Rick and Morty
Our Review
The smartest dumb show ever made — or the dumbest smart show, depending on the week. Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon’s dimension-hopping grandfather-grandson duo turned cosmic nihilism into appointment television: Rick Sanchez is the smartest being in the universe and it has made him miserable, and the show is honest enough to never let that be cool.
At its best — Mr. Meeseeks, Pickle Rick, the Vat of Acid episode, Rest and Ricklaxation — it’s an idea machine that out-concepts every other animated show while sneaking in real pain under the sci-fi. The season 3 premiere (The Rickshank Rickdemption) is one of the great TV season openers of all time. The later seasons have wobbled — the meta-humour got self-satisfied and Roiland’s departure forced a recast — but the voice cast change landed smoother than anyone expected, and the sci-fi engine is still firing.
Verdict: Watch it. Nobody exists on purpose, but this show earns its 9-and-a-half seasons of McDonald’s sauce riots.