'Rick and Morty' Is Actually Righteous Science Fiction

Even after they set the bar really high, where they've done these amazing things, they still manage to do it." Geek's Guide to the Galaxy host David Barr Kirtley agrees that episodes like "Total Rickall," about aliens who pretend to be old friends by implanting false memories of themselves, are excellent examples of science fiction. "Even if you took all of the humor out of it, and told it just as a straight, serious science fiction story, it's a good enough story on its own to get published in a science fiction magazine," he says. Parallel worlds are a familiar idea in science fiction, but Rick and Morty pushes the concept almost to the breaking point, with dozens of versions of its main characters scheming against each other. Author Matt London loves the show, but acknowledges that the story is at constant risk of spiraling out of control. "I can understand why it took them years to write Season 3," he says, "because once you open this box it's very hard to get it closed again." Such mind-bending antics aren't for everyone, and Rick and Morty also has a streak of wild misanthropy that will alienate some viewers. TV critic Carli Velocci gives the show a strong recommendation, but warns that it should be approached with caution. "It's definitely not a show for the faint-hearted," she says. "There's so much gore and violence.