Karen Beck is a freelance writer, friend, and aficionado of science fiction and dystopian books and television. You can Follow @Karenofnine on Twitter
Ever watch the 1980s classic “Back to the Future” and thought to yourself, “if only this had a dollop of nihilism and much more talk of boobs?”
Evidently, many, many people have, since the Cartoon Network’s “Rick and Morty” enjoys a tremendous popularity in the Adult Swim line up. The animated series follows the raucous, often-sick but always-clever adventures of an anarchistic old scientist and his nervous 14-year old grandson.
Coming from the minds of Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, creator of Community, the show was initially born from a parody of “Back to the Future.” Morty (as opposed to Marty) and Rick (like Doc Brown but with a potty mouth and more drool) visit different realities within the multiverse but always swing back to Morty’s more mundane home life.
In an interview on Splitsider.com, Harmon describes the show as a combination of “Futurama” and “The Simpsons”:
“You have this nice home base setting with the family that’s very likable and appealing. From there, you launch into sci-fi stuff that can take you anywhere that they could have gone in Futurama.”
A pair that includes a brilliant/quirky character with a normal viewer stand-in is also a trope we’ve seen before, not just with the beloved time-traveling DeLorean but also in Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Who, and more. I’m sure Carl Jung would have something to say about this as a universal theme–an observation “Rick and Morty” viewers are bound to appreciate since the show is packed with nods to philosophy, psychology, and high-concept sci-fi. Plus, of course, there’s the gratuitous violence and, let’s face it, some pretty explicit misogyny–or at least unbalanced male gaze. Nerdy straight men may have just found their nirvana.
That said, there are enough cool concepts to keep this feminist sci-fi fan intrigued. Subverting the trope of adventuring do-gooders is done fairly expertly on the show, shedding some insight on pop culture and who our culture celebrates. The show recently added more women to the writer’s room, as well, so hopefully, Rick and Morty will chart a crass, clever course that appeals to everyone.
How to Watch Rick and Morty Season 3 Online
The third season of “Rick and Morty” is just finishing up so now is a good time to jump in and enjoy the buzz around the show. Although it aired on cable, getting the network that way is by no means necessary.
All but the last three episodes of the third season are still available for free on AdultSwim.com. DirecTV Now and Sling TV offer Adult Swim in their lineup so subscribers can watch the current season and watch episodes on demand.
You can also buy episodes off Amazon Video or Itunes for $2.99 each or $19.99 for the whole season.
Buy “Rick and Morty” on Amazon
Where to watch Rick and Morty Season 2 Online
Almost all of season 2 is currently available for free on AdultSwim.com with the exception of the first episode. Season 2 of “Rick and Morty” is also included for Hulu subscribers as well as Sling TV and DirecTV Now subscribers.
You can buy episodes on Amazon Video or Itunes for $2.99 each or $19.99 for the whole season.
Where to watch Rick and Morty Season 1 Online
Season one of “Rick and Morty” is also included for Hulu subscribers as well as Sling TV and DirecTV Now subscribers. You can also buy episodes off Amazon Video or Itunes for $2.99 each or $19.99 for the whole season.
Watch Rick and Morty Online Free
Many episodes are available on AdultSwim.com, but if you want to see them all for free (or any of season one) you’ll need to take advantage of the streaming services’ trial offers. Sign up for a 7 day free trial of Sling TV or DirecTV Now. Hulu is the best option for binging with or a 30-day free trial. Just be careful, if you don’t cancel the subscription your credit card will get charged automatically once the trial is up.
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