Liam Hoofe reviews Rick and Morty Season Episode 1 – Mort Dinner Rick Andre…
As we have come to expect, it’s been quite some time since we last saw Rick and Morty. The previous season, the show’s fourth, was the first to premiere following the 10-season deal signed for the show and it saw it move away from more canonical adventures and move towards stand-alone episodes. Season Five opened with a hilarious episode that looks to promise more of the same this year.
While the openers for seasons 2 and 3 tied up loose ends from previous seasons, seasons four and five have opened with stand-alone episodes. This one throws us into a classic Rick and Morty set-up, one complete with a sex-obsessed sea-god, and some wacky time-travel and interference from involving Morty and Jessica.
The most memorable introduction to the show is Rick’s long-time nemesis Nimbus. Long-time fans of the show will have his concept art a while back but this is the first-time we have seen him introduced in the world. The sex-obsessed king of the ocean pays a visit to the Smith household after Morty crash lands himself and Rick into the ocean, inadvertently disrupting a treaty that Rick and Nimbus had signed.
It’s a classic Rick and Morty set-up and Harmon and Roiland manage to get plenty of mileage out of it. This is not the only storyline playing out though, with this actually acting as a background to a story about Morty travelling through time and causing all sorts of problems for himself and a species on a different planet.
Like the season 4 premiere, Morty appears to have landed himself a chance with Jessica. This time, she’s even coming over to the house for wine. It’s this quest for wine then ultimately lands Morty in hot water, and without giving anything away, also sends Jessica on quite the journey. Like the season four opener as well, Morty’s failed attempts, and the fact that he is seemingly destined to stay in the friend-zone forever leaves the audience with some of the episode’s funniest moments.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Rick and Morty episode without some hints about Rick’s pasts to give fans plenty to chew on. Nimbus makes several references to Rick’s past here, and these will no doubt be analysed with a fine-tooth comb in the coming weeks and months. The relationship between the two is also a nice reminder that the show is not afraid to paint its protagonist as something of a loser at times. It’s this that keeps Rick as such as intriguing and ultimately, endearing character to watch.
Morty’s character is also given some good work here. We have seen angrier and more determined sides of Morty in the past and whenever that is allowed to run wild, the show tends to excel. The reminders of Rick’s impact on Morty’s life and school also manage to provide a few chuckles and still add something to their relationship.
As season openers go, this is a really solid entry from Rick and Morty. Nimbus is an instantly memorable character and the Morty storyline is a reminder that Morty is capable of having hilarious adventures without Rick’s direct involvement. Let’s hope the rest of season five can manage to maintain this level of quality.
Liam Hoofe