I'll admit that I wasn't thrilled when Roiland and Harmon (And Mike Lazzo) trolled us fans with this very odd prank on a certain April Fools day (for a full hour in place of normal programming), but looking back on it now it was a brilliant misdirection to top off the already surprising season 3 premiere a year earlier.
I'll also admit that I watched each and every replay of Bushworld Adventures that night, and I quickly grew from hating it at 11:10 to absolutely loving it by the time the night ended. (I have since rewatched it dozens of times, On Demand)
Yes, the art and humor are way darker and beyond 'disturbed' compared to our beloved Rick and Morty status quo, but there is real skill involved in HOW bad it all is.
Director, Michael Cusack is all over the place on animation style and character design, with Rick frequently changing how many eyebrows he has or even, for some reason, sporting an earring and mohawk; or Morty equally going from hideous Picasso-esque cluster**** to adorable toddler. ("Yay, Morty, yay!"). Indeed, the characters stay on model ... just enough to make the whole thing convincing as a sort of Interdimensional Cable Australian edition. The voices in particular do feel authentic if taken through that new perspective lens.
The madcap pace of the adventure feels like it could feature in a real R&M episode, if set in a darker world than even Season 3. But as the nonsense piles up and we find out that the whole thing was a massive troll job, each scene gets funnier than the last. It serves as both an underwhelming parody of Australia, but also a brilliant reference to the abusive relationship between grandpa and grandson, if left unchecked. The randomness of this bizarre spin-off, and especially the offbeat dialogue and breakneck cuts, keeps things fresh even as several references reuse material from the actual show.
I would love to see more adventures set in this messed up alternate reality.
I'll also admit that I watched each and every replay of Bushworld Adventures that night, and I quickly grew from hating it at 11:10 to absolutely loving it by the time the night ended. (I have since rewatched it dozens of times, On Demand)
Yes, the art and humor are way darker and beyond 'disturbed' compared to our beloved Rick and Morty status quo, but there is real skill involved in HOW bad it all is.
Director, Michael Cusack is all over the place on animation style and character design, with Rick frequently changing how many eyebrows he has or even, for some reason, sporting an earring and mohawk; or Morty equally going from hideous Picasso-esque cluster**** to adorable toddler. ("Yay, Morty, yay!"). Indeed, the characters stay on model ... just enough to make the whole thing convincing as a sort of Interdimensional Cable Australian edition. The voices in particular do feel authentic if taken through that new perspective lens.
The madcap pace of the adventure feels like it could feature in a real R&M episode, if set in a darker world than even Season 3. But as the nonsense piles up and we find out that the whole thing was a massive troll job, each scene gets funnier than the last. It serves as both an underwhelming parody of Australia, but also a brilliant reference to the abusive relationship between grandpa and grandson, if left unchecked. The randomness of this bizarre spin-off, and especially the offbeat dialogue and breakneck cuts, keeps things fresh even as several references reuse material from the actual show.
I would love to see more adventures set in this messed up alternate reality.
