Rick and Morty - 1984
A: I am not a connoisseur of Richard and Mortimer.
B: Unfortunate.
You are not enlightened.
A: It does, however, pique my interest.
B: Good! There may be salvaging your faith in Rick and Morty yet!
A: I saw the first episode, as well as the Pickle Rick episode.
Both were quite splendid.
B: Indeed quite splendid!
The Pickle Rick episode is quite interesting to us scholars of Rick and Morty. You see, aside from the idea that he turned himself into a pickle, which emphasizes Harmon's creative genius, it's that he turned himself into a pickle to escape therapy, the idea that turning himself into a pickle and back to a human is somehow easier and more bearable than going to therapy for thirty minutes.
A: I quite enjoyed the part where he brutally dismembered sewer rats and attached their limbs to himself; I found it representative of the competitive, combative nature associated with ascension on the so-called social ladder.
B: Additionally, we get great insight into his character over his inability to apologize and admit his shortcomings, as well as his ingenuity in the sewers and the office building.
When he ends up at therapy because he needs the human serum from Beth, he has an extremely intellectual discussion with the therapist as well. It reveals a lot of his distaste for societal ideals and norms. He openly disrespects the therapist, stating that his occupation as a scientist makes him above her, further indicative of how he evades the bounds of society, disengaging from the so-called "noble" pursuits of societal engagement and betterment.
Quite the stimulating episode, and that is actually what my fellow scholars in the community consider an episode with less depth!
A: I found it amusing that the comestible of choice into which he decided upon transmogrifying himself was the lowly pickle. Truly representative of society as a whole.
B: Truly. It is so similar to Orwell's 1984. I think it says a lot about the decline of society. That as a pickle, Rick is still vastly more intelligent than everyone in the episode.
A: Indeed, quite a number of parallels can be found between the two masterpieces and the grotesque conglomeration we call society.
B: I concur. The society of Rick and Morty, of Orwell's 1984, and of our own reality are essentially one and the same. We live in 1984. We, the parts of us that desire freedom and shatter the bounds of society, are represented by Rick. However, our clinging to humanity and to companionship is represented by Rick's need of Morty, though it's something that Rick will never admit. In fact, I think the similarities between Rick and Morty and 1984 are best highlighted actually by the Citadel of Ricks, as they say, Rick C-137 is the "Rickest Rick of them all", indicating that it is he who disregards the bounds of the Citadel's society, and he who doesn't care about the rules. There is a great insight into this in Season 5, Episode 10, called "Rickmurai Jack", but I don't want to spoil the great video-media treasure for you, so I'll leave it there.
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