is one of the most innovative and entertaining shows currently on TV, but the show’s best episode completely betrayed what the series set up. Rick and Morty is an adult-animated sci-fi adventure series. It follows a grandfather, Rick Sanchez, and his grandson, Morty Smith, as they travel through the multiverse and explore the weirdest and wildest corners of reality.
Throughout the show’s run, it fell into a pattern of delivering primarily one-off, standalone adventures. Each episode sees the titular characters set off on a grand adventure, only to encounter unexpected problems and find creative solutions. However, today, the show includes a mix of episodes that are standalone, and more canonical episodes that progress a larger narrative arc. But when the show started, there were no plans to make it into a canonical, deep lore series.
“The Ricklantis Mixup” Is A “Canonical” Episode, Not A Standalone Adventure
This Episode Changed The Course Of The Series Forever
For three seasons, Rick and Morty avoided revisiting the same ideas or adventures. Every episode pushed the characters into new and exciting realities, with insane drama and terrifying aliens. However, underlining all of this was humor, a complex relationship between a clueless grandson, and a problematic and struggling grandfather. That all changed with “The Ricklantis Mixup.” In this episode, the show opens on a moment that offers a callback to Rick and Morty’s encounter with the Citadel of Rick’s, which resulted in the Citadel being utterly devastated.
Related
10 Rick And Morty Episodes That Went Too Far
From King Jellybean attacking Morty to the creation of the giant incest baby, some of the darker Rick and Morty episodes went way too far.
Then, when the Rick and Morty most familiar to the audience set off on their independent standalone adventure to Atlantis, the audience is treated to a 25-minute exploration of the ruin that is the Citadel. Here, Rick’s and Morty’s roam, struggling to make sense of their fractured home and reality. And in the face of these struggles, an unexpected voice rises up to become a leader and a uniting force for those that are destitute and struggling. Today, this episode stands out as the highest-rated entry on IMDb, and one of the most widely praised.
Rick And Morty Has Had A Lot Of “Canonical” Episodes Since “The Ricklantis Mixup”
Rick And Morty Strike A Balance Between Standalone Adventures And Connected Stories
Since that fateful episode in the middle of season 3, Rick and Morty has continued to deliver several more canonical episodes, propelling the story of Rick and his encounters with the Citadel forward. In addition, characters like Beth have been expanded, with a space clone who could actually be the original, the hunt for Rick Prime, and many other long-standing, canonical narrative themes. But this was not the standard for the series prior to “The Ricklantis Mixup.”
Ultimately, this clearly elevates the show and helps to expand on the incredible and intricate storytelling capabilities of the series. It means that fans can engage with lore, and the creatives behind the series can build towards bigger and more meaningful character arcs. However, there are things that are lost in abandoning the standalone plotting of the show in favor of more linear storytelling. But clearly, the show has found success in this format, and it appears that there are no plans to go back, or even to slow down in how many canonical episodes are made each season.
Rick And Morty’s Standalone Adventures Should Still Be The Heart Of The Show
The Standalone Stories Are What Makes The Show Stand Out
The thing is, while I absolutely love the canonical plots, and it’s exciting whenever an episode appears that pushes the story forward, the show’s most addicting element is the unpredictability, fun, and creativity that comes from the standalone episodes. With standalone adventures, the show gets another chance to reinvent itself with each new entry. Things can get wacky, and stuff can appear irreparably broken, but it always has a way forward. With canonical episodes making up the bulk of the runtime, it means that the show is not as accessible to new viewers, and that in order to get all the jokes and insights, people will need to become more well-versed in the entire show’s run.
Related
These 5 Rick And Morty Episodes Don’t Get Any Hype But Are Some Of The Show’s Best
From “Night Family” to “Mortyplicity,” there are a ton of underrated episodes of Rick and Morty that deserve a lot more love from fans.
Honestly, the series is a long way off from becoming a purely linear story, but if it begins to shift into becoming less standalone and focusing too much on ongoing plots, it risks changing beyond recognition, and becoming something that feels distant from the original concept. Rick and Morty is a wonderful and fun series, with light, easy-to-follow adventures, and as long as standalone adventures make up the bulk of the runtime, it can stay that way, but who knows what’s next for this ever-evolving show.
8/10
- Release Date
-
December 2, 2013
- Network
-
Adult Swim
- Directors
-
Bryan Newton, Dominic Polcino, Anthony Chun, John Rice, Stephen Sandoval, Jeff Myers
- Writers
-
Tom Kauffman, Wade Randolph, Eric Acosta, David Phillips, Erica Rosbe, Sarah Carbiener, Matt Roller, Michael Waldron, Caitie Delaney
-
-
Justin Roiland
Rick Sanchez / Morty Smith