It is pretty funny to see what happens when Morty takes Jerry along for the ride and suddenly has to become the Rick of his own story. At the very least, the latter could have been further condensed, as the material basically recycles the same interchangeable soulmates gag over and over. As much as the writers deserve credit for featuring all five members of the Smith/Sanchez household equally, you do have to wonder if this episode would have been better off focusing only on the Morty/Jerry or Beth/Summer stories. The various parallel storylines amuse, but none really rise above the pack. Taking those strengths into account, this winds up being more a “style over substance” installment of Rick and Morty.
It's another reminder that, taking the humor entirely out of the equation, Rick and Morty often works on a pure sci-fi level. As stupid as this may sound, not since Avatar’s Pandora have I so fondly wished I could visit the fictional world in question. As ridiculous as the idea is of Rick needing to travel light years away to use the bathroom in solitude, the introduction of that idyllic bathroom paradise really sells the whole thing. But the animation in Season 4 so far has been drop-dead gorgeous at times. We’ve come to expect that subversive, intentionally crude look. and the work of Genndy Tartakovsky, there’s rarely much cause to praise the animation style on most Adult Swim shows. “The Old Man and the Seat” is also a testament to just how high the series’ visual standard has grown over time. Wright is another particular standout, bringing both comedy and pathos to a humble working stiff who really just wanted a chance to enjoy the greatest toilet in the universe. But add to that Sam Neill as Glootie’s water-hoarding emperor, Kathleen Turner as the emperor’s podcast-loving wife and Jeffrey Wright as Rick’s latest alien frenemy and you have an embarrassment of celebrity riches. He perfectly suits the role of the extremely pleasant yet sinister-intentioned Glootie. Simply having Thor: Ragnarok’s Taika Waititi in the recording booth would have been enough. The voice cast is easily the most noteworthy element this week.
It’s a looser and more experimental episode in many ways, but still plenty enjoyable in its own right. Unsurprisingly, “The Old Man and the Seat” doesn’t meet that same high standard. “Edge of ToMorty: Rick Die Rickpeat” not only the show’s strongest premiere to date, it’s also easily a top ten candidate (this list will obviously need some updating after this current batch of episodes is finished). Last week’s Rick and Morty: Season 4 premiere didn’t leave much room for improvement.
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