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Fans have waited almost two years for Season 3 of Rick and Morty, so one has to ask if the long wait worth it? The answer is yes, it was totally worth the long wait as this was one of the best television moments of 2017.

Season 3 of Rick and Morty has been one of the most complex along with the most philosophically layered show on television. Picking up right away after the events of the surprise premier back in April, our beloved characters embark on one of the darkest moments of the series as they try to cope with a family that is divided.

Get Schwifty

Season 3 had some of the best episodes of the series and so I want to look back on what made some so memorable. Since we already did a review of the Season 3 premier, it will not be included in the highlights.

Rickmancing the Stone is set right after the Season 3 premier by focusing on Morty and Summer handling their parents divorce. The two would rather live in a Mad Max world instead of dealing with their parents divorce (to the delight and annoyance of Rick).

Pickle Rick at first this episode looked like an excuse for fans to make memes (which it is) but it also examines Rick coping with the Beth and Jerry divorce. Basically the family tries to see a therapist but Rick turns himself into a pickle just to avoid it. Also there are a lot of Iron Man and John Wick reference.

Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender is a deconstruction of the superhero genre and expanded universe films. Rick and Morty are summoned by the Vindicators to stop Worldender once again. During their mission, they are shocked to discover that Rick killed Worldender and his army during a drunken blackout. To make matters worse, blackout Rick setup a trap that forces the Vindicators to undergo a Saw-like test.

The Ricklantis Mixup tells four different stories set on the new Citadel of Ricks. The tales are four Morty’s search for a wishing portal before graduation, a Rick cop is paired with a Morty cop who hates other Morty’s, a factory worker Rick is fed up with his job, and a Morty is running for Citadel President.

The ABC’s of Beth is without a doubt the darkest episode of the season while giving us a chance to learn more about Beth as a child. Beth learns that her imagery world of Froopyland was actually invented by Rick to put her homicidal urges in check. Making matters worse is Beth realizing she abandoned her childhood friend in Froopyland, who grew up and transformed it into his own Craster’s Keep.

Rickety-Rickety-Wrecked, Son

A lot of the episodes were unforgettable, some were good and then there were these ones. Given that fans waited two years for a 10 episode season, these weak ones were just a total waste of time. These two offered nothing to the story arch and probably effort should have been used for something better.

The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy was without a doubt the biggest waste of an episode this entire season for the two reasons. The first is obvious, Season 3 has only 10 episodes and one has to be wasted on Jerry. At this point fans share the same feelings about Jerry that Rick has so its annoying that an episode was wasted on him. The second issue is that given how Summer has evolved from being the “useless chick” to a more respectable character, this episode was a step back as it degrade her character. On a positive note, you gotta love the nod to Attack on Titan.

The Rickchurian Mortydate was the season finale and unfortunately it was less of a bang and more of a dumpster fire wimpier. Long story short, Rick and the President of the United States engage in a battle of egos while Beth ponders on the fact if she is clone. It all ends with a reset by having Beth and Jerry get back together, to the disappointment of Rick.

What it Means to Rick

To properly enjoy Season 3 of Rick and Morty, one had to first watch the episode then watch a YouTube show about the philosophy behind the episode. There are many YouTube personalities who would breakdown the meaning of each episode, provide some philosophical insight to the backstory and point to all the hidden Easter eggs. For me it was always about checking out Wisecrack take on each episode.

Some may forgo watching other people analyze each episode, however this would be a mistake. Season 3 has been one of the most layered and thought provoking shows on television in 2017. Like Game of Thrones, the episodes are so complex that one needs to watch them more than once to catch certain themes or plot detail.

The Rickest Season Ever

Season 3 has basically cemented the series as one of the most thought provoking shows on television. No other show has been this layered or able to transform all of YouTube into advance philosophy lecture like Rick and Morty. Anyone still on the fence about giving it a chance, now is time to do it or risk having your taste in entertainment be questioned.

Now its all about suffering through the worst part about Season 3, the long wait till Season 4.

Final Score: 10/10