After the martial arts chaos of “Rick Fu Hustle,” Rick and Morty returns to what it does best in “A Ricker Runs Through It.” The episode embraces an absurd science-fiction concept, layers it with escalating chaos, and quietly slips in meaningful character development beneath the jokes. While it doesn’t reach the emotional depth of Episode 2, it feels far more confident than the previous outing, thanks to excellent pacing, memorable voice performances, and a storyline that never stops raising the stakes.
At its core, Episode 4 is about trust. Rick and Morty spend much of the episode arguing, but every bizarre twist ultimately reinforces the complicated bond that keeps the duo together, no matter how dysfunctional their relationship becomes.
Reese is the perfect catalyst for Rick and Morty’s latest conflict
The episode begins with Rick accidentally locking down his garage after repeatedly entering the wrong password. His argument with Morty quickly spirals until an old friend named Reese unexpectedly appears and diffuses the tension.
Voiced brilliantly by Owen Wilson, Reese immediately brings a different energy to the episode. His relaxed personality, optimism, and easygoing charm contrast perfectly with Rick’s arrogance and Morty’s frustration. Every scene featuring Reese feels effortlessly entertaining, and it’s easy to understand why Morty becomes attached to him so quickly.
Of course, in true Rick and Morty fashion, things aren’t what they seem.
The revelation that Reese isn’t actually a real person but instead an elaborate living password system protecting Rick’s garage is both ridiculous and surprisingly clever. More importantly, the episode doesn’t treat this reveal as its biggest twist. Instead, it uses that premise as a launching pad for increasingly bizarre situations.
That constant escalation is what makes the episode work so well. Each new development naturally builds upon the previous one rather than feeling like disconnected gags.
The sci-fi chaos keeps getting better
Once Morty decides to free Reese, the story rapidly expands beyond the garage. Rick’s secret infinite vodka operation, powered by a civilization of hog-like workers, becomes one of the strangest concepts the show has introduced in recent memory.
Predictably, that system collapses after Reese is manipulated by the Hog Resistance, leading to an attack on the Smith household.
The action sequence that follows is among the episode’s highlights. Watching Rick, Morty, Beth, Summer, and Jerry fight together against hacked technology provides both impressive visuals and genuine entertainment. Season 9 has consistently raised the quality of its large-scale action scenes, and Episode 4 continues that trend.
Despite all the explosions and sci-fi madness, the episode never loses sight of its emotional core.
Rick instinctively shields Morty from Reese’s attack, demonstrating once again that beneath his abrasive personality he genuinely cares about his grandson. It’s a small moment, but one that carries considerable weight after the events of the previous episodes.
The episode quietly explores Rick and Morty’s relationship
The strongest dialogue arrives during Rick and Morty’s disagreement over how to save Reese.
Rick believes force is the only solution, insisting:
“You can’t love something out of hurting you.”
Morty immediately challenges that worldview, exposing one of Rick’s greatest emotional weaknesses.
Their exchange subtly echoes the heartbreaking ending of Episode 2. Morty continues believing Rick deserves happiness even when Rick himself refuses to accept it.
The repeated line from Reese—
“You two may fight, but you’re the real deal.”
—serves as the episode’s emotional backbone.
Initially, it sounds like a simple observation during the fishing trip. By the finale, however, it becomes the central message of the story. Rick and Morty constantly argue, insult one another, and create impossible situations, yet neither truly walks away.
That consistency gives the episode far more emotional resonance than its outrageous premise initially suggests.
Jerry steals every scene in the B-story
The B-plot proves nearly as entertaining as the main adventure.
After Rick gets locked out of his garage, a cloud-like customer service technician temporarily possesses Jerry while attempting to repair the system. Chris Parnell delivers one of his funniest performances in recent seasons, transforming Jerry into an oddly cheerful tourist fascinated by everyday human experiences.
Whether visiting a car wash or simply enjoying physical sensations, the possessed Jerry provides a welcome stream of comedy without overshadowing the primary story.
Unlike some previous B-plots that felt disconnected, this one complements the episode’s unpredictable tone while giving Jerry another opportunity to shine.
“A Ricker Runs Through It” is one of Season 9’s strongest comedic episodes. It combines a fantastic guest performance, imaginative science-fiction ideas, and surprisingly heartfelt character moments into an adventure that continually finds new ways to surprise.
Reese is an instantly memorable addition to the Rick and Morty universe, while the escalating story never loses momentum. Although the emotional impact isn’t quite as devastating as Episode 2, the balance between comedy, action, and character development makes this an excellent installment that showcases the series firing on nearly every cylinder.
The Good
- Owen Wilson delivers an excellent and memorable guest performance as Reese.
- Clever premise that continuously escalates without losing momentum.
- Strong emotional moments between Rick and Morty.
- Fun, visually exciting action sequences with the entire Smith family.
- Jerry's B-story is consistently funny and well-integrated.
The Bad
- Beth and Summer still receive relatively limited character development.
- Emotional themes aren't explored as deeply as Episode 2.
- Some viewers may find the sci-fi concepts intentionally overcomplicated.
