Rick
and Morty: Season 1
(2013 - 2014/Warner Bros/Adult Swim Blu-ray)
Picture:
A- Sound: B Extras: C+ Episodes: B+
Adult
Swim in recent history has been a mixed bag in terms of quality
programming, but every now and then a true gem shines through. A new
series that demonstrated promise from the very first episode was Rick
and Morty;
the story of a mad (drunken) scientist and his dimwitted, but loyal
grandson Morty.
The
series was created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, with Roiland
being the voice talent behind both Rick and Morty. Rick, the
aforementioned alcoholic mad scientist, like a hurricane has entered
into Morty's life; disrupting the order of things and taking
(forcing) him on dangerous, nonsensical adventures. These adventures
seemingly only benefit Rick; as they fuel his own need for alcohol,
revenge, or personal gain; all shrouded in the guise of science.
Now
without a doubt Rick is a genius; having the ability to whip up an
invention in a matter of seconds or solve any problem with ease. It
is the manner in which he uses his powers that make him truly
diabolical. In Season
One,
we are treated to such misadventures as Rick and Morty traveling
through space and alternate universes having a variety of run-ins
with strange and at times dangerous characters. As if this wasn't
stressful enough for the neurotic Morty, his home life isn't exactly
stable as he battles an idiotic/egocentric father (Jerry; voiced by
Chris Parnell), a superficial teenage sister (Summer; voiced by
Spencer Grammer), and a horse cardiac surgeon mother (Beth; voiced by
Sarah Chalke).
The
series is an obvious parody of the Marty McFly/Doc Brown relationship
from Back
to the Future;
and the creators do it exceedingly well. They manage to touch on the
odd relationship of a mad scientist and young boy (though in this
case a grandfather/grandson relationship as well); taking it over the
top to make remarkably uncomfortable situations (mostly for Morty).
The level of creativity is equally impressive as the premise of space
travel and dimension jumping leave the plot open for endless
possibilities.
The
series is 'laugh out loud' hilarious as it pushes the envelope on
already uncomfortable situations; in the end making them brilliantly
executed, creating an animated series like nothing before.
The
First
Season is
composed of eleven, half hour episodes featuring a host of oddities
and guest star voices. Guest stars to date have included the likes
of Dana Carvey and David Cross; with more planned for the future.
The
first eleven episodes include:
The
technical features on this Blu-ray set are very well done. The
picture is a 1.77 X 1, VC-1 Encoded 1080p High Definition that is
crisp, clean, and clear with minimal issues. Colors are vibrant
throughout and dark, inky blacks frame each sequence well; with no
digital noise/compression to note. The sound is a lossless 5.1 Dolby
True-HD that gets the job done, but not as boisterous as one would
hope for such a lively series. Again a clean and clear track,
utilizing full speaker ranger for certain action sequences and the
musical score, but little else.
Extras
include:
A
great series that will only get better with time... and space!
-
Michael P. Dougherty II
