In the last few months, I’ve had a strangely large number of people recommend that Miller and I watch Rick and Morty. The series always comes with very high praise, but whenever one of us has asked someone to describe it, we’re told, “It is so messed up.” I’m not generally fond of the Adult Swim flavor of humor, and so I was kind of hesitant to give it a try, especially after one friend sending me a link to a compilation of the “funniest moments in Rick and Morty Season 1” and I was more perplexed than anything. It wasn’t funny, but it wasn’t exactly offensive either. I simply didn’t know how I was supposed to react. But Miller had some Amazon credit and was itching to watch something new, so he purchased Season 1 on a whim and it arrived a day or so ago. It was something we knew we wouldn’t have to pay too close attention to, and we were working on a puzzle and wanted something on in the background, so we popped it in.

I still don’t really know exactly what to say about Rick and Morty, and I still don’t really know how I’m supposed to react to it. But we powered through Season 1 in two days and I want more. I’m not sure that I enjoy it per se, but I can’t stop watching it. Academically, it’s fascinating. The animation has this odd quality where the movement is very fluid, but it hits complete stillness for several frames in between movement. (I’m not an expert in animation, so I’m not sure if there’s a specific term for this technique. Animators, please feel free to enlighten me.) The art style itself has a distinctive look that I’d warrant is unique on television currently. You could be flipping through channels and happen across Rick and Morty and instantly correctly identify it.

The dialogue is noteworthy in its own right. Line delivery, at least through Season 1, has a decidedly improvised feel. A single inconsequential word will be repeated several times as though the voice actor is searching for the direction in which to take the joke. However, much of the written dialogue itself is too complex to be completely improvised. It gives the entire show this surreal quality where one is never entirely certain how much of the show is actually scripted. Logically, then, it’s entirely possible that large chunks of plot were animated solely based on some bit of improvisation. One would then expect the show to be composed mostly of closed conflict, and while each episode is closed, there is a large amount of minor continuity that anyone could and many do expect to be tossed out for one joke and later forgotten; and yet, the creators reference these details, although not frequently, at least often enough to be significant.

I do feel obligated to note that, although I am very favorably impressed by Rick and Morty, the show is on Adult Swim for very good reason. It’s pretty much built on inappropriate humor, mostly of a bathroom nature, but some potentially even more offensive. A series like Archer, for instance, is based primarily on verbal wit with some sexual humor, mostly irreverent as opposed to offensive. Rick and Morty is definitely offensive. There is a small amount of wit, but it is definitely mostly the type of joke favored by especially drunk especially rude frat guys. There is a high probability of being offended by this series. You have been warned. Still, as I find myself unable to look away when it’s on, I think it’s definitely worth a watch.