The third season of the animated television series Rick and Morty originally aired in the United States on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered with "The Rickshank Rickdemption", which aired unannounced on April 1, 2017 as part of Adult Swim's annual April Fools' prank. The remaining episodes began airing weekly four months later, on July 30, 2017. The season concluded on October 1, 2017 and consisted of ten episodes.
The season premiere picks up where the second season finale left off, as the show continues to follow the adventures of the members of the Smith household. When Jerry asks Beth to choose between him and Rick, the strength of their marriage is put to the test. Jerry is confronted with the loss of his family, while Beth begins to discover her independence again. Morty and Summer deal with their parents' separation by seeking more control over their lives. Rick's nihilistic viewpoint prevents him from bonding with his family, as he remains unable to change his self-destructive behavior.
The season received positive reviews, with critics highlighting its focus on character development. Rick and Morty has also received a number of awards and nominations, including a Critics' Choice Award for "Best Animated Series".
Video Rick and Morty (season 3)
Cast and characters
The actors and actresses listed below lend their voices to the corresponding animated characters.
Main cast
- Justin Roiland as Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith, the two main characters of the show; Rick is an eccentric mad scientist and Morty is his kind but easily distressed grandson.
- Chris Parnell as Jerry Smith, Rick's son-in-law and Morty's father; a simple-minded and insecure person, who disapproves of Rick's influence over his family.
- Spencer Grammer as Summer Smith, Rick's granddaughter and Morty's sister; a conventional teenager who worries about improving her status among her peers.
- Sarah Chalke as Beth Smith, Rick's daughter and Morty's mother; a generally level-headed person, who is dissatisfied with her marriage.
Guest cast
Other cast members
Other cast members of the season, who each have voiced one or more characters, include: Dan Harmon, Brandon Johnson, Tom Kenny, Maurice LaMarche, Nolan North, Cassie Steele, Kari Wahlgren, Laura Bailey, John DiMaggio, Ryan Ridley, Scott Chernoff, Dan Benson, Clancy Brown, Echo Kellum, Melique Berger, William Holmes, Tara Strong, Jeff B. Davis, Jonas Briedis, Phil Hendrie, Rob Paulsen, Alex Jayne Go, Jennifer Hale and Mariana Wise.
Maps Rick and Morty (season 3)
Episodes
Production
On August 12, 2015, shortly after a successful second-season premiere, Adult Swim renewed the series for a third season. Female writers were added to the staff for the first time, and--counting out the co-creators of the show, Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon--the writing room was gender-balanced. Talking about the writing process, Harmon said that the writers "all write the show together", and that the name of the writer that appears in the credits is usually that of the person who has been assigned to create the outline of an episode. Writing began on November 2, 2015, and the first episode was recorded on February 18, 2016.
In July 2016, already behind on schedule, the production team admitted that the success of the series has increased pressure to meet the expectations of the viewers. Creative freedom provided by Adult Swim entails taking responsibility for product quality. As the bar rises higher, work becomes harder, improvements are constantly being sought, and this often results in delays. Writing was finally completed in November 2016. On February 5, 2017, Dan Harmon, answering questions regarding the delayed release, announced on his podcast, Harmontown, that the show was in the animation process, after a long period of writing. On June 24, 2017, when production of the season had been completed, Harmon wrote a series of posts on Twitter, explaining that the writing process took that long to complete because of his perfectionism. As a result, the third season of the show consisted of only ten episodes instead of fourteen, as was initially intended.
Home media
Following the conclusion of the show's third season, Adult Swim has made a livestream marathon of Rick and Morty available to watch on its official website in select regions, hoping to dissuade viewers from watching other illegal livestreams. Uncensored versions of the season are also available to purchase on various digital platforms, including iTunes, Amazon and Microsoft Store. The digital release also includes commentary on every episode, as well as seven more short videos featuring co-creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland. The season is also available to watch on Netflix, in a number of countries outside the United States, including the United Kingdom.
Reception
Critical response
The season currently holds a 97% approval rating from review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 reviews, with an average rating of 8.77 out of 10 and an audience score average of 4.7 out of 5. Jesse Schedeen of IGN described the third season of the show as darker and more unpredictable than the first two, and praised its high-concept storytelling and character development. Schedeen gave the season an 8.8 out of 10 rating, saying that it "didn't quite reach the heights of Season 2, but it is the series' most consistently entertaining and ambitious season yet." Julia Alexander of Polygon highlighted the philosophical conflict between nihilist realism and life in ignorant bliss as the season's main theme, and noted that "after an introspective season built on the importance of self-realization and reflection, Rick and Morty's third year ended on a total reset", with Beth and the kids seeking comfort through escapism and ignoring the realities of their lives. Kayla Cobb of Decider focused on the dynamism displayed by Beth and Summer, as the characters broke the stereotypical conventions of the first two seasons. Cobb stated that "Season 3 is the first time Rick and Morty really handed over the reigns [sic] to its leading ladies, and it was a horrifying delight."
Cultural influence
The McDonald's Szechuan sauce reference in the season premiere brought huge online attention for the discontinued promotional product. Internet memes spread rapidly on Reddit and Twitter, more than 40,000 people signed a petition at Change.org, asking for the return of the sauce, while an eBay auction resulted in a 20-year-old packet of this teriyaki sauce being sold for $14,700. On October 7, 2017, McDonald's served limited quantities of Szechuan sauce, with the company calling it "the year's most talked-about dipping sauce."
Accolades
Notes
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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