Well folks, Rick and Morty is back with its fifth season! I’ve gotta say, this season was a bit of a mixed bag for me, as much as I hate using that term. There were some really great episodes that had me laughing my ass off, but there were also a few duds that just didn’t hit the mark.
Let’s start with the good stuff. The premiere episode, Mort Dinner Rick Andre was a strong start to the season. It had all the classic Rick and Morty elements – multidimensional hijinks, rapid-fire jokes, and Rick being a chaotic asshole. The scene where hundreds of Mr. Meeseeks kept appearing had me in stitches! Mortyplicity was another standout episode.
The plot with the whole family hunting down their alternate reality doppelgängers allowed for some great character moments, especially seeing Morty take charge for once. And I can’t forget to mention Rickdependence Spray. That B plot with Jerry and Beth’s sex robot was so wrong but so hilarious. Justin Roiland’s improv skills were on full display there.
Of course, there were also a few episodes this season that fell flat for me. Amortycan Grickfitti was a swing and a miss. The storyline with Summer and Morty competing for the affection of a guy from another dimension wasn’t that compelling or funny. And the episode Gotron Jerrysis Rickvangelion felt like it was trying too hard with all the anime references. I appreciate the show experimenting with different formats, but this one just didn’t land.
One thing I will say is that Rick and Morty Season 5 had more misses when it came to the humour. In the past, even the weaker episodes were still packed with nonstop great jokes and bits. But this season, some episodes had longer stretches that just weren’t very funny. Did we really need a whole episode about Rick having a battle of wits with crows? Come on.
That said, the season finale, Rickmurai Jack was a return to form. Evil Morty’s grand plan finally coming to fruition was a great payoff after years of build-up. The action was kinetic, and the animation was gorgeous during that climactic Citadel battle. And the fight between Rick and Naruto-esque Samurai Rick was badass. It reminded me of the inventive, anything-goes spirit that initially drew me into this crazy show.
Character-wise, I liked seeing more evolution with Morty. He’s gotten hardened and more disillusioned with Rick’s antics over the years. Morty standing up for himself makes for some interesting conflict between the two leads. Summer also got some nice development this season, like when she helped bring down Rick’s crow society.
As for Rick, he was a bit more muted compared to past seasons. We got glimpses into his tragic backstory in Forgetting Sarick Mortshall. Seeing Rick as a naive young scientist who spiralled into cynicism after heartbreak humanized him a bit more. But I do think the show needs to be careful about over-explaining Rick’s past. Part of what makes him such an appealing antihero is the sense of mystery about who he is deep down.
As much as I wanted to like this season, it did not hit nearly as hard as past offerings. The highs were really high, but the lows were lower than we’re used to seeing from Rick and Morty. It’s still one of the smartest and most irreverent animated shows out there. But after consistently blowing our minds with each new installment, this season felt like a bit of a comedown.
I don’t want to be too harsh, though. Even subpar Rick and Morty is better than most TV comedies at their peak. And this show has earned enough goodwill from me to have an off-season or two. I just hope the long break before Season 6 recharges the writers’ creative juices. Because when Rick and Morty is firing on all cylinders, it remains one of the most hilarious, mind-bending, and all-around entertaining shows on television.
