[9.4/10] Really enjoyed this one. On the one hand, you have a just balls-to-the-walls Rick adventure. Him turning himself into a pickle, and having to climb to the top of the food chain by brain-licking his way to cockroach-based mobility, assembling a rat-based super-torso, and then make it out of the sewer is the kind of sci-fi weirdness I love from this show.
But then, Roiland & Harmon turn it up a notch, with Rick then finding his way inside some combination of Die Hard and Rambo, having to escape a secret and illegal compound run by a generic evil boss aided by a generic badass named “The Jaguar.” It’s the well-observed trope mashup and creativity that this show does well, mixed the inherent silliness that our hero is an ambulatory pickle. To top it off, it had the right details, like the enemy goons having superstitions about a pickle monster, and the Rube Goldberg traps Rick sets to defend itself.
The best part, though, is it’s not just empty violence or insanity for insanity stake. It’s a testament to how far Rick will go to avoid doing something he doesn’t want to do, particularly something he thinks is beneath him, and especially something he thinks might force him to confront the ways in which he’s created problems for his family.
Getting Susan Sarandon to play the counselor is a complete coup, and the writing is perfect, as Dr. Wong quickly teases out exactly what’s wrong with The Smiths’ family dynamic, Beth deflecting the real issue, and the kids being cautious but wanting to identify the problem. It’s the show coming clean about its psychological perspective on its characters, which could be a little too direct, but feels right with the tone of the episode.
After all, Beth idolizes her father and so justifies everything he does despite the fact that, as Dr. Wong points out, he doesn’t reward emotion or vulnerability and emotion and in fact punishes it, making Beth worried to call him to the carpet for anything lest he run away again. And Dr. Wong’s also right about Rick, the way he’s caught between his brilliant mind as a blessing and a curse and incapable of doing the work to be good or get better because it’s just that -- work, which bores him.
But what’s great and also terrible is how that accurate diagnosis doesn’t change anything. Morty and Summer both meekly suggest that the school-mandated session was helpful and they want to do it again, and Rick and Beth completely ignore them, the same way they ignore all their problems and opportunities to make things better, when their status quo is unpleasant but comfortable and more importantly familiar. It’s another episode that shows how well this show knows its characters and their hangups, while inserting fecophilia gags to lighten the tone, and a gonzo set of action sequences that actually manages to dovetail with the deeper, darker message of the episode.
It’s all part of the amazing balancing act that Rick and Morty pulls off on a weekly (or at least biannual) basis, and this installment stands out for its frankness about the problems facing two of its main characters, its creativity in dramatizing them, and the sadness of the rut they allow themselves to be stuck in, dragging poor Morty and Summer down with them. But hey, the Jaguar saves the day in the tag from the Con-Chair-To, so there’s hope yet!
The creators of this show are just showing off now. This is by far the absolute best episode of Rick and Morty. We have Comedy, Evolution, Biology, Psychology, Danny Trejo, a super bad ass action sequence, drugs, morality, alcoholism, and poop eating all in one spectacular episode. And to top all that off with a bit of 1960s Batman after the credits. Television does not get better than this. "Jesus Christ" --Rick Sanchez
When will this show stop F'n blowing my mind?!?!?!
he'll do literally anything too not have a SINGLE thing to do with that devorce! right up there with Tiny Rick!
I feel like all the R&M superfans will refuse to ever try therapy thanks to this episode - and sadly a lot of them could probably use it.
Just when you think this episode can’t surprise you they level one up!
Pickle Rick is the best episode of RaM till now.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK NOT ONLY GOD BUT ALSO JESUS FOR THIS FUCKING AMAZING EPISODE
TOTALLY WORTH THE WAIT
"Pickle Rick returns"
Awesome info, Trakt.
Worst episode ever. It signals the nosedive in quality the show is gonna take for the next years. All quality is left behind on the first two seasons and the pilot for this one. RIP.
i loved this episode pickle Rick for the win
How do people not like this episode? It's the best one I've seen!
the beginning of the end for my interest in the show
a good episode that is now unfortunately cursed
Best Rick and Morty ever
One of my favorite episode out of them all!
The best episode so far. Wow, amazing.
Funny shit I've ever seen
The most realistic piece of shit!
One of the best Haha!
Shout by R1D1CUL3BlockedParent2017-08-06T01:30:29Z
"I am PICKLE RIIIIIIICK!!!" <- Pickle Rick is such a big Dill