IT’S A RICK AND JERRY ADVENTUUUURE!

Rick and Morty fans, we all knew this day would come eventually: Rick and Jerry have finally teamed up.

The episode starts off with a slow, ‘Moonlight Sonata-esque’ montage of a disheveled Jerry moping over his divorce. Just as Jerry is about to call it a night, Rick barges in and drags his (soon to be ex) son-in-law out of his dingy lodgings without even allowing him to put on pants.

We, the audience are posed with the new Million Dollar Question: what could Rick (the most anti-social, blasé and psychopathic genius in the universe) want with Jerry? The walking pity-party that makes Milhouse van Houten look like Darth Vader in comparison?

Jerry begins to worry that Rick is planning to murder him, but after the latter confirms otherwise the two head off to a fancy galactic resort. Not even three seconds into the complex however, and Rick is murdered by a spear. So it seems anyway.

The spear nails Rick to the wall and dying, but he still finds time to kill his assassin with a broken bottle to the neck. Both characters die simultaneously…only for them both to simultaneously come back to life and laugh the whole incident off. Turns out that this resort Rick took Jerry to isn’t just one of the best in the universe, it’s gimmick is an ‘immortality field’, a device that makes it impossible for anyone to be killed within its walls.

Meanwhile at the Smith Family residence, Beth is “coping” with her divorce via an arts and crafts project of hot-glued horse hooves (WTF, Beth?!) before Summer walks in distressed about. Beth is rather nonchalant about her daughter’s anxiety, prompting the Summer to storm off to Rick’s garage to vent. See her boyfriend has dumped her for a girl with bigger boobs, which of course encourages Summer to do a little ‘aggressive expansion’ of her own “womanly assets”.

Cue backfiring plan in 3, 2, 1…

Back at the restaurant, Jerry goes off to the bathroom, where he meets the restaurant’s assistant manager, Risotto Groupon. Risotto harbours a grudge against Rick and wants Jerry to help him lure Rick out of the restaurant’s Immortality Field via an amusement ride called the ‘Whirly Dirly’. Jerry, angry at Rick for uprooting his family, agrees.

Back at the Smith’s, Summer’s DIY breast augmentation has turned into a large, skinless giant. Morty insists on calling Rick, but Beth insists that she can work the problem out herself, putting her pride ahead of her daughter’s safety. The two attempt to make Summer ‘normal’ again, but only make things worse. See where vanity gets you boys and girls?

Back at the resort Jerry lures Rick onto the Whirly Dirly, but before Risotto’s assassins can make a move, Jerry chickens out.

The resulting fight culminates in the Immortality Field being destroyed and Rick and Jerry being flung into the planet’s

forest, just as Rick realizes Jerry’s betrayal.

The exchange culminates into an argument where Rick vents at Jerry for impregnating Beth at a young age and effectively ruining her life. Before the argument can come to a violent head, Rick traps an animal and transports them to the planet’s spaceport, only for Rick to be deemed too dangerous to fly. After a Tyler Durden-esque monologue on docile passengers, Rick is injected with a synapse dampener, making him less violent (and far less smarter) for the next six hours.

Jerry wastes no time making fun of his temporarily dumbed-down father-in-law, only for Risotto to discover them. The alien tells Jerry he can leave, but only because not killing him would “save a bullet”.

Jerry tries to man up and save Rick, but being Jerry, fails miserably. Before Risotto can shoot either of them, however, the ship they’re on hits a black hole, causing Jerry, Risotto and Rick to merge together as they become one with time and eternity. The experience causes Risotto hesitate, but Rick (with his senses restored) sure doesn’t. He swiftly shoots Risotto dead.

Rick and Jerry return to Earth and agree to alter the story of their adventure. Jerry even goes so far as to announce his newfound confidence, only for it to be crushed not three seconds later.

It’s back to square one for Jerry.

REVIEW:

‘The Whirly-Dirly Conspiracy’ was a risky episode, since it put an uninteresting character like Jerry front and centre.

Jerry, who has always been depicted as a spineless person, was given a chance to be more decisive, but no such character shift was introduced. The episode also fleshed out Rick and Jerry’s rivalry beyond the whole ‘father vs son-in-law’ thing as well, giving them a much needed depth.
The episode attempted a lesson in vanity through Summer, but in a very cliche way and ended with a cringey moment between Morty and Summer’s ex-boyfriend.

I give this episode 3.5/5 Whirly-Dirlies.