By [ad_1]
Rick and Morty Season 5, Episode 8, sends Rick into Birdperson’s mind, but not without making a subtle nod to the Interdimensional Cable series.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Rick and Morty Season 5, Episode 8, “Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort,” which aired Sunday on Adult Swim.
Rick and Morty Season 5, Episode 8, “Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort,” sees Birdperson’s long-anticipated revival. Since his Galactic Federation corruption and subsequent shut down by Space Beth, Birdperson’s remained a shell of himself. Rick’s goal to bring his friend back results in an Inception-style romp into Birdperson’s memories. While there, Rick re-lives some of the duo’s most defining moments. However, hidden among the sentimental stories lies a subtly callback to Rick and Morty‘s fan-favorite episode, “Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate.”
The now-iconic interdimensional cable box first appeared in Rick and Morty‘s Season 1 episode, “Rixty Minutes.” It veered away from the show’s traditional adventure format and delivered episodic storytelling by featuring TV snippets from alternate dimensions. Co-creator and voice actor Justin Roiland improvised each segment, adding an authentic element of hilarity. The interdimensional cable idea became a running series after introducing hit characters like Gazorpazorpfield and the Fake Door Salesman.
Season 2 dropped “Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate,” which introduced fictional shows like Butthole Ice Cream Parlor and The Personal Space Show. However, one segment left its mark on fans for its pure absurdity. In a How It’s Made spoof, titled How They Do It, Rick and Morty debuts the Plumbus, an unusual looking all-purpose device that, ironically, has no clear purpose.
Along with the How They Do It episode, the Plumbus appears again in The Adventures of Stealy, which features the titular host stealing various items. After stealing a Plumbus from his workplace, Stealy informs the audience that they’re worth approximately six-and-a-half Brapples.
Following “Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate,” the Plumbus appeared in the 2017’s Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality. In the virtual reality game, Rick has a Plumbus in his garage. Along with the traditional shape, the game also spotlights different Plumbus variations with equally fitting nonsensical names. For its brief appearances, the Plumbus made quite the impact among Rick and Morty fans. Therefore, it’s not surprising Season 5 revisited the gag in a subtle but effective way.
To escape Birdperson’s fractured mind in “Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort,” Rick asks his friend to take them to a memory of his garage. As such, Birdperson recalls the time that he and Tammy hooked up there. While Rick’s slightly grossed out by his friend using his workbench for the intimate moment, it doesn’t slow him down. Rick begins rifling through a box in search of supplies. However, Rick’s dependent on Birdperson’s memories, given the moment exists through his POV. Rick pulls out a Plumbus from the box, prompting him to say, “This is what you remember from my lab?”
The Plumbus callback is brief but gives long-time Rick and Morty fans a feeling of nostalgia. Not to mention the moment confirms what Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality established: Rick indeed keeps a Plumbus in his garage, but just what he does with it remains a mystery.
The hour-long Season 5 finale of Rick and Morty airs on Adult Swim September 5 at 11 PM ET.
About The Author
[ad_2]
