We live in the golden age of television, and never has TV been more important in our culture.

Over five weeks we’ll be exploring the absolute best TV has to offer. Every Wednesday, contributor Jeremy Koffsky will delve into the “best” episode from a certain show.

By Jeremy Koffsky

This Week:
Rick and Morty

‘Total Rickall’
[Season 2, Episode 4]

Adult Swim’s animated comedy Rick and Morty is full of amazingly funny episodes but I find Total Rickall to be the most hilarious.

The half hour begins when Rick and Morty discover their memories have been filled with fake characters, who keep expanding and creating new people. In an effort to contain the parasites’ influence, Rick locks all the show’s characters in the Smith home, and everyone there must discern who is real and who is an alien. The concept is so intricate, so quintessentialy Rick and Morty, that it’s almost magical to see the story play out.

One reason why this episode works so well is the flashbacks where the new characters are introduced. I find them all to be hilarious, especially the one where blatant Nintendo product placement is shoved in our faces. The one-off characters, particularly Sleepy Gary, are all well crafted and provide big laughs. Jerry’s incompetence is heavily explored, and I’d be remiss not to mention the introduction of Mr. Poopybutthole.

Total Rickall’s self referential humor, randomness, and fast paced plot make it, in my humble opinion, the best episode of Rick and Morty.