As a longtime fan of Rick and Morty, I found NoMortland mildly enjoyable - mostly because any episode focusing on Jerry tends to bring out a few unexpected laughs. But beyond that, the episode left me feeling disappointed, and honestly, disconnected.

What once felt like a brilliant mix of sci-fi chaos and emotional honesty now feels hollow and performative. The sharpness is gone. It's like Family guy. The heart is gone. And what's left is a show that seems to be running on autopilot, dressing up mediocrity with self-referential gags that used to mean something.

At times, it feels like the writers are sitting alone in a room, looking into a mirror, shaking their own hands and saying, "Congratulations!" " Oh, Thank you!" - giving themselves credit for being clever, while the actual content falls flat. There's no real irony left, just the performance of it.

I used to be excited when a new episode dropped. Now, I barely care. The respect I once had for the show, the characters, and the creative vision behind it is gone. I'm not even angry - just uninterested.

Here's hoping something new comes along soon, because Rick and Morty no longer earns its place among the shows that treat their audience - or themselves - with any real respect.