“Rick and Morty” 2.1 “A Rickle in Time” (8 out of 10) Created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon; Written by Matt Roller; Directed by Wes Archer; Starring Justin Roiland, Spencer Grammer, Chris Parnell, Sarah Chalke, Keegan-Michael Key, and Jordan Peele.
The long awaited return of Adult Swim’s “Rick and Morty” has finally arrived. For fans of the show it might feel like time has been frozen for the last six months as we patiently waited for new content, and according to the premier episode of season two, that’s exactly what happened.
Season one introduced sentient robotically enhanced dogs, hobo anatomy theme parks, Meeseeks, and Abradolf Lincler. While the universe is already rich with characters to revisit, the show’s creators have promised that season two won’t be retreading old territory and will instead offer all new stories to continue to make the world of “Rick and Morty” even richer.
The final episode of season one had Rick throwing an inter-dimensional party that, in true Rick style, gets way out of hand. When Summer and Morty’s parents return home from a Titanic themed cruise Morty enlists Rick’s help to fix the house from its state of disrepair. With Beth and Jerry a few short steps from the front door Rick freezes time to save them from accountability and a tongue lashing.
Season two’s opening episode “A Rickle in Time” opens from this same point, though everyone else has been frozen in time, Rick, Morty, and Summer have had six months to lounge about and repair the damage unfettered. Rick uses a time crystal to start time again with the warning that the trio’s own timelines might be a little out of whack and, as with most things Rick, this was an understatement.
What follows is a complicated and hilarious splintering of quantum possibilities that threatens to end the adventures and the lives of Rick, Morty, and Summer. Though Rick is certain in all of his actions, the adolescent uncertainty of his two grandchildren causes time to splinter and the three of them must reconcile the broken timelines before it’s too late.
Add in cameos from Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as two testicle faced time cops and what results is a fantastic adventure through familiar science fiction tropes. Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon have created the perfect mash up of pop culture, science fiction, and off color humor that makes waiting for the next episode feel like being pulled slowly over the event horizon of a black hole for all eternity. Fortunately, the bizarre world that awaits you on the other side makes it all worth it.
Make sure you stick around through the credits for an appearance from another famous white haired scientist who likes to mess with time.
You can catch up with the last half of season one as well as the opening episode of season two online at Adult Swim.
Caaaan do!