In last night’s season premiere, ‘Rick and Morty’ parody the Edge of Tomorrow movie as Morty goes crazy about building a future with Jessica
Fair warning, this Rick and Morty Season 4 Premiere review will be full of spoilers. Though nothing too heavy, as it was more of a fun episode with little at stake. To give you a perfect example, here’s the show’s logline for this episode, aptly titled: ‘Rick and Morty Edge of Tomorty’:
Morty goes nuts; Rick does stuff.
In this episode of TV Talk, we talk the season 4 premiere, the show’s ‘Death Stranding’ parody and how ‘Outerworlds’ is really all about Rick Sanchez. Available here, iTunes, Google play, and Spotify.
‘Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat’ Review
After two years and a 70 episode renewal (This series is the flagship for Adult Swim, Don’t expect a cancellation anytime soon) Rick and Morty are back and more bizarre and nihilistic than ever!
The season premiere opens on familiar grounds. With a classic opening at the breakfast table leading to yet another Rick and Morty adventure, plus a bit of foreshadowing on the new family structure. With Jerry back in with the family and Rick, less the alpha than last season, reluctantly agreeing to ask Morty’s permission to go on adventures to appease his daughter.
Soon after this, we see Rick chase after yet another science fiction object: death crystals. Objects that grant precognition and actually show how the wielder will die, with an emphasis on each possibility and a lot of micro animations detailing each gory death scene in solid detail. This episode showcasing the upwards quality in animation this season.
This leads to yet another hilarious plot, where Morty does everything he can to stick to the death crystal timeline that leads him to grow old with Jessica (or so he thinks). And Rick, killed in a car accident, trying many zany antics to return into his body yet again, including staving off Nazi versions of himself and getting to meet a wasp version of his family. And no, not the political kind, the devouring Mr. Goldenfold as a caterpillar kind.
There’s a lot of callbacks in this episode such as Gearhead and the Meeseeks boxes. Each used to silly effect more as callbacks that real plot devices. Thematically, it’s also reminiscent of Pickle Rick in that Rick’s trying to return to a body, just as Morty, yet again, is sacrificing everything in his life chasing after Jessica. Or in this case, a future with her.
Likewise, there are quite a few anime references in this one, particularly Akira as Morty turns into a giant blob embodying his own selfish desires. This episode very much embarrassing the over-the-top quality silliness that Rick and Morty embodies. It’s surprising where it goes though, by the episode’s end, we get the typical rants of a season premiere. With a dash of Summer wanting to fit into the hijinks too.
As a final treat, check out the show’s epic new opening credits.
You can watch ‘Rick and Morty’ Sundays at 11:30 on Adult Swim
