Comedy
Kaos
This modern retelling of Greek mythology falls into a pit of questionable themes and content concerns deeper than Tartarus.
When Rick and Morty blasted onto screens back in 2013, it took the world by storm. And even if you were carrying an umbrella, its cultural influence was like heavy gusts of winds which threatened to snatch that umbrella away. The show’s clever writing and nihilistic vibe—all centered on a cosmos-traveling mad scientist and his nervous grandson—made it a cultural touchstone and the wellspring of many an online meme.
Adult Swim severed ties with Justin Roiland, the show’s creator and voice of the eponymous characters, after he was hit with now-dismissed charges of domestic battery. But Rick and Morty continued to grow in popularity—so much so, that we’re here, typing this article for another entry into the Rick and Morty cinematic universe.
And what’s going on in Rick and Morty: The Anime, you might ask? Well, more of the same.
Rick, the scientist, is still running from all dimensions of alien governments hoping to stop him (albeit a different multiversal iteration of him). Morty’s still pining after girls and being whisked along by his grandpa’s inventions and adventures. Beyond that, it’s hard to grasp what the series plot actually is, at least based on its muddled first episode. In fact, besides the character color palettes (slapped onto animation that itself seems unfinished), the show differs both in humor and plot threads from the original. And to be clear, so far, there’s little of either.
But the crudities are much of the same. Rick is still addicted to the flask. Sexual references are a common occurrence. And foul language flies faster than Rick can jump dimensions.
Rick and Morty: The Anime only succeeds, then, at being a worse show with the same content issues. And that’s a dimension not worth exploring.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at [email protected], or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
While Morty gets trapped in a dimension-twisting virtual reality game, Rick attempts to evade alien authorities.
Someone references his usage of porn websites. Two male aliens argue about their romantic relationship and an alleged affair one accuses the other of having. Morty engages in a gay-coded relationship. A girl kisses Morty. Morty wears a towel in a sauna.
A few people are eaten by a giant snake. The same giant snake is later seen cut in half. A man punches Morty.
An alien church references a “journey to the next life.” Rick drinks from a flask.
The f-word and s-word are both used seven times. “H—” is heard a handful of times. We hear one or two uses of “a–,” “b–ch,” “p-ss,” “d–n” and “d-ck.” Someone is called a “skank.” God’s name is used in vain three times, including one use that’s paired with “d–n.” Jesus’ name is used in vain once. Someone displays her middle finger.
Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”
This modern retelling of Greek mythology falls into a pit of questionable themes and content concerns deeper than Tartarus.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returns for its second season, full of characters and bloodshed alike.
Netflix’s The Perfect Couple is yet another show about a family that isn’t suitable for most other families.
Prime Video’s Classified feels like it was written by someone who wasn’t sure which social justice issue on which they wanted to focus.
Our weekly newsletter will keep you in the loop on the biggest things happening in entertainment and technology. Sign up today, and we’ll send you a chapter from the new Plugged In book, Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family, that focuses on how to implement a “screentime reset” in your family!
