As the sophomore season of Rick and Morty continues to inch closer towards its finale, the show is on top of its game. In this week’s great episode, “Big Trouble in Little Sanchez,” Rick and Morty gets deeps on extremely odd levels (similar to most installments of this show). Rick and Morty pulls off some really great ideas in such a short time span and proves how brilliant Dan Harmon’s mind is.
The main plot is pretty funny and was actually well-established with no real introduction and transition to the episode’s problem. It was bold and fitting for Harmon and Roiland to blatantly have Summer suggest Rick put his mind into a younger physical version of himself to help exterminate a vampire in their high school. I was actually somewhat disappointed when it turned out the plot wasn’t focused on hunting this vampire, which would have been just as amazing to watch.
As the episode progresses, Tiny Rick becomes increasingly popular among the high school kids, and he continues to find reasons to stay a teenager because it is helping Summer and Morty socially. The two of them become popular by association with Tiny Rick and are blinded by the fact that Rick isn’t actually happy in this body and will die if he doesn’t switch back soon. The more time Rick spends in this younger body, the more his id, or inner child, takes over control of his brain. Summer’s talk with Tiny Rick about his feelings, eventually getting him to listen to Elliott Smith, which had me dying; that was a really clever inclusion there.
This week’s Rick and Morty had a clever main plot for Rick, Morty, and Summer while also incorporating a great secondary plot that focused on the relationship between Beth and Jerry. The show is always keeping viewers entertained with all of the characters and that tends to ensures that stories stay fresh. In last week’s episode, the B-plot provided tons of laughs when Rick’s car was protecting Summer. It was overdue for Beth and Jerry to get some attention, and I loved that Rick sends them off to couple’s therapy when everyone knows there is no actual threat of them going through with a divorce.
It’s funny because Beth and Jerry refuse to allow themselves to be happy and appreciate the solid marriage they have going. Rick takes them to an off-planet therapy that scans each guest’s brain to create a being that represents how they consciously see their significant other. Beth and Jerry’s inner feelings towards one another are hilarious, but in a clever Jurassic World spoof, their two creations work together and break out, becoming sentient.
I was pleasantly surprised that they used the B-plot to play on Jurassic World; it was another clever way to provide a laugh and spice up what was happening in the episode. I love when shows do this, but never want references and homages overused, so it’s smart for Harmon and Roiland to pick the right ones at the right times when they want to get creative with their sub-plots.
“Big Trouble in Little Sanchez” really shook up the normal structure of a Rick and Morty episode. Tiny Rick was hilarious, but I also loved seeing more of an internal conflict. Too frequently, Rick seems to be running from time and doing anything and everything he can before he gets too old. This episode was a solid entry for Summer as well, because she is the one mature enough to set her popularity aside to help and save Rick.
Top Moments:
– “Coachferatu” – I love it.
– Summer’s color coordinated outfit with Tiny Rick is great.
– Solid appearance from Jim Rash. Always funny.
[Photo via Cartoon Network]
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