RJ Writing Ink

Rick and Morty S9 EP 5 Review

Question: does Jerry Smith getting a job count as a sign of the apocalypse? Because if it does, then we’re all in big trouble. Besides the time Earth got taken over by aliens, Jerry hasn’t had a job since the first season! Though, I think that this episode involving that idea makes sense since it’s also calling back to another early plot point from the show: Morty’s pet dog, Snowball. He’s back!

But seriously, I’m more concerned about the fact that Jerry got a job!

Snowball is Back!

The main plot of the episode is about Morty going on a week-long trip to see his old dog, Snowball. Back in season 1, Rick gave him a helmet that granted him sentience, so he decided to lead a bunch of other dogs to a separate dimension to build their own society. This is the first time that we actually get to see it, and it’s pretty cool. Except for the fact that the Dogs have come full circle by creating their own pets, Mups. Understandably weirded out by this and the Dog’s hypocrisy, Morty tries to bail, but winds up getting involved when Snowball tries to kill him out of paranoia of what he thinks. Then he winds meeting the wild Mups called Mancors and is involved even more.

I think what the writers were trying to go with this plot was showing Morty’s character development via his refusal to get involved. He’s tried to take a moral stance on similar things in the past, and that only getting involved will make things worse. So he’s making the reasonable decision to try and get out of everything. The problem isn’t him; it’s Snowball. He gets super paranoid that Morty will think bad of him that he pushes him into leading the rebellion. Which I think only makes his unwillingness to get involved feel a little hollow.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter. Morty and Snowball make up and decide to just ride out the civil war that was already underway. Even Rick is proud of Morty for not making things worse than they would have been.

The real draw of the episode, though, is the plot with Jerry. He actually gets a job!

Jerry got a Job! Is this the End Times?

Jerry managed to get a job interview at an advertising company, and he’s super nervous about doing well. Ironically, his family has long since accepted his unemployment status and no longer mocks him for it. To help him out, Space Beth gives him these worms that feed on anxiety, turning him into this laid-back and chill guy with a ton of rizz. I can only imagine what the recording booth was like when Chris Parnell did his lines for this episode, because he must have been having fun with chill Jerry. I practically burst out laughing when I heard him unironically sing “Friday,” with full confidence!

To be honest, I was more invested in seeing how Jerry’s job interview panned out, and I was t disappointed. Jerry ends up becoming a breeding host for the worms that keep him chill at all times even when anxiety would be expected. He delivers a baby on board a private jet as it’s about to crash, and lives! It’s just so funny!! And the entire joke comes together with the worms just spewing out of Jerry like a plague, and his prospective employers are into it!

I think that my favorite part was that the worms tried to go after Rick, because they sensed how worried he was about Jerry having a job. I’d be right there with Rick! I watched the entire episode and my brain was going “does not compute!” Jerry has been unemployed for so long that the idea of him having a job feels like going against the natural order!

But somehow, it works. Jerry Smith now has a job again, and judging by the stinger, he’s happy with it.

Oh, and Rick feeds those worms to the Dog Planet so the Dogs and Mups can chill out. And that’s how the episode ends! Jerry has a job now, and he’s happy with it! Maybe things are finally changing!

I Give “Jer Bud” a 4.5/5

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Harley Quinn Season 2, Episode 5 Review

You know, for a show that takes place in Gotham City and has to do with some of Batman’s biggest enemies, Harley Quinn doesn’t really use Batman a lot. He’s more of an ever present force of good than a main character, with the focus being on the villains. However, that gets upended when Harley and Ivy do not appear in this week’s episode. Instead, it focuses on Batman trying to get back in fighting shape.

After being stuck in a coma for months, Bruce Wayne wants to get back to being the Bat. This time, though, it feels less like he’s doing it to be heroic and more because of his ego. He doesn’t want admit that he’s in no shape to fight, and going out now will provide false hope to Gotham. In true Harley Quinn fashion, we see the hilarious results of said false hope, as civilians start standing up to villains, with terrible results.

Ultimately, Batman gets a beatdown from Bane and accepts the fact that he has to focus on healing. In the meantime, Alfred and Batgirl look after the city.

Enough about that, though. Let’s talk about the real highlight of the episode: DC ripping on toxic fandom

Take That, Toxic Fans

The episode starts and ends with two pop culture fans hanging out in the basement and debating on how Harley Quinn is good.

Every fandom is going to have its fair share of toxic fans; it’s a fact of life. Lately, though, it seems like this small, vocal minority is getting a lot more attention than the entire fanbase and dragging everyone down. I especially like the jabs the show takes at two fandoms with notably toxic fans: Star Wars and DC themselves. Apparently, people think there’s a Zach Snyder cut of Justice League and want it to come out. As for The Last Jedi guy, the shirt is self-explanatory. So many people had problems with that movie and complained about it. As a result, they changed the ending to The Rise of Skywalker, which was just as bad. I didn’t like The Last Jedi, but you don’t see me complaining about it or acting like it ruins the whole franchise!

I honestly thought the fanboys scenes were the best parts of an episode that I’m probably not going to remember. However, I’m curious how Warner Bros was able to make references to Family Guy and Star Wars. They’re owned by Disney; how can they do that?

I Give “Batman’s Back, Man” a 3.5/5. Bonus points for ripping on their own streaming service.

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