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Rick and Morty S9 Ep 8 Review

I try to be an empathetic person every day. I think that the world can be too mean as it is for us to not feel bad for each other. But like many many things in life, Rick and Morty took this to its logical extreme, and therefore, showed us why it can be bad. And the worst part of it? It’s the fact that everything that happened this episode is mostly Morty’s fault.

Morty, this was all on you!

In this episode, we learn that Rick has a secret distillery where he creates his own alcohol as a hobby, and he seems to genuinely enjoy it. He’s happily making beer by himself and having a good time. But then Morty chooses to ignore the ‘Do not disturb’ sign he put on the door to bother him about something that is pretty pointless. I mean, it might not seem pointless to him, but in the grand scheme of things, bothering your grandpa during his personal time to help him get some Pokémon cards is a pretty stupid thing.

Normally, I would be on Morty’s side and say that Rick is being too hard on him. However, considering how the boy ignored the VERY VISIBLE sign asking not to be disturbed, and then destroying his grandpa’s distillery? Rick had every right to be mad at him. So, rather than deal with their usual arguments this time, Rick takes a shortcut by implanting Morty with a parasite that makes him emphathize with everyone, no matter how awful they are.

The effects of this parasite are actually pretty interesting to look at. Throughout the time Morty has it in his side, we are given almost context as to what is actually happening in his life, instead only seeing through his warped perspective of the world. For all we know, the way he tried to “help” everyone at his school was either making them feel worse or was just them yelling at him for acting inappropriately. Part of me wants to know what really happened, but a bigger part thinks it would be funnier not knowing!

Empathy can be a bad thing, I guess

Things come to a head when the pair head out to buy something, and Morty empathizes with an explosion that blows his arm off. By the time Rick pulls the parasite out of him, his empathy has been digested, turning him into the same stone-cold kind of guy Rick is. Karma sucks, though, because the parasite infests Rick’s brain, making him empathize with the guys trying to kill them! It’s a complete reversal of their usual dynamic, and one that is necessary for them to understand each other’s viewpoint…or something. I don’t really know or care.

It doesn’t care about the lotion!

Meanwhile, we have this subplot going on where Summer and Jerry are trying to get the supplies that Rick needs to rebuild, and find out these drums are being hoarded by a serial killer. Jerry is left to distract the guy while Summer gets the drums and frees this girl who was held captive in a pit out of Silence of the Lambs and…oh, who am I kidding? I wasn’t really paying attention to what was happening. I didn’t care about that part of the episode. I didn’t like that part of the episode. And I didn’t care when the serial killer got shot to death by the cops. It wasn’t that interesting for me.

So, in the end, Rick kills the parasite with beer, and Morty is left without any empathy until the next episode. Whoopdy-freaking-doo. This was honestly one of the weaker episodes for me, and I’m probably going to forget about it by next week. I know should have some empathy for Morty, but remember that this was largely because he ignored the dang sign.

I Give “Rickuiem Mort a Dream” a 2.5/5

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Rick and Morty S9 Ep 9 Review

You know those episodes of shows where the parents get fed up with what their kids are doing, so they send them away to a camp? Man, I hate those episodes. It just feels like bad parenting to pawn it off on someone else, even if it can help them learn a lesson. But this is Rick and Morty, so you know that camp was going to go sideways for them. But on the plus side, we got to see the adults of the Smith family get baked out of their minds, and it was hilarious!

So Much for Reform Camp

Lately, Morty and Summer have been getting full of themselves thanks to the stuff they have access to thanks to Rick, and it’s getting them in trouble in school. When they finally push their luck too much by crossing Rick himself, though, he decides to put his foot down. After getting them un-expelled from school, he ships them off to this camp that’s supposed to bring entitled and wealthy brats into line. It looks as though the Smith kids are going to be dealing with this military boot camp or a scared straight program, but then the show immediately pulls the rug out. It turns out, the campers at the place Rick sent Morty and Summer had overthrown and killed the counselors years ago. Now they’re just using it as a place to revel in drugs and alcohol.

Thank heavens that the whole thing was just a setup for joke! Like I said before, I hate storylines where the kid gets sent to a camp to help them against their will. Either it turns out to be a waste of time because it doesn’t work, or it works too well and will alter the kids personality to the point it’s unrecognizable. And then everyone else has to work to change them back to normal. Either way, I hated it as a kid, I hate it now, and I’m glad it gets zig-zagged by the show as Morty and Summer quickly tire of the constant rager life at camp. Unfortunately, their attempts to leave are thwarted by the fact their parents and grandpa are completely baked.

Beth and Jerry are so high, they can barely see

So, as soon as the kids are gone, Beth and Jerry stupidly decide to go through Summer’s drug stash and huff something called “High Forever.” The next thing we know, they look like they’ve got Spice Addiction with their eyes all blue, and they are completely baked. They’re acting goofier than a little kid, they forget how stairs work, and they’re just complete idiots! It was hilarious to watch! And when their attempts to cure themselves fall flat, Rick shows up just as high as them!

I loved this entire part of the episode, to be honest. It just shows how much of a hypocrite the adults on the show are. Morty and Summer even say that this is why they act out in the first place. The adults in their lives are so useless that they had to get this smart to get by! And I see their point, too. Rick barely does anything to help them get out of their mess, and when the adults in the nearby town hear about the camp being without guidance, they try to hold everyone for ransom. So, Morty and Summer have to rally the campers into taking back the camp and save their parents after they get taken hostage.

Screw the camp! ANARCHY!!

In the end, the whole camp was completely useless and didn’t do anything. It’s Morty and Summer seeing their parents high on the drugs that Space Beth gave them that makes them decide to chill out. Yes, Space Beth shows up and proves to be the only responsible adult in the room by taking everyone home. Which is why she is the cool mom!

This episode was just so stupid, you guys! If it wasn’t so late at night when I was watching it, I would have been laughing my ass off at the entire thing. It also makes me happy that I never had to go to an actual summer camp growing up. No offense, but I wouldn’t have survived without my TV and video games!  

I Give “Salute Your Morts” a 4/5

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