Remarkably Unhuman

Back on my bullshit!!!

Earlier seasons tended to glamorize Rick's alcoholism. Sure, he's a drunk who gets trashed when Morty prefers another character over him, but he can still wipe out supervillains, build high-tech gadgets and kick your ass if you dare to cross him, making him the ultimate edgelord who doesn't let a hangover get in the way of vengeance. He's also mean and petty when he drinks, but he's so charismatic that he can't help but charm the audience anyway.

Some of these elements appear in "A Ricker Runs Through It," with Rick beating up Reese and using his brilliance to solve his dilemmas, despite near-constant sips from his flask. However, the opening scene makes it clear that there's nothing cool, badass or edgy about Rick's addiction. For the first time, we get an extended look at who he really is when he drinks: not a brilliant inventor or a family man, but a sad, pathetic loser who's literally pissing himself in the garage.

And, as usual, Morty has to clean up after him. He and Rick get into an argument that culminates with Rick rolling around on the floor and yelling like a toddler. This only ends when Reese shows up. And who's Reese? Like Mr. Poopybutthole, he's a character that Rick and Morty appear to know intimately, to the point that they've hung pictures of him in the house, even though we've never heard of him before.

The end credits scene even rehashes the infamous ending of "Total Rickall." I'm not sure if the writers did this intentionally or not (the later episodes recycle a lot of earlier plot beats, so it's hard to tell), but it definitely hammers the point home.

Whatever the case, Reese's appearance leads to a camping trip where Rick and Morty genuinely enjoy themselves. Reese even convinces Rick to lay off Morty. Unfortunately, the trip ends early, leading to a reveal that Reese is actually a cyborg who stores Rick's passwords. Rick admits that Morty is his password, acknowledging that "our relationship is unique in the multiverse": a reveal that could've been sweet if it didn't come at the worst possible time.

Soon after, the episode picks up another common thread: Morty trying to do the right thing, only to watch it backfire hideously. In this case, trying to save Reese sets off a chain reaction that leads the hogs who make Rick's vodka to hack into his system and try to kill the entire family--which itself is a rehash of the car battery civilizations in "The Ricks Must Be Crazy."

This episode could've been a bland remix of earlier ideas if it didn't offer a great character study that reminds me of season three's highlights, but in the best way possible. The stakes aren't that high in this episode--the world's not going to end, and Rick can defeat his own tech--because the real villain isn't an outsider. Instead, the greatest threat is the monster that Rick becomes when he's drunk.

The previous episode, "Rick Fu Hustle," showed that sober-ish Rick can be loving and protective of Morty ("Nobody fucks with my sweet little grandson.") But when he's trashed, all his worst qualities come out. He's angry, violent, petty and destructive, blaming his grandson for everything while also expecting him to clean up his messes.

The writers slip in a few moments to show that Rick does care, and he'll even use himself as a human shield for Morty when it comes down to it. But, tragically, you can love someone and still abuse them. The rest of the family doesn't want to deal with it (if anything, they're perfectly happy to sacrifice Morty since nobody checks on him when he storms into his room), leaving a 14-year-old boy to shoulder this impossible burden.

You've all heard my complaints about how Rick regresses whenever the story calls for it, so I won't repeat them. However, the way this episode portrays his alcoholism gives me a glimmer of hope that we've finally reached a turning point. I think the writers care about Rick and have some sympathy for him, but they're done with the "badass drunk" trope. Instead, he's just a drunk who inflicts pain on the child who loves him the most.

Morty's not my favorite character, but even I wanted to hug him in the last scene when Rick drunkenly plows through his flasks and tells Morty that he's infected with the family disease. He might not be wrong, either: we've already got two alcoholics in the household, and with nobody looking out for Morty, where can he turn? Who's going to act as a positive role model? Who will tell him that he deserves better?

"Nobody fucks with my sweet little grandson"

RICK DEADASS SAYS THIS I AM NOT JOKING I AM NOT FUCKING JESTING THIS IS PEAK LOOK AT HOW HE'S HOLDING HIMMMM

"Oh no, no, no, my little boopa!"